Wellness.MA
Wellness.Massachusetts

STRESS BUSTING

Dr. Scott Fuller, D.C., C.C.S.T.

Stress has been linked to negative emotions, illness, and even death. Learn some simple, yet effective, techniques to rid yourself of stress and enjoy a more happy, fulfilling life.

Stress weakens, sickens, and kills. We all need to have a simple, effective, easy to apply system of STRESSBUSTING. As with any challenge we face, we should spend 20% of our focus on identifying a problem or challenge, and 80% of our focus and ability on FINDING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS.

A thought provoking definition of stress is: "a self-inflicted, intangible fabrication of negativity." Although stress can be a positive influence, and stimulate amazing amounts of human spirit and potential, most people view stress as a negative concept. Consider the definition. Stress is self-inflicted; we do it to ourselves. It is intangible; it is strictly a set of emotions. We cannot see it, touch it, or measure it. Stress is a fabrication in our own minds that we construct. The noted lecturer and author Earl Nightingale reminded us that a full 92% of our worries are needless. 92% of our worries are about things that never happen, things that have already happened and can never be changed by all of the worry in the world, needless worries about our health, and petty, miscellaneous worries. Only 8% of what we worry about are real, legitimate concerns.

Now that we have identified the problem, let us concentrate our attention on the remaining 80%, which is finding solutions so we can live happy, productive lives. By fully understanding the previous definition of stress you begin to realize how simple the challenge really is, how silly it is to beat ourselves up with stress, and begin to program our brain differently. THIS IS THE KEY: Learning simple strategies on how to REPROGRAM YOUR BRAIN and re-take control of your MENTAL FOCUS.

This is much easier than you realize. What you are consciously focusing on and feeling at any moment in time depends on the QUESTIONS you are asking of yourself. Put this to the test. Consider your reaction to the sentence you just read. After you read it, you more than likely asked yourself a question such as: "Is this true"? "Do questions actually determine what I am focusing on"?

And you quickly realize "That was a question, wasn't it"? And then, "That was a question too, wasn't it"? Very quickly you will notice the habitual patterns of questions you ask yourself determine what your brain focuses on, and ultimately affects how you feel. Please become acutely aware of the fact that you ask yourselves questions ALL DAY LONG. We must formulate habits of asking ritual questions that are more EMPOWERING, more POSITIVE, and those that stimulate our HUMAN POTENTIAL AND POWER.

Unfortunately most of us begin our day with a pattern of defeating, stress-producing, destructive questions from the moment we wake up. Maybe these questions will sound familiar: "Why do I have to get up at this hour"? Or, "Can't I just sleep in today"? Or, "Life is so unfair. Why do I have to work so hard and others have it so easy"? Maybe: "Can I just call in sick today"? "Why do I have to work and pay lousy bills"? You will notice that these questions program you for disaster, ill performance, STRESS, and poor interpersonal relations. HOW VALUABLE would it be if we all developed a small set of questions that we ask ourselves the first moment we wake up, to condition our brain and body for a day full of achievement, energy, enthusiasm, contribution, and happiness? (Notice that was a question!) This is step one to STRESSBUSTING: taking consistent daily control of our mental focus by asking better questions. The questions will vary from person to person. Examples:


1. What things are happening (or could happen) in my life that excite me and make me happy?
2. What can I do today to bring me closer to my goals, desires, and aspirations, and ENJOY THE PROCESS?
3. What will I learn and read today to improve me as a person/educator/role model/ citizen/parent?
4. What can I do today to improve my mental and physical health, and ENJOY THE PROCESS?
5. What can I do for someone else today, without them asking or even knowing?
(Remember that we tend to do more for others than we do for ourselves.
And don't forget to honestly and sincerely answer each question you ask of yourself!)


These are examples to get your brain working. Your questions may be totally different, or higher or lower in number. DEVELOP YOUR EMPOWERING QUESTION(S) NOW, WRITE THEM DOWN, AND PLACE THEM IN AN OBVIOUS PLACE WHERE YOU SEE THEM FIRST THING EVERY MORNING!

The CONDITION and ACTIVITY LEVEL of your PHYSICAL BODY plays a major role in stress regulation. As most of you know, your mental and emotional states significantly impact your physical health, and the condition of your physical body has direct effects on your mental and emotional health. These neurological connections are well established in the medical literature. There are overlaps of mental, emotional, and physical well being that occur in your brain. Brain cells, like any other cells in your body, depend on appropriate levels of oxygen and nutrients to stay at peak performance. If nutrients, especially oxygen, are depleted from these cells, they become dysfunctional and may even DIE. Therefore, regular PHYSICAL CONDITIONING plays an important role in STRESSBUSTING, by saturating red blood cells with life-sustaining oxygen to be utilized by all other cells in your body. Regular exercise, especially cardiovascular exercise (along with some strength training) will help keep the blood vessels clear as well. If you have not exercised in some time, check with your doctor before you begin.

The cells in your brain depend on constant STIMULATION to stay alive, active, and healthy. This stimulation comes from information supplied by special nerve endings called nerve RECEPTORS located in a variety of tissues around your body. The joints of your body have high concentrations of these receptors, especially joints of your spine. Most of these receptors are stimulated by MOTION. The more you physically move your body, the more you stimulate these motion receptors, leading to increased nerve traffic to your brain helping the brain cells stay energized and healthy. The highest concentrations of these brain-stimulating receptors reside in the spinal discs, joints, muscles, and other soft tissues. Therefore, everyone should have a chiropractic evaluation to determine if you have spinal joint dysfunctions, which may lead to disturbances in brain function. This is how CHIROPRACTIC may contribute to STRESS MANAGEMENT. Many people have spinal joint dysfunctions which rob their brains of life-sustaining nerve traffic and brain food, resulting in stress and a host of other health problems. If you are serious about STRESSBUSTING and getting and staying healthy, make an appointment with a Doctor of Chiropractic.

Remember when you would tell your parents when you were younger that you were bored? What did they tell you? GO DO SOMETHING! How did that change your pattern of boredom? By accomplishing two things: 1. It changed your mental attention from focusing on boredom to your new activity, and 2. It stimulated millions of motion detector nerve receptors, which lit up your brain improving your mental and emotional state. Consider using the same formula to break patterns of stress now. Your homework:

1.Improve the physical condition of your body and brain with continuous regular exercise, and during periods of acute CHALLENGING SITUATIONS (sometimes referred to as stress), consider going and exercising - a very effective stressbuster.

2.Schedule a Chiropractic Neurologic examination to see if your brain and spine function is where you deserve it to be.

3.Write down empowering questions to ask yourself, and ask them the first moment you wake up. Place these questions in a place that you will always see them immediately when you get up. These questions will promote exceptional states to start your day. Also, when you face a challenging situation, become a master at asking better questions to allow your brain the opportunity to look at each unique situation in a different way. Remember, most of the things we stress ourselves with are things that have already happened, things that are out of our control, and things that mean nothing to the grand scheme of our lives (for instance, blowing your top when a rude driver cuts us off...who cares) Does that really matter in my life ( Should I reward that rude driver by getting stressed, or should I smile it off?).

In conclusion, remember that it is not the environment or situations that stress us out; our individual CHOSEN REACTION to these circumstances determines how we feel, react, and treat others. Be a great role model, and teach others what you have learned!

Reference: Anthony Robbins cassette tape series entitled (Personal Power).


Dr. Scott Fuller, D.C., C.C.S.T., has a private Chiropractic practice in Woburn, MA.
He can be reached at:
Phone: (781) 933-3332

Dr. Fuller has a Cable T.V. show in Woburn and Stoneham, MA, where he discusses a variety of health and Chiropractic related topics, including STRESSBUSTING.

His practice specializes in injury treatment, sports injuries and peak performance, acute and chronic pain syndromes, neurological disorders, and child care for ADD, ADHD, learning disabilities, bedwetting, ear infections, asthma, allergies, and family wellness care.

Dr. Fuller conducts workshops in and out of his office. If you are interested in having Dr. Fuller speak to your group, organization, or company, please call his office.

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