Friday, February 22, 2013

Stress Management

Most of us with jobs or kids are under a considerable amount of mental stress and do very little to tip the scales in our favor.  There are many ways to determine how well your body is handling the stress you are under on a daily basis.  We have testing equipment that can tell you if you have adrenal fatigue or excess cortisol production, which are stress indicators.  Stress is managed by your nervous system and if your nervous system is an unhealthy one, you will suffer the damaging effects of stress.  Stress can lead to weight gain, aches and pains, irritability (obviously), sleep deprivation, heart disease and organ malfunction to name a few.  Coined "the silent killer," it has an impact on us all.  So, that being said, what the heck can you do about it.

There are many options available to you.  Joining a Yoga studio is a great way to decrease stress, unplug from our gizmos and gadgets and you can even get into shape while you do it.  Tons of Yoga studios have popped up all over San Diego.  In UTC La Jolla there is Core Power and Sol Yoga that I can think of.  They are both within a mile of the other.  Another idea is learning how to meditate.  There are classes, audiotapes and books that can teach you how to properly do it.  We have a Meditation Specialist in my office that does workshops every month.  I personally meditate for a few minutes every day.  20 minutes is best but even if you only get in 5, that's better than nothing.  I have been looking up Tai Chi studios as well.  That is a form of movement meditation.  Plus I'm a big fan of Asian culture and Kung Fu Panda, so anything close to that is exciting for me. 

Nutritionally there are many ways to help calm the nerves and reduce adrenal stress by way of supplements or homeopathics.  We have an in house Nutritionist that can help anyone find the right balance.  A regular Massage can also help reduce muscular stress and it feels amazing.  We have an in house Massage Therapist as well.  Last but not least, there is Chiropractic.  Nothing helps relieve stress better than unlocking stuck areas of your spine and getting your nerves unpinched.  Neural stress created by a misaligned spine has the worst effects on your stress levels.  An adjustment here and there can do wonders on your stress levels.  So, find an office that can do all of this for you, like ours (hint - hint), and get a handle on your stress.