Stressed out St. Louisians crave Holistic Healthcare

The way we manage stress in our lives affects many of the attributes that we think of as our "quality of life". Managing stress takes adaptation, strategy, creativity and patience.

Effective stress management starts with recognizing the symptoms. which include tension, temper, blaming behavior, dependency, poor digestion, insomnia, and fatigue. Tension can cause neckand lower back pain, headaches, teeth-grinding, trembling, shaking, nervous tics, high blood pressure, migraine and digestive problems.

Consider the things that cause stress: Couples and family issues, financial strain, pressures of work, a sedentary lifestyle, poor nutritional habits, relocation, death, promotions (just to name a few), but you may not have realized that things you have been most looking forward to, such as moving into a new home or a first date also contribute to your stress load.

There are three basic ways of responding to stress - fight, flight or flow.

Fight response - you may meet people head-on, become impatient and lose your temper easily or you may internalize your feelings, becoming fixed and stubborn and objecting to change.

Flight response - pretending problems don't exist, or letting someone else deal with them.

Flow response - 'go with the flow', accepting the situation

Be aware what triggers your stress symptoms and try to negotiate compromises with others. Don't be over dependent on others, but accept help when needed. Express your feelings. If you find it difficult to avoid shouting or crying, make sure you have a trusted friend to talk to who understands you. Eat a healthy, balanced diet, supplement with high quality nutrients, take regular exercise and get a good night's sleep. And by all means, try holistic therapies such as acupuncture, massage or chiropractic.

Dr. Stephen J. Feldman has extensive skill and is a caring holistic physician at On To Health in Webster Groves. He holds credentials in Chiropractic Medicine and Acupuncture and has trained in Clinical Nutrition for 25 years. For more information please phone us at 314 725-2640 or email dr.stephen@sbcglobal.net We encourage you take advantage of our Wellness Consultations that are offered at no charge. The consultation is insightful, lasts about 20 minutes and allows you to meet with the doctor before committing to a course of treatment.