When you are on an airplane, and the flight attendant is giving directions about what to do in an emergency, they tell you about the oxygen masks. One of the first instructions is to “put yours on first” and then to help others. Why is that….? Because if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t help anyone else. That is exactly the same during the holidays.

The To-Do list may be endless and the more you have to do the more stressed you can become. But there are things you can do to help you handle stress better.

First of all, let’s define stress. Stress is defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. Stress is your body's response to anything that requires attention or action. And the Holidays definitely require attention AND action!

Physical symptoms of stress include headaches, high blood pressure, extreme fatigue, and stomach ulcers. Emotional and Psychological symptoms of stress include feeling anxious, feeling overwhelmed, or having lack of motivation. No one wants to experience these symptoms during the busiest time of the year. Here are a few of my general recommendations for reducing the symptoms of stress.

Make an appointment to see your chiropractor. Chiropractic care helps to decrease the effect of stress on your nervous system. Your nervous system controls all parts of the body including your blood pressure and even emotional responses. Many of our patients feel relaxed enough to even take a nap after a treatment.

Don’t underestimate the effect stress has on your immune system! The more stressed you are the easier it is to get sick especially during cold and flu season. Getting sick can be your body's way of saying you're not managing your stress well. By taking care of your nervous systems with regular chiropractic adjustments, you increase your body's natural ability to resist illness, even when exposed to illness your body's immune system will keep you healthy if you take care of it.

Make time to eat healthy. In order to have the energy to manage your stress, you need to eat healthy. Healthy food is premium fuel, junk food is a low grade substitute. A little planning ahead makes sure your body gets the best source of energy possible! Use a crockpot to help cook your food while you are checking off your to do list. Plan your meals for the whole week so you can avoid the dreaded questions, “What’s for dinner?” Cook a batch of chicken, rice, and vegetables at the beginning of the week as a quick meal to grab. Being prepared will keep you out of the fast food line!

Take your supplements. Like I mentioned before, it’s easiest to get sick when you are stressed. Supplements such as vitamin D and zinc can help boost your immune system. Other supplements such as Ashwagandha and Magnesium can help keep you calm and relaxed.

Exercise. It only takes 30 minutes per day to receive the benefits of exercise. It helps reduce the effects of both physical and emotional stress. Plus you are worth a little “you time”! Listen to a book on tape, your favorite music, or point that treadmill toward the TV for your favorite Holiday Movie. The time will fly by and you will feel great after the exercise break!

Remember, you can’t take care of anyone else unless you take care of yourself. If you want more information, join our class on Tuesday, December 13 at 5:30pm, where we will be discussing the effects of stress and more details on how you can manage it!

Start with mitigating the effects of holiday stress today, and then resolve to take care of YOU in the new year. If you don’t know where to start, I would be happy to help. Where you start isn’t as important as JUST STARTING. We will be continuing onto a new series for the year 2023. This series is called “Caring for ME in 2023”.

We will be looking at each body system such as your digestive system, respiratory system, and circulatory system, and learning how lifestyle and healthy decisions can move you down the road toward wellness!

Send me an email at tyjeskifc@gmail.com to sign up for our email list, or call the office at (920) 885-3020 to sign up today. The new year is right around the corner!

Dr. Stephanie graduated in December 2016 with her Doctorate in Chiropractic at Logan University. She continued on at Logan University to receive her Masters in Nutrition and Human Performance. She is also certified as a Digestive Health Profession through the Loomis Enzyme Institute. She currently works at Tyjeski Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center.

December Wellness Class - Stress Management
December 13, 5:30 p.m.
119 E. Mackie Street
Beaver Dam, WI 53916