Stress is NOT a Way of Life

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Dr. Carol Ann Fischer, DC, ND
We live stress filled lives. We eat on the go, and our days are unending. We can’t stop thinking and let ourselves relax and enjoy. We are always working or doing something. We wait for vacations, and then need a vacation after our vacation. We have forgotten how to relax and enjoy life. In our world today stress has become a way of life, but it should NOT be so. The right amount of stress helps motivate us to take action. Too much stress can cause us to feel overwhelmed, overworked, fatigued, and emotionally and physically drained. The adrenal glands, part of the endocrine system, primarily deal with stress. These glands are located on top of each kidney, which is how they get their name, the adrenals.

There are 3 categories of stress   that can cause the adrenals to react. The first is physical stress from poor posture, injuries or trauma. The second is chemical and environmental stress that can be in the form of food, toxic chemicals, insufficient water, missing vitamins or minerals, electromagnetic pollution or allergic reactions. The third type of stress is what most people think of when stress is mentioned – the emotional reaction. We create emotional stress by saying “No Problem”, when we really mean, “No Way.” Stress is cumulative, meaning the different types of stress add up to feeling overload. When the brain determines that it is stressed, it believes everything is an emergency.

There is a natural solution to this 21^st century stress overload phenomenon. First identify the different stressors that are causing a stress reaction in your body. Next reduce the stressors that you can by changing your diet, and lifestyle habits. Here are six ways to help you win the battle against adrenal stress burnout.

1. Follow your natural body instinct to go to bed early, when you first feel tired. Do not stress yourself by staying up late and allowing yourself to get that second wind. 
2. Eat real whole foods and the correct protein requirement for your body type, instead of eating convenience and fast foods. Do not give into sugar, chocolate and carbohydrate cravings.
3. Avoid dietary stimulants that keep the body in a “stress emergency” state. Do not allow yourself to become dependent upon coffee, pop or caffeine stimulants.
4. Your body needs water to bathe the inside to flush out as many toxins as it can. When the body cannot flush out the toxins, they are stored in your body fat, adding to weight gain. Do not drink less water than half your body weight in ounces.
5. Avoid foods made with hydrogenated oils or trans fats. These bad fats damage the cells on the inside of your body. Do not eat junk food, packaged or processed foods that have these bad oils.
6. How long it will take for you to have your energy return varies from person to person. Have patience and allow your body time to heal. You will know when you are ready to get back into a regular routine. As your body heals your energy will return. Do not force yourself to exercise when you are exhausted, as this will only slow your recovery.

Chiropractic care is an essential tool to help reset the adrenals. Chiropractic reduces the accumulated physical stress on the nervous system, by taking the body out of the “stress emergency” state. Once the body had been de-stressed by chiropractic, exercise can then help to keep the physical stress level down. Nutrition is another essential tool to provide the necessary building blocks for the body to repair weak adrenal glands. Finding and fixing nutritional deficiencies allows the body to heal itself once it has the correct nutrients. Identifying and reducing the toxic burden the body has accumulated is another important component of stress reduction.

The goal of stress reduction and adrenal regeneration is to give the body the necessary tools and opportunity to rebuild and repair the adrenals. Avoid becoming dependent upon natural or synthetic hormone therapy. The hormones produced by your endocrine glands are very potent chemical messengers. High doses of natural, bio-identical or synthetic hormones prevent your body from actually healing. Change your diet and lifestyle habits to remove the interferences that have created the stress. Give your body what it needs to begin to make its own hormones again. Allow your body the time it needs to renew and repair. Your reward will be a new life, filled with energy, vitality and less stress!

Call (734) 664 - 0339 today for a FREE adrenal test to see how your body is handling stress. Visit www.TLCHolisticWellness.com to learn more about natural hormone balancing, and to see our schedule of Free classes.