Top 3 Stressors Of The Body

Top 3 Stressors Of The Body

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Last month I referenced the 3 stressors of the body which are emotional, physical, and nutritional stress.  Each of these affect our spine, which in turn affects our nervous system.They are responsible for causing spinal misalignment. When the spine becomes misaligned it causes the nervous system to stop functioning at 100%. The nervous system is incharge of keeping your heart beating, pulling air into your lungs, and using your muscles to move your arms and legs as well as every other function of the body.

The first stressor is one in which we most associate with the word “stress” and that is Emotional Stress. There are many causes for emotional stress, but a few include having a job you hate, an argument between you and your spouse, or loss of a loved one. Sometimes you just feel weighed down with too much on your plate. A few of the symptoms of emotional stress are exhaustion, headaches, or digestive problems such as nausea or stomach cramps. These are signs that your body is under too much emotional stress. Taking care of your mental health is important.  Some ways to manage Emotional Stress include meditating, yoga, journaling, exercising, or taking a nice warm bath. If you feel like you need more help, consider talking to a counselor or psychiatrist.

There are many forms of physical stress. We understand that lifting 200 lbs puts the body under a lot of physical stress. However, sitting and watching tv for 3 hours without moving is also stressful on the body. The body needs movement and becomes stressed when it doesn’t get it. Also, most injuries to the body can be considered physical stress. A fall down the stairs, a broken bone from playing sports, or even surgery fall under the category of physical stress. When the bones of the body including the spine, are aligned, the body is able to function properly. However, if the bones are slightly misaligned and the body is placed under stress, injury occurs. This can be minor such as a pulled muscle or major such as a ruptured disc. You can protect yourself from physical stress by seeing a chiropractor to make sure your joints are all lined up and working properly to prevent any injuries. There are other small things you can do to help keep your spine aligned. Make sure to use proper lifting techniques. Bend at the knees and use your legs to lift heavy objects. Also, make sure to have correct posture when sitting at a desk. Your knees and hips should be at a 90 degree angle. If you are working on a computer, make sure it is at eye level to decrease stress on your neck. All of these suggestions help to decrease your physical stress.

Nutritional stress is commonly overlooked. Food should fuel our bodies and give us energy. Many healthy foods do just that. The main cause of nutritional stress is when we eat junk food that has sugar in it. Sugar feeds inflammation in the body which never makes anyone feel good. Junk food can include sweets such as cookies or soda, salty foods such as chips, and greasy foods such as pizza or chicken wings slathered in sauce. Junk food has little to no nutritional value and is high in calories. Putting junk food into our bodies can cause us to have indigestion, fatigue, headaches, achy joints, and high blood pressure.

Our bodies need vitamin D, fish oil, and many other nutrients to survive that junk food just can’t provide. When our body gets the nutrients it needs, it runs like a well oiled machine. Some simple nutrition guidelines include drinking roughly 8-10 cups per day, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, and only eating when you’re hungry. If you’re having a hard time switching to a healthier lifestyle, try pairing an unhealthy choice of food with a healthy choice of food. For example if you eat a slice of pizza, make sure to pair that with roasted veggies. Even better, put veggies on your pizza. Slowly incorporate healthier food choices into your daily routine and you’ll start relieving that nutritional stress on the body.

Our body is made to handle a little bit of stress. However, experiencing all three stressors at once can overload the body and you start experiencing symptoms. Listen to what your body is telling you and make simple changes to relieve the stress on your body. If you need help, we are here for you!  Chiropractic care and Nutritional Counseling, both offered at Tyjeski Family Chiropractic are great places to start.  Your body will thank you and you will feel better for it.