by Dr. Jenni Sherwood, Chiropractic Physician

Ahh, fall! It’s that amazing time of year when the heat of the summer lends way to cooler evenings and the aroma of your neighbor’s evening fire. It’s that magical moment when the kids return to school, football consumes the weekends, and the busy holidays are circled on the wall calendar.

While most think of fall as a time of harvest and the beginning of a yearly ‘hibernation’ period; for many, the fall holiday season places increased demands on daily regimens. This lifestyle pace-change, coupled with darker hours, weather changes, etc., all lead directly to increased stress levels.

If you or a loved one is faced with health challenges, a family tragedy, or a job loss over the past 18 months – these and stressors like these can often begin to take a toll on your body. Even though a change to your current circumstances may not be possible, you may find sometimes just doing the slightest thing(s) can start to make a world of difference on your brain and body.

Keep Going Strong…All Season Long!

We can help you manage your stress so it doesn’t get the best of you! A series of spinal adjustments can actually help balance your nervous system so you can better cope or “adapt” to the changing demands in your life.

For well over a year now, front line and essential workers (including myself) have witnessed first-hand the daily stresses that COVID has created. Whether it was actually getting the virus or knowing someone who did, to sudden homeschooling, to loss of employment, to moving, to divorce…the stresses of 2020 seemed unrelenting at times.

In addition to watching people struggle to navigate stressful situations, I have also witnessed countless patients’ positive responses to dealing with life’s curveballs and decided to adopt that positive mental mantra. And I encourage you to do the same.

Simply stated, stress is an adaptive response. Knowing or learning how to ‘adapt’ to new things like wearing masks, frustrating grocery lines, the toilet paper crises, or perhaps a job loss can be challenging. But sometimes, the extra stresses can be better avoided when you learn to listen to your body and identify when it’s taxed and needs a break.

When we’re stress-free, everything feels euphoric, achievable and we walk around like self-proclaimed superheroes. But when we’re not ‘adapting’ well, we may begin to feel tension in our neck and back, get headaches, experience body aches and pains, get fatigue, feel depressed, and anxious. Stress also takes its toll on your immune system, leaving you more prone to colds or allergies.

Chiropractic to the Rescue!

By rebalancing your nervous system and improving your circulation, Chiropractic helps decrease overstimulation of your body’s stress responses. One of the positive effects of realigning your spine is a stronger immune system. Discover how reducing spinal nerve interference can help you return to a healthier and more relaxed state!

As we head into fall, I encourage everyone to take time out for yourself. Do something every day, even for a few minutes that’s just for you. And consider chiropractic when life has you tight and in knots.

Dr. Jenni Sherwood is owner of Carolina Spine Specialists and a 20+ year wellness practitioner and advocate. Learn more at: CarolinaSpineSpecialists.com/meet-the-team.