How to Manage the “Stress Response”

By Dr. Marty Finkelstein

Stress is the body’s response to any physical or emotional stimulus, and it may be either harmful or beneficial depending on the type, intensity, and how the person perceives the stress.

Hans Selye, M.D., identified three stages of stress:

  • the alarm stage
  • the resistance stage
  • the exhaustion stage

When the alarm stage is in motion, the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated. The body then reacts to acute stress by releasing hormones produced by the adrenal glands, which mobilize the body to meet and overcome the stress. If the body-mind response is unable to alleviate this stress response, the body will fall into the resistance phase as it tries to adapt to the situation. This is best described as an endless battle; if proper health is not balanced the body continues to weaken, as the nervous system and the hormonal system are depleted attempting to cope as best as possible. The exhaustion phase occurs when the body’s energy levels are depleting, similar to driving a car when the fuel tank is almost empty. The body continues to push into deeper levels of exhaustion, where illness and disease become the norm.

Most of us are not aware of how our daily stresses affect our health, other than just using the catch phrase, “I’m stressed out.” But stress is real, and its impact on the body can be measured. In the initial alarm phase, for example, blood sugars will rise and blood pressure will increase if we do not have healthy strategies to maintain balance and create healing in our lives. Consider how much more relaxed you feel after a chiropractic treatment or massage; what you may not realize afterward is that it just lowered your blood sugar levels and your blood pressure and balanced the adrenal glands, as well as restored the integrity to the neuro-muscular system of your body.

As we learn to become healthier, it is evident that stress in life does not disappear—but we get better at turning lemons into lemonade.

Years ago, I had a patient come to see me who had been through traumatic heart surgery six months earlier. Though he complained of his knees and back hurting, I decided to take his blood pressure. It was 180/110, which is dangerously high. After I adjusted his nervous system, I took his blood pressure again and it read 145/95. After that visit he began coming to the office not just for his back pain, but for blood pressure alignment. For more than 30 years, I have been teaching people strategies for well-being, to prevent disease, and to age with grace. All we have is this one body; if we wear it out, where are we going to live?

But don’t just take my word for it. Try these simple ways to reduce stress and see and feel the results for yourself:

  • Stretch everyday
  • Walk in nature
  • Practice slow deep breathing
  • Engage in prayer and/or meditation
  • Listen to relaxing music or music that shifts your energy into a higher frequency
  • Schedule and show up for a massage, chiropractic treatment, or other body-mind work to restore neurological balance
  • Eat a healthy meal
  • Remind yourself of the blessings in your life
  • Undertake a creative project
  • Share your love with a friend or family member

Dr. Marty Finkelstein has been a holistic chiropractor since 1980. He has written several books, including A Life of Wellness, If Relationships were like Sports, Men Would at Least Know the Score, and Divorce: An Uncommon Love Story. He also leads healing relationship workshops called, “Have the Relationships You Desire” and is motivational speaker and a song writer. For more information, visit www.mydecaturchiropractor.com or email drmarty3@yahoo.com.

 

 

This entry was posted in Tips and Tools. Bookmark the permalink.