Holiday Stress

Halloween decorations are put out around Labor Day, Christmas decorations appear in stores before Halloween, right in the middle you have families getting together for Thanksgiving preparing mounds and mounds of food. Right after Thanksgiving, and sometimes before, people are in overdrive buying gifts, addressing cards, and attending or hosting parties.And during this three- to four-month period we maintain our daily routines of going to work or school, shuttling kids from one activity to the next and taking care of the business of everyday life.As a nation, we are more stressed than ever before – we work more, we’re connected 24/7, we stress over finances and many other issues; and it’s this time of year when people’s stress multiplies. As soon as the temperatures start dropping we constantly hear about the flu, and while we do need to protect ourselves from the flu, we also need to be aware of stress and what it is doing to our bodies.Stress causes inflammation in our bodies, and inflammation is the root of all diseases and illnesses. Stress effects our sleep patterns, our digestive systems, can lead to depression, heart conditions and high blood pressure. Stress also suppresses our immune system and when the immune system isn’t functioning correctly our bodies are ripe for illness.So what are some things you can do alleviate the stress in your life and shield your body from the effects?

• Slow down! I know it’s not easy, but we all need to slow down, relax, rest. Rest is one of the best things we can do for our bodies.
• But we need to balance that with moving. Take a walk around the neighborhood or go for a hike. I know it’s getting colder, but bundle up and go anyway. When it gets colder we’re stuck inside with germs and it will do your body a world of good to get out for some fresh air.
• Stretch! Even when you are sitting at your desk, you can do stretching that helps to keep you limber. You can also do the seated cat/cow pose to keep muscles loose.
• It is also very beneficial to visit your chiropractor regularly to keep your spine aligned. When the spine is misaligned, the nervous system is unable to properly send messages through the body. Better spinal alignment means better communication and increased system efficiency.

Have a Safe and Healthy Holiday Season!