Secrets for Remaining Healthy During Family Turmoil
As anyone who has experienced a difficult family event can attest the process surrounding family turmoil can be one of the most emotionally stressful events in their life. Divorce, for example, can be an extremely disruptive and stressful event, as relationship, life, emotional and financial stresses are all interwoven into the divorce process. What is worse is that after such a stressful emotional family event, the stress can last for years.
Impact of Ongoing Stress on Health
Ongoing stress creates several chronic health challenges. Stresses encountered during a significant family “event” weaken your immune system, disrupt nutrient absorption leading to nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, and ultimately chronic illness. There are many examples of recent divorcees contracting cancer or another debilitating illness. These types of illness do not have to occur but need a proactive health strategy.
Anticipating Health Challenges During Family Disruptions
Leading up to an upcoming divorce or other family disruption, it is important to anticipate difficult negotiations, financial disruptions, emotional strains, as well as health disruptions. Health disruptions (fatigue, poor sleep, illness, lack of focus) will compromise not only the divorce process but also other personal areas of your life. Anticipating health challenges during difficult family events will allow you to be proactive in preventing illness during or following this time.
The Problem with Medications
Taking medications to deal with stresses and health challenges can create its own set of problems, such as the possibility of addiction. The following are ideas to help deal with expected health challenges without medications:
Take a Mineral Supplement
Stress depletes your minerals and electrolytes, which are critical for health and need to be replaced.
Adrenal Supplement
The adrenal glands handle stress and must be supported during stress. Exhausted adrenals lead to fatigue and weaken your immune system.
Vitamin C and Glutathione
These are strong antioxidants. Free radicals created by stress need to be neutralized by Vitamin C and/or Glutathione.
Diet Adjustments
Minimize sugar and caffeine while taking more fats (olive oil, coconut oil) and protein. Artificial jolts of energy can have other negative health effects.
Positive Verbal Validation
Use positive verbal validation to support your self-esteem. This reverses the “woe is me” mindset.
Learn the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Learn the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) on the internet. EFT is a simple technique to decrease internal stresses.
Serotonin Support
Serotonin is the “feel good” brain chemical. Taking the 5-HTP supplement can help the brain make more serotonin, so you can indeed feel better during these difficult times.
Proactively Minimize Health Damage
Divorce or other significant family disruptions create health-damaging stress. Expecting stress and proactively minimizing its health damage is critical so as not to add to the difficulty of the ongoing family disruption. The above strategies will allow you to more easily handle your divorce (and for that matter, any other emotionally challenging issues) while remaining healthy during the entire process and into the future.
About Dr. Bob Johnson
Dr. Bob Johnson is a health practitioner who works with clients on a wide variety of health issues as a health consultant. Visit Clarified Health for more information.