Throughout our daily routine we compromise our health in several ways. Stress comes in three forms; physical, emotional and chemical. All three of these have both good and bad forms. Depending on the stress we are putting on our bodies, our health can be improving or deteriorating.
Physical stress is the obvious one to most of us. Many of us place physical stress on our bodies through the work we do. Depending on how we use our bodies to do that work either correctly or incorrectly has a real impact. Form does follow function. For example, if you work at a desk all day and the monitor or the keyboard are at improper heights and your chair is not adjustable, over time your body will assume this posture (ie., neck forward, shoulders rounded, arms elevated). This posture puts negative STRESS on your body. Over time this can lead to numbness in your arms, headaches, even lower back strain. To balance out this negative stress you need to take time to add positive stress to you day. Being proactive with your body will be extremely helpful to your overall well being. Massage, Chiropractic, incorporating a stretching and exercise routine on a daily basis and being more conscience of your posture at all times will prevent you from injury.
Emotional stress can be either good or bad. Sometimes we may not even be aware that we are experiencing emotional stress because it is in our subconscious. Outwardly we feel fine, but inwardly we feel like we are being pulled in a million directions or we know there is something we need to deal with, but just don’t want to deal with it right now. Unfortunately, our body is aware of the inner struggle and will release stress hormones such as coritsol ( the fight or flight hormone) continuously. This hormone has the ability to raise blood pressure, raise blood sugar levels, cause insomnia, and lower our immune system response. Thus, many times people fall ill when they are at their most stressed. To help reduce this kind of stress and replace it with something positive there are many options. Meditation, journaling, using essential oils (this brand I use and highly recommend), massage, and even just having a good laugh all help to reduce emotional stress.
Chemical stress is the most sneaky as far as I am concerned. Chemical stress is what we breath, what we put on our bodies and what we put in our bodies. The environment that surrounds us impacts us everyday. But the biggest chemical challenge is food. Our life is inundated with convenience which comes with poor food choices. The best foods we should be putting in our bodies are not always the most convenient. It takes time to prepare fresh, healthy meals. But the time this takes now will add years to your life later. Processed foods, sugars and white flour are the biggest culprits that attack our health. These types of foods can cause bacteria overgrowth (candida, yeast), promote inflammation of our bones, joints and muscles and lower our immune resistance. Once this happens our health begins to deteriorate. How do you begin to make better choices? The easiest way is to shop the outside aisles of the grocery store. If it comes from an animal or grows out of the ground it is a better choice than something that comes from a box. Begin by making one small change at a time and go from there. Perhaps decide to change what you snack on. Instead of chips or pretzels, choose some raw nuts or a piece of organic fruit. Take baby steps and eventually you will get there.
These things do not have to happen overnight. Pick what resonates with you and start there. Over the next weeks and months I will address specific health issues, provide healthy recipes, and provide resources to help you find your WELLNESS FROM WITHIN.