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Stress

Back Clinic Stress And Anxiety Chiropractic Functional Medicine Team. People experience stress and anxiety from time to time. Stress is any demand placed on our brain or physical body. People can report feeling stressed with multiple demands placed on them. It can be triggered by an event that makes one feel frustrated or nervous. Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, or unease. This can be a reaction, and it can also happen in people who cannot identify significant stressors and are not sure of what to do.

Stress and anxiety are not always bad. They help overcome challenges or dangerous situations. Examples of everyday anxiety include worrying about finding a job, feeling nervous before a big test, or being embarrassed in certain social situations. If there were no anxiety, there would be no motivation to do certain things that need to be done ( i.e., studying for a big test).

However, if stress and anxiety start to interfere with one’s daily life, it may indicate a much more serious issue. For example, if avoiding situations due to irrational fears, constantly worrying, or experiencing severe anxiety about traumatic event/s weeks after it happened, it may be time to seek help.


Overcoming Exercise Fears: Conquer Anxiety and Start Moving

Overcoming Exercise Fears: Conquer Anxiety and Start Moving

“For individuals who want to exercise but have fears or concerns, can understanding what they are scared of help ease their minds?”

Overcoming Exercise Fears: Conquer Anxiety and Start Moving

Overcoming Exercise Fears

One reason for the ongoing weight problem is that individuals don’t move around enough, and one reason individuals don’t exercise is fear (Craig M. Hales et al., 2020). For individuals, physical exertion and moving the body to the point of increased heart rate, heavy breathing, and excessive sweating can cause anxiety and be scary when they haven’t done it in a while or have never worked out. Some anxieties and fears individuals may experience include the following:

Looking Foolish

Anything can happen when exercising. When individuals can’t figure out how a machine works or aren’t sure if they’re doing an exercise correctly, falling off a machine or dropping a weight can cause a feeling of foolishness. Knowing how to use machines and weights takes practice. Ask a gym employee or personal trainer for guidance, as educating individuals on doing exercises correctly and safely is their job. And most individuals working out are happy to help as well.

Experiencing Pain

Some avoid exercise, fearing intense pain. Exercise is not supposed to be painful, but it will cause soreness because individuals use muscles that they haven’t used for a while or at all. For instance, the muscles will experience a slight burning sensation when lifting weights. The body reacts to the workout and adapts to exercise. As the body gets stronger, individuals recognize their body’s response and are able to challenge themselves with heavier weights, longer runs, walks, and workouts. When beginning an exercise program, start slow. Some trainers recommend doing slightly less than an individual thinks they can for the first weeks. This helps to build a habit without the risk of burnout.

Injuries

When starting an exercise program, individuals can feel changes all over their bodies, like everything is pulling and tearing apart. Individuals who haven’t exercised much may be unable to distinguish between the normal discomfort from exercising for the first time and pain from an injury. Shin splints, side stitches, or other common side effects may develop from beginning an exercise program. Individuals may need to stop exercising, treat the injury, and start again.

  • If there are sharp pains in the joints, tearing in the muscles or ligaments, or anything else that doesn’t feel normal, stop and seek medical attention.

Exercise Mindfulness

  • The body will feel something while exercising, but separating real injury pain from normal sensations is important.
  • Be aware of how the body feels throughout the workout.
  • Follow instructions and pay attention to proper form to minimize the risk of injury.

Proper Footwear

  • Wearing the right workout shoes is a good idea to avoid and prevent injuries.
  • Invest in a quality pair of shoes to give the body the support it needs.

Proper Form

  • If lifting weights, one way to sustain an injury is using incorrect form or posture.
  • If you are unsure how to do the exercises, consult a trainer or gym employee to explain how the machine works.

Warm Up

  • Jumping into a workout without warming up can lead to injuries that can lead to chronic pain conditions.
  • A warm-up specific to the workout is recommended.
  • If walking, start with a moderate walk.
  • If running, start with a brisk walk.
  • If lifting weights, do a little cardiovascular exercise first or a warm-up set with lighter weights.

Workout Within Fitness Levels

  • Injuries happen when trying to do too much too soon.
  • Start with a light program.
  • Work up to more intense and frequent workouts.
  • For example, if only able to walk for 10 minutes, start there and increase gradually.

Failure

When it comes to exercise, failure can be experienced in different ways, like losing weight, failing to make it through a workout, being unable to stick to an exercise program, etc. This is part of the process, but individuals can overcome exercise fears through perseverance.

  • Setting the bar too high can become an excuse to quit.
  • A simple way to deal with this is to set a reachable goal.
  • Long-term goals can be set to work toward.
  • Do what you can handle now.

Individuals take risks whenever they do something out of their comfort zone. However, taking risks may be necessary to overcome exercise fears, keep going, and achieve success.


Weight Loss Techniques


References

Hales CM, C. M., Fryar CD, Ogden CL. (2020). Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults: United States, 2017–2018. NCHS Data Brief, no 360. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db360.htm#Suggested_citation

Unwind & Recharge: Exercise Burnout Symptoms & Recovery

Unwind & Recharge: Exercise Burnout Symptoms & Recovery

Individuals who engage in a regular fitness regimen can begin to lose interest and motivation. Can knowing the signs of exercise burnout help individuals rediscover their motivation?

Unwind & Recharge: Exercise Burnout Symptoms & Recovery

Exercise Burnout

When maintaining fitness and health becomes a chore and doing anything else is better than working out, individuals could be experiencing exercise burnout. Here are a few signs an individual is getting burned out.

Procrastination

One sign is constantly putting things off.

  • An individual may put on workout clothes, set up the equipment, etc.
  • However, the workout never happens as the individual continues to find other things to do.
  • At some point, they decide it’s too late and they’ll work out tomorrow.

Solution

Simplify the workout. Make some small goals or adjustments and keep the workout light. (Nemanja Lakicevic, et al., 2020) An example could be:

  • Focus only on stretching.
  • Take a walk around the block.
  • Go up and down some stairs equivalent to a few laps.
  • Do 10 pushups, 10 squats, and 10 lunges, or other exercises and that’s it.

No Longer Interesting

When burned out, exercise is not interesting and disenchanting. (Franklin Velasco, Rafael Jorda. 2020) Trainers will suggest finding something positive about the workouts.

Solution

Switch to a new or different activity. (Nemanja Lakicevic, et al., 2020)

  • When the interest and passion are nowhere to be found don’t engage in the usual workouts, as this can further decrease motivation.
  • This is the time to change up the routine and go for a leisurely bicycle or rollerblade, skateboard, etc., session.
  • Go to a park, just walk around, and forget about exercise just taking in everything.
  • Play a game with a friend or toss a ball around.

Exhaustion

Not just physical, but mental fatigue could be a sign of exercise burnout.

Solution

  • Rest.
  • Individuals may think they have to work out every day and stick to the regimen or else they’ve failed.
  • This type of mindset can lead to burnout and added stress.
  • The body and mind require adequate recovery time.
  • Forget about structured exercise for a day, and see how the mind and body feel the next day.
  • Two or three days off in a row can make a significant difference in motivation and offer a new perspective on the workout routine.

Low Energy Levels After Exercise

Workouts, although tiring in a good way, should energize the individual. Most workouts should leave the body feeling better than before. When the body feels worse or energy levels are low, this could be a sign of overtraining that could lead to exercise burnout.

Solution

  • This could be the time to ease off of the fitness regimen.
  • Forget intense workouts and/or heavy-weight training.
  • This is the time to soothe the body.
  • Light yoga workouts or Pilates could help.
  • This is a form of active recovery, allowing the mind and body to rest from the overwork.

Mood Changes and/or Irritability

When the mind and body are overworked and over-trained, it can cause moodiness, irritability, and frustration that leads to burnout.

Solution

Do something that feels good. This could include:

  • A therapeutic massage.
  • A spa session.
  • Taking a long nap.
  • Soaking the feet.
  • Taking a therapeutic bath.
  • Meditation

Burnout can happen, the objective is to keep the solutions simple like taking a few days off or trying something new to come back feeling refreshed and energized.


Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Treatment


References

Lakicevic, N., Gentile, A., Mehrabi, S., Cassar, S., Parker, K., Roklicer, R., Bianco, A., & Drid, P. (2020). Make Fitness Fun: Could Novelty Be the Key Determinant for Physical Activity Adherence?. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 577522. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577522

Velasco, F., & Jorda, R. (2020). Portrait of Boredom Among Athletes and Its Implications in Sports Management: A Multi-Method Approach. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 831. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00831

Foods For Stress: El Paso Back Clinic

Foods For Stress: El Paso Back Clinic

Maintaining a healthy and well-balanced nutritional plan is recommended for overall health. When the body is nourished healthily, it will perform optimally. Stress is part of daily life, and certain foods can enhance the body’s ability to handle stress, help target physical and emotional states, and protect the brain. The Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic Team can provide therapeutic massage to increase circulation, and relax the mind and body, adjustments to restore any misalignments, and nutritional support and health coaching for total wellness.

Foods For Stress: EP Chiropractic Functional Team

Foods For Stress

Anxiety is a widespread condition affecting millions of individuals. Trying to lower stress levels includes self-care, sleep management, physical activity, and incorporating foods to reduce cortisol levels, the primary hormone responsible for stress.

Cortisol

Cortisol has a variety of functions that include:

  • Manages how the body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
  • Sleep cycle regulation.
  • Blood pressure regulation.
  • Increases blood sugar.
  • Decreases inflammation.

Cortisol is sometimes known as the stress hormone because the adrenal gland releases it when experiencing stress or when the body is under physical stress/inflammation. It is the key to managing the fight-or-flight instinct and is healthy for a short period as a protective mechanism providing the energy needed to respond to short-term stress. However, the long-term release of cortisol generates tension in the body, leading to chronic inflammation and raised blood pressure. Learning how to manage stress is necessary for lowering cortisol levels.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary and are different for everybody.

Physical

  • Exhaustion.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Headaches.
  • Muscle tension.
  • Jaw clenching.
  • Aches and pains.
  • Chronic illness from a weakened immune system.
  • Stomach or digestive problems.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Chest pain or a feeling like the heart is racing.
  • Dizziness.
  • Shaking.

Emotional and mental

  • Irritability and or anxiousness.
  • Sadness.
  • Depression.
  • Panic attacks.

Foods

The objective is to reduce inflammation, thus reducing cortisol levels. Recommended foods for stress include foods high in magnesium, vitamin B,  Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and foods that benefit the gut. Here are a few.

Magnesium

Magnesium is highly beneficial in reducing inflammation, metabolizing cortisol, and relaxing the mind and body.

  • Dark chocolate.
  • Bananas.
  • Broccoli.
  • Spinach.
  • Avocados.
  • Pumpkin seeds.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B12 can help with the metabolism of cortisol.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid

These foods reduce inflammation.

  • Olive oil.
  • Avocados.
  • Tuna.
  • Sardines.
  • Mackerel.
  • Salmon
  • Anchovies.
  • Oysters.
  • Walnuts.
  • Chia seeds.
  • Flax seeds.

Protein

These foods promote balanced blood sugar levels.

  • Eggs.
  • Peanuts.
  • Almonds.
  • Chicken breast.
  • Turkey breast.
  • Lean beef.
  • Tuna.
  • Shrimp.
  • Salmon.
  • Lentils.
  • Quinoa.

Probiotic and Fermented

The immune system relies on the gut for immunity. Probiotics and fermented foods can help balance blood sugar and reduce cholesterol.

The key to lowering stress is a whole-body approach that includes exercise, proper sleep, and managing chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, all of which can put the body in a prolonged state of inflammation. Incorporating these foods into a nutritional plan can help relieve stress naturally.


Impact of Stress


References

Aucoin, Monique, and Sukriti Bhardwaj. “Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Hypoglycemia Symptoms Improved with Diet Modification.” Case reports in psychiatry vol. 2016 (2016): 7165425. doi:10.1155/2016/7165425

Errisuriz, Vanessa L et al. “Perceived stress and dietary choices: The moderating role of stress management.” Eating behaviors vol. 22 (2016): 211-216. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2016.06.008

Norwitz, Nicholas G, and Uma Naidoo. “Nutrition as Metabolic Treatment for Anxiety.” Frontiers in psychiatry vol. 12 598119. 12 Feb. 2021, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.598119

Serafini, Mauro, and Ilaria Peluso. “Functional Foods for Health: The Interrelated Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Role of Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, Spices and Cocoa in Humans.” Current pharmaceutical design vol. 22,44 (2016): 6701-6715. doi:10.2174/1381612823666161123094235

Zellner, Debra A et al. “Food selection changes under stress.” Physiology & behavior vol. 87,4 (2006): 789-93. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.01.014

Years of Back Muscle Rigidity: El Paso Back Clinic

Years of Back Muscle Rigidity: El Paso Back Clinic

Individuals can experience back muscle rigidity for years and not realize it. This is because the muscles tighten incrementally, and slowly the body begins to acclimate to the feeling and positioning that it becomes normal. And it continues with gradually increased aches and pains. Not until an individual has experienced a therapeutic massage and chiropractic adjustment do they realize just how tight and stiff they were. This is when individuals realize how their musculoskeletal system works and need to maintain loose, flexible muscle tissue for mobility and function. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic can treat, rehabilitate, educate, and improve an individual’s overall health.

Years of Back Muscle Rigidity: EP Chiropractic Injury Team

Muscle Rigidity

When the body needs to move, the brain sends a nerve signal to the muscles in that region, causing the muscles to tighten or contract. Muscles can contract a little or a lot, depending on the activity. After contracting, the muscles relax until the next time they are needed. Muscle rigidity happens when a muscle or a group of muscles stays fully or partly contracted for an extended period. The nerve signals keep telling the muscle to contract even when the muscle is no longer needed. This can last for several hours or days.

The longer the muscle remains contracted, the more symptoms present and persist. Muscle rigidity is often triggered by stress. Stress affects the body’s nervous system, including nerves and their function. The nervous system can respond to stress by generating additional pressure on the blood vessels, reducing blood circulation, and causing tension and pain.

Causes

Certain medications, such as statins, can cause muscle rigidity, and several conditions can also contribute to it. These include:

  • Dehydration is a condition as a result of not drinking enough water.
  • A repetitive strain injury is an injury to the muscles or nerves due to muscle overuse.
  • Pinched nerves.
  • Delayed-onset muscle soreness is stiffness and pain that develops hours or days after strenuous physical activity and exercise.
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition that causes extreme fatigue, sleep problems, and pain.
  • Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic disorder where pressure on sensitive muscle points causes pain.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the joints.
  • Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder that can cause muscle soreness, pain, and rigidity.
  • Claudication is a condition in which cramping occurs due to a lack of blood flow to the muscles, usually in the legs.
  • Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever wick-borne illnesses that can cause nerve damage.
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that causes nerve problems and a loss of voluntary muscle control.
  • Chronic exertional compartment syndrome is a muscle and nerve condition that causes pain and swelling.
  • Dystonia is a condition that causes random/involuntary muscle contractions.
  • Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can cause joint pain and stiffness.
  • Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease that affects movement.
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica is a chronic inflammatory disease that can cause muscle pain and stiffness.
  • Bacterial and Viral infections.

Treatment

The objective of treatment is to train the muscles to relax completely. The specific treatment used can vary depending on the cause and severity.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic treatment will address the condition or injury and then the muscle rigidity. Treatment involves massaging (manually and percussively) the areas to relax and stretch the tight tissues. Chiropractic releases and realigns the misaligned joints and bones to their proper position. The central nervous system recognizes the new positioning as naturally energy efficient. However, there will still be aches and soreness as the body adjusts until it becomes more consistent and normal for the individual.

Home Therapy

Home therapy is recommended with physical therapy and/or chiropractic to maintain flexibility and make necessary changes/adjustments to a treatment plan as the patient progresses and the muscles start to adhere to the massaging, manipulation, and training. They can include the following:

  • Applying a warm compress or heating pad to the affected area increases circulation.
  • Targeted gentle stretches.
  • Avoiding certain activities that could trigger the muscle to become rigid again until the body is ready.
  • Encouraging the muscles to relax using:
  • Yoga
  • Deep breathing
  • Meditation
  • Tai chi
  • Biofeedback
  • Music and art therapy
  • Aromatherapy

Sciatica Explained


References

Chandwani D, Varacallo M. Exertional Compartment Syndrome. [Updated 2022 Sep 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544284/

Chu, Eric Chun-Pu et al. “Chiropractic care of Parkinson’s disease and deformity.” Journal of medicine and life vol. 15,5 (2022): 717-722. doi:10.25122/jml-2021-0418

Joshi, Aditi et al. “Effectiveness of Myofascial Release (MFR) vs. High-Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Pain Relief and Functional Improvement in College Students With Trapezius Myalgia.” Cureus vol. 14,10 e29898. 4 Oct. 2022, doi:10.7759/cureus.29898

Tan, Xueli, et al. “The efficacy of music therapy protocols for decreasing pain, anxiety, and muscle tension levels during burn dressing changes: a prospective randomized crossover trial.” Journal of burn care & research: official publication of the American Burn Association vol. 31,4 (2010): 590-7. doi:10.1097/BCR.0b013e3181e4d71b

Dr. Alex Jimenez Presents: The Impact Of Stress (Part 2)

Dr. Alex Jimenez Presents: The Impact Of Stress (Part 2)


Introduction

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents how chronic stress can impact the body and how it is correlated with inflammation in this 2-part series. Part 1 examined how stress correlates with various symptoms affecting the body’s gene levels. Part 2 looks at how inflammation and chronic stress correlate with the various factors that can lead to physical development. We refer our patients to certified medical providers who provide available treatments for many individuals suffering from chronic stress associated with the cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems affecting the body and developing inflammation. We encourage each of our patients by mentioning them to associated medical providers based on their analysis appropriately. We understand that education is a delightful way when asking our providers questions at the patient’s request and understanding. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., only uses this information as an educational service. Disclaimer

 

How Stress Can Impact Us?

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: Stress can create many emotions that can hugely impact many of us. Whether it is anger, frustration, or sadness, stress can make anyone reach a breaking point and cause underlying conditions that can develop into cardiovascular issues. So those people with the highest level of anger, when you look at the cardiovascular literature, have the least probability of survival. Anger is a bad player. Anger causes arrhythmia. This study looked at, now that we have people with ICDs and defibrillators, we can monitor these things. And we see that anger can trigger ventricular arrhythmias in patients. And it’s easy now to follow, with some of our technology.

 

Anger has been linked to episodes of atrial fibrillation. When you think about it, it’s adrenaline outpouring into the body and causing coronary constriction. It’s increasing the heart rate. All of these things can lead to arrhythmia. And it doesn’t have to be AFib. It can be APCs and VPCs. Now, some very interesting research has come out about telomerase and telomeres. Telomeres are little caps on the chromosomes, and telomerase is the enzyme linked to telomere formation. And now, we can understand through the language of science, and we’re starting to use technology and use science in a way that we could never do before to understand the impact of stress on telomeres and telomerase enzymes.

 

The Factors That Lead Up To Chronic Stress

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: So one of the key people to study this is the Nobel Prize-winning, Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn. And what she said is that this is a conclusion, and we’ll come back to some of her other studies. She tells us that the telomeres of babies from women in utero had a lot of stress or were even shorter in young adulthood compared to mothers who did not have the same stressful situations. Maternal psychological stress during pregnancy may exert a programming effect on the developing telomere biology system that is already apparent at birth as reflected by the setting of newborn leukocyte telemetry length. So children can come in imprinted, and even if they do, this can be transformed.

 

What about racial discrimination these boxes here show high racial discrimination leading to low telomere length, which most of us have ever thought about. So, shorter telomere length leads to an increased risk of cancer and overall mortality. Cancer incidence rates are 22.5 per 1000 person-years in the shortest telomere group, verse 14.2 in the middle group, and 5.1 in the longest telomere group. Shorter telomeres can lead to instability of the chromosome and result in cancer formation. So, now we understand, through the language of science, the impact of stress on the telomerase enzyme and the telomere length. According to Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, 58 premenopausal women were caregivers of their chronically ill children verse women who had healthy children. The women were asked how they perceive stress in their lives and whether it impacts their health by affecting their cellular aging.

 

That was the question of the study as they looked at telomere length and telomerase enzyme, and this is what they found. Now, the keyword here is perceived. We are not to judge each other’s stress. Stress is personal, and some of our responses may be genetic. For example, someone who has homozygous comps with a sluggish gene may have much more anxiety than someone who doesn’t have this genetic polymorphism. Someone who has an MAOA in an MAOB may have more anxiety than someone who doesn’t have that genetic polymorphism. So there is a genetic component to our response, but what she found was perceived psychological stress. And the number of years caring for chronically ill children was associated with shorter telomere length and less telomerase activity, providing the first indication that stress can impact telomere maintenance and longevity.

 

How To Transform Our Stress Response?

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: That’s powerful, and many healthcare providers are under some form of stress. And the question is, what can we do to transform our response? Framingham also looked at depression and identified clinical depression as a bigger risk for cardiovascular events and poor outcomes than smoking, diabetes, high LDL, and low HDL, which is crazy because we spend all of our time on these things. Yet, we don’t spend much time dealing with the emotional aspects of vascular disease. This is affected depression, inventory, a simple screening test for depression, looking at people with high levels of depression versus low levels of depression. And you can see that as you go from the low to the highest level, as you work your way through, the chance of survival becomes less.

 

And many of us have our theories as to why this occurs. And is it because if we are depressed, we don’t say, “Oh, I’m going to eat some brussels sprouts, and I’m going to take those B vitamins, and I’m going to go out and exercise, and I’m going to do some meditation.” So post-MI independent risk factor for an event is depression. Our mindset regarding depression makes us incapable of functioning normally and can make our bodies develop issues that affect our vital organs, muscles, and joints. So, depression is a big player, as 75% of post-MI deaths are related to depression, right? So looking at patients, now, you have to ask the question: Is it the depression causing the problem, or is it the cytokine sickness that’s already led to the heart disease causing the depression? We have to factor all of this in.

 

And yet another study looked at over 4,000 people with no coronary disease at baseline. For every increase of five points on the depression scale, that increased risk by 15%. And those with the highest depression scores had a 40% higher coronary artery disease rate and a 60% higher death rate. So mostly everyone thinks it’s a cytokine sickness that leads to MI, vascular disease, and depression. And then, of course, when you have an event, and you come out with a whole host of issues around it, we know that people who are depressed have a twofold increase in mortality, a fivefold increase in death after a heart attack, and poor outcomes with surgery. It’s like this, what came first, the chicken or the egg?

 

How Depression Is Linked With Chronic Stress?

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: Every surgeon knows this. They don’t want to do surgery on depressed people. They know the outcome is not good, and of course, they are less likely to follow through on all of our great functional medicine recommendations. So what are some of the mechanisms of autonomic dysfunction have been evaluated heart rate variability and low levels of omega-3s, which have a profound effect on the brain, and low levels of vitamin D. There are those inflammatory cytokines we talked about not getting restorative sleep, and many of our heart patients do have apnea. And remember, don’t just think it’s the heavyset heart patients with thick short necks; it can be quite deceiving. And it’s really important to look at the structure of the face and, of course, social connection, which is the secret sauce. So is autonomic dysfunction a mechanism? One study looked at heart rate variability in people with a recent MI, and they looked at over 300 people with depression and those without depression. They found that four heart rate variability indices will lower in people with depression.

 

Gut Inflammation & Chronic Stress

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: So here are two groups of people having a heart attack and heart rate variability, rising to the top as a possible etiology. One of the many things that can also affect chronic stress in the body is how the gut microbiome plays its part in oxidative stress. The gut is everything, and many heart patients laugh because they would ask their cardiologists, “Why do you care about my gut microbiome? Why would this affect my heart?” Well, all that gut inflammation is causing cytokine sickness. And what a lot of us have forgotten since medical school is that many of our neurotransmitters come from the gut. So chronic inflammation and exposure to inflammatory cytokines appear to lead to alterations in dopamine function and the basal ganglia, reflected by depression, fatigue, and psychomotor slowing. So we can’t emphasize the role of inflammation and depression enough if we take a look at acute coronary syndrome and depression, which was associated with higher markers for inflammation, more elevated CRP, lower HS, lower heart rate variability, and something that never gets checked in the hospital, which is nutrition deficiencies.

 

And in this case, they looked at omega-3s and vitamin D levels, so at a minimum, an omega-3 check and a vitamin D level are warranted in all of our patients. And certainly, if you can get a full diagnosis for stress-induced inflammation. Another condition you must look at when it comes to stress-induced inflammation is osteoporosis in the joints. Many people with osteoporosis will have muscle loss, immune dysfunction, fat around the midline, and high blood sugar are associated with aging, and it can come from elevated cortisol levels in the body.

 

High cortisol heart disease risks are two times higher in people taking high doses of steroids. Small amounts of steroids don’t have the same risk, so it is not as big a deal. Of course, we try to get our patients off of steroids. But the point here is that cortisol is a stress hormone and is a stress hormone that raises blood pressure and puts weight on the midline, makes us diabetic, causes insulin resistance, and the list is endless. So, cortisol’s a big player, and when it comes to functional medicine, we have to look at the various tests that pertain to elevated levels of cortisol like food sensitivity, a 3-day stool valve, a nutra-valve, and an adrenal stress index test to look at what is going on with the patients. When there is a heightened sympathetic nervous system and high cortisol, we discussed everything from coagulopathy to decreased heart rate variability, central obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.

 

Parental Relationships & Chronic Stress

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: And turning on the renin-angiotensin system it’s all linked to stress. Let’s look at this study that looked at 126 Harvard Medical students, and they were followed for 35 years, a long research. And they said, what’s the incidence of significant illness, heart disease, cancer, hypertension? And they asked these students very simple questions, what was your relationship with your mom and your dad? Was it very close? Was it warm and friendly? Was it tolerant? Was it strained and cold? This is what they found. They found that if the students identified their relationship with their parents as strained 100% incidence of significant health risk. Thirty-five years later, if they said it was warm and close, the results cut that percentage in half. And it would help if you thought about what it is and what can explain this, and you’ll see how adverse childhood experiences make us sick in a few minutes and how we learn our coping skills from our parents.

 

Conclusion

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: Our spiritual tradition comes from our parents often. Our parents are the ones who frequently teach us how to get angry or how to resolve conflict. So our parents have had a profound effect on us. And when you think about that, our connection is also not very surprising. This is a 35-year follow-up study.

 

Chronic stress can lead to multiple issues that can correlate to illness and dysfunction in the muscles and joints. It can affect the gut system and lead to inflammation if it is not taken care of immediately. So when it comes to the impact of stress affecting our daily lives, it can be numerous factors, from chronic conditions to family history. Eating nutritious foods high in antioxidants, exercising, practicing mindfulness, and going to daily treatments can lower the effects of chronic stress and reduce the associated symptoms that overlap and cause pain to the body. We can continue with our health and wellness journey pain-free by utilizing various ways to lower chronic stress in our bodies.

 

Disclaimer

Dr. Alex Jimenez Presents: The Impact Of Stress (Part 2)

Dr. Alex Jimenez Presents: The Impact Of Stress


Introduction

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents how stress can impact many individuals and correlate with many conditions in the body in this 2-part series. We refer our patients to certified medical providers who provide multiple available treatments for many people suffering from hypertension associated with the cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems affecting the body. We encourage each of our patients by mentioning them to associated medical providers based on their analysis appropriately. We understand that education is a delightful way when asking our providers questions at the patient’s request and understanding. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., only uses this information as an educational service. Disclaimer

 

How Stress Impacts the Body

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: Now everyone responds to changes in the environment differently. When it comes to many individuals doing everyday activities from working at their job, opening on the weekends, traffic jams, taking exams, or preparing for a big speech, the body goes through a constant state of hyperreactive to a stage of emotional, mental exhaustion that leaves the individual to be exhausted and stressed out. And the key is to recognize this before it happens, as we see this impact of stress on our patients and ourselves. And the first thing to realize is what the initiating event is causing this impact.

 

Whatever the initiating event, the most important part is our perception of the event. What does it mean to us? Is it our perception? When the body goes through this initiating event, it can cause the perception to lead to the response and the effect on our body. So perception is everything as we talk about stress and the stress response. Now, we have over 1400 chemical reactions that occur in the body. So for this talk’s purpose, we’ll discuss the three key ones: adrenaline and neuro-adrenaline, aldosterone, and of course, cortisol.

 

And why are these important? Because every one of these has a huge impact on cardiovascular disease. Now, in the 1990s, many doctors were starting to understand the effect of stress on the physical body. And what happens to people when their HPA-axis signals that they are under threat and start flooding their bodies with stress hormones? Well, we see enhanced coagulation. We see a shift in the renin and angiotensin system. It revs up. We see weight gain in people and insulin resistance. What a lot of people don’t realize is that lipids become abnormal with stress. Almost every one of our patients knows that tachycardia and arrhythmia occur when our adrenaline is flowing, and our blood pressure increases. Now, think about this through the language of medicine.

 

Around the 1990s, doctors were giving aspirin and Plavix at the time for coagulation. We continue to provide ACEs and ARBs to our patients. The impact of cortisol causes weight gain and insulin resistance. We give statins; we give metformin. We provide beta blockers for that, tachycardia, and calcium blockers for that high blood pressure. So every single hormone that gets turned on with stress, we have a drug that we’re using to balance that. And quite frankly, for years, we talked about how good beta blockers were for the heart. Well, when you think about that, beta blockers do block adrenaline. So when doctors look at this, they begin to think, “Well, maybe we need to medicate and meditate, right? We’re using all these drugs, but we may need to look at other ways to transform the stress response.”

 

What is Vasoconstriction?

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: We won’t read every one of these symptoms because there are so many, but it all comes down to the same thing. Stress. We have to think of someone who’s in an auto accident, for example, and that person is bleeding. So the body is beautiful in that it puts together a way to stop the individual from bleeding or vasoconstriction. Vasoconstriction is constructing these blood vessels and making the platelets sticky so they form a clot, and the blood can stop. This increases the cardiac output by raising the heart rate and increases aldosterone, which causes salt and water retention to raise the blood pressure. So for someone in a medical emergency, like an accident, bleeding, or losing volume, this is the beauty of the human body. But unfortunately, we see people living this way, literally 24/7. So we know the vasoconstriction and the platelet stickiness, and we see increases in markers for inflammation, homocysteine, CRP, and fibrinogen, all of which increase cardiovascular risk.

 

We see the impact of cortisol, not only raising blood pressure, not only causing diabetes and insulin resistance, but also depositing abdominal fat around the midline. And then, as you’ll see in a few minutes, there are links between stressful events and arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation and even ventricular fibrillation. For the first time in medicine, in cardiology, we have a syndrome called takosubo cardiomyopathy, which is affectionately called broken heart syndrome. And this is a syndrome in which the myocardium becomes acutely stunned to the point of causing severe left ventricular function or dysfunction. And usually, this is triggered by bad news and an emotionally stressful event. It looks like someone needs a heart transplant. So when we think about the old Framingham risk factors, we say, which of these are impacted by stress?

 

Symptoms of Stress

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: People have all sorts of maladaptive behaviors to stress, whether 20 friends in this pack of cigarettes, eating this Cinnabon because it makes me feel good right now, or all the cortisol will make me fat and diabetic. Lipids go up under stress; blood pressure goes up under stress. So every one of these risk factors is impacted by stress hormones. And, of course, we know that with the turning on of the RAS system or the renin-angiotensin system, we always see a worsening in heart failure. And this is very much described in the literature. And, for those of you who may work in the emergency room, ask your patients what they were doing before coming in with their episode of congestive heart failure or chest pain. And you’re going to hear stories like, I was watching a bad movie, or I was watching a war movie, or I got upset over the football game, or something like that.

 

We’ll talk about heart rate variability, which gets impacted by stress. And, of course, stress affects our ability to resist infections. And we know that people are under stress when they’re vaccinated. For example, Cleco lasers work but don’t produce antibodies to the vaccine when they’re under stress. And, of course, as you’ll see in a minute, severe stress can cause sudden cardiac death, MI, and so on. So it is a bad player that’s overlooked. And for many of our patients, stress drives the train. So when we’re talking about eating brussels sprouts and cauliflower and, you know, lots of green leafy vegetables, and someone is under so much stress that they’re trying to figure out, “How am I going to get through the day?” They’re not hearing any of the other things that we’re recommending.

 

So, chronic stress and affective disorders, whether depression, anxiety, or panic, put our foot on the accelerator and rev up the sympathetic nervous system. We know that the same things we see with aging, as you’ll see in a minute, are linked to increased levels of stress hormones, especially cortisol. So whether it’s osteoporosis, decreased bone density, endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation, hypertension, central obesity, or insulin resistance, this comes from a stress response. And we have to have a plan for our patients on how to handle this. American Institute of Stress says that 75 to 90% of all healthcare provider visits result from stress-related disorders. And that’s way too high, but by looking at the patients and where they were coming in with, they tell their stories to their doctors. The results are the same; it doesn’t matter whether it was headaches, muscle tension, angina, arrhythmia, or irritable bowel; it almost always had some stress trigger.

 

Acute & Chronic Stress

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: There’s a difference between acute and chronic stress with our perception and social connection. Even though we gain some strength from a higher power, stress can impact anyone, and most of us might not be able to handle it well. So a great study was done many years ago by Dr. Ray and Holmes that stated, 50 years ago, put together a method for quantifying life-changing events. So let’s look at some areas, such as life-changing events. How do life-changing events and how do they rank? Which are the big ones, and which are the little ones?

 

And how does that ranking lead to major medical problems like cancer, heart attack, and sudden death in the future? So they looked at 43 life-changing events, ranked them originally, and re-ranked them in the 1990s. And some of them remained the same. They gave an adjustment score to the event, and then they looked at numbers that would be linked to major illness. So, for example, a life-changing event. Number one, 100 life-changing units, is a death of a spouse. Anyone could relate to that. Divorce was number two, separation number three, and the end of a close family member. But also noticed that some things got ranked that are, you might not equate with, being a major life-changing event that can impact a stress response like marriage or retirement.

 

Conclusion

Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., presents: So it wasn’t the actual single event that made the difference. It was the adding up of events. And what they found after looking at 67 physicians was if you had a life-changing unit score of somewhere between zero and one 50, not a big deal, no real major illness, but once you hit that 300 mark, there was a 50% chance of major illness. So this timeline of events in the patient’s life. We want to know what was going on in their life when their symptoms started and then bring it back earlier to understand the environment in which this individual was living. The impact of stress can make many individuals develop chronic conditions and mask other symptoms that can lead to muscle and joint pain. In part 2, we will dive in more about how the impact of stress affects a person’s body and health.

 

Disclaimer

Fatigue and Exhaustion: El Paso Back Clinic

Fatigue and Exhaustion: El Paso Back Clinic

Preparing for the holidays is exciting but can generate intense stress and anxiety. This can cause individuals to feel tired constantly, which can lead to other issues like sleep problems, brain fog, digestive issues, and musculoskeletal disorders. Chiropractic care can return the body to optimal function, increasing circulation, restoring spinal alignment, re-energizing the mind and body, and preventing future fatigue and exhaustion.Fatigue and Exhaustion: Injury Medical Chiropractic

Exhaustion and Fatigue

Primary causes of fatigue and exhaustion are stress, overworking, school work, lack of sound sleep, excessive caffeine or other energy boosters, and the holidays.

Stress Reduction

Stress is a leading contributor to fatigue and exhaustion.

  • Stress causes the muscles to contract, restricting blood circulation.
  • Chronic stress causes the musculoskeletal system to be in a state of continued constriction.
  • Constant muscle tension can cause injury and chronic conditions that can lead to secondary disorders like tension headaches and migraines.

Quality Sleep

High-quality rest means falling asleep naturally, staying asleep through the night comfortably, and waking rested and refreshed.

  • Lack of enough sleep strains the nervous system.
  • Not enough sleep or disruptions to the sleep-wake cycle (that can happen with shift work or traveling work) can cause physiological fatigue.
  • This causes reduced motor skills, similar to having a blood alcohol content of 0.1.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition is key to overall health and stress management. An unhealthy diet can be the main cause of fatigue. Just like putting the wrong gas into your car can cause major issues stalling or stopping entirely. The same is true with the body. The body is a complicated engine that requires healthy fuel to work properly.

  • Macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and protein) and Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are essential.

Chiropractic Care and Functional Medicine

Chiropractic care can be a long-term solution for fatigue and exhaustion.

Spine Realignment

Spinal realignment resets the body through better posture and brain function through the improved circulation flowing through the spinal cord.

  • Optimal spinal realignment:
  • Relieves headaches
  • Alleviates discomfort symptoms
  • Increases energy
  • Restores range of motion

Relieve Pressure On The Nerves

Chiropractic releases pressure on the nerves.

  • The central nervous system’s response to pain, energy levels, comfort, and mobility is impacted by the health of the nerves.
  • Just a minimal amount of pressure can reduce the strength of a nerve by 90%.
  • Nerves that are not working correctly have difficulty transmitting messages, often causing pain.

Loosen Tense Muscles

Chiropractic care and massage therapy can help relieve the tension in overworked muscles.

  • Fatigue and exhaustion can cause the muscles to work harder/overcompensate to try to maintain balance.
  • Over time, the muscles can’t keep it up and become frozen and tense.

Nervous System Regulation

Chiropractic care can restore nervous system function.

  • When the spine is not correctly aligned, the electrical impulses are not transmitted properly.
  • Common side effects include headaches, neck and back problems, and digestive issues.

Chiropractic care can restore the body to a refreshed and rejuvenated state. It can improve circulation, rebalance the body, increase oxygen levels and strengthen the immune system.


Adrenal Insufficiency: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment


References

Azzolino, Domenico, et al. “Nutritional Status as a Mediator of Fatigue and Its Underlying Mechanisms in Older People.” Nutrients vol. 12,2 444. 10 Feb. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12020444

Chaudhuri, Abhijit, and Peter O Behan. “Fatigue in neurological disorders.” Lancet (London, England) vol. 363,9413 (2004): 978-88. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15794-2

Evans, William J, and Charles P Lambert. “Physiological basis of fatigue.” American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation vol. 86,1 Suppl (2007): S29-46. doi:10.1097/phm.0b013e31802ba53c

Finsterer, Josef, and Sinda Zarrouk Mahjoub. “Fatigue in healthy and diseased individuals.” The American journal of hospice & palliative care vol. 31,5 (2014): 562-75. doi:10.1177/1049909113494748

Rosenthal, Thomas C et al. “Fatigue: an overview.” American family physician vol. 78,10 (2008): 1173-9.