Learn How to Manage Stress in the New Year

Did you know that millions of people in the United States are suffering from stress, depression and anxiety? If you’re one of them, leaving your disorder untreated can cause significant physical health disorders and diseases to manifest, as well as cognitive decline.

How Stress and Anxiety Affect the Body and Brain
There are neurotransmitters throughout the entire body that send signals to the brain, alerting you instantaneously of real or perceived danger. Anxiety is made up of both psychological and physical symptoms. The psychological part creates the nervousness, fear and worry, while the physical aspect produces sweating, rapid heart palpitations, a rise in blood pressure, nausea and shortness of breath.

Stress and anxiety are a normal part of life and usually short-lived, but for 40 million Americans, it’s a daily battle. Whether it’s anxiety due to biological, psychosocial, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the treatment options usually include behavioral therapy, counseling, and various prescription medications that block or dull different areas of the brain.

The typical treatment options for anxiety, stress and depression are medications and counseling therapy. Some of the most common drug classes prescribed are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The widely known drugs, like Prozac, Zoloft, and Cymbalta play a role in how the neurotransmitters affect the mood by lessening anxiety levels and creating a more peaceful, cheerful spirit.

Along with medications, there are also alternative therapies that work very well to reduce stress and anxiety.

The Benefits of Yoga & Meditation
Yoga helps to improve flexibility, blood flow, muscle strength, posture, immune function, bone health, decreases depressive episodes, and can regulate blood pressure. Meditation also reduces stress, reduces anxiety, promotes emotional wellbeing, can help fight addictions, can generate health and improve immune function, it can stave off memory disorders and increase neuronal plasticity (grow your brain).

Exercise
Talk with your physician about the right exercise plan for you. Most people can benefit from taking a brisk 30-minute walk or a 30-minute swim. Exercise increases circulation, reduces stress, it also improves nutrient and oxygen rich blood flow, and helps you build strength and to lose weight. If you can work out harder, it’s extremely beneficial to get your heart rate up daily with cardiovascular exercise.

There have been significant studies on the benefits of water activities for individuals that suffer from cardiac diseases and disorders. These cases have proven that the level of oxygen in the blood increases in water, which is ideal for most vascular issues. The oxygen consumption (VO2) is three times greater in water than on land. Working large muscle groups leads to this uptake of oxygen but doing a lot of running and legwork on land increases the heart rate at a greater level than with water-based therapy. For obvious reasons, maintaining a lower heart rate is ideal for those suffering from any heart ailments.

Combined Therapies
In order to overcome stress and pain, we need a well-rounded treatment protocol that incorporates, medication (if necessary), stress management, nutrition, exercise, meditation, hormone balancing and other therapies that can help to stabilize our systems.

Rivers Family Medicine continues to provide their patients with the highest quality of care; they are continually looking for innovative methods of working together with their patients to ensure that they are not only aware of but also involved in the management and improvement of their patient’s health.

Rivers Family Medicine welcomes Dr. Erin Dariano. Dr. Dariano has been practicing Family Medicine in Lima Ohio at Lima Memorial Hospital for the past seven years. Dr. Dariano, D.O, Completed her undergraduate degree at Bowling Green State University, and her medical degree at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is a board certified D.O., Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Dariano is committed to providing thorough, compassionate, mindful care for her patients.

To schedule an appointment with Rivers Family Medicine, please call (352) 205-4302.

Dr. Anthony Desmarais
352-205-4302
www.riversfamilymedicine.com

1503 Buenos Aires Boulevard, Building 110
The Villages, FL 32159

new office location coming soon to Brownwood!

For their patients convenience, Rivers Family Medicine is opening a second office in The Villages. This second office will open after the first of the year at 2771 Brownwood Blvd, The Villages 32163.

NOTE: All Sick Visits will only be Telehealth visit to maintain safe distances and reduce exposure.

To schedule an appointment with Rivers Family Medicine, please call (352) 205-4302.