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| More Stress Signs |
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by Kory Zimney, PT, DPT - August 1, 2011
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A few weeks ago I posted about some physical signs that may be due to increased stress (see here for reminder). Here are a few more signs that may be stress-related; anyone recognizing these signs should see a doctor first to rule out serious illness or injury. The irony of stress is that the very things that will make you feel better--exercise, self-care, eating a healthy diet--are usually the last things you want to do.
Stress Sign: Weight Gain
Stress often pushes us into a vicious cycle of choosing unhealthy foods, binge diet and eating, losing energy and gaining weight. This is due to an increased production of glucocorticoid hormones as a reaction to the stress response.
What you can do: You can jump in anytime in the vicious cycle to put a stop to it. Don't skip meals, decreasing calories too significantly can increase your bodies stress response. Actually eating too little is often a cause for stalled weight loss. Undereating almost always leads to eventually overeating and weight gain. Just make sure the added calories you need come from healthy foods.
Stress Sign: Back Pain
Although the causes of back pain are usually physical, emotional stress can play a role in how severe pain is and how long it lasts.
What you can do: Strength training and cardiovascular exercises are important in keeping your back healthy. Maintaining a healthy weight will also reduce strain on your back and decrease coritsol production, which increases sensitivity of your nerves.
Stress Sign: Tension Headaches
These headaches occur when your scalp and neck muscles become too tense.
What you can do: See your doctor to make sure you don't have a more serious headache-related disorder. Utilizing meditation and self-care along with a regular exercise program and healthy diet will decrease frequency and intensity of headaches.
Kory Zimney is a practicing physical therapist in Iowa. He focuses on helping people move forward with their health and function through movement and exercise. This and other articles by Kory can be found at his blog: http://koryzimney.blogspot.com/
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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