What is STRESSING you out?

One of the first presentations that Dr. Bryan Bajakian created and brought to the public was one on STRESS.  What he found amazing was not just how common it was in our lives, but more importantly how dangerous it was to our health.

75-90% of ALL visits to primary care physicians are the result of STRESS related conditions within the patient’s body.

Recognizing Stress

Which of these is stress?

• You receive a promotion at work.
• Your car has a flat tire.
• You go to a fun party that lasts till 2:00 am.
• Your dog gets sick.
• Your new bedroom set is being delivered.
• Your best friend and his wife come to stay at your house for a week.
• You get a bad case of hay fever.
• All of the above.

ALL OF THESE ARE STRESS

If you are used to thinking that stress is something that makes you worry, you have the wrong idea of stress. Stress is many different things: happy things, sad things, allergic things, physical things. Many people carry enormous stress loads and they do not even realize it.

WHAT IS STRESS?

We are all familiar with the word “stress”. Stress is when you are worried about getting laid off from your job, or worried about having enough money to pay your bills, or worried about your mother when the doctor says she may need an operation. In fact, to most of us, stress is synonymous with worry. If it is something that makes you worry, then it is stress.

Your body, however, has a much broader definition of stress. TO YOUR BODY, STRESS IS SYNONYMOUS WITH CHANGE. Anything that causes a change in your life causes stress. It doesn’t’t matter if it is a “good” change, or a “bad” change, they are both a form of stress. When you find your dream apartment and get ready to move, that is stress. If you break your leg, that is stress. Good or bad, if it is a CHANGE in your life, it is stress as far as your body is concerned.

Even IMAGINED CHANGE is stress (imagining changes is what we call “worrying”.) If you fear that you will not have enough money to pay your rent, that is stress. If you worry that you may get fired, that is stress. If you think that you may receive a promotion at work, that is also stress (even though this would be a good change). Whether the event is good or bad, imagining changes in your life is stressful.

• Anything that causes CHANGE IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE is stressful.

• Anything that causes CHANGE IN YOUR BODY HEALTH is stressful.

• IMAGINED CHANGES are just as stressful as real changes.

Let us look at several types of stress – ones that are so commonplace that you might not even realize that they are stressful…

Emotional Stress

Are you feeling STRESSED Out??

When arguments, disagreements, and conflicts cause CHANGES in your personal life –that is stress.

Illness

Catching a cold, breaking an arm, a skin infection, a sore back, are all CHANGES in your body condition.

Pushing Your Body Too Hard

Don't get lost in your work!!

A major source of stress is overdriving yourself. If you are working (or partying) 16 hours a day, you will have reduced your available time for rest. Sooner or later, the energy drain on your system will cause the body to fall behind in its repair work. There will not be enough time or energy for the body to fix broken cells, or replace used up brain neurotransmitters. CHANGES will occur in your body’s internal environment. You will “hit the wall”, or “run out of gas”. If you continue, permanent damage may be done. The body’s fight to stay healthy in the face of the increased energy that you are expending is major stress.

Environmental Factors

Very hot or very cold climates can be stressful. Very high altitude may be a stress. Toxins or poisons are a stress. Each of these factors threatens to cause CHANGES in your body’s internal environment.

The Special Case of Tobacco Use

Tobacco is a powerful toxin!! Smoking destroys cells that clean your trachea, bronchi, and lungs. Smoking causes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which progress to slow suffocation. The carbon monoxide from cigarette smoking causes chronic carbon monoxide poisoning. Tobacco use damages the arteries in your body, causing insufficient blood supply to the brain, heart, and vital organs. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of cancer 50 fold.

Chewing tobacco or snuff is no safe haven. It also damages your arteries, and it carries the same cancer risk. (Cancers of the head and neck are particularly vicious, disfiguring, and deadly).

Poisoning the body with carbon monoxide, and causing the physical illnesses of emphysema, chronic bronchitis, cancer, and arterial damage, tobacco is a powerful source of added stress to one’s life.

Hormonal Factors

PUBERTY

The vast hormonal changes of puberty are severe stressors. A person’s body actually CHANGES shape, sexual organs being to function, new hormones are released in large quantities. Puberty, as we all know is very stressful.

PRE-MENSTRUAL SYNDROME

Once a woman passes puberty, her body is designed to function best in the presence of female hormones. For women past puberty, a lack of female hormones is a major stress on the body. Once a month, just prior to menstruation, a woman’s hormone levels drop sharply. In many women, the stress of sharply falling hormones is enough to create a temporary OVERSTRESS. This temporary OVERSTRESS is popularly know as Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS).

POST-PARTUM

Following a pregnancy, hormone levels CHANGE dramatically. After a normal childbirth or a miscarriage, some women may be thrown into OVERSTRESS by loss of the hormones of pregnancy.

MENOPAUSE

There is another time in a woman’s life when hormone levels decline. This is menopause. The decline of hormones during menopause is slow and steady. Nevertheless, this menopausal decline causes enough stress on the body to produce OVERSTRESS in many women.

Taking Responsibility for Another Persons Actions

Covering for another can cause a LOT of STRESS

When you take responsibility for another person’s actions, CHANGES occur in your life over which you have little or no control. Taking responsibility for another person’s actions is a major stressing factor.

Allergic Stress

Allergic reactions are a part of your body’s natural defense mechanism. When confronted with a substance, which your body considers toxic, your body will try to get rid of it, attack it, or somehow neutralize it. If it is something that lands in your nose, you might get a runny, sneezy nose. If it lands on your skin, you might get blistered skin. If you inhale it, you’lll get wheezy lungs. If you eat it, you may break out in itchy red hives all over your body. Allergy is a definite stress, requiring large changes in energy expenditure on the part of your body’s defense system to fight off what the body perceives as a dangerous attack by an outside toxin.

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a natural method of health care with the proven ability to relieve back pain, increase vitality, and promote well-being. For over a century, doctors of chiropractic have successfully helped millions of individuals recover from spine-related health problems. As a result, chiropractic has earned its place as the largest drugless and non-surgical health care profession in the United States.

How does chiropractic work?

The human body possesses a natural ability to restore itself. This ability depends on a healthy nervous system. Life’s events such as automobile accidents, sports injuries, repetitive work, and home stress are just some of the factors that can overwhelm the body’s ability to adapt. The joints of the spine ‘lock up’ when these sorts of events occur, limiting range of motion. Spinal joint restriction and/or misalignment results in irritation and/or pressure at the spinal nerve.

Chiropractic care can correct these structural distortions, known as Subluxations, restoring the body to its optimal form and function. Local symptoms of Subluxations may include pain, tenderness, swelling, tingling, numbness, or spasm around the joints of the spine, back, and neck. Many times these sensations extend further into the shoulders and arms, around the rib cage, or into the hips and down the legs. Subluxations can even lead to headaches, stomach and digestive problems, and loss of overall health.

Impaired nerve coordination causes the whole body to suffer. Vital instructions flow between the brain and the body by way of spinal nerves. These instructions inform and direct the body as to when, where, and how it needs to heal itself. By irritating nerves, Subluxations interfere with the essential brain/body exchange, thereby compromising the normal function of the body’s organs and tissues. Chiropractic care clears the path for the body to maintain its own health.

How can a chiropractor help?

Doctors of chiropractic are specially trained in the evaluation and treatment of spinal conditions, which is why an increasing number of back pain sufferers are turning to them for fast, effective, and reliable care. Similarly, more and more hospitals and private practices are now working closely with doctors of chiropractic in order to ensure the best quality of care for patients who suffer from spine-related injuries and dysfunction.

The benefits of chiropractic care have also been shown to extend beyond reduction of back and neck pain. In fact, chiropractic has proven itself as useful in the reduction of headache pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, jaw pain, sciatica, and tingling in the arms and legs. The rewards of chiropractic care are numerous. People under chiropractic care report better health and well-being and many families have realized the benefits of chiropractic care for their children.

Who should see a doctor of chiropractic?

Nerve interference can affect anyone, which is why people of all ages experience relief and improved health through chiropractic care. A qualified doctor of chiropractic will best determine the appropriateness of care for you or your family.

No method of health care has proven itself to be more effective than chiropractic in helping those who suffer from back and neck pain. Doctors of chiropractic are the most highly qualified professionals in evaluating and caring for these, as well as many other health problems.

Is Chiropractic safe?

YES. Its non-surgical, drug-free approach to health places chiropractic among the safest of all health care practices. Remember, chiropractic takes nothing out of the body and puts nothing in. As a result, chiropractors enjoy one of the lowest malpractice rates of all health care professionals.

How are Doctors of Chiropractic educated?

Like all primary health care providers, doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive education and training before becoming licensed professionals. Students begin by fulfilling undergraduate degree requirements, with a strong emphasis on the core sciences such as chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and physics.

The professional program leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree is very demanding. Chiropractic students continue their study of the sciences, including pathology and biochemistry, at a highly detailed level.

Their education continues into the advanced clinical sciences including orthopedics, neurology, examination procedures, differential diagnosis, and X-ray interpretation. During this entire process, aspiring doctors of chiropractic gain knowledge of the philosophy and practice of health care and chiropractic.

Doctors of chiropractic refine their technical adjusting skills in technique classes. During clinical internships student doctors perfect these skills.

Finally, all doctors of chiropractic must pass the rigorous national board exams and state exams before entering the field.

What can I expect on my first visit?

Your initial visit will begin with a consultation. Your doctor will take a case history and ask about your present condition.

Next, the doctor will perform an examination to evaluate the nature of your problem. This examination generally includes a series of basic physical tests, as well as a specialized chiropractic evaluation of spinal movement and posture.

If necessary, your doctor may recommend X-rays or diagnostic tests to obtain further information about the mechanics of your spine and the details of your condition.

After completing the analysis, your doctor will explain your problem and map out an appropriate plan of action with you. If necessary, you may be referred to another health care specialist for further evaluation or treatment. Doctors of chiropractic work with a variety of health care professionals in the best interest of their patients.

Your doctor will discuss your care plan with you, taking into consideration your health habits, stress, and activity levels.

Over the course of your care, your doctor will monitor your individual response and may also recommend changes to your lifestyle, work environment, dietary, and exercise patterns.

How does chiropractic correct my spinal problems?

Following consultation and examination, a program of care will be designed and customized to your specific needs.  This program is centered around the chiropractic adjustment, a method of treatment unique to chiropractic, which corrects spinal Subluxations and dysfunction. The primary goal of an adjustment is to improve spinal alignment and motion, thereby relieving nerve irritation, pressure, and pain.

You may feel immediate improvement after an adjustment, although most people experience gradual, progressive relief of symptoms. Since adjustments restore motion to previously locked joints, ligaments and tendons begin to stretch back to their normal length. This lengthening may cause slight muscle soreness similar to that brought on by rigorous exercise.  If you experience these sensations, be assured that within days you’ll likely be enjoying the benefits of improved spinal motion with less pain that results from a healthier spine. For the best results, follow  the plan that your doctor of chiropractic recommends for you.

How much chiropractic care will I need?

The number of visits you make to your chiropractor depends on the nature of your condition and your personal goals. Many people use chiropractic as part of a preventive health care routine, scheduling chiropractic appointments on a regular basis to keep their bodies functioning at their best. Others seek care and treatment for specific conditions with the primary goal of treatment being pain relief. It is important for you to discuss your objectives with your chiropractor in order to develop a treatment plan that works best for you.

Keep in mind, healing rates vary from person to person. Children tend to respond more quickly to treatment, whereas adults and seniors may respond more slowly. A good rule of thumb is that the longer the spine has not been working properly, the more extensive the care plan may be to achieve desired results.

Is chiropractic care expensive? Will my insurance cover it?

Chiropractic has demonstrated itself to be one of the most cost-effective forms of care in all of the health care market. As with any product or service, fees vary by provider and location.

Many health care plans provide coverage for chiropractic care. Check with your benefits manager to find out what coverage you may have with your health plan. Also, talk with your prospective doctor of chiropractic to learn about your payment options. Many patients pay directly for care, as they discover chiropractic to be extremely cost-effective and affordable.

How can I find the right Doctor of Chiropractic for me?

When selecting a health care provider, whether a primary care physician, a dentist, or a doctor of Chiropractic, take the time to consult with a few different possibilities before settling on the one of your choice.  Ask around, you’d be surprised at how many of your friends and family go to Chiropractors whom they trust and hold in high regard.

Evaluate your needs and health care goals. Talk with your friends and family; find out whom they recommend. Then speak to your prospective doctor of chiropractic. A healthy relationship can develop if you two have the same goals in mind.

ADD/ADHD and Drugs

As a father himself, Bryan Bajakian, D.C., would like to remind us all that the greatest resource that we as a species have is our children.  NOTHING should take priority in our lives over their safety and their well-being.  

Many of us live hectic lifestyles

Unfortunately, due to “the American Way of Life” many people lead very hectic lives and often the less obvious dangers that threaten our children’s health are overlooked.

Bryan Bajakian, D.C. is referring to many of the processed foods and the high sugar content in much of what is deemed as “kids” foods.   

Poor Food Choices

We all have heard of the saying…. “you are what you eat”.  Bryan Bajakian, D.C. wants to remind you that IF you feed a child a diet of processed foods, elevated levels of sugar, improper food combining, and transfatty acids (as found in French fries)-you are going to end up with a child who presents themselves as being “hyper-active”, states Bryan Bajakian D.C..

Medicating Our Children

As a Chiropractor, Bryan Bajakian D.C., would like to point out the logical manner to approach this to modify the diet, check the child’s nervous system, and to watch normal health and behavior return.  Unfortunately, this is the day of the “behavior pills”.  Today’s society has been brainwashed or conditioned so completely through advertising so often, and so extensively by the drug industry, that the concept of drugging our children has become accepted and in many cases routine.  This is a very sad reality, and one we need to change says Bryan Bajakian, D.C..

A statistic that Bryan Bajakian, D.C. is saddened to report is that the United States consumes 95% of the Ritalin in the world.  We have been warned repeatedly by the United Nations on this specific matter.  As Bryan Bajakian, D.C. has often said, “Are we to assume all the hyperactive children in the world reside in our country, or is it possible that the American public is responding to the BILLIONS of dollars that has been spent by the drug industry to make this concept of giving our kids drugs that are identical in composition to COCAINE, and that this concept is not only accepted by the children’s pediatricians, but often this practice is promoted by them”.

Drugs CAN Kill

The sad part is that none of these parents are told that PERMANENT CHEMICAL CHANGES of their children’s brains will occur as a result of such medications.  Bryan Bajakian, D.C. points out that few parents are aware that such drugs for “hyper-activity” can actually KILL their child.

This report presented to you by Bryan Bajakian, D.C. is an alarming testament of just how much these practices are increasing.

Over prescribing of Drugs

Use Of drugs to treat kids with ADHD and depression growing steadily cites Bryan Bajakian, D.C..   Despite publicity about their dangers and overuse, medical doctors have steadily increased their prescriptions of stimulants and antidepressant medications to treat ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and depression in children – some as much as 195%!

The most commonly prescribed psychotropic classes of drugs – central nervous system stimulants (CNSSs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) –-increased by 26% and 62% respectively. The shocking information presented to you by Bryan Bajakian, D.C.  is contained in a report based on a study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) that covered the years 1995 to 1999, published in a recent issue of Ambulatory Pediatrics.

Bryan Bajakian, D.C. reports that researchers at the Center for Health Care Policy and Evaluation, United Health Group, with support from AHRQ’s Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics at the University of North Carolina, studied how four therapeutic drug classes used to treat ADHD and depression in youth – CNSSs, SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and other antidepressants – vary in use over time by age, gender, geographic region, and prescribing physician.

They used pharmacy and enrollment data from six geographically diverse model employer-insured health plans says Bryan Bajakian, D.C..  Researchers examined trends in physician prescribing practices of psychotropics for youth, but did not focus on the appropriateness of prescribing patterns or quality-of-care models.

Bryan Bajakian, D.C. wants you to know that the study also found:
***For CNSS patient use, the proportion of Ritalin users decreased, while the proportion of Adderall users increased.  Bryan Bajakian, D.C. would like to point out that Adderall is so dangerous that a recall was issued on it.

***Among all children under 20 years, those receiving both CNSSs and SSRIs almost doubled from 1.4 to 2.6 per 1,000 over five years.

***The use of antidepressants other than SSRIs or TCAs by physicians for their patients increased by 195% overall.

***A child’s first prescription for each CNSS prescribed came from a pediatrician 50% of the time and by a family practitioner 20% of the time. The first prescription for each SSRI prescribed was most likely given by a psychiatrist, although the proportion decreased from 56 to 44% during the study.

Children ARE our future

As Bryan Bajakian, D.C. has said countless times, children ARE our future…if we don’t stand up for what is right for THEM and not go along with what is now more accepted socially, our future will NOT shine as bright as it should.

SOURCE: “Ambulatory Use of Psychotropics by Employer-Insured Children and Adolescents in a National Managed Care Organization,”Ambulatory Pediatrics, March-April 2002

Bryan Bajakian, D.C. is a Chiropractor in Northern New Jersey, who retired from active practice, yet who still strives to educated the public so they may make informed health care choices.

 For more information on this topic and many more please visit the other two websites that Bryan Bajakian, D.C. provides to the public for educational purposes:  www.chiropractic4all.com and www.chiropractic4all.info.