Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2019!
March 15, 2019 in Blog
How To Respond To Stress And Build Happiness
March 1, 2019 in Blog
Stress is part of most people’s everyday reality in our fast-paced digital age, where more and more is expected of us from employers, friends, and family. Without taking steps to disconnect and detox from our environment we often find ourselves being overwhelmed by obligations and the stress of having to perform or meet others expectations. This makes it vital to learn how to identify the stress response and take steps to relieve so it doesn’t begin to impact our physical and mental health.
The Mechanics Of The Natural Stress Response
It doesn’t take much to trigger your bodies stress response, though some individual responds stronger to different stimuli than others. Whether you’re riding on the bus and witness an argument between two riders or sitting in morning traffic annoyed at having been cut off during your commute, you’re going to find sources of stress everywhere you go. When you encounter a source of stress a set of glands found on the top of your kidneys known as the adrenal gland start pumping adrenaline into your system. Cortisol enters the scene next, dumping sugar into the bloodstream for quick energy, boosts your brain’s ability to use it, and makes sure that other elements of your body are ready to repair the damage. All in all, stress pushes us into fight or flight mode, and that stresses the whole body.
When Our Stress Response Gets Out Of Control
Some people can never quite let go of the stress their experiencing, a condition that can lead to digestive problems, anxiety, weight gain, heart disease, problems sleeping, and even impairment of our cognitive abilities. Living in this state increases wear and tear on every part of the body, damaging our heart and other organs by keeping it in a constant state of fight or flight. Learning to control these experiences is vital to our happiness.
First Steps To Getting Stress Under Control
If we’re going to conquer stress in our lives we need to take steps to manage it effectively. This can include turning off your electronic devices so you can disconnect from the world, taking steps to avoid overbooking yourself, giving plenty of time for your commute in the morning, and other management techniques. Beyond controlling our outside sources of stress, we also need to learn to cope with that stress we can’t alleviate at its source. Social time with friends, meditation, exercise, and taking time to relax with activities we enjoy are all central to achieving this important goal for extending our lives by reducing stress.
If you’re looking for ways to help manage your stress and how to start recovering from the damage it may have already done to your body, call Dr. Trang D Nguyen at Conroe Family Doctor. Located in Conroe TX his office works with patients to achieve balanced whole-life health that includes nutrition, exercise, regular medical care, and managing the sources of stress in our lives effectively. Don’t let stress poison your life, contact Dr. Trang D Nguyen at Conroe Family Doctor today.
Give Yourself or a Loved One a Gift This Valentine’s Day!
February 7, 2019 in Blog
Give Yourself or a Loved One a Gift This Valentine’s Day! Call Conroe Family Doctor to Schedule your FREE SculpSure Consultation Today!
(936) 657-4565
How Exercise Can Help You Reduce Your Blood Sugar Levels
February 1, 2019 in Blog
If you’re a diabetes patient you understand how important it is to properly control your blood sugar levels. Every day is a quest between enjoying our lives and managing the blood sugar levels that can spell the difference between being healthy and a life-threatening crash. Thankfully for those who love breaking a sweat exercise has been shown to be an effective means of managing your blood sugar when combined with diet.
How Much Time Should I Put Between Eating and Exercise?
It may surprise you to learn that the best time to exercise is after you’ve eaten. While probably inadvisable after a large meal working out after a sensible one can help balance your blood sugar and keep it regulated. The exercise will also certainly help you feel better over time and strengthen the bodies ability to remain healthy dozens of little ways.
How Does Exercising Help Me Control Blood Sugar?
After you’ve sat down and enjoyed a meal your body begins breaking it down and passing the nutrients into your bloodstream. Approximately 30-90 minutes later you’ll see a spike in your blood sugar as the food you’ve eaten processes into your system. The best time to start working out is at the 30 minute mark, though based on your blood sugar level you may want to consider starting at a different interval. Consultation with your physician is advised to ensure that you are choosing the best time for your needs.
Is It Always Safe To Work Out?
Your blood sugar levels determine when its safe for you to work out as the act of engaging in exercise boosts the level of stress hormones in your body. This boost can cause your sugar level to increase which can be dangerous if your levels aren’t in the right range. Check your blood sugar to ensure that you’re at a safe level for you, often in the 150-180 range, for you to begin working out. If you’re a little low consuming 15g of carbohydrates can help you reach that safe level.
Watch Out For Exercise In The Evening
Working out in the evening can help you relax and sleep deeper, but for patients managing their blood sugar, there are things to keep in mind. Exercise boosts your body’s ability to use insulin, which can help in keeping your blood sugar down for the next 12 hours. However, this effect can be dangerous if your blood sugar is too low before you go to sleep. Consult with your physician to determine how evening exercise can be safe for you.
Patients seeking assistance in handling their blood sugar levels while engaging in an active lifestyle can make the call to Trans D Nguyen at Conroe Family Doctor. This family-oriented clinic has been helping patients maintain full, rewarding lives while living with diabetes. When you visit their Conroe, TX office you’ll be working with an excellent team of medical professionals striving to ensure that your life with diabetes is full and comfortable.
How Yoga Can Benefit The Mind
January 1, 2019 in Blog
When people think of Yoga, it’s almost always in terms of exercise, weight-loss, and flexibility. These are definitely strong points for making Yoga part of your daily routine, but there’s so much more that Yoga can do for you. Yoga connects the mind and body in a way that few other activities do, and research has proven that it has incredible benefits for the mind that are not often discussed. If you suffer from anxiety, are regularly under stress, or just need help to find a calm, quiet place, it may be time to consider Yoga.
Yoga Can Quiet The Noisy Mind
When we’re not being bombarded by the constant noise of the modern world’s billions of devices, our own mind is prone to putting us under an assault of never-ending thoughts. Yoga has been proven to help calm that tirade and help you find yourself quietly centered and relaxes. From a medical standpoint, it also helps to soothe the nervous system and with it, stress, all of which is good for your physical and mental health.
Yoga Banishes Negativity
While gurus have been telling us for years that Yoga is a great way to positivity, it’s only recently that research has shown this to have a scientific basis. The boosted circulation and stimulated dopamine production caused by doing Yoga leads to a decline in worry, depression, and worry. This means that doing Yoga leaves you with a more positive mindset.
Yoga Makes You More Productive
This may seem a strange correlation, but when you examine one of Yoga’s facets, mindfulness, it all comes into focus. Mindfulness is an essential part of being productive, and Yoga is excellent at creating a habit of it. Practiced mindfulness means that you are confident, calm, stable, and ready to tackle your work efficiently, and that’s productivity!
Yoga Enhances The Clarity of Your Mind
All of the mental elements that come along with practicing yoga produce a mind that is calm, orderly, and able to tackle challenges that come its way with clear vision. By shedding the stress, anxiety, and baggage of your day you can find a clear path to a solution to any problem that lets you put it behind you. That, in turn, produces a peaceful mind and keeps stress levels low, everything you need to have a great life.
If you’re looking for a family doctor that looks at your health in a holistic way and will help you explore non-pharmaceutical ways to improve your families health along with traditional medical practices then pick up the phone and give Dr. Trang Nguyen a call at Conroe Family Doctor. This incredible team of medical professionals have been helping patients in the Conroe, TX area for years, and look forward to adding you to their team of customers.