Stress: Don’t Let It Control You- December 2002

Taking Control of Your Health

The Stern Chiropractic Newsletter

Featured Topic: STRESS – DON’T LET IT CONTROL YOU
Referral Corner:
The Greatest Compliment my Patients Can Give is the Referral of Their Friends and Loved Ones. Thank You For Your Trust. This month, I would like to thank the following people for their trust: Jim Brydon, Michael Kupperman, Candy at Dr. Ted’s Office and Susan Dubin.

Charity Corner:
During November & December, Stern Chiropractic will be collecting non-perishable food for the Vernon Township Food Pantry as well as collecting contributions for The Lake County Meals on Wheels. A matching contribution will be made by Stern Chiropractic (certain restrictions apply). Please join me in helping those needier then ourselves.

Topic of the Month : STRESS – DON’T LET IT CONTROL YOU

STRESS! We all have it, none of us want it, but what can we do about it? The following information will discuss factors involved in your perception of stress, what it can do to your body and some things that you can do about it. If after reading this newsletter you still think that you are not going to bother doing anything about your stress, READ IT AGAIN! You must address the stress in your life before it gets the best of you.

For some, it’s an upset stomach. For others, it is recurring headaches, back pain or muscle stiffness. Still others respond with nervous twitches, allergic reactions, irritability or depression. Regardless of your particular response, the function of your nervous system is involved. Understand that one person’s unbearable stress is another person’s invigorating challenge. Each individual experiences stress differently both in what they perceive as stressful and the way in which this stress manifests and presents itself. Everybody has a different tolerance for stress. Something that is stressful to one person may not be stressful to someone else. Individual differences in responding to stress are products of genetics, personality, developmental influences and experience. But one thing is for sure, CHRONIC STRESS CAN KILL YOU.

What Happens When You Face Stress?

1. Your body quickly prepares itself for confrontation. The alarms go off and your body goes into a “fight or flight” response.

2. If the stress continues, you go into the stage of resistance attempting to adapt to and overcome the stress.

3. If the stress still continues, you may pass into the stage of exhaustion. Your body cannot continue indefinitely in this “ready for action” state. Your system gets overloaded and you become more susceptible to all types of illness. Many people who are under chronic stress stay in this mode, sapping the resources from their own bodies, weakening their immune system, and inhibiting their ability to heal and protect themselves from injury and disease.

The effects of stress are not only physical. Stress frequently causes alteration in mood and behavior. This frequently affects the ones you love and work with. If you are not motivated to address your stress for yourself, do it for the ones you love.

Physical, mental and emotional stresses all affect your body in a negative way when they are in excess. A little stress is good, i.e. weightlifting provides physical stress and promotes muscle and bone growth; competition at work, school or in athletics can be can boost your performance; and very joyful events are a form of stress. Too much stress, when not managed properly can lead to anxiety, depression, fatigue, greater susceptibility to illness, digestive disturbance, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis, heart disease and premature aging, just to name a few things.

How Can I Manage My Stress?

1. Periodic Chiropractic Care – proper care for your nervous system will restore some of those resources that were previously being compromised and will help your nervous system function at its greatest potential.

2. Acupuncture – tremendous results have been achieved with stress reduction, anxiety, panic attacks and much more. This will also help restore your body’s resources and help it function at its highest levels.

3. Massage – this is a very effective way of reducing stress and the associated muscle spasm.

4. Proper Nutrition & Hydration – reduction of saturated fats in the diet and increase in omega 3 fats as well as increasing the amounts of fruits, vegetables and water in the diet will do wonders in helping your body function under stress.

5. Supplementation – there are many supplements that can be utilized to help your body deal with stress: High potency B-complex, Kava, L-Theanine, Calcium-Magnesium, Revitalizing Sleep Formula, Omega 3 Oils, Multi-vitamin and anti-oxidants (i.e. CoQ10, Grape Seed, Vitamin C …).

6. Relaxation & Visualization – relaxation and visualization techniques will be at the core of your stress management efforts and can make all the difference in the world.

7. Tai Chi, Meditation or Yoga – clearing the mind and deep cleansing breaths can do wonders for stress reduction. After a little practice, you will be able to control your focus well enough so that you can take a few minutes during a stressful day to clear your mind and relax.

8. Exercise – this is a wonderful stress-buster and will enhance your overall health.

9. Change Your Paradigms – altering the way you perceive your environment and how you let things affect you is truly getting to the source of stress management. This is very difficult but is a MUST if you want to win the battle with stress.

Note: Please beware of negative coping mechanisms such as alcohol, tobacco and drugs. You may feel like these substances helps you manage your stress but the detrimental effects on your health is just not worth the perceived benefit.

During December, Stern Chiropractic is offering FREE consultations on Stress.

Products of the Month : Stress Management Supplementation (as described in #5 above)

To facilitate a happy and low stress holiday season, Stern Chiropractic will give 15% off on all of the above mentioned supplements.

I hope this information helps you take control of your health and your life! If you have any questions, feedback or have any suggestions for future topics, please call or email me.

If you know someone who would be interested in receiving this newsletter, if you would like to receive this newsletter via email, or if you would prefer to no longer receive this newsletter, please let me know.

Don’t forget the importance of maintaining your health with regular chiropractic and acupuncture care.

Sincerely,

Gregg Stern, D.C., FICPA