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Health & Fitness

Is Stress Killing Us?

The Center for Disease Control reports cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in the United States.  Americans have certainly begun to address this issue by changing diets and exercising more. Interestingly, there is a significant connection between stress and cardiovascular health. It is reported that 70% of all doctor visits are related to stress. Life, as it has evolved in this country, is laden with stressors. If you are alive, you are experiencing stress. Our magnificent bodies are well equipped to handle stress. When the brain detects a stressful situation, the heart speeds up; the hypothalamus produces more stress hormones such as, cortisol. Our "fight or flight" response moves into high gear to allow us to run from impending danger or fight "it" off. It's a fantastic mechanism that happens involuntarily. Unfortunately, sustained stress can cause damage to our bodies systems, particularly the circulatory and nervous system. 

About a decade ago, a cardiologist quite matter-of-factly told me that I needed to eliminate stress in my life. I laughed. "Eliminate stress? How is that possible?" It is a daunting request in a world where we are bombarded with stressful situations on a daily basis. As a single mom with three children, working full-time and going to massage school, my immediate response was, eliminating stress is impossible. However, over time, I began to understand that while I may not be able to put an end to stress in my life, I could find better ways of coping with stress. For me, the most obvious way was to begin receiving regular massage. Massage inherently affects the bodies stress responses. It decreases blood pressure, reduces the production of stress hormones, relaxes contracted muscles and sends oxygen to every cell of the body. I would never propose that massage is a panacea for heart disease or stress but I do believe that regular massage allows the body a reprieve from the body’s natural reaction to stress. 

 

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Renew Bodywork Center for Wellness is located at 69 Howard St. in Watertown. We offer discounted massage rates every Monday and Friday. Please consider integrating a maintenance massage program into your wellness plan. Visit our website at www.renewbodywork.net

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