Build up vs break down, Gas vs brake pedal, marathon vs couch potato   Part of chiropractic care is finding the homeostatic balance in the body. I had an opportunity to talk with Debra Collins, a local massage therapist, and get her insights of balancing stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic. How to manage stress during COVID-19 Pandemic?   PDB:  As a healthcare provider trained in anatomy and physiology, what are your thoughts on responding to the stress? DC: I know everyone is under additional stress right now but fortunately we are wired for survival. Our brains and nervous systems are built to help us manage stress and trauma. When life feels threatened our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) comes to the rescue. There are three response patterns that occur within the ANS that help us regulate our body when we experience fear and they are Focus/Frantic/Freeze: Focus Response is our social interaction of asking for help. Frantic Response is our “fight or flight” response. Freeze Response is our body shutting down to preserve energy to survive.   PDB: Some people can self-isolate at home and keep their distance while others are continuing to work but still try and maintain distance from others. What are the potential effects of this isolation and social distancing? DC: With social distancing taking place around the world, many of us are not able to ask for help, our Focus Response. This pushes individuals into the next phase of Frantic Response. Our fight or flight response is lifesaving but when over stimulated, it can potentially lead to an unhealthy impact in the body. We must learn to connect with our mind and body to prevent ourselves from feeling overwhelmed and failing to thrive.   PDB: As a massage therapist you obviously also have a hands-on approach, but with travel and business restrictions what suggestions do you have for staying calm, whether we are staying at home or working? DC: You can reach your ANS through breath, movement, and touch. Even in isolation, we can stay in a safe and calm state by connecting and calming our nerves. Breath Two breathing exercises that are easy to learn are 4-7-8 and Box Breathing. 4-7-8 Breathing – Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, then exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat the cycle until you feel relaxed. Box Breathing – Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds, then hold breath for 4 seconds. Repeat the cycle until you feel relaxed.   PDB: That is great. Many people take the simple act of breathing for granted and never truly breathe most effectively. Learning to use full lung capacity and exercise the primary respiratory muscle, the diaphragm, is even more important...

Saw an excellent analogy for hand washing and wanted to share. View this post on Instagram A post shared by City of Round Rock...

Our current events have created challenging times for all, more for some and less for others, but few people can say we have been her before. While we cannot and for many should not continue our regular activities due to caution or government mandate, we do need to be active.  Even one week of bed rest causes muscle atrophy, decreases in strength, endurance, protein anabolism (protein production) and increases insulin resistance. Movement and exercise help control and reverse the effects of being restricted from our regular activities and for some around the world remaining home bound due to the Corona virus. What can you do about it? Set a timer – don’t sit, lay in bed too long. A reminder to get up and move. For those of you who are Binge Watching, get up and walk around, do some simple exercises. There are many free online exercise sites to help get you active.Create goals – Today I want to do ____ mins of exerciseToday I want to do ____ pushups, squats, steps…By the end of the week I want to be able to do _____.Encourage others – whether they share your home or are around the world, connect and communicate with people. Write a letterEmailText messageVideo conference It is easy to lose motivation and inspiration especially over time. Set goals and keep moving. This slideshow requires JavaScript. Referrences: Changes in Blood Flow in the Common Femoral Artery Related to Inactivity and Muscle Atrophy in Individuals with Long-Standing Paraplegia. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0333-6_50 Tendon Length, Calf Muscle Atrophy, and Strength Deficit After Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture Long-Term Follow-up of Patients in a Previous Study https://doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.16.01491 Treadmill running and static stretching improve long-lasting hyperalgesia, joint limitation, and muscle atrophy induced by cast immobilization in rats. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2012.11.009Long-Term Lumbar Multifidus Muscle Atrophy Changes Documented With Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Case Series https://dx.doi.org/10.3941%2Fjrcr.v8i5.1401Short‐term bed rest impairs amino acid‐induced protein anabolism in humans. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2004.066365Knee extensor and plantar flexor muscle size and function following 90 day sof bed reat with or without resistance exercise. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1172-8 Short-term bed rest increases TLR4 an IL-6 expression in skeletal muscle of older adults. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00072.2013One Week of Bed Rest Leads to Substantial Muscle Atrophy and Induces Whole-Body Insulin Resistance in the Absence of Skeletal Muscle Lipid Accumulation....

Whether you are social distancing at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic or just trying to be more efficient, some genres of music may be helpful. Spending additional time with online continuing education and training I found this article about productivity and music genres and the relationship to increased productivity. May be this will help you during this period of isolation and when we return to “normal”. This is the kind of music you should listen to at work. (telegraph.co.uk) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education-and-careers/2016/06/02/this-is-the-kind-of-music-you-should-listen-to-at-work/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education-and-careers/2016/06/02/this-is-the-kind-of-music-you-should-listen-to-at-work/ Articles of the effects of music: 1) The Impact of Background Music in Reducing Stress During Preclinical Dental Laboratories. (PUBMED) 2) LISTEN WHILE YOU WORK? The Attitude of Healthcare Professionals to Music in the OR. (PUBMED) 3) Music in the exercise domain: a review and synthesis (Part II)....

Most of the world is now experiencing isolation to slow the spread of Covid-19. I hope you do more than just survive but even possibly thrive during this time. Use the S.L.E.E.P. acronym to help through this difficult time. S – sleep, getting good rest is not only beneficial for the body but it also benefits the brain. Research has shown this is time when the brain’s circulation changes to aid the immune system and in the removal of “toxins” which have built up during your waking hours. Creating a schedule to keep you from “binge watching” or whatever other habit you have will help and don’t forget you can get too much of a good thing. L – Learn something new or continue with a previous passion. There are several online course available in just about any topic you may be interested in: Language, learning, math, science, art. There are too many to list here. Learning something new to do more than just pass the time but redeem the time. E – Exercise helps the body’s cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, immune and all the other systems function better. While some may not be able to get out of you home a quick internet search for an inside workout is just a click away. If you like Google, BING, YAHOO. Start with what you can do and work up to more. Be careful, don’t hurt yourself and find an exercise you enjoy. E – Eat well. While I know this may be a challenge now with the isolation and supply of food, shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables, but do the best you can. One goal is to balance the daily caloric need verses the caloric intake. Cathy Saw, a clinical dietitian from West Virginia University has recently provided more information as well. P – Pray for your family, friends, neighbors, infected, leaders of local, federal and international leaders, healthcare providers, service personnel. The list goes on and on. The benefit is for those you pray for and yourself, decrease stress/depression, chronic...