Stress

I am now taking my own advice.Stress is a big and ongoing problem for me and if I don't get it under control am going to get bigger problems. Over 90% of complaints that people see their doctor about are stress related and I am no exception.

I have been aware of the ongoing stress in my life. Like a lot of people that live with constant stress I take it in stride. It is part of modern society everyone has some stress? But if not paid attention to it could lead to problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, digestive problems and some say cancer. 

 The most important thing is what am I going to do about it?  

I was raised in a time when people didn't think about their health until they got sick. Then they went to the doctor and took a pill. Now people are taking a more proactive approach to their health. 

I have found with my stress there are things that I can do. When I feel like a tight rubber band and if someone were to Release it I would bounce off the walls. That is a good time to take a walk. It is a build up of energy that needs to go somewhere. I can tell that if left alone my blood pressure goes up. My goal is to keep it down and to keep off of meds.I have found that when I walked I am more relaxed so it works.

I am also trying meditation, all that meditation does is slows down the body. But I found it helps my mood and my thoughts. I can get in a much better mood and I found that sometimes answers to problems come easier. When I am stressed out my mind is like a hamster on a hamster weal that  keeps running around and going nowhere. 

The last thing is massage. I know that I am a massage therapist and I plug the benefits of massage a lot but it works. When I get a massage on regular bases, I find that the effects last for days and I am not as stress as much. Massage has a lot of benefits when it comes down to stress related problems. It reduces blood pressure. I had my blood pressure taken before and after a massage and found it went down 10 points. Massage release toxins that are trap in tight muscles, and massage also helps the digestive system. I don't think that massage alone is going to reduce my stress levels but as a part of a wellness plan it can be a powerful tool.