Stress kills…
Study after study show us that it does… and the beginning of the fall season also tends to be the beginning of stress season for most people. Whether this corresponds to getting kids back to school, a change in the weather, the pending holidays or whatever the reason may be, it’s the time that proves to be most stressful for society.
These skyrocketing levels of stress are quite alarming, especially since it can literally kill you… just the physical and emotional consequences alone are enough to cause great concern.
There are several things you can do to combat the lethal effects of stress. Here are some of them…
1) Commit random acts of kindness
Studies have shown that committing acts of kindness, whatever the reason, releases serotonin (your feel good neurotransmitter in the brain) into the blood stream making you literally feel better. It’s going to cut back on the effects of stress and strengthen your immune system.
You know what’s cool though? Receiving acts of kindness does the same thing.
You know what’s even more cool? Simply observing an act of kindness done to another individual will do the same thing! Isn’t that amazing? I love the way our bodies work! You can do something nice for someone, have something nice done for you, or even just watch someone doing something nice for someone else and you’re going to be happier AND healthier.
2) Tai Chi
Really all exercise reduces stress but activities like yoga and tai chi are inherently relaxing beyond going for a run. I was reading the latest issue of Ode magazine and they reported on an article that was recently released on Tai Chi in the elderly. Turns out that when people over the age of 60 engage in regular (no, you can’t just do it once.) tai chi they have half the incidence of diseases like shingles. They have the immune systems of someone in their 40’s and also had significantly less infectious diseases such as influenza and pneumonia. Pretty cool!
3) Chiropractic adjustments
Did you know that having chiropractic work done actually strengthens your immune system along with a whole litany of other great benefits! It’s true. It’s been reported in many research articles but don’t take my word for it. Ask someone that’s gives themselves the gift of regular chiropractic care to compare a year when they didn’t see the chiropractor versus when they did see the chiropractor regularly. Give it a try, you’ll love the results.
There are several other things that can be done to reduce your stress levels including, getting eight hours of sleep every night, eating a healthy diet, supplementing with a great nutritional supplement, meditating and more. Feel free to email me or ask me the next time you’re in for your regular chiropractic office visit if you have questions.
Loving Life,
Dr. Chris Frykman