In the last article we talked about some of the things that can add stress to the body and over time accumulate and eventually "overflow". We talked about the analogy of the "cup" and the three major categories of stressors: physical, chemical and mental/emotional. Each person has a unique background, a unique health history and a unique ability to handle different stressors. I truly believe if you want to create better health over your lifetime it will become imperative how you manage your "cup". My experience is that an over flow can create an assortment of signs and symptoms in the body and eventually become chronic.
OK, so what do you do if your cup is full? Let's start with the physical stressors. Are you your ideal weight? Most North American's aren't so that is a good place to start. Being overweight adds stress to the weight bearing joints of the body and places added demand on the heart, which overtime can create long term cardiovascular problems. Since there are books on weight loss, it seems trivial to talk about it in one line. Most people know that they need to eat less and exercise more, but most people don't take ACTION. How come? Sounds like another article to me...
The body was designed to move, not sit. This is one general rule we can apply to everyone. However, movement can come in many different forms. I have found through personal and clinical observation that different types of people will thrive on different types of exercise. I highly recommend reading Eat (and the new book, Live) Right For Your Blood Type as it takes the idea of different blood types having specific genetic origins and responding differently to exercise. Contrary to my wife who is an O blood type and thrives on running, I am an A blood type and I have always found it to be such a challenge and always felt very tired after running. I tried yoga a few years ago and found that it energized my body so much that if I do it too late at night I have trouble sleeping. Find out what works for your body, but integrate something now. And please don't think you have to go nuts and do something 6 days a week and create a "perfect" workout routine. Just get started. One day is better than none, 2 days better than one, etc. Try something new. Let your body experience different things.
Let's talk about some of the ways you can empty the cup from a chemical perspective. Gotta have your H2O. Sorry but there is no way to detox if you are not hydrated. For foods think of pesticides, additives, coloring, trans fats, MSG, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, etc. Eat organic when you can and avoid the processed foods as much as possible. It's not rocket science but in my experience I have found that if you spend the extra time shopping and reading labels, it makes successive shopping trips that much easier. The next area to pay very close attention to is your personal hygiene products. We personally use natural shampoos, toothpastes, skin creams, deodorants, soaps and feel it is necessary to keep the skin free from toxic chemicals.
The next level or reducing chemical stress would be looking at food sensitivities and/or by eating right for your blood type. Some of the changes recommended in Eat Right For Your Blood Type book are not easy but many prominent health practitioners are using this system with great success. There are also some Naturopaths who test for food sensitivities and these can be hidden causes of digestive and immune problems (a large portion of the immune system is in the gut). Consider a liver cleanse or a yeast cleanse if you really want to step it up. Epsom salt baths and infrared saunas are also excellent for detoxifying (come check out our sauna!!).
How do you empty your cup if it is full of mental/emotional stressors? We cannot control external events, but we can control how we perceive those events and we can control the emotions we have about the particular events. The easy example I like to use is rain. To a farmer in drought it's a godsend, to a bride who has been planning an outdoor wedding for months it's a disaster. The rain is essentially a neutral event but the filter we choose to perceive the rain with will determine if it's joyous or stressful. Perceptions also become important when dealing with people and past events. What we see in other people is a mirror of ourselves. Pay attention to who pushes your buttons and why, there is a lesson there somewhere.
Another area that gives people stress is trying to control things that are uncontrollable. Just let it go. You can control your thoughts and your emotions, that's it!! Some other strategies for stress reduction include paying attention to how you recharge: is it alone or with a group of people? Unwinding for some people could be a good book and a hot bath while for someone else it is a long walk with a friend or meeting your closest friends over a great meal.
If you want to change your mental state, change your physical state! Get up and move. Go for a walk, do some yoga, go to the gym but do something. Another great tip to move your body out of a stress response is to do some controlled breathing. This can be accomplished by taking a slow breath in for 4 seconds, holding that breath for 4 seconds and exhaling slowly for 4 seconds. Repeat this 3-4 times or until you can feel a relaxed response.
Now you have some tools for well-being. Remember that health is a continuum and the daily decisions you make will push you in a direction closer to wards health or to dis-ease. The choice is yours. It's your body and if you invest in it properly it will pay you dividends for years to come. Good luck!!
Dr. Jason Plotsky
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