What Are The Effects Of Stress On Your Body?

How do you define stress? Is it when you have a million things to get down before the end of your workday? Is it when your children are starting to drive you crazy? Is it when you and your significant other can't seem to get along? All of these situations create stress and are all examples of emotional stressors. Most of us relate "stress" to emotional stress and don't think about or know what else can stress us. But have you thought about the effects of stress when you eat a cheeseburger, drink a soda, or sit all day at work? Just as emotional stressors affect us, these physical and chemical stressors create imbalances in our body driving it further away from homeostasis.

Stress can be defined as a normal physiological response to situations or stimulus, which are perceived as "dangerous" to the body. The human body is complex; it must stay with in a very narrow range of physiological function to maintain homeostasis. The body is exposed everyday to different persons, species, situations and stimuli. If the exposure is hazardous then the body prepares itself to face the situation - the reason being is to maintain internal homeostasis and the bodies normal functioning should not be affected. This response is called the fight or flight response.

The fight or flight response occurs because the body needs more energy when its faced with situations deemed "dangerous". The initial step of this response is taken by the hypothalamus of the brain that in turn eventually stimulates your adrenal glands (located above your kidneys). The adrenal glands secrete two important hormones, adrenaline and cortisol. These two hormones work together to see that the body gets more energy by providing more oxygen and glucose. For these things to occur, the following adjustments are done. First, adrenaline makes blood flow toward your muscles, heart, and brain - and away from the skin and digestive track. Then, your heart beats rapidly and forcefully increasing heart rate and your blood pressure. At the same time your eyes dilate and your blood vessels constrict. Finally, the sugar stored in your liver is converted into glucose (blood sugar) for quick energy during the fight or flight response. Once the trigger is gone, the hormone levels drop and the body returns to normal. However if stress occurs repeatedly, then all the hormone levels are persistently high not allowing the body to come back to normal.

How often do you feel stressed? I think most of us would answer everyday. This means that we consistently have high levels of adrenaline and cortisol running through our blood. Remember, when we are stressed the body is looking for quick energy. To gain more energy, glucagon is being converted into blood sugar. This means you consistently have higher levels of blood sugar than what you should. Think about that. Is it hard for you to lose weight? Has your doctor told you that your headed toward diabetes? Have you improved your diet but still can't control your blood sugar? At my office, Living with Motion Chiropractic, we understand the effects of stress on your body. All day, everyday, your body is adjusting and compensating to maintain homeostasis. The next time you feel back pain from sitting all day (physical stress) or you get angry with your children (emotional stress) or you shovel down a burger with fries (chemical stress), remember how these situations impact your health. Finding a balance in your life physically, emotionally, and chemically will allow your body to respond appropriately to the effects of stress!

Most Effective Weight Loss Solutions for 2011!

Today the Internet is riddled with diet pills, weight loss plans, meal replacements, special exercise programs and a million other weight loss options. Why then are so many people overweight? Why is obesity continuing to rise? There is definitely more than one answer to these questions. Starting with the convenience and cheap cost of fast food, over consumption of calorie dense snack foods, pop, lack of preparation, and genetics to name a few. The fact regarding most of the weight loss solutions is that very few offer a solution to the real problem. We can only sustain restrictive diets or take pills and diet drinks that amp us up for so long. At some point we begin to revert back to what were comfortable with and find ourselves right back to where we started. A person’s will power to over come their emotional connection to unhealthy food will not last if their driving force to losing weight is merely cosmetic. Healthy decisions in general need a high level of will power for people to stick with and make those changes as part of who they now are. Your overall health improvement is what really should drive your decision to lose weight. A person’s waistline is one of the biggest predictors of health problems to arise in that individual. As the waistline increase outwards, so do the their health risks. You can find BMI (Body Mass Index) calculations on the Internet and then see where you fall in the category of increased health risks.

Being a Chiropractor, focused on overall health, I needed to experience what the most effective weight loss solution was. What I found, with the help of other doctors, was the HCG Professional Formula through DesBio. First, I put myself and several other test patients (including my mom) through the HCG Diet to measure its effectiveness, side effects and how easy it was to follow through with the diet. I have to say what other doctors were telling me was 100% right on. The effectiveness of this product was amazing, no side effects when performed the way we offer it, and the fact I was not hungry made it much easier to follow than I thought it would be. A common question I get is, “Wouldn’t anyone lose the same amount of weight eating a low calorie diet without HCG?” I tell them, you can lose weight by eating fewer calories and fat, but because the body stores fat during times of deprivation (very low calorie diet), you will most likely lose water, essential fat stores, and muscle mass before non-essential fat (belly, thighs, buttocks). This causes cellular metabolism to slow down, so in the long run, it would make gaining weight easier. Having done the HCG Professional Formula myself, I have continued to keep the weight off (even over two Christmas’s and New Year’s) and I 100% recommend the HCG Diet with DesBio as the most effective weight loss solution!

Delicious weight loss meals making the HCG Diet easy to follow!

Whether your trying to lose 10 pounds or 50 pounds, preparation of your meals is the key to success. No matter your level of will power if you don’t properly prepare and stock your shelves with foods that will promote a healthy diet you’re likely to struggle. For most, if you are heavier than you would like to be, revamping your pantry is a great place to start. Finding the right foods to keep on hand that fit with your current diet plan can be difficult. For instance, not all diets are as strict with total calories as the HCG diet. During the HCG diet you must not exceed over 500 calories per day. Seems like that would be nearly impossible to most. However, having gone through the diet myself and using a great HCG product from DesBio, it was much easier than I originally thought it was going to be. What was most helpful was having the Finally Fit handbook that’s offered through our HCG Diet plan. This handbook is full of delicious weight loss meals that really do make it much easier. The meals are put together in a way that won’t interfere with how the HCG works on resetting your metabolism. We must make note that the way the 500 calories are made up is of utmost importance. There are a number of foods, mostly fruits and vegetables, that have the same or even have lower calories but are not permissible during the HCG Diet. It’s been found that foods that are not on the HCG Diet list can interfere with regular weight loss when taking HCG. Here is a list of some of the weight loss meals I found to be delicious, making the diet a breeze.

Drinks:
Grape Drink
1 cup water
8 drops grape flavor SweetLeafâ Stevia Liquid Sweetener
Add crushed ice or blend

Lemon Drop
1 cup water
1 freshly squeezed lemon
1 packet Stevia or Liquid Stevia
Add crushed ice or blend

Entrees:
Beef/Chicken with Spinach/Onions and Garlic

3.5 oz. sliced lean chicken or beef
Fresh Spinach
1 garlic clove
Sea Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook beef or chicken in non-stick pan with minced garlic. Before meat is fully cooked, add in fresh spinach and seasoning.
If using onions, dice and throw in with meat.
Use a broth to deglaze the pan and use for a dipping sauce for meat.

Burgers 2

1 lb. Leanest ground beef or buffalo
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 gloves minced garlic
1-2 tablespoons minced onion
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
Oregano to taste

Measure out 3.5 oz patties.
Grill patties on medium heat.
Serves 4
Freeze for future.

Fajitas

Lean Sirloin or Chicken Breast
1 yellow or white onion sliced
1 tsp.fresh minced garlic
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 can of diced tomatoes (optional, can count as fruit)

Saute onions & meat with little chicken broth in non-stick pan.
Add spices.
Cook till tender, usually cover for 5-10 minutes with occasional stirring.

Mahi Mahi, Grilled

3.5 oz. Mahi Mahi Fresh Lemon Juice
Favorite blackened seasoning

Marinate fish in lemon juice for 5 minutes.
Coat with blackened seasoning and grill.

Proven Tips on Fast Weight Loss

Are you living a stressed out, face-paced life finding yourself constantly reaching for quick snacks till you finally have the time to sit down for an actual meal? As a Chiropractor, I know many patients are always on the go, stressed out, and eating unhealthy junk-food snacks. Most tips on fast weight loss are full of things like don’t eat this or don’t it that. However, recent studies have shown that when we eat the right fat before meals we can trick the body into feeling more full. This is achieved by activating proper chemical pathways that send messages to your brain about being full. Foods that contain healthy fat like walnuts or almonds are the key foods that allow this process to take place. When we consume these healthy fats (60-70 calories of them) twenty minutes before a meal they will stimulate your brain and also slow your stomach from emptying to keep you feeling full, longer. You will almost certainly eat less when you eat to satisfy your need for energy, not to satisfy your hunger. Now if you’re not a fan of nuts or don’t want to take the time to eat something before a meal, another fast weight loss tip is to add more fiber to your diet. Eating fiber prevents you from overeating because it makes you feel full. Fiber also slows down the digestion of foods you eat keeping your blood sugar/energy levels in check preventing you from getting hungry. Good sources of fiber are vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and some cereals. The amount of fiber in a food product is listed in the nutritional facts found on most food labels. You should try to eat 20-25 grams of fiber each day spread out evenly in all of your meals. When finished eating a meal you should always feel better and not stuffed, bloated or tired. Choosing to eat healthy fat or adding more fiber to your diet are proven tips on fast weight loss!

Easy and Quick Weight Loss Tip

One thing we always seem to forget about is the importance of water! Most of us have learned that our body is over 70% water. That’s a very large percentage of everything that makes you who you are. Wouldn’t it make sense that if our body craved or needed something, water would be pretty high on that list? Understanding the difference between thirst and hunger is the number one quick weight loss tip. Many times a tall glass of water will satisfy are cravings. This points to the fact that many of the “hunger pains” are actually due to the lack of proper hydration. To really capitalize on this easy and quick weight loss tip, is to drink water at the right times. To effectively reduce calorie intake and still be satisfied drink a large glass of water 5-10 minutes before all your meals. Doing so will stimulate those receptors telling your brain your full for longer and also allow you to properly digest your food. This all leads to a healthier, happier, and slimmer you! Who knew that something as simple as drinking water would be the number one quick weight loss tip? Follow the youtube video link to see why the HCG product we use is safe and effective! Click here to watch!

Healthy, Rapid Weight Loss in the New Year!

As a Chiropractor, I believe in reaching optimal health from the inside out. For many of us, this needs to start with rapid weight loss. Exercise is a great way to lose weight for many people. The problem for others, is that excess weight inhibits them from beginning an exercise routine and therefore from reaching their goals. The joint pain you experience from physical activity can be reduced when you begin losing those unwanted pounds. I wouldn’t recommend a diet that I haven’t tried myself. That’s why I feel so strongly about the HCG diet. It’s a commitment you make to your body that will result in health and rapid weight loss. What I loved about going through the HCG diet was that I lost the weight in my “problem” areas. Within three weeks, my “beer belly” had vanished and I felt great! Everyone was saying, “You look great! How’d you do it?” The answer is the HCG diet, specifically with a proven company that strictly works with physicians, DesBio – providing your rapid weight loss needs!

Importance of proper backpacks for your child.

Research coming from the ACA, American Chiropractic Association, states that young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations. This particular study suggest part of the problem may be coming from their overweight backpacks. According to Dr. Bautch, a recent study in Italy found that the average child carries a backpack that would be equivalent of a 39 pound burden for a 176 pound man, or a 29 pound load for a 132 pound women. Of those children carrying heavy backpacks, 60 percent had experienced back pain as a result.

A side note to why children may also be experiencing more back pain much earlier in life may be do to the amount of stress placed on children. There seems to be more testing requirements in school to advance, more pressure to perform well in sports, pressure from the media to be pretty and so forth. All forms of stress whether its physical or emotional can affect how your child feels and therefore functions. Children should be checked by a Chiropractor to prevent early subtle changes from becoming more of an issue down the road.

Below are a list of tips to help prevent the misuse of backpacks according to the ACA:

Make sure your child's backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.


The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.


A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child's back.


Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry-and the heavier the backpack will be.


Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.


Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your child's shoulders.


The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child's body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.


If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child's teacher. Ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.


Although the use of rollerpacks - or backpacks on wheels - has become popular in recent years, the ACA is now recommending that they be used cautiously and on a limited basis by only those students who are not physically able to carry a backpack. Some school districts have begun banning the use of rollerpacks because they clutter hallways, resulting in dangerous trips and falls.

Living with Motion Chiropractic
(513)831-4433