Managing Work Stress

Work Stress – Help and Suggestions

With the downturn in the economy and increasing layoffs, many people are suffering significant stress at work. Some significant symptoms are trouble concentrating on the job and negative work attitude, irritability with coworkers, anger toward your boss/company, absenteeism, feelings of mistrust and hopelessness, substance abuse, health problems, and family problems.

How can you get your stress under control, after acknowledging your fear and stress? First, maintain a positive attitude and focus on what you can control. Steer work conversations away from griping and worry, and remember that not all change is bad and it leads to learning. Identify and focus your prime objectives at work and home, and make a list of your plans to achieve them. Think of ways to do your job better and make added value and new ideas for your company. Go all out at work, and remember that each employee has to be worth more than they cost. Also, prepare yourself for the worst by updating your resume (and looking at other job opportunities) and carefully reviewing your budget and finances and retirement plans (and do not make any big purchases).

Get proper rest (at least 7 hours a night) and proper exercise (at least ½ hour of aerobic exercise 5 times a week). Maintain your friendships at work and home, and help others. Make sure your workspace has calming items – photos (of a peaceful time and place, your family, nature), a living flower or plant, and or a meaningful souvenir (something you can hold in your hand like a rock or treasure from a vacation or family). Review your workspace to ensure proper ergonomics for your body and work – a good chair (with your elbows at your work level and feet on the floor, back support) and your work at eye level in front of you. Look to and work on your faith and God’s amazing insights, peace, and power – go to church, read your bible, join a bible study class. If you feel your symptoms are worsening or not getting better, see your physician (to discuss your health and possible lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements, and possible medicines) and consider employee assistance and counseling.

General Tips

A recent Swedish study of 4000 adolescent boys showed that eating fish at least once a week increased their cognitive skills by at least 6 – 11%.

Drinking eggplant water could improve one’s blood pressure and insulin/blood sugar metabolism and weight. You make this at home by floating approximately six thinly sliced pieces of eggplant on 2 to 3 quarts of water. Then use this as your major source of fluids (8 to 60 ounces a day).

Eating unsweetened shredded coconut can help chronic or recurrent diarrhea.

Adding spice to your meals can really boost your antioxidants, especially cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, thyme, ginger, red peppers, and turmeric. One teaspoon of cinnamon has as much antioxidant power as one half cup blueberries and one teaspoon of oregano as much as three cups of broccoli. Add cinnamon to your breakfast foods and add spices to your soups, vegetables, sandwiches, and beans/pasta/rice.

Look for cereals and foods without high fructose corn syrup.

Drink organic low fat milk and eat organic foods whenever possible. The organic milk is especially beneficial for children to avoid the hormones in regular milk.

Drinking 3 cups a day of black or green tea can decrease your risk of stroke by 21% and drinking 6 cups decreases your risk by 42%, according to a recent stroke study.

Hatha yoga (which can be performed from a seated position) can help older adults with their balance and fear of falling. Wii Fit includes balance exercises and yoga instruction.

Accupuncture can help many problems, including tendonitis and muscle, joint and nerve pain. Dr. Miller, her husband, and many of her patients have used an excellent acupuncturist, Dr. Amy Yang. Her office is at 96^th and Michigan, and her phone number is 876-1054. Most insurances do not pay for acupuncture, but it can be paid by most medical savings accounts.

Chiropractic adjustments can help some infants with their colic. Birthing trauma and the relative inactivity of infants can lead to pain from the back causing colic. Dr. Ed Zimmer (813-1998) offers free adjustments to infants. He has immediately and tremendously helped several of Dr. Miller’s patients, and they are singing his praises! Sometimes one adjustment is enough, but if the baby is younger they often need several.

Parenting Tip

Make a priority to have Family Dinners whenever possible (which also saves money!). Have a special night a week that everyone (and maybe even extended family) can attend with plans to discuss a certain topic – maybe how the new president is doing, what new things we each want to learn or do, favorite family advice, if we each could do anything what would it be, etc. On Tuesdays we have Miller/Bleeke Family Dinner, and usually my daughter who lives in her own apartment joins us that night for dinner and discussion.

Marriage Tip

What have you thought of this (and each) week to do special for your beloved? Maybe bring them coffee or tea in the bedroom, leave a note on the seat of their car, plan a special lunch or dinner or just healthy snack they would like, give them a backrub, putting on their lotion…!!!

Foster, grow, and maintain intimacy by doing new and different things together. Plan a new activity with your love – like planting herbs from seeds, taking a class at the library, doing Wii Fit together, finding a park or museum to visit, playing a game together, joining a church program/talk together, holding hands on the couch while you talk about your day… be creative!!!

With hugs and prayers, Dr. Lisa

Vital Vitamin D, One month to live..

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

As I write my blog this week I want to remind myself as I do every day, that each day is a gift, and I must live each day with love and wisdom... I and our staff want to thank you all for the honor of being your Family Physicians. You are wonderful and so very special in all your unique ways, and I believe in, pray for, and love you!.. . I also encourage you all to aerobically exercise at least 5 times a week for 1/2 hour - make it a priority and it will so benefit you in all aspects of your health and life (and it is my time also to think and pray).

The Vital Importance of Vitamin D

Increasingly over the past 2 years, research has shown that Vitamin D is likely the most important supplement. The U.S. Center for Disease Prevention estimates at least 60% of Americans are severely deficient in Vitamin D, and the number is significantly higher in the states in the upper half of our country. I have been checking Vitamin D levels at most of my physicals with my patients starting this year, and have found well over 90% are deficient!

New research suggests that this vitamin, known for helping to build strong bones, protects against and helps a wide variety of diseases, including cancers (including colon, prostate, and breast), asthma, diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, macular degeneration, periodontal disease, mental illness, chronic pain, arthritis, other autoimmune disorders, and even boost longevity.

This sounds surprising for a mere vitamin, but Vitamin D is different. It is actually a steroid hormone that relays chemical messages throughout the body. It is involved in the maintenance of over 200 human genes.

Here are some recent findings in Vitamin D research. Men lacking in Vitamin D have more than double the risk of heart attack. In a four year study, women who took at least 1100 IU/day had a 60% reduction in breast cancer risk. Another study showed an 8% reduction in mortality among those taking Vitamin D supplements for three years. A Harvard study in 2007 found a connection between low levels of Vitamin D and prostate cancer. Another study showed a 75% reduction in risk for diabetes among those with the highest levels of Vitamin D. A study of women showed a 40% lower risk of multiple sclerosis in those who took at least 400 IU/day. Another newly published article studying teenagers found that teens with low levels of Vitamin D are more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure and diabetes, and four times more likely to have metabolic syndrome = consisting of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia.

How then can we and our children get enough Vitamin D? The strongest source by far is the UVB rays of the sun. Sitting outside without suncreeen for 20 minutes can give you more Vitamin D than 200 glasses of milk (and to get adequate levels of Vitamin D, this should be done a couple times a week, or 5 – 7 minutes in a tanning bed). However, this does increase your risk of skin cancer and is impossible much of the year in our climate. It is difficult to get adequate Vitamin D through food. Egg yolks, liver, salmon, mackerel, and tuna have it naturally, and each 8 oz glass of fortified milk has 100 IU.

The best way to insure an adequate amount of Vitamin D is through taking a Vitamin D-3 supplement. Experts disagree on the exact daily amount we should take, ranging from 1000 IU – 5000 IU (and even up to 10,000 IU in some cases) a day. Without checking blood levels, I recommend 1000 – 2000 IU/day for age twelve and older. Please call me if you want a blood level checked (and I will also check a calcium level), then I can see you back in 2 – 3 weeks to discuss your level of need (it takes 1-3 weeks to get the blood test back). The AAP just increased their recommendation for children of at least 400 IU/day. Many of the adults I have been checking levels on need 5000 IU/day. Our Vitamin D-3 is well absorbed and nicely very inexpensive – the 1000 IU vegetarian capsules are $16 for 6 months, and the 5000 IU capsules are $20 for 6 months. As I and experts agree, you need to purchase your supplements from a qualified physician, chiropractor, or health food store (most supplements at the drug and discount stores are very poor quality and not well absorbed or utilized in our body – soon you will be able to view my and Dr. Zimmer’s article on how to pick out vitamins and supplements on our website).

I recommend for everyone, in order of importance, to take Vitamin D for the reasons above, Omega 3 fatty acids (fish or flaxseed oil, unless you eat fish several times a week and a lot of nuts) for your heart-brain-joint health, Calcium (our calapatite with MCHC or calcium citrate) for women and children and anyone at risk of osteoporosis, a good Multivitamin for trace minerals and energy (1 – 2/day of our alphabase), and B complex and Vitamin C for antioxidants (and B for cardiovascular protection, nerve function, blood count, and even hot flashes), and 81 mg Aspirin for people with risk factors for heart disease and those over age 60 (unless aspirin is contraindicated for you).

General:
A patient this week asked me to include tips for stress reduction (she said her tip for not overeating is to have oatmeal in the am, rather than skipping beakfast).
1. Change your perspective. Instead of feeling stressed, feel blessed. Be glad you have bills to pay, a home where they can arrive to, and a body that can get up and work to pay them. Begin each day with a grateful heart and see your “to do” list as a “glad to do” list.
2. Remain calm at work by: finding the right picture(s) to keep at your work area, adding a living thing/plant, holding a meaningful souvenir.
3. Layoff survivor managing post downsizing stress – maintain a positive attitude and friendships at work, recognize there are only so many variables you can control, acknowledge your fear about the future and look to your faith, focus on your prime objectives at work and how to best achieve them, and prepare yourself for the worst – hone your resume and do not make any big purchases.

Faith and Family

My church and minister Aaron Brockett this month are doing a 4 week sermon series on how would you live your life if you knew you had 1 month to live (can access at http://www.tpcc.org/ and free download from itunes). Our days and seconds are numbered as in Psalm 90:12, so we need to focus on our living with wisdom, clarity, and intention (not to focus morbidly on death).

If you only had one month to live, would you live differently? What would you change? What would you stop doing or start doing? What is paralyzing you or holding you back? What are you doing right now that requires faith? What consumes most of your time and thoughts during the day? What are you clinging to right now that you have to let go to move forward into God’s great purpose for your life?

If we knew we only had 1 month more to live, then I am certain we all would live more passionately and not just sit around. This is a reminder to be more intentional with how we live and recognize life’s brevity. We would review our relationship with God and others to see if we are at peace, or are there people and problems and situations that are nagging and undone? Someday becomes today to take action. Agape love is the most potent, all-encompassing, and committed, and is undeserved, unchanging, and unconditional. It is not dependent upon how the other person treats you. It is risky and painful but with the greatest reward and power to change us. God has this for each of us, and hopefully we are working upon our hearts to have this for our spouses, children, family, and many others. Is there someone we need to love more completely? Do I choose to live and love completely or incompletely? Often there is no time for terms or conditions, and we just need to forgive for ourselves and reconcile. Love is a decision we make, not a feeling. Agape love must pass onto others.

Aaron covered in the first two weeks living passionately and loving completely. Especially last Sunday and every day, I take time to consider how I spend my day, knowing that I have finite time. Last Sunday it meant to take some time to play dress-up with my 8 year old and invite my 20 year old over for our family dinner. Today it means writing this blog, playing a little outside with my children, and caring for my husband who got a concussion riding his bike yesterday. I praise God for bike helmets and answering my prayers for his safety before he started to ride yesterday! He would have been brain dead if it weren’t for his helmet. He was hit by a hard gust of wind and thrown off his bike onto his head. His bike helmet is broken apart…

Child care Tip:

WEAR YOUR BIKE HELMET AT ALL TIMES!!!
This week find out something about each of your children that you did not know. We really need to know who are children are and God’s unique giftedness for them.

Marriage Tip:

At the end of each day talk/arrange a time and place to connect about your days and with each other (this time together connecting may only be for a few minutes or a long time)- ? on the couch holding hands ? laying in bed. Do not assume it will happen, but intentionally plan for it. It is vital in maintaining a healthy relationship and growing together. My husband Bruce and I forgot to do that last Tuesday and felt so disconnected – we both had other assumptions about when we were going to connect and go to bed and then were frustrated.

May God fully bless you and your family! You are so special!
Dr. Lisa