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The effects of stress are well known on our mental and emotional wellbeing. However, an important side effect of excessive stress, that is often overlooked, is its impact physically on our bodies. That being said, stress and pain have a very close association with one another. In other words: stress causes pain AND pain causes stress.

Therefore, a huge component of pain relief is stress management. Our bodies tell our brains when we are in pain by sending signals through our nervous system. But, stress affects our nervous system too. The medical director of the Center for Pain Management at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Steven Stanos, DO, explains the only way we continue to function while in pain is due to our brain’s efforts of maintaining balance while receiving these pain signals. But unfortunately, when we’re stressed out our brain has a much more difficult time filtering through these signals and pain can increase. This stress-pain connection is something actively being researched but in the meantime it can be concluded that learning healthy ways to cope and minimize stress makes significant improvements in pain management.

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Sleep is a critical part of our wellness and it plays a major role in our lives. I mean, you do it everyday, don’t you? But sleep disorders are a serious problem that can cause a rather vicious cycle, especially for those experiencing chronic pain. It has been revealed that pain is the top contributor to sleep disorders. In turn, disrupted sleep contributes to pain conditions. See the cycle? Luckily, there are many things you can do get better sleep at night:

1. Stick to a schedule: Your biological clock thrives with consistency. Establishing a regular sleep schedule that has you wake up and go to bed at the same time everyday, all seven days of the week, improves your sleep immensely. Sticking to your body’s schedule optimizes the quality of your sleep, minimizes tossing and turning, and may even lead you to throw out your alarm clock!

2. Stay away from the toxins: Stimulants, in all their forms, should be avoided if you’re concerned about your sleep routine. Nicotine and caffeine are only a couple of the widely used stimulants today. Smokers are approximately 4 times more likely to report not feeling well rested from a night’s sleep versus non-smokers. And caffeine, from all its sources, stays in your system approximately 8 hours. So you may want to consider quitting cigarettes and eliminating coffee after noon. Rewarding restful sleep may be worth the effort that it takes to make these changes.

3. Journal:

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Herbs are often forgotten when people think about health-promoting foods. This is a shame because they are so beneficial to our health. Each herb has its own beneficial qualities, and these work synergistically with other herbs and foods to allow the body to maintain optimal health. There are a few herbs that are especially beneficial to those with conditions such as Gout, runner’s knee, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, back pain, or Arthritis.

Herbs tend to have a cumulative effect on your body so the benefits of adding them to your diet can be slow to recognize. Meaning that they need to build up a little bit before you will see benefits. Some herbs can easily be added into your everyday cooking and they provide amazing benefits, while others are better used as a supplement. Following are just a few examples of exceptional herbs for dealing with pain and inflammation.

Garlic

Garlic is a well-known bulb that has been used for ages for its health promoting qualities. Garlic is an anti-inflammatory and can help reduce inflammation, as well as pain. It is best eaten raw in pesto sauce, homemade dressings, or other things. This is because the beneficial active ingredients in garlic are destroyed after it has been cooked. You can also make a garlic-infused oil to use topically in order to help with pain like those with Runner’s Knee or back pain might experience.

Cinnamon

A popular remedy for those with arthritis is to mix a little warm water with honey and cinnamon. People report reduced pain when they consume this drink. Cinnamon helps to reduce pain because of its prostaglandin-inhibiting effect.

Turmeric

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While most of the time that we are in pain we want to rest, the remedy for back pain is quite the opposite. Moving is a much more beneficial way to alleviate back pain, but only through certain exercises that do not cause strain or worsen the problems. Exercises for the lower back especially are meant to strengthen your back, abdominal, and leg muscles. All of these muscle groups work together to support your spine, and using them properly can relieve back pain. While some exercises are great for this cause, others can do more harm than good. Below we have compiled exercises known to alleviate pain in the lower back, and which are safe for all ages. However, always consult your health care professional before doing any exercises to better gauge what is appropriate for the intensity and specifics of your pain's origin.

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There is a component of turmeric called curcumin, which has many benefits for the human body. Most notably it is used to ease pain and help reduce inflammation. People might use it to help with things like fibromyalgia, arthritis, back pain, Runner's Knee, Lupus, Gout and while recovering from an injury. These people might otherwise use non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) or over the counter pain relieving pills to help ease their pain. But these medications can actually contribute to a person’s overall inflammatory load and thus contribute to their pain. NSAIDs and over the counter pain relievers come with other risks as well such as damage to the kidneys, gastrointestinal system, and cardiovascular system. There are studies that show that curcumin can be a very real alternative to many medications.

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Oils in History

Oils have been used in cooking throughout history. The most readily available oils for cooking in ancient times were animal fats like pig’s lard and tallow, which is the fat that surrounds a cow’s kidneys. These were rendered down and used in cooking. Eventually people developed the ability to extract oils from other things like plants and seeds. This gave way to people using oils such as olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil.

It has more recently been discovered, however, that not all oils are created equally. Some oils can cause major health issues for people with chronic pain or inflammation from conditions such as Gout, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, back pain, or Arthritis. It is critically important to select the right oil for your dishes, whether you are using the oil for cooking or using it to make a dressing or sauce.

Which Oils Are Beneficial and How Are They Used?

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Along with using a topical pain reliever, we have found 8 other secrets that can help you reduce your arthritis symptoms.

When treating arthritis, doctors commonly recommend medications that are used to relieve pain and combat inflammation. While many of these medications can be effective for relieving pain and restoring mobility, there is more to treating these conditions than just taking pills. Furthermore, some medications can have harmful side effects that may make them a less-than-desirable solution.

If you are dealing with the symptoms that accompany arthritis, there are several habits that can help. By making certain lifestyle adjustments and taking the time to care for your health, you can reduce your dependence on medications and find relief for many of the common issues that are associated with arthritis.

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Motivation is defined by the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. No matter who you are, how successful you are, what you have accomplished, the magnitude of your goals or your enthusiasm to reach them, there are times when you will lack motivation. Everyone has a point in time where they feel paralyzed with no desire to do anything at all. This is what has been coined as the ugly phrase, "lack of motivation." Absence of motivation leads to procrastination, reluctance, and ultimately unhappiness.

This sounds like a dead-end street, doesn't it? But it is quite the opposite- you have control over your flow of motivation; you just have to harness it.

So what can you do when you have misplaced your motivation?

1. Look for it!

Take a break from the task at hand. Enjoy some time outside. Dance in the kitchen. Relax. And THEN get back to it. Remember: it is not a sprint, it's a marathon.

2. Act like it!

Although you have established that you aren't feeling very enthusiastic or motivated, pretend that you are. Remember what Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right."

3. Do Not Fear Failure!

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