Relax, You’re in Control

Written By Bryan P. Lowry, D.C., and Dianna Stiles

We’ve been programmed to believe our genes dictate the majority of our health issues. At the doctor’s office we complete a family health history form, checking off the various ailments impacting our ancestors: heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, etc. While these factors elevate our risk of contracting the same disorders, our genes are not our destiny. In fact, research shows we are largely in control of our health.

Lifestyle can be broken down into three components: nutrition, activity level and mindset. Our high-fat, high-sugar diet and sedentary existence influence our susceptibility to disease, but the mind is a powerful component as well—specifically, how we manage stress.

Stress is a natural part of life and our bodies have a built-in mechanism for managing it. Commonly called the “fight-or-flight” response, our bodies react to stress by producing adrenaline and cortisol. We breathe faster, our hearts race and our blood pressure rises. We get a burst of energy and are able to focus on the situation at hand. When the threat is gone, our bodies return to a state of internal equilibrium.

Modern society, however, with traffic jams, tight deadlines and 24-hour news outlets reminding us of the world’s problems, keeps us in a state of chronic stress. We rarely find time to decompress and allow our bodies to relax and return to a normal, balanced state.

Our cells, continually bathed in cortisol and adrenaline, begin to break down. Not surprisingly, the American Institute of Stress estimates that 75 to 90 percent of doctor visits are stress-related. Chronic stress has been linked to heart disease, digestive problems, headaches, back pain, osteoporosis and psychological disorders.

Herbert Benson, M.D., widely recognized as the father of mind-body medicine, has spent decades researching the connection between relaxation techniques and stress. His studies confirm relaxation practices like meditation produce profound physical changes in the body. Blood pressure and heart rate drop, breathing slows and stress hormones neutralize.

While meditation has been an effective technique for centuries, some people remain skeptical. Luckily, there are other outlets—deep breathing, yoga, repetitive prayer, tai chi, jogging—even knitting and crocheting.

The key is to find something enjoyable.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as “an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.”

Achieving wellness begins not in the gym, but in our mind. Wellness is within reach for all of us, but it requires change. We can either make time for healthy eating, exercise and de-stressing now, or we can make time later for medical appointments, costly procedures and hospital stays.

It’s our choice.

Bryan P. Lowry, D.C., is the clinical director at The Advanced Wellness Centre, a facility offering fitness, nutrition, chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy and hypnotherapy.

Dianna Stiles is a freelance writer and author of the blog, The Wellness Project.