Stress... Take control!

Stress…. You have control!  It’s how you use your Energy!
By Dr Pia Martin DC
www.cre8wellness.com

Life is full of things we call stressors. They can range from challenges of our jobs, our relationships, our family circumstances, school, commutes, our health, the environment needs of others for which we feel responsible and on and on. It is very unlikely that we are going to be able to run and hide from these and many other stressors. There is one key thing to remember about most if not all of life’s stressors; they will more than likely keep coming at us however:
YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER HOW YOU RESPOND!
Life doesn’t stress us out we stress ourselves out by the way we take on the stress and then respond to it. First a few words about what is happening to our body when we are in a stressful situation.
The stress response is designed to keep us alive in dangerous situations.  It is called fight or flight. When the body detects a stimulus there is a direct visceral response via the nervous system.  You know it when your heart begins to race, your blood pressure rises, you have cotton mouth, sweaty palms, a flushed face, tight muscles etc… The stress response also shuts down the systems it does not need to run or fight, like digestion, immunity, sex drive etc. The stress response is an excellent strategy by the body to protect itself from harm and necessary for survival however the system was never designed to be under chronic stress.
 The stress response has a strong emotional and behavioral component too.  The brain remembers stress and you become hyper vigilant to the environment that has caused you stress in the past.  Just thinking about an event can cause a stress response. Stress also shuts down logical behavior because it does not need logic to fight or run, instead we need the survival instinct. Stress also sharpens signal detection at the cost of concentration.  A stressed person is often easily distracted.
Many of today’s health problems stem from chronic stress.  Our body simply can’t keep up with the overload thus leading to weight gain especially around the hips, tummy and thighs, irritability, sleep problems, digestive issues, headaches, depression decreased sex drive and increased aging etc.
Sound familiar? Now that you know what is happening in your body here are some things you can do about it.
The first step you can take in managing stress is to be aware of it when it’s happening by understanding your own body and paying attention to the information it is providing you. If you can become attuned to your bodily signals of stress you may be able to break the cycle before it starts to take control.

Top 10 Preventative Measures
1.    Eat healthy nutritious whole food. Provide you body with good fuel.
2.    Get regular exercise, it will help you avoid stress, or at least handle it and it may make you             feel better about yourself and look better as well.
3.    Cultivate warm positive friendships.
4.    Have a spiritual; component to your life whether it is organized religion or just the way you
      yourself to something beyond yourself. Meditate if you know how or learn how
5.    Enjoy your career of find a way to change it.
6.    Take vacations as often as you can. Recharging frequently is important even if it is a weekend
       getaway.
7.    Be positive, after all if you think you can or think you can’t you are probably right. I think you
       can.
8.    Prioritize… don’t try to be everything to everybody.
9.    Forgive yourself often, nobody’s perfect.
10.  Thank others often it feels good.

There are a few more things you can do on a regular basis but start with the list above and you will be surprised at the positive results. Now what to do in the moment!

Top Ten Stress Busters

1.  Listen to your body and notice the signs.
2.  Ask yourself why you are feeling this way and see the situation beyond just you.
3.  Start with the old fashioned remedy of taking a deep breath and counting to 10,
     then reevaluate the situation.
4.  Walk away. Take a walk and get some air.
5.  Write about the event in your journal. Many times when we write about something it brings
     clarity.
6.   Keep a squeeze ball or something similar around so you can focus your energy outside of your
      body while you regroup.
7.  Take a quick few moments to meditate.
8.  Get some exercise if you can.
9.  Designate a word that you can use any time you feel stress to trigger that you need to do some
     of the things above.
10. Put the current event in perspective. How big a deal will it be 5 years from now?

If you can remember a few of these things you have a much better chance of managing the stressful environment we all live in.
Remember it’s how you respond to the events, action, words, life that comes at you, not the events words and life itself. Last but not least not all stress is bad.  
Take control, you are in the drivers seat.
You can contact Dr Pia at pia@cre8wellness.com, or 760 632 8785.