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May 05

The connection between stress and pain, and time to get a little sunshine.

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The Connection Between Stress and Pain

Most people have reconciled themselves to the fact that life will never be free of stress. It’s a part of our daily lives whether or not we wish it was present. It’s not all the time, however, that stress piles up and results in serious problems. 

Stress affects your body in many different ways. But have you ever connected it to pain you might be feeling? There are several ways that stress may cause you to feel discomfort, such as 

  • Muscle aches and pains. Have you noticed that stress can cause your muscles to tense up? Over time, that means soreness that can appear nearly anywhere in the body. You might experience it most often in the back, neck or shoulders. 
  • Jaw, ear and head pain. People often clench their jaw or grind their teeth when they’re feeling stressed. And most aren’t even aware that they’re doing it! The result can be a tight, sore or achy feeling around the jaw and head areas. 
  • Headaches. Research shows that greater levels of stress means more days a headache is experienced. Of course, there are many triggers for headaches, but the number of studies connecting it to stress make it tough to discount the connection between the two. 
  • Stomach pain. Stress may also cause symptoms in the gastrointestinal system including nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation and general abdominal pain. Many people are used to these types of symptoms, but that doesn’t make them normal! 

Which Came First – the Chicken or Egg? 

Because stress is so ever-present, people might have trouble figuring out which came first, their pain or the stress they’re feeling. But when it continues to build up, symptoms become unbearable. 

Why do some people end up with high pain levels from stress, while others seem to take it in stride? We’re all built differently. The same stressor might feel heavy to one, while another doesn’t even register it as a blip on their internal radar. 

When stress is continuously high, however, is when the real issues will start to crop up in your body. Chronic pain has been linked to higher cortisol levels, with cortisol being commonly known as the “stress hormone.”  

Consider, too, that living with chronic pain is no simple feat. Many who experience it may find themselves riddled with anxiety or fighting with depression, which can lead to a vicious cycle of feeding into habits like isolation or lack of movement that will contribute to pain levels. 

What Can You Do? 

If you feel that your stress levels have become unmanageable, it’s important that you speak to a health professional. Discuss your concerns and the toll they’ve been taking on you. When it comes to dealing with the aches and pains of life, keep in mind that we are trained in treating arthritis, neck pain, back pain, headaches, injuries and more. If you want to live free from discomfort and be able to complete all your daily activities with a greater level of ease, call us and schedule an appointment.

 

What Sunlight Can Do For Your Health

Have you started to notice more days of sunlight moving in? It’s the time of year when we can enjoy soaking up more rays than the chilly winter season brought and start to think about spending more time outside. The sun is essential for life. It helps plants, trees and crops grow, keeps us warm and even provides solar energy.

But when you think about the sun, does your mind go to the damage it can do? In recent years, much talk about sunlight has been focused on skin cancer. Too much can certainly be a cause for concern! But in small amounts, getting out into the sun can have many advantages.

Most vitamins, humans can get through food or supplements. Vitamin D, however, is produced as a reaction when we’re exposed to sunlight. So what are the benefits of sun exposure? 

  1. Improved sleep. Not getting the rest you need? Time to head outside. Research shows that getting an hour of natural light in the morning will help you sleep better at night. According to one study, “When people are exposed to sunlight or very bright artificial light in the morning, their nocturnal melatonin production occurs sooner, and they enter into sleep more easily at night.”
  2. Reduced stress. When you’re outside in the sun, your body will get natural help in regulating melatonin, which may also reduce your stress level. Consider, too, that if you’re outside, you’re likely getting some exercise, which is a bonus in lowering stress levels. 
  3. Better bone health. Vitamin D is essential to healthy bones. Why? Because Vitamin D will assist your body in maintaining calcium and prevent brittle bones. Calcium can’t be absorbed without this essential vitamin. 
  4. Greater immunity. Don’t want to get sick? Consider getting out in the sun. With consistent sunlight exposure, you’ll get the Vitamin D that is critical to immune system health. And a more robust immune system means less risk of infections and illness. 
  5. Boosted mental health. Exposure to the sun can increase your body’s serotonin level. Serotonin has the power to improve your mood while helping you remain calm and feel more focused. 
  6. A longer life. One study that involved about 30,000 Swedish women who had active sun exposure habits found they had a higher life expectancy than those who avoided the sun. Plus, they had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and death. 

The Consequences of Not Getting Enough Sun

If you don’t get the Vitamin D your body needs, there are serious effects. Children can develop rickets, and more severe cases can mean joint deformity, bone pain, muscle weakness and abnormal growth patterns. In adults, the consequences may not be quite as obvious and can include fatigue, bone pain, and weakness or aches in the muscles. It may even cause changes in mood or feelings of depression.

So, how much is enough? 

It depends on the shade of your skin, whether you wear sunscreen and other factors, but it’s estimated that your body needs somewhere between 5-30 minutes in the sun each day.

Feb 09

Muscle Imbalances Causing Your Problems and All About The Mediterranean Diet

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Are Muscle Imbalances Causing Your Problems?

Muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue are all what make up the human body. When there is dysfunction in one, it can cause a range of issues that may show up elsewhere. You’d be hard-pressed to find a person who hasn’t fought off some form of acute or chronic pain during their lifetime.

Though sometimes the culprit can be obvious, like sitting for too much of the day, others can be a little difficult to pinpoint. One aspect to consider? Muscular imbalances.

For the body to function optimally, the muscles must have balanced length and strength. It can become particularly tough to find this as we get older. As children, most of us were running, jumping, and playing for a good part of the day. As adults, however, we’re far more sedentary, sitting for most of our waking hours.

As a result, one side of the body can feel tighter than another. You may have noticed one side of your neck is more prone to aching, or one side of your low back seems to be more painful than the other. It may be due to an imbalance from simple daily activities such as picking up a child or grandchild, sitting in front of a computer or bringing grocery bags into the house. 

How It Occurs

Each joint in your body is surrounded by muscles. The muscles work with the joint to create movement. If one part of the muscle is overused, it becomes tighter, while the muscles on the other side get weak from not being used as heavily.

When a muscle imbalance happens, it means you’re more likely to injure yourself. The imbalance affects the position of the joint when it’s in a resting state or when in motion. The instability can damage not just joints and muscles, but ligaments, tendons, bones and connective tissue. The result? Limited mobility, pain and an imbalanced appearance. 

Six Steps to Improve Muscle Balance

  1. Watch out for repetitive motions. Since this is a major cause of muscle imbalance, start thinking of ways to switch up routines – for example, switch up your workout routine by finding another set of exercises that targets the same area. 
  2. Don’t sit for too long. Even if your job involves long hours parked in front of a monitor, get up to refill your water glass, to stretch your shoulders or to have a chat with a colleague to give your body a break. 
  3. Think about your driving position. When people drive, they tend to keep a leg bent or slouch. Keep a neutral position, and be sure to take frequent stops if you’re on a longer drive. 
  4. Check your seated posture. When you do need to sit, make sure you’re balancing each side of your body and not overusing one. Make sure your shoulders and upper back aren’t slouching towards your monitor, which causes your upper back to lengthen. Core exercises can be a huge help with staying balanced while seated. 
  5. Talk to us. That’s right – we are very knowledgeable in all joints and muscles of the body, and can give you appropriate advice on muscle imbalances, as well as giving you a thorough evaluation to try to pinpoint the cause of your problems. 

 

All About The Mediterranean Diet

For decades, people from all over the globe have been chasing after the right diet – the perfect foods that will set them up for the best possible health. 

If you’re looking around for how to eat, there’s no shortage of information. In fact, there’s usually a little too much out there to be able to sort through the conflicting information or fat diets. 

The Mayo Clinic touts the Mediterranean diet as a heart-healthy eating plan. The World Health Organization says it’s a healthy and sustainable way to eat.  So, what’s the Mediterranean diet all about?

How It All Started

The buzz about the Mediterranean diet began back in the 1960s. It was noticed that the Mediterranean countries like Greece and Italy had far fewer deaths due to heart disease than in the rest of Europe and North America.

Further studies showed that eating in this manner seemed to be associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Subsequent research focused on a link between a Mediterranean diet and Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s. More research, however, is needed on these topics. 

It’s Not a Diet!

Though it’s often referred to as the Mediterranean diet, it’s not about restricting your food intake. Rather, it’s about a certain way of eating. It features foods native to the Mediterranean area including nuts, olive oil, whole grains, vegetables, fish, fruits, and beans.

These foods are all rich in fiber, healthy fats, and Omega-3 fatty acids.

With the Mediterranean diet, 35-40% of calories come directly from fats. These fats include olive oil, fish oil, flaxseed oil, almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts.

Give It a Try

If you’re interested in going Mediterranean, there are some changes you can implement into your diet: 

  • Vary your fruit and vegetables. Go for different ones each day, such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, eggplant, spinach, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, grapes, figs, and peppers. Experiment to find out what you like! 
  • Eat whole grains. Stick to brown rice, oats, and whole wheat bread, pasta or couscous. Stay away from refined grains such as white bread. 
  • Choose healthy fats. Olive oil is a great staple, but don’t forget about nuts and nut oil, either. 
  • Limit unhealthy fats. Avoid palm oil, butter, and coconut oil, which are rich in saturated fats. Limit fats from animal products like meat and dairy. 
  • Eat vegetarian. A meal doesn’t have to involve meat, but can be centered around beans, lentils, vegetables, or whole grains.
  • Include fish. At least two times a week, eat herring, tuna, mackerel, lake trout, salmon, or sardines. 
  • Moderate your dairy, poultry, and egg intake. These foods are okay to include sometimes, but when possible, go for low-fat products. 
  • Reduce your red meat. If you’re going to eat red meat, have it just a few times a month. And try for smaller amounts when you have red meat. 
  • Cut back on sweets. Whether for a dessert or snack, make sure you only have sweet things a couple of times a week. 

If you’re interested in starting to eat Mediterranean-style, but it seems difficult, start slowly. Pick a couple of items from the list above and implement them into your daily life, building up to more as you become comfortable and adapt your lifestyle to your new way of eating!

Let us know how it goes. We are excited to see the healthy changes happening in you!