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HOW STRESS COULD BE COSTING YOU MORE THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED AND HOW TO PREVENT IT

It doesn't take a genius to know that prolonged stress is bad.  One look in the mirror after a stressful week and you can see the dark circles under your eyes and feel the fatigue.  However, what you may not realize is the toll it takes on your long term health, and therefore your bank account.  Chronic stress boosts the risk of developing ailments ranging from the common cold to back pain to heart disease.  In my office, I see every day the effects repetitive stress has on the muscles and joints of the body.  

"There is a hidden epidemic of stress in this country, and we're going to go broke if we don't figure it out.  In fact, stress is known as the silent killer and is thought to be a contributor in virtually every acquired disease."  Dr. Michael Parkinson (Head of the American College of Preventive Medicine) 

If the prospect of long term health complications isn't incentive enough to find ways to counteract stress, then maybe the financial consequences will.  Money Magazine December 2007 published chart and the following information pertaining to the issue of stress and the financial cost.

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PUTTING A PRICE ON STRESS

Tension and worry can harm your health in many ways, and the added costs can take a big bite out of your budget each year.

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*Non-prescription drugs:  For example, pain relievers, decongestants:  $300

*Doctor visits and other out of pocket health-care costs:  $5,600

*Higher life insurance premiums:  $375

*Root canal and other dental problems:  $500

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Pills:  We tend to take pills for everything from headaches to back pain to cold symptoms all of which can be brought on by stress.  These drugs not only weaken your immune system but can easily add up to hundreds of dollars a year.

Bills, bills, bills:  According to Hewitt and Associates, for those who experience stress your health care costs can easily double.  Yikes!  Why you ask?  The list of reasons are long, but commonly, stress weakens the immune system, makes workers more prone to injury and worsens chronic conditions such as arthritis and asthma.  

Higher premiums:  Stress causes hormones to be released that not only cause weight increase, but are linked to diabetes.  Both of which increases your likelyhood of stroke and heart disease.  That means high life insurance premiums.  How much?  As much as double

Others:  Half the workers who call in sick do so because of stress related illnesses.  Those who experience high levels of stress miss 23 days a year, are less productive and switch jobs more often causing significant loss in wages over a life time. 

 ****MONEY MAGAZINE DEC 2007

OK, so now what?  The good news is that it is preventable.  It doesn't take much to learn how to counteract stress.  Everyday I see the effects that stress has on the musculo-skeletal system causing acute and chronic pain.  Often times it takes months to counteract the damage done.  Now, of course there are other reasons people endure, back pain for example, but it is certainly a contributing factor.

So the point is this:  DO SOMETHING!  Do, I think massages and chiropractic go a long way to counteracting stress and preventing the harmful effects?    Of course and not just because we offer that in the office.  How good do you feel after a massage?  How relaxed are you after?  Certainly, once the damage has been done our office has medical, physical therapy as well as the aforementioned chiropractic and massage. 

But those aren't the only methods.  Take a nice long hot bath, relax and read a book, GET OUT AND EXERCISE, be active, take the dog to the park, get your nails down.  DO SOMETHING to counteract the stress. 

Otherwise, I will see you in the office one day and as much as I would love to see you, I would rather you be healthy! 

So if the health effects don't concern you, maybe the financial consequences will. 

Dr. Schenendorf is a chiropractor and fitness/nutrition expert in Atlanta, Georgia.  He owns Buckhead Pain Specialist which is a clinic providing medical, chiropractic, physical therapy and massage therapy services.  If you have questions on this topic or any topic concerning fitness, nutrition, health, or pain management please feel free to contact Dr. Schenendorf at DrEric@IGotYourBackAtl.com

GET RIPPED, LOSE WEIGHT, AND BURN MORE CALORIES BOTH WHILE EXERCISING AND THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH THIS BRAND NEW WORKOUT!

  Sounds like the latest informercial, right?  Actually its called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and you don't need to buy a dvd or exercise equipment to do it. 

Its interesting to see the people at my gym running on the treadmill every day with little or no results.  The truth is that performing the typical cardiovascular exercise is not a great way to lose weight. 

When performing cardio at a relatively constant speed for 30-40 minutes your body has a tendency to "shut down" or conserve energy which inhibits your ability to burn calories.   Not to mention the havoc it wreaks on your joints, tendons and ligaments.  Knee, ankle and spinal problems are common amongst these individuals.

But HIIT involves short intervals of maximum intensity seperated by intervals of low to moderate intensity.  This allows:

*  The body to train both anaerobic and aerobic energy sytems.  Therefore not allowing your systems to enter the conservation mode.

*  Allows you to increase the calories you burn both during exercise AND afterwards.

*  Causes metabolic adaptations that enable you to burn more fat while improving your endurance and fat burning potential.

*  Limits muscle loss that often occurs during weight loss.

HIIT can be done using your current method of cardio whether it be running, biking, swimming, or elliptical.  The ratio of the max interal to the recovery interval varies from 2:1 to 4:1 depending on your fitness level.  Its important to note that the purpose of the recovery interval is to be able to endure all out effort in the max intensity interval.  A typical work out is as follows:

Warm up:  5 minutes at intensity of 5 out of 10 (50% of all out effort)

Max Intensity:  30 seconds at intensity of 10 out of 10 (100% all out effort)

Recovery:  1-2 minutes at intensity of 5 out of 10

Cool down:  3-5 minutes at intensity of 5 out of 10

*Number of total intervals depends on fitness level.   Varies from 2 to 10.

Trust me, this sounds easier than it looks but it is the most effective method of increasing your metabolism and burning calories.  It is perfect for those who don't have a great deal of time to spend at the gym.  Try it for a few weeks and you will see and feel the difference!

Dr. Schenendorf is a chiropractor and fitness/nutrition expert in Atlanta, Georgia.  He owns Buckhead Pain Specialist which is a clinic providing medical, chiropractic, physical therapy and massage therapy services.  If you have questions on this topic or any topic concerning fitness, nutrition, health, or pain management please feel free to contact Dr. Schenendorf at DrEric@IGotYourBackAtl.com