Stress

Stress in our lives is unavoidable. From the rigors of work schedules, family life and the Standard American Diet (SAD) to the toxins and chemicals we eat, drink and breathe we add even more stress mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to our overtaxed bodies. These stressors can be critical to our health and our well being according to Stanford University research released in 1998 by Dr. Bruce Lipton a highly renowned and respected cell biologist.He states that stress is the cause of at least 95 percent of illness and disease. Harvard Medical School states on their website: "Too much stress for too long creates what is know as "chronic stress" which has been linked to heart disease and stroke, and may influence cancer and chronic respiratory diseases." Even the US Federal Governments Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says on their website that 90 percent of all illness and disease is related to stress. So, what are the are 5 main types of stress we absorb:

1. Misalignments (called "Subluxations") of the Spine- These occur due to trauma (e.g. car accidents, slips/falls, sports, etc.....) or repetitive stress (lifting, bending, driving, sitting, etc....). SUBLUXATIONS affect the ability of our nervous system to work in a balanced state and can affect the bodies ability to function.
2. Lack of Exercise/Motion- Just 200 years ago we spent 80% of our day outside, MOVING! Now, on average we spend only 20% of our day outside and some of us much less. This lack of movement/exercise creates stress that is BAD for our heart health, joint health, and immune health among other processes.
3. Standard American Diet (SAD)- The Standard American Diet is high in inflammatory ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, bad carbohydrates and fats, and more chemicals than we can imagine. These substances increase our risk for cancers, heart disease/stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis/osteoporosis, mental issues and more. 
4. Mental/Emotional/Spiritual- When we stress about every little thing or about things we can't control, we cause the "Stress" piece of the nervous system to overreact. Long term overreaction causes chemical/hormonal changes that will lead to the same group of diseases mentioned under SAD above. As an example, we have know for a long time that "TYPE A" personalities (those that stress or worry more) have a greater risk for stroke and heart attack. 
5. Toxic/Chemical- Unfortunately, we live in a world with a growing population. This means that we have more people, in the same amount of space, creating more pollution. Also, it has been estimated that since 1930, we have introduced 70,000 chemicals into our environment yet only 3% have been tested for long term effects. These toxins and chemicals create greater risk for cancers and neurological diseases among others.

At McPeak Family Chiropractic, our goal every day is to help you counter and manage the daily stresses that we are exposed to every day. We give you the information needed to make good decisions regarding your overall health and help you plan to "Add Years To Your Life And Life To Your Years". Most of us take the time and put in the effort to make sure our bank account is healthy. What kind of time and effort are you putting into your "Health Account?"