"The key to quick results with chiropractic is in finding the right chirporactor, one whose style and technique best matches the specific needs of the individual patient"

Stress / Anxiety

Everybody feels anxious from time to time - it is a normal response to stressful situations. In some cases it can improve performance or save one's life.

But for many of us, anxiety becomes severe or prolonged and can interfere with everyday life. This is called 'anxiety disorder'. If your anxiety has become 'out-of-control' the first thing you need to understand is that you are not alone. Statistics show that in America there are 50 million or more people who suffer from moderate to acute anxiety, and another 50 million or more who suffer from one form of depression or another.

What is anxiety?

In general, anxiety is a feeling of unease. Everybody experiences it when faced with a stressful situation, for example before an exam or an interview, or during a worrying time such as illness. It is normal to feel anxious when facing something difficult or dangerous, and this sort of anxiety can be a positive and useful experience.

Causes of anxiety

Most anxiety is situational. What this means is that you were not born with it. Anxiety is often intitially triggered by a fearful situation or overhwelming events - too many things going on for the mind to handle at one time. For one in ten people in America, anxiety has compounded to a point that it interferes with normal life. Excessive anxiety, if left unchecked, may lead to other psychiatric conditions, such as depression.

Another trigger that sponsors anxiety has more to do with internal thoughts in the mind - when the mind is dwelling on umpleasant events in the past or obsessively contemplating fearful outcomes in the future. For example: worrying about where a relationship is going, if there will be enough funds for retirement, future illness, disease or death, and so on. Hundreds of helpful books have been written on this one subject alone.

Anxiety is considered abnormal when:

• it is very prolonged or severe
• it happens in the absence of a stressful event
• it is interfering with everyday activities such as going to work or socializing

The symptoms of anxiety are usually sponsored by an increase in production of certain hormones. Hormones are powerful chemical meesengers that are released directly into the blood from the endocrine glands. Prolonged worry or stress has a tendency to deplete the endocrine system of nutrients that are supposed to keep the glands healthy and functioning correctly.

The adrenal gland is especially important to keep in check when dealing with prolonged stress isssues. The release of adrenaline and cortisol from the adrenals greatly ramps up the sympathetic nervous system, causing the classic "fight or flight" reaction to stress. This is where we get the term 'stewing in your juices."

Prolonged stress can lead to adrenal burnout and eventually affect the entire endocrine system, which is a complex network consisting of the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, liver, and sex glands (ovaries and testes). It only takes one bad apple to spoil the entire bunch.

The epidemic problem of stress and anxiety is triggered by a legion of causes and produces a long list of different symptoms. The causes and their symptoms can form such a vicious cycle that it becomes difficult to determine exactly which ones are the symptoms and which ones are the causes.

For example, many will think that a symptom of anxiety such as dizziness, or a feeling of being off-balance, is an indicator of some kind of serious physical disease or illness when, quite possibly, it could be just a symptom of anxiety/stress caused by the over-production of certain hormones.

Symptoms of anxiety

• Sudden heart palpatations
• Dizziness or feeling off balance
• Nervousness
• Irritability
• Inability to concentrate
• Insomnia
• Digestive distress
• Sweaty palms
• Body sweats
• Inner trembling
• Disorientation
• Racing thoughts
• Feelings of impending doom
• Uncomfortable when in public
• Anxiety or panic attacks

The root cause of anxiety, which then leads to the varied symptoms, is usually a feeling of fear that is often sponsored by the perception of being overwhelmed and triggered from 'outside' interferences such as:

• traffic
• pressure from the job or at home
• worries related to paying the bills
• relationship crisis
• personal illnesses or those of a close friend or family member
• weather extremes
• and other many other overhwhelming situations that cause worry, worry, and more worry

Since it is sometimes hard to starve our own inner conflicts and quit self-destructive personal thought patterns and habits, one invaluable solution is to feed or reprogram your mind with constructive thought patterns and habits. This is easier said than done, but read on.

Remedies for anxiety

Every individual is unique. Due to upbringing, the environment we are raised in, and other contributing factors, some are more sensitive than others and, therefore, more vunerable or prone to anxiety.

Some statistics suggest that up to 80% of visits to family practitioners and 70% of visits to emergency rooms are for anxiety/stress related symptoms. In any event, whether anxiety be mild or acute, there are things one can do to remedy the anxiety pattern, gain relief, and get back to enjoying every day life. It is our belief at Gerhardt Chiropractic that one can reduce anxiety almost entirely if a few life changes are strategically implemented.

The foremost cause of anxiety is a malnourished and out-of-shape mind and body. Lack of sleep and excercisee, coupled with a poor diet leave the body and mind in a weakened state; sometimes so weak there is little drive left to overcome the anxiety state. Many complain or describe living with chronic anxiety as "a loss of zest for life" - leaving the sufferer in a state, or feelings of depression and/or despair.

But, there is hope for the sensitive anxiety sufferer. Many who practice the techniques outlined below have found amazing results, returning to a more enjoyable state of being and normal activity.

In order to overcome anxiety it is wise to approach the condition from four differrent fronts:

• Diet & Nutrition - Improve the diet and supplement with essential vitamins and nutrients
• Chiropractic Adjustments & Massage - improves and maintains proper nervous system function allowing one to better implement diet, excercise, and thought pattern changes
• Excercise & Rest - Enhances blood flow and oxygen throughout the systems of the body and mind resulting in the ability to think clearer and feel stronger. Excerices helps one to sleep better at night, allowing the body the necessary time it needs to rebuild itself and the mind the time it needs to relax from all the mind chatter of a stressful day
• Thought Pattern Change - Replace old negative thought patterns with new positive thought patterns - easier said than done. (Doctor Dan may suggest books for reading or participation in at home programs designed to attack anxiety
  
  Just to consider implementing the practices listed above may seem a bit overwhelming to one suffering from anxiety, however, even if moderately introduced into one's life, the results will be amazing. Don't think you have to tackle them all fully, and at once. Just start by making minor changes. As your overall sense of well-being increases, you will naturally want to do more to feel even better!

Diet & Nutrition

Many think just because they eat alot of food - or lots of supposedly good food - that they are getting all the vitamins and nutrients their body needs. However, these days, much of the food Americans consume have been stripped down of much of the nutrients valuable to the human body, and/or have had synthetics and other unnatural substances added that the body will have to work over-time to expel.

Poor diet and malnutrition can cause short-circuits in the wiring system of the body. This is where we get the term "frayed nerves." Just like insulation on a wire, healthy nerves are protected by a covering called the myelin sheath. Fat is nature's best insulator and a special form of fat, called a phospholipid, is the main component of this protective layer. Vitamin B12 is essential for the repair and maintenance of the myelin sheath.

Malnutrition can also contribute to misfirings between the brain cells. Billions of brain cells communicate with one another by sending electrical impulses back and forth over gaps, called synapses. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that fill in the gaps and bridge the electrical nerve endings together into a vast network. Imbalances of these chemical messengers (the neurotransmitters) can cause all kinds of mental and physical problems, wreaking havoc on the body through ramped up nervous energy and the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline directly into the blood from the endocrine glands. Essential fatty acids and select minerals are necessary for the proper functioning of this aspect of the system.

Additionally, malnutrition can also affect the efficiency of the flow of electricity along the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. The actual flow of electricity is caused by the alternate polarization of two positively charged ions, Sodium (Na+) and Potassium (K+). Minerals and electrolytes such as Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium promote smooth transmission across the nerves and into the muscles, organs, and glands of the body. Certain B vitamins are essential for proper and efficient conductivity of the nervous system, especially those that control the heart beat.

Malnutrition can affect the delicate and complicated hormone balance and lead to fatigue, hot flashes, weight gain, weight loss, poor memory, premenstrual syndrome, infertility, and a host of other uncomfortable and embarrassing symptoms. The adrenal glands need whole vitamin C complex, and essential B vitamins like pantothenic acid, among other vital nutrients. Herbs such as licorice root are very nourishing to the adrenal galnds. Specially prepared substances called glandulars provide the nuts and bolts of long-term adrenal repair.

Sometimes it is necessary only to remove certain substances from the diet. Caffeine and processed sugar contribute to, or magnify the symptoms of anxiety. Reduce, or discontue the intake of these substances for a while and the symptoms of anxiety can be relieved.

So you see, malnutrition, or the insufficient levels or absence of certain vitamins and nutrients, can be a contributing factor for the onset or magnification of anxiety and the ability to sufficiently handle stress. To research more on how you can improve your diet and intake of vital nutrients see: About Nutrition

Chiropractic & Massage

The entire body runs on electricity. The average human brain capacitates at just over one volt. This electricity is always turned on and constantly flows through every single cell, tissue, and organ. The nervous system is the wiring system of your body. The brain is the battery and also acts as both the transmitter and receiver of all the electrical activity of the body. Thoughts produce electrical sparks in the brain. All thought, conscious and subconscious, produces effects in the body. Constructive and trustful thoughts contribute to wellness. Destructive and fearful thoughts contribute to health problems.

Chiropractic adjustments can greatly improve the flow of electricty throughout you nervous system. This increased flow helps one to think clearer and the systems of the body to work more efficiently. To research more about chiropractic and its many beneifits see: About Chiropractic

Excercise & Rest

Sufficient excercise and rest for the body are critical factors in overall mind and body health and well-being.

Excercise helps to flood the body with oxygen, which has too many benefits to name here. It also releases certain chemicals such as endorphins which, simply put, provide a sense of well-being. Additionally, excercise helps to 'wash out' or 'burn off' the chemicals that cause the symptoms of anxiety.

Statistics indicate that the number one health concern in America is sleep deprivation, with 70% of the population suffering from the dis-ease. Americans lead extremely busy lives and there is so much to think about, so much to worry about. Excercize will help to induce sleep. Good sleep will help to clear the mind and restore vitality, making it possible to implement other strategies for overcoming anxiety.

Consider starting on an excercise program. Many health practitioners agree that the simple act of taking a 20 minute walk a day can do wonders. Get into yoga, stretching, or some other form of relaxing excercize. Be careful not to over do it. The last thing you need is more aches and pains to be worried about. The goal is to get more oxygen into the system and burn of the stress hormones. Know that your anxiety did not appear overnight, and therefore, will not disaapear overnight.

In Summary

Most important when implementing a strategy to overcome your anxiety, be patient - give yourself time. Take notice of the small changes. Within a year you'll be looking back in amazement at how far you've come. You might be saying to yourself, "my shoulders aren't so tense anymore" or, "the inner trembling is gone" or, "no more panic attacks when in uncomfortable situations", and so on.