Arrest the stress

Assist your patients with natural solutions.

Stress: A small word causing big problems. So big in fact, that you can probably vividly remember the last time you felt stressed. You remember how you felt, how long it lasted, what caused it, and who it affected.

Stress comes in many forms. And its effects are so strong that even the stress of others can have an impact on your well-being.

What’s worse, stress doesn’t play favorites. Meaning there’s a good chance that the stress you’re feeling is duplicated in nearly every one of the patients you’re currently seeing.

The American Psychological Association reports that “only 37 percent of Americans feel they are actually doing an excellent or very good job of managing their stress.”¹

In other words, it’s likely that the other 63 percent are looking for a way to combat that stress. Stress that, according to the American Institute of Stress, comes from workload, people issues, juggling work/personal lives, and a lack of job security.²

And that’s where you come in.

As a chiropractor, you’re well positioned to be the go-to expert on stress relief. And while a large portion of that relief can come from regular chiropractic care, it’s important to supplement that care with natural remedies and solutions. These remedies can come in the form of exercise, essential oils, nutritional supplements, and more.

And in your practice, enhancing your care with an effective dietary supplement can be a winning combination. Especially if those supplements contain any or all of the following ingredients — many of which have proven effective in managing stress.

Valerian. Historically, valerian has been used as a sedative and calming agent. But it’s also believed to effectively treat stress and anxiety. In fact, the National Institutes of Health says that in the 16th century, it was used to treat nervousness, and during WWII, it was used in England to relieve the stress of air raids.³

Passion flower. Passion flower has also been shown to help with stress relief. According to MedlinePlus, “passionflower is used for sleep problems (insomnia), gastrointestinal (GI) upset related to anxiety or nervousness, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and relieving symptoms related to narcotic drug withdrawal.”

And it goes on to say that “there is some evidence that passionflower can reduce symptoms of anxiety, sometimes as effectively as some prescription medications.”⁴

Vitamin C. Studies have also shown the many benefits of vitamin C — one of which is stress relief. Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan, says “A recent meta-analysis showed vitamin C was beneficial to individuals whose immune system was weakened due to stress — a condition which is very common in our society.”

Moyad says this is “because vitamin C is one of the nutrients sensitive to stress, and [is] the first nutrient to be depleted in alcoholics, smokers, and obese individuals, it makes it an ideal marker for overall health.”⁵

B-complex. B vitamins have also long been noted as a valuable tool for the management of stress. And the eight vitamins that make up the vitamin Bcomplex are essential for the body’s natural chemical reactions.

According to WholeLiving.com, “if your stress level is high or your mood feels off-kilter, or if your diet is low in B’s, you’ll benefit from the higher amounts found in supplements.”⁶

In general, however, guaranteeing that your body isn’t deficient in essential vitamins and nutrients also ensures that it’s performing at its most optimal level. And while that doesn’t necessarily eliminate the outside stressors of everyday life, B vitamins taken daily can help you tackle those other stresses with a sound mind and body — ultimately helping you combat them more efficiently and effectively.

The truth is: Stress is inevitable. But how you deal with it is up to you.

Giving your patients the option to naturally and effectively manage their stress with the help of a nutritional supplement they take daily will position you as an expert in stress management and help you secure your patients’ trust. Trust that will ultimately help you increase referrals and boost your bottom line.

References

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2012/impact.aspx#

http://www.stress.org/workplace-stress/

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Valerian-HealthProfessional/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/871.html

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/thebenefits-of-vitamin-c

http://www.wholeliving.com/134086/benefits-bvitamins