Staying Healthy
We all know someone who gets sick around the holidays every year. Are they just unlucky? New research indicates that your daily choices may be the most crucial factor in your ability to stay well or get sick. Your body is designed to be healthy and resilient. Each day you encounter millions of bacteria and potential pathogens that could get you sick. It’s your immune system and your body’s ability to regulate and dissipate these invaders that make all the difference between getting sick and staying well.
An easy way to understand stress and it’s effects on the body is with a simple example. Suppose you answer the door bell and it’s your mailman asking you to sign for a registered letter from the IRS. Would your blood pressure go up? Does your immune system go down? Are you suddenly in a bad mood? How well do you think you’ll sleep tonight? The list goes on. This is a result of the chemical changes that occur as a result of stress. What is often overlooked is the fact that although a spinal disc or pinched nerve issue is a physical cause of stress there is usually also a chemical effect.
The choices you make each day are the most significant controllable factor in staying healthy. What goes into your body (chemical stress), how you use your body (physical stress), and your thoughts (emotional stress) are all vitally important to your ability to stay well naturally. Here is your three-step process to manage stress and give yourself the gift of better health.
- Daily Movement: daily exercise is a great way to keep your mind and body healthy throughout the weeks.
- Mental Moment: take a minute each day to think/meditate/decompress and appreciate the blessings you do have in your life
- Portion Planning: plan your meals each day so you can avoid binging or adding in those extra empty calories that contribute to weight gain and inflammation.
Next Steps:
Staying healthy is an attainable goal if you take just a few minutes each day to be proactive with your healthy habits. Managing your level of physical, chemical, and emotional stress with daily physical movement, mental focus, and portion planning is a great way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. If you need help- give us a call today! We’re here for you.
Science Source:
Stress Management. Mayo Clinic 2019
Chronic Stress, Cortisol Dysfunction, and Pain: A Psychoneuroendocrine Rationale for Stress Management in Pain Rehabilitation. Physical Therapy 2014
REDUCTION OF CORTISOL LEVELS AND PERCEIVED ANXIETY IN A PATIENT UNDERGOING CHIROPRACTIC MANAGEMENT FOR NECK PAIN AND HEADACHE. Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic. 2020
Neurophysiological effects of spinal manipulation. The Spine Journal 2002
The Interaction Effect of Posture and Psychological Stress on Neck-Shoulder Muscle Activity in Typing: A Pilot Study. EHAWC 2011
