Doctor's Orders

So I went to the doctor today. My blood pressure was up and so was my weight. I panicked.

"Am I going to have to take blood pressure medicine?" I asked. "Do I need to go to a nutritionist or dietician to help me with my weight?"

She dismissed my concerns. Let me show you some numbers, she said. This is considered high blood pressure. You're not there. Okay, I said, feeling a little better. And this is the BMI for your height.

Well, I was over the BMI for my height, but nothing she thought I should be seriously concerned about. Lose 10 pounds and you'll be within your range for your height.

Then she looked at me eye to eye: Tell me, what's up? she asked.

I was near tears. I told her how I haven't been able to find a job in two years. I told her how I live in a really bad neighborhood but couldn't move because of the market. I explained how I needed a lot of work done on my car but couldn't afford a new one. I also told her that I had a hard time sleeping. I would wake up at 3 am every morning. And I expressed my frustration with not being able to lose weight no matter how much I exercised. (I didn't tell her that sometimes I felt bad because I didn't have a love life.)

"It's all stress-related," she said.

Huh?

The increase in your blood pressure, your weight gain, it's all stress-related, she explained.

First of all, you look great, she said.

I smiled. "Thanks," I said. I was feeling better already - lol.

I see you just had a birthday. How was it?

"It was great," I said. "I went to New York and had brunch with a few friends."

And do you have nice neighbors?

I thought about it. "Actually, I do."

Did you graduate in May? That's a big accomplishment. You should be proud of yourself.

"I am," I said, then smiled.

Have you heard of Gratitude Journals, she asked. I want you to start one. Each night I want you to write down two things you are grateful for - just two. We've already listed four just sitting in this office.

She was right. Okay, I said.

Now get up on the table and let's check your blood pressure again.

And just like that, my pressure was down. Wow. She's good, I thought.

This is what I want you to do, she said. And she wrote out my prescription:
1) Each night write down 2 things you are grateful for.
2) Do soft breathing exercises 10 minutes before going to bed.
3) Do YOGA twice a week.
4) Cut out the McDonald's sweet tea (that's 500 calories of pure sugar).
5) Make sure you get 1000mf of Calcium and 1000 units of Vitamin D every day.

If you do those things, she said, your stress level will go down. You'll also see your blood pressure decrease and you'll begin to lose weight again.

The doctor didn't put me on a diet or give me any medication. But she was concerned about my stress. I think stress is a disease unto itself. I believe it leads to many other things like high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks. As a result, she is trying to provide me with preventive measures.

I get it: She wants me to focus on the positive and not so much about the things that are going wrong in my life.

"I want to see you in 6 months," she said.

I was smiling when I left the doctor's office. I felt a lot better than when I first arrived.

What are your thoughts about stress?
Do you believe that stress can manifest itself in other, harmful ways like acne or stomachaches, migraines or major weight gain?
What do you do to de-stress?
Do you exercise? sip tea? go to yoga? meditate? listen to music? go for a long walk?

Let me know your thoughts.

photo by Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombastico (ClintJCL).