Stress... The Killer

We all know stress kills us. It effects every cell in our bodies. Yet, we continue to do it. We stress we worry, we stress we worry and the cycle continues. Our health deteriorates and we can not figure out why. The doctors can not figure it out either and we get worse because now we add on our failing health. The problem is STRESS! Stress adversely effects us in every way. It causes wrinkles, heart problems, weight gain, liver problems, adrenal stress and fatigue and list could go on and on. Remember stress damages every cell in our bodies. With any sickness or illness, look to your stress levels and conquer those first. Even past problems as we have discussed.

Ways to deal with stress:
Let it go...
Avoiding things like sugar, processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, with the last two until we have things under control and then in moderation. Our food choices can greatly effect our stress levels. Watch and see. When you eat foods like I have mentioned, see how you respond and react. When you take them out of your diet and eat real whole foods, notice the difference in your mood and stress levels.
Deep breathing. Take a deep breath in, rising you stomach fully feeling your lungs. You want your stomach to rise and fall with each breath. Hold that breath for a few seconds or longer when you can. Slowly let it out making a sighing noise. Repeat through out the day, every time you think about it, take a few deep breaths. When you are stressed and worring, take 5 minutes and deep breath. Notice how your stress dissipates. Do this before bed, about 10-15 times and be amazed at how much faster you can fall asleep. In Chines Medicine, the sigh on the breath out is your liver letting go of stress and healing itself. Not sure if this is true or not, but hey, it is worth a shot. If nothing else, deep breathing brings in more oxygen into our bodies, which is needed for healing and repair, and helps us to relax.
Journaling. By writing our thoughts, worries, concerns, whatever you want to write about down, number one, it gets it out of our heads. This can help us to let go of hurts, pains, issues we are having, help us to see an answer to our problems and fix them. Journaling can be very therapeutic for many people. Give it a shot and see your if your stress and worry levels decrease.
If you can do something about your stress than do something about it. Make changes. If you can not do anything about it, then let it go.
Along with journaling, comes a gratitude list. Everyday write down at least 3 things you are grateful for, if you have more, write them as well. If you can, strive to do this first thing in the morning and then again before going to bed, while deep breathing. By being grateful for what we have and what we have been given, we shift the focus off what is negative to what is good. This will ALWAYS help us to be more positive and less stressed. This is a VERY POWERFUL tool. If you do nothing else, just having a grateful journal will change your life.
Exercise. Exercising releases good endorphin into our blood stream, feel good hormones. Do some form of exercise every day. It does not have to be anything hard and strenuous, something as simple as going for a walk by yourself or with a good friend will do the trick.
Make sure you are getting out in the sun. Remember the Sun and it's benefits, increase in Vit D, the happy vitamin? You will also need to increase your fat soluble Vit A, retonal, and your omega -3s. Code liver oil is one of the best sources of Vits A and D and the omegas.
Fake it till you make. There is a lot of truth in this saying. Sometimes we just have to MAKE ourselves be happy. It might not be what we want to do, but if we do not, we will never be happy, no matter what. If you begin to look for the good in everything and fake it till you make it, you will begin to see a positive change in your attitude and life. Look for the good.

Here is a great video from Jake Lalanne, a great trainer, about worry. Take what he says to heart. It is a wonderful message.

Figure out your best way to deal with your stress and worry and over come it. Your life depends on it.
Leaning on God, trusting and letting go....
Jenn