The Stress Detox Treatment

        

We live in a much more chaotic world than our ancestors.  Thanks to technology, we are expected to manage more tasks in an hour than our grandmother’s handled in a day’s work.  Many woman experience stress on such a regular basis they are convinced their bodies have become accustomed to the feeling.  They may, in fact, be accustomed to the feeling, but let me assure you their bodies are suffering the consequences.

Imagine an animal out in the wild about to be preyed upon.  The animal’s natural instincts ignite a stress response.  All bodily functions not immediately needed including the immune system, digestive system, and metabolism (just to name a few) are put on hold.  All energy and biological resources are diverted to survival functions.  The stress response is intended to be used in threatening circumstances for survival purposes.

            

The stress response is not unique to wild animals.  In fact this biological phenomenon is experienced by humans.  So if our bodies are intended to experience stress, why is there all the hype about how dangerous it is to our health?  Like many things in life, there is such thing as too much of a good thing.

                  

Consider how your stress compares to the stress of a wild animal.  The rabbit’s stress is temporary to threatening circumstances.  Outside of being preyed upon, the wild animal probably spends the majority of its life peacefully roaming around in its natural habitat. The body of this wild animal is given the opportunity to recover and return to normal functioning.  How much down time do you give your body to rest and return to normal functioning?  If your response is minimal time, think about the effects this has on every inch of your body!  The following are just a few negative effects of stress:

•     Unhealthy weight
•     High Blood Pressure
•      Heart disease
•     Headaches/Migraines
•      Digestive Issues
•      Skin disorders and rashes
•      Muscle tension

 Everyone experiences stress.  The key is learning how to cope with it.  I’m going to give you three simple steps to better manage your stress TODAY!  

       

   1.        Make stress management a priority!

No matter what roles and responsibilities you have in life, you will be more successful at them if you have your health.  Stress negatively impacts your health, therefore, stress HAS to be a priority.  Our society as a whole does not necessarily value stress management.    Consequently, our society as a whole is not as healthy as we could be.  So are you going to be a leader or a follower?

People in your life may not always support your desire to make healthy decisions.   Only YOU can decide to make stress management a priority in your life.  Only YOU can say NO to things that are unhealthy for you and YES to things that are healthy for you.  Only YOU can put stress management at the top of your daily “to do” list.  It’s not always easy, but it’s ALWAYS a choice.

   2.        Identify your stressors and face them.

               

You may have experienced a trauma that continues to create stress in your life.  You may be  stressed from having too much on your plate.  You may have relationships in life that cause stress.  Whatever the culprit is, make a decision to face it.  It is tempting to avoid dealing with these issues and hope they will go away on their own.  Let’s face it, the longer you avoid your  stressors the longer they boil inside of you.

                 

The good news is, once you decide to face your stressors, there is relief around the corner.  It   may take some courage and work to get there, but you will only find relief by putting one foot in front of the other.

   3.        Take a break.

                

Your mind and body deserve a break.  Stress will always be a part of our life.  You cannot cope with stress on an empty tank.  You must give yourself permission to take breaks on a regular basis.  This doesn’t have to be an expensive weekend vacation.  It can be as simple as taking a walk in the evening or making time to read.  There should be NO excuses for skipping emotional breaks.

I hope this article provides you with a new refreshing perspective of the value of stress management.  You will only experience the benefits of stress management if you make the choice to devote time and energy to your wellbeing.