Feeling the Stress? Want to Take Better Care of Yourself?

I've been dealing with this topic for quite some time now with many of my female patients. Not to say that men don't deal with the same stress, but they don't, not this way. As a woman I understand and know that we are "multitasking." Maybe it's that "motherly instinct in us" (even though I do not have children of my own), I know that we try to "do it all." I see it everyday in the women that come into my office, both young and mature. Whether it's getting up early to hit the gym (do we do it for ourselves or others?), take the kids to school, and their "extra curricular activities," put in long hours at work, even at the home with endless housework, help a friend or family member by supporting them through their "current dilemma," get everyone to the doctor's office on time, cook the meal (or buy the meals), make sure the bills are paid on time, and try to look "presentable" in public, (when it would be so easy to throw on sweats), no wonder I see so many women who are just on "burn-out" and seem to "emotionally lose it" when I ask how things are going.

It's often termed "Adrenal Stress Syndrome" or "Adrenal Fatigue" maybe even "High Blood Pressure." Regardless, in my experience and knowledge, stress is at the root of it all. Stress on many levels is affecting health and it's starting at a much
younger age. Whether it's physical in nature, chemical, emotional, financial, or toxic stress, it affects us on so many levels. Stress produces a biological "upset" in our body, within the very nerves and cardiac, and organ systems that make us tick. It "upsets" our body's ability to function at an optimal level and takes it to a "fight or flight" level which we term "sympathetic." This in turn affects our blood pressure, increasing our heart rate, stressing our digestive system, drives our endocrine system to release high stress hormones, like cortisol, which in turn place a burden (over time) on our brain! The most important organ of our entire being. Ever wonder why you can't remember anything over a period of time? Can't get the words out to what you want to say? You don't have Alzheimer's....you have what's called "Brain Fog" because stress has caused your nervous system; your body's natural rhythm to go "off track" in laymen terms and the result is often fatigue, short term memory loss, chronic issues with body aches, difficulty sleeping, and carbohydrate binging. This is all a sign of poor health, and your body screaming S.O.S!

So here is some advice, you have got to take care of you or there will be no one to take care of the people you love if you're not around, period. You need to be wise about your health choices daily. So take "baby steps" by doing the following over the next two weeks, you have everything to gain.

1. Upon waking up, lying in bed take 5 deep breaths and focus on just that, while repeating (out loud preferably) "Everything is working out to my higher good today."
2. Drink water, first thing upon waking up, one full 12oz glass (yes, before the coffee).
3. Eat breakfast! 6oz. of lean protein and piece of fruit, protein shake, something other than coffee and a breakfast bar!
4. Do some physical activity for at least 10 minutes, stretching, walking, running,
meditating.
5. Buy yourself and take them, these high quality (pharmaceutical grade)supplements:
a) Omega 3's Cod Liver Oil,(talk with your doctor if on blood thinners) b)Vitamin D, c) a Multivitamin.
6. If you smoke stop. You have no excuse good enough to continue.
7. Turn the t.v. off a half hour before bed and read something inspiring, (a gossip magazine doesn't count).
8. Practice saying no in the mirror out loud and learn to say it at least once a week.
9. As they say "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff." Before getting angry over "spilled milk" ask yourself, "Is this really worth my time and energy to get upset?" and then move on.
10. Go to bed early.