The Di‘stressing’ Health Effects of Worry

There are plenty of things to worry about in our daily lives, from alarming news stories to your family's well-being to meeting deadlines. Stress is not an uncommon response to life's challenges. In fact 75-90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related conditions and symptoms, according to The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

The body's response to negative and/or threatening experiences is sometimes referred to as "fight-or-flight" and is an essential survival mechanism in many instances. But, over-exposure to stressful situations can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health.

Effects of frequent stress run the gamut-headaches, stomach issues, high blood pressure, chest pains, fatigue, depression, diabetes, obesity, skin conditions, anxiety and sleep disorders.

In stressful situations, the pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) releases an increased amount of the hormone adrenocorticotropic (ACTH). The ACTH hormone activates the release of other hormones, like cortisone and adrenaline, into the bloodstream. These hormones act to sharpen your focus, provide you with extra strength and help you quickly react to danger.

Hormones return to normal levels after the situation subsides. However, if these hormones are triggered frequently and over a long period of time, you can be at risk for serious health conditions.

Here are some pointers for re-shaping your lifestyle to avoid stress:

�' Reflect/relax: find an activity that helps you relax, whether it be yoga, meditation, listening to music, etc.

�' Healthy diet: eat foods like protein, whole grains, fresh fruit/vegetables, which keep blood sugar levels consistent and avoid sugar and caffeine that cause energy spike-and-crash reactions.

�' Sleep: seven to nine hours of sleep per night will restore your body and mind and help you avoid illness.

�' Stay active: exercise helps relieve stress and promotes production of endorphin hormones, which improve mood.

�' Talk/share: express your emotions and thoughts to friends or to a therapist. Keep a personal journal.

�' Time for yourself: take the time to engage in a hobby, volunteer, pamper yourself or just have "me" time.

It is important for us to listen to what our bodies and minds are trying to tell us so we are aware of our stress levels.

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No safety in the familiar in a storm

Several years ago, a friend of mine came close to breaking free from the institutional life. He had a foot in each place. But frightened by the unknown, he pulled back into the world he knew - confident that he was safer there where his mastery lay. Last week he was fired.

In my own life and family too we have a recurring story, a Greek tragedy, where the pull of duty and obligation to the familiar overwhelms the preservation of self. The outcome - an early death for both my father and grandfather. It seemed to be their only exit. I thought that I was exempt from this story but find that I am well into it.

I too like my friend have a choice. The paradox is that in a turbulent time, the greatest risk is in hanging onto what seems safe. The greatest safety - to reach into the unknown. This is surely not only true for each of us as individuals but also for organizations.

Here is how Herman Melville describes this in Moby Dick

"The port would fain give succor; the port is pitiful; in the port is safety, comfort, hearthstone, supper, warm blankets, friends, all that's kind to our mortalities. But in that gale, the port, the land, is that ship's direst jeopardy; she must fly all hospitality; one touch of land, though it but graze the keel, would make her shudder through and through.

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Does The Ideal Foot Orthotic Exist?

The ideal foot orthotic: "Is there such a thing?" Perhaps not. Can one orthoses meet the needs of all people? Of course not. Is there an orthoses so ideal that can prevent foot problems? Possibly so, but this needs clarification.The purpose of a foot orthoses is to limit the total range of motion available to the foot as it coils to the ground (called "pronation"). Most prescription orthoses do this. In fact many non prescription supports do it too. However, the closer the orthoses is to the individuals own functional prescription, the more comfortable it will be to get used to, to wear, and above all else produce results.

Foot orthoses unfortunately do not work like eye glasses. You do not get an instant resolution. Some people do respond amazingly quickly, although this is the minority. Some people are more complex for whatever reason and they may take anywheres up to six months to begin to respond favorably. The majority of people feel a 40-60% minimum average improvement in their symptoms within 8 weeks, (this is not the same as being cured). As time continues it is possible to feel like progress has stopped or that the pain is coming back. As you wear the orthoses you begin to absorb the prescription so you may start to feel the residual inflammation and tension temporarily. If your orthoses are comfortable and you are able to wear them most of the time they are working. The healing of biomechanical inflammation takes time.

It can take 1-2 years for an orthoses to generate its maximum effective range of healing. As your foot flexibility increases, the optimal position of alignment will change (due to reduction in tension and inflammation). Then regardless of your symptoms you need to get another prescription in order to keep your feet and body working to their best efficiency. If your orthoses work correctly you can expect 2-3 changes in your lifetime. Most of these changes should occur in the first to the second year. The next change should be very gradual over the next 4-6 years. After that changes may or may not occur. If they do it will take a long time.

So to clarify the last question, "Is there an orthoses so ideal as to prevent foot problems?" Depends on what problems we are looking to prevent. If we are looking to prevent injuries from inadequate training, excessive distances, increasing mileage too quickly, anatomical or functional abnormalities, accidental sprains or strains , uneven surfaces, and aging, probably not. But if there are biomechanical reasons for something to eventually happen e.g structural (like a bunion or heel spur), then it is possible to at least slow down the process and possibly prevent this from occurring enough to not let it be a problem in your lifetime.

Labels: excessive pronation, hyper pronation.

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