STRESS!!!!!!!?!

This week we take a look at-STRESS!

Just the sound of the word stresses you out, doesn't it?

Where do I even begin? I believe stress is, sadly, a staple of the Western way of life. Think about how stressful life is on a daily basis....

Wake up (usually earlier than you'd like to, but still too late to comfortably get ready for work--HA! Story of my life!), speed to work cramming some kind of food bar in your mouth--or, if you're like me, trying to singlehandedly eat a banana--get to work already stressed out, then you have a million and one things to do when your boss drops another pile of things to do on your desk and while you have 8 hours to do them it's still never enough time...then, lunch, but you don't actually get a lunch because when you work 9-5 you have no time to run errands before or after work, you rush around with little time left to cram something else down, probably a McHeartattack or some other cheap and deadly food. Then comes 5 o'clock...you speed home, or take the kiddos to practice, recital, tutoring, pick them up from daycare, etc. You get home with barely enough time to make dinner, you scarf that down and spend a tad bit of quality time with loved ones before you have to rush off to bed and wake up to do it all over again tomorrow.

BLAH! That was just as stressful to imagine as it was to write. Even the people you love stress you out! Well, maybe not them exactly--but wanting and having to provide things that keep us and our families happy and safe can still be stressful.

What else stresses us out? Bills, money in general, relationships, staying healthy, the way that picture on the wall won't stay in just the right spot...the usual. And as we enter the holiday season, that stress becomes exponentially greater.

Then, you have to think about the negative things that stress causes. Stress lowers the immune system...perhaps there's a possible correlation between holiday season and cold and flu season? Probably not, but it's a funny thought. Though it may sound silly, stress is a major factor in major illness. According to webmd, the following are related to stress:

1. Heart disease
2. Asthma
3. Obesity
4. Diabetes
5. Headaches
6. Depression and anxiety
7. Gastrointestinal problems
8. Alzheimer's disease
9. Accelerated aging
10. Premature death

According to Buzzle.com, "You see, stress often leads to unhealthy habits such as skipping meals, eating junk food, staying up late, etc., which wreak havoc on the normal metabolic rhythm. This, in turn, weakens the immune system because the body neither gets the right amount of nutrition nor sufficient rest to be able to repair damaged tissues and replace worn out cells at a healthy pace. All this leaves the doors open for a large number of diseases and infections to nest inside the body and weaken it further."

When you consider the awful snowball effect of stress, you begin to realize just how important is to manage it...and that's where acupuncture comes in! Acupuncture is very effective at managing stress. I can personally say that I have been MUCH happier and much more calm since starting weekly acupuncture treatments. And when I'm happier, I'm more healthy, more productive, and life is just good. As we go into the Holiday season, we hope that you will keep us in mind as your main de-stresser through all the hustle and bustle. Mention our blog and get a FREE stress treatment!

Until next week, folks!

-Daisy