Tips Presented to Fight Problems Related to Stress

Stress. It’s like a violin string. A talented musician like Joshua Bell creates

some tension on that string with his bow and makes beautiful music. But should

he apply too much stress, the string will break. That can apply

to the stressful affects of today’s very uncertain world.

It’s how people deal with stress that makes or breaks them.

Problems brought about by unabated stress can include pain, ulcers,

headaches and even high blood pressure and heart conditions.

Michele Rozansky, director of Orlanu Therapies in Mequon,

a group of physical, occupational and massage professionals, says when

it comes to stress, “You can’t separate mind from body.” She observes

stress affecting many of her therapy clinic patients. “When they come to us,

we try to help them identify what their stressors are and see what helps them

handle the stress and what doesn’t. People often aren’t even aware of what’s

bothering them. That, in itself is part of the problem,” she explains. “If we’re

brought up to hide our emotions, our response to what’s happening externally

is hidden and sometimes literally unfelt. Because of stress, changes in body

chemicals occur, and if we’re unaware, we’re unable to restabilize or

recalibrate. The tension level builds inside, even though we’ve learned how

to repress it and go about our daily lives.

“We teach our patients different ways they can respond to the stressors

that we have discovered in their lives,” she adds.

Rozansky says that stressed individuals come to Orlanu because they

usually are in some kind of pain or they complain of fatigue, depression,

lack of energy. “We initially determine where we can start therapy. It might

be something as simple as giving ourselves ten minutes of our day to

practice easy breathing to quiet ourselves. Or it might be an exercise

program based on Pilates or Yoga because these methods are about slow,

sustained breathing and postural exercises. The spiritual aspect might be

brought into those types of exercises, too.”

According to Rozansky, Pilates and Yoga help people build their own

potential, their strength from the inside out. “This overflows into their mental and emotional health.

“Good nutrition is also important,” she says. “If people eat packaged,

processed, and/or fast foods, they’re not getting the right nutrition and are asking their bodies to work

harder to digest these foods, creating another physiological stress. This can affect a person’s well-

intentioned exercise program.

Rozansky offers some tips to better handle stress.

* Take up to a half hour each day just to walk outside and enjoy nature. Or practice gentle and easy

breathing or do yoga or to write a journal about your feelings.

* Take time to have a quiet breakfast or lunch ritual to help your digestion. Shut off your phones and

computers.

* Eat healthful foods.

* Exercise regularly--learning what exercise your individual body likes.

* Have a creative outlet. Write. Draw. Play a musical instrument. Go to a concert.

“It’s important,” she says, “for stressed-out individuals to access their inner being to enhance

their self growth, self care, self worth and self esteem. Bringing beliefs of self esteem to life and

enhancing their ability to make choices can help prevent or live healthier with stress.”

For more information, contact Orlanu Therapies at 262-241-7887 or go to

www.orlanutherapies.com.

#############