Stress the silent.......Stress kills. It's a wonder why Western Medicine doesn't give it the credit it deserves. We have blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar numbers that we equate to health. We don't however have a number for stress. It isn't quantifiable or easily measurable so Western Medicine has little place for it. We do however have barbiturates, anti-depressants and the like which put serious chemical stress on our body's systems. Stress and stressful situations are difficult to avoid so instead of running from it or adding fuel to the flames with medications, use these Quick Stress Busters to help deal with overload and increase your clarity. I think you'll find other pieces of your health and life will benefit as well.

1. Quick Sprints (30 seconds)- Studies in Men show that a quick 30 second sprint lowers stress levels for almost 80 minutes after. You can use the stairs at work or spin on a stationary bike or simply run all out for a quick 30 secs every hour  to calm down your emotions and ramp up your nervous system. Do it at work to increase productivity.
2. Chiropractic (3 minutes)- The average adjustment is under 3 minutes and has been shown in countless studies to decrease cortisol levels and calm down tired, overworked nerves while decreasing fatigue. So visit your local wellness Doctor of Chiropractic for a baseline examination of your nervous system and get on a plan to wellness and increased calm in your life.
3. Cool Off (15 minutes)- Take an ice pack and place it on your shoulders for 15-30 minutes. The shoulders are where cortisol (the stress hormone) can tense muscles that attach to your skull. This causes compression of nerves in the upper neck leading to headaches, eye pain and countless other serious health conditions. The longer you ice the longer and more profound the benefit. If you are using a gel ice pack (which I recommend) be sure to put a piece of cotton cloth in between you and the ice pack.
4. Laugh (1 minute)- Find an excuse to laugh more. Click on www.youtube.com and type in your favorite comedian for a few minutes during your lunch hour or on a break to get you giggling. Read my article The Amazing Healing Power of Humour: Laughter Medicine. The great thing about laughter is that you can do it anywhere and always find an excuse and occasion for it. Try it at your next board meeting and see if it really is contagious!
5. BREATHE (1 minute)- We are shallow breathers. Take a second on the hour to take at least 5 super deep inspirations and you'll immediatley find clarity. Take it to the next level and go outside by yourself and breathe in some fresh air. This is the simplest and most common sense advice I've ever written but ask yourself: When was the last time I really breathed deeply? Inspire and you'll be inspired.

Yours in health and living to your fullest potential,

Dr.M