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We will be closed the following dates this month:
September 7th - Labor Day
September 18th- International Chiropractors Association Annual Meeting (this will be my last one as I am resigning as state representative after this meeting)
September 28th, 29th, 30th and October 2nd. (Vacation)
A One Week Wait for an appointment and No More New Patients?
Yes, I'm afraid that's true right now because of the virus mandates and precautions we're taking in the office. We’re booked over a week out. Most people are coming in weekly with their families to be checked and adjusted for maintenance and prevention. As a result, there aren’t many spots available for people who use chiropractic for anything else but maintaining optimal health. We’d be glad to put you on our cancellation list and give you a call if we have a space open up this week. You can also use the book now feature on our website to schedule a visit in our office for next week. You can book up to one month in advance. Because we're so booked, we can't make any exceptions for new patients as it would make the wait for current patients even longer and that just wouldn't be fair. Thanks for understanding.
Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired? Energize Yourself Against ‘Disaster Fatigue’
Just when you’ve adjusted to lockdowns, social distancing and workplace closures related to COVID-19, along comes the possibility of other disasters to upend our lives—hurricane season and election season.
We prepare for hurricane season every year. We brace ourselves every 4 years for the TV ads and arguments between the donkeys and the elephants. We’re used to doing it. But in this pandemic year, doctors and emergency officials worry we’re suffering from “disaster fatigue,” which may affect our ability to prepare effectively.
Dr. Ashley Chatigny, a double board-certified psychiatrist and medical director of behavioral health with Lee Physicians Group wrote the following article which does a great job of walking us through what disaster fatigue is and how we can fend it off so we can protect ourselves and families.
What is disaster fatigue?
“Since COVID-19 started, we’ve lived in various states of stress, depression, exhaustion, sleep problems, anger, and growing cynicism,” Dr. Chatigny says. “We’re tired of seeing the news. We’re tired of seeing the numbers, the forecasts, the predictions. We’re worn out, honestly. And in some people already prone to anxiety or clinical depression, the toll can be even worse.”
The recent civil unrest rocking the country has only worsened our mindset, stoking a “tinder box of psychic stress,” Dr. Chatigny adds. “It used to be that when we found ourselves stressed, we could count on family life at home to comfort us. But sheltering in place has robbed us of that. For now, we can’t do the things that typically bring us joy and restore us.”
For example, parents relied on after-school activities as a healthy outlet for their children. But the pandemic has closed schools, ending extracurricular activities, play dates and even trips to the playground. Parents can only do so much at home with children who, like their parents, are going stir-crazy.
No news is good news
Dr. Chatigny suggests limiting our exposure to the news by electronically unplugging at least one hour a day.
“It’s emotionally exhausting and traumatizing,” she says about our constant exposure to the latest news about civil protests, pandemic figures, and economic turmoil.
“The average person checks their phone some 150 times a day,” Dr. Chatigny notes. “We’re checking our smartphones before going to bed at night and after waking up in the morning. No wonder we’re feeling overwhelmed. Before turning out the lights, turn off your phone.”
Avoid or limit alcohol
In the early weeks of the pandemic lock-down, the World Health Organization issued an advisory warning about the dangers of over-consuming alcohol. The organization said drinking alcohol can increase the risk of getting COVID-19 and make it worse. It also can lead to risk-taking behaviors, violence and mental health issues, Dr. Chatigny adds.
“We can focus too much on drinking when we’re sheltering at home,” says Dr. Chatigny. “It’s challenging enough for us to keep our spirits up in the face of all the negative news. Alcohol is a central nervous depressant. You might drink to lift your spirits, but eventually alcohol has the opposite effect on your body and mood. Either stay away from alcohol or limit your intake of it.”
Practice Self-Care
Dr. Chatigny says practicing self-care remains key to avoiding or lessening the dispiriting effects of disaster fatigue. She suggests the following can do a body—and mind—good.
Volunteer
“We have to actively take care of ourselves,” she says. “There are so many ways we can do that. For example, if you’re able to volunteer your time to improve a situation instead of donating money to it. Time is better than money, for some people. Volunteering for a worthy cause gets us out of ourselves, too. Sometimes we can be too preoccupied with our troubles. It’s only natural but we don’t have to indulge it.”
Cut the sugar
During the pandemic, consumers have binged on less-than-healthy foods to comfort themselves, leading to the joke, “Shelter-in-place measures have been extended for another 10 pounds.”
Dr. Chatigny suggests limiting our sugar intake by cutting back on snack foods, canned foods, and soft drinks.
A 2019 study suggests that added sugar can trigger metabolic, inflammatory and neurobiological processes tied to depressive illness inflammation. Instead, try to find creative ways to satisfy the appetites in your home
Exercise
Find an activity that appeals to you. “When we find a physical activity we like doing, we’re liable to stick with it,” Dr. Chatigny says.
Yoga
This classic de-stressor practice helps us relax in a stressful world, relieves irksome pain and just generally helps us feel better.
Meditation
The ancient, soothing practice can be practiced by newcomers and anyone else. No experience is required and you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to start.
Sleep health
Our bodies release hormones during sleep that help repair cells and control its use of energy. During times of stress, proper sleep hygiene is essential to our well-being. Chiropractic (here down is not part of the original article) It makes perfect sense to get your spine checked every 7-14 days to ensure that your brain is fully connected to the approximately 70 Trillion tissue cells without interference caused by vertebral subluxations. Structure determines Function and if the structure of the spine is optimal, the nervous system functions optimally. The nervous system controls and coordinates every other system in the body including the immune system. More and more research is coming out showing how an adjustment is correlated to an improved immune response and that research has become more relevant since this virus began disrupting our society. This October will be the first Conference on Immunity and Chiropractic: The Global Burden of Vertebral Subluxations and topics of discussion will include the role of chiropractic in today's healthcare regarding immunology, salutogenesis, epidemiology, science, law and public policy among other topics. I'm sure that I'll have more to share with you on the topic in November. Prayer I've never seen a time such as this in all the years of my life. That amounts to only a few more years than half a century but I'd like to share a thought with you. I've been through the challenge of going to school for 8 years of college to get a doctorate, I have been through a tornado with my family, I have been through a 5 year federal lawsuit with Blue Cross, I have been through a near career ending injury and those are just to name a few challenges I've faced in my life. I simply don't know how I would have survived those things if it were not for Jahovah Jirah (The Lord Who Provides). It is through my daily communication with God that I was sustained through those challenges and emerged better not bitter, a victor not a victim, and at peace, not in fear. If you haven't taken the time to sit quietly with God lately, I highly advise it. - Jay
