Stress and the Holidays

If the body is sick, the mind worries and the spirit grieves; if the spirit is sick, the body and spirit will suffer from it’s confusion; if the spirit is sick there will be no care for the body or the mind.

- J.R. Worsley 

 The holiday season is approaching us quite quickly, and we all know that the Holiday Season is the most stressful time of year for most everyone. There are gifts to buy, parties to attend, family get-togethers, and more. Food, sweets, and alcohol are consumed in excess, we travel more and most of us even go further in to debt because of the season.

It's no coincidence that this time of the year is when more people get sick because they're run down!

Now, how about some Holiday Thoughts....

Many retailers will make as much as 70% of their yearly income in the 3 weeks leading up to Christmas. In the U.S., during the Christmas and Hanukkah season, Visa cards alone will be used an average of 5,340 timers per minute....WOW right?

The stress is there, and you can't avoid it because it's impossible to avoid stress! To be alive is to be under stress. Any emotion and any activity causes stress. There are three types that we consistently look at, Physical Stress, Chemical Stress, and Emotional Stress. The same stress which makes one person sick can be invigorating experience for another (distress vs. eustress). It’s not the stress but how our bodies respond to the stress.

So how are you going to respond to stress? The most powerful anti-stress tool is one that you have built in...Your mind. When we confront stress, a complicated thing happens inside of you called the General Adaption Syndrome, or G.A.S.

There are three stages of G.A.S., the first is “The Call To Arms” – the alarm Reaction. Messages form the brain to the endocrine system in a “fight-or-flight” response. If the stress stops you return to “normal”.

The Second Stage of G.A.S… If the stress continues you enter “Resistance” – the body tries to adapt to the stress. If the stress stops you revert to “normal”.

The Third Stage of G.A.S… If the stress continues you enter the stage of “Exhaustion” – during this stage your system (your body) falls prey to ill health.

Imagine 3 Dolls…

One made of glass, one of plastic, and one of steel. Strike each with a hammer (physical or emotional stress) and what happens???

- The glass one shatters (the person who cannot adapt to life’s stresses, gets ill and/or dies as a result).

- The plastic doll will scar (person not killed but is hurt or damaged will recover but never completely heal).

- The steel doll rings with a pleasant tone (person adapts to stress quickly and thrives).

Which one are you? Which would you like to be?

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Your body is an amazing machine, capable of amazing feats. Your body comes complete with 100 Billion Brain Neurons that can send impulses at lightning speed to every cell, tissue, organ and system in your body. It came complete with a very sophisticated nerve system that stretches for miles and stores over 100 Trillion bits of information. It produces 8 Million new red blood cells every second. There are 100,000 genes with more than 50% designated to the structure and function of your nervous system.

Your Amazing Body was designed perfectly and was made to live healthy and vital for 120 –150 years. (The Hunza people). There are  in fact 80 Thousand Americans over 100 years right now. The US Census Bureau predicts that by 2050 there will be well over 4 Million people 100 years of age or older. What will you health be like when you reach this milestone?

So what do we need to do in order to help eliminate the stress we know we will come in contact with?

Laugh, and laugh often - laughter promotes healing.

Volunteer - volunteerism boosts self-esteem which is another life extender.

Meditate - meditation works as an anti-aging mantra. People who meditate 20 minutes a day have higher levels of DHEA-S, a hormone which is found at its peak in your early 20's.

Help Out - helping others contributes to longevity. It triggers the body to release feel-good endorphins which lowers blood pressure and heart rates = less stress and less tension.

Think Positive - positive thinking promotes positive physiology, negative thoughts present negative physiology.

 So how does chiropractic care factor into all of this? Chiropractic care focuses on removing all interference from your nervous systems, and since your nervous system is the body's master control system, doesn't it make sense that it should function unimpeded? Do you think it's just a coincidence that the brain and the spinal cord are the only areas of your body to be completely encased in bone? Your nervous system controls everything, so it definitely makes sense to offer it the most protection and to make sure there are no problems with the signals going out into your body. Doctors of chiropractic use the spine as a way of facilitating the nervous system. A problem in the spine means there is the potential of nervous system interference. Have you ever wondered what was possible for you or your family if you all lived your entire lifetime free from interference? You would have a stronger immune system, improved energy levels, increased focus, fewer aches and pains, quicker healing times and longer lasting effects. Basically, it would be a healthier, safer and saner world for everyone.

So our goal and your goal should be to stay healthy during stressful times. How do we go about doing that? First, make a list of goals and then try to follow that list. Maintain a wellness program, maintain healthy relationships and quality time, and don't forget to get appropriate sleep. Some other ways to help maintain your health and keep the stress levels low can include all of the following, just some of the following, or just make up your own list of things that help you specifically. You can pray or meditate, have a pet or a hobby, laugh often, volunteer, smile more (it's contagious you know), use sweets and alcohol in moderation, use positive self motivation, keep finances in balance, and finally try to simplify your life.

In the end, the choice is always yours, but wouldn't the holidays be that much more enjoyable if we weren't always stressed out about all the little things. These are just  some suggestions, and hopefully, we can help make your holiday season the best it can be. Think healthy, be healthy, and don't forget about your nervous system.

Have a wonderful holiday season,

Dr. Christopher Raymond

Raymond Chiropractic
5533 Mahoning Ave. Suite C
Austintown, OH 44515
330.799.4400

Patient Appreciation Days!

As the holiday season approaches (probably a bit faster than most of us would like it to), we have decided to hold our Patient Appreciation Days on November 10 and November 12 at the office. We will be accepting toys and cash donations towards the Toys for Tots organization this year.

Whenever we have these Patient Appreciation Days, it's always an exciting time. Not only do we get to give something back to all of our wonderful patients, but we also get the chance to give something back to the community, and what better of an organization than Toys for Tots.

Sometimes, as life gets hectic and things sometimes seem to blur by, we forget to stop and take time to look around ourselves, and be grateful for so many of the things and people around us. This event is our way of showing thanks and appreciation to all of our patients who have helped grow this office to where it is today. I couldn't be doing any of the things I am doing or accomplishing on a daily basis without the patients who needed help. I am just glad that I was able to help all those I come in contact with achieve greater levels of health and reach new levels of life and happiness.

So please, come enjoy a day dedicated to you, our patients; eat, drink, enjoy good company and of course come get adjusted. This is our way of thanking you for being you, and I truly am blessed to be the one who could help.

Dr. Raymond