It is estimated that 70-90% of all US health care issues are related to stress. And it is true that stress plays a large role in the actual development of disease, both physical and mental. Stress is often viewed as something that is out of our control. We may not be able to control how people treat us or the life circumstances that we face, but we can control how our mind and body respond to those stressors.
Stress overload can manifest itself in many different ways:
- Physical Symptoms include aches & pains, illness, diarrhea & constipation, nausea, dizziness, loss of sex drive, and rapid heartbeat.
- Emotional Symptoms include agitation, moodiness, inability to relax, irritability, isolation, depression, and general unhappiness.
- Cognitive Symptoms include anxiousness, inability to concentrate, memory problems, poor judgment, persistent negative self-talk, and constant worrying.
- Behavioral Symptoms include procrastination, too much/too little sleep, eating more/less, nervous habits, and use of drugs and alcohol to relax.
Many symptoms of stress can also be signs of other health problems. If you or a loved one is feeling overwhelmed we’ll help you gain a better understanding for the need to engage in techniques to temper its toll and reduce the effects on your body.
Biofeedback therapy is used to help change your body’s response to stress. It can be used to control brain activity, muscle tension and heart rate. It is used, in part, to care for a wide range of health problems which include the treatment of stress, headaches, migraines, disorders that cause chronic pain, disorders of the digestive system, anxiety disorders, high or low blood pressure, Raynaud’s disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and other movement disorders.
With Biofeedback therapy you can learn how to control your respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, muscle activity as well as your thoughts. Once you have learned to change the way your body responds to stress, you can begin to significantly reduce your overall health risks for illness and disease.
What is on your mind?
Our ‘thought life’ is one of the most important players when it comes to our happiness, peace and optimal health. Yes, our thoughts influence our health! We learn this in science and medicine. Mental outlook is a predictor of disease and recovery. Do negative thoughts attack you as soon as you open your eyes in the morning: worries, stress at work, financial struggles, relationship problems, and the list goes on.
Try this little exercise we teach our patients in biofeedback therapy. As soon as you open your eyes quickly say 10 things you are grateful for. It can be anything, no matter how small. You can repeat this again at lunch time. This simple exercise can set the tone for your day and influence your physiology by creating a parasympathetic response. The parasympathetic system dampens stress, improves digestion and makes you nice to be around.
Stress is one of the Root Causes for chronic disease. Check out the functional medicine tree for others.
