Let’s talk about stress
too much Stress is detrimental to the body.
We all deal with stress to some degree, but did you know that if you have too much stress, your body won’t heal? When we stay in prolonged time periods where stress if high, our immune system can be overworked. This is why you will find that you are more prone to get sick during times of high stress. Our body reacts to stress by producing less secretory IgA and DHEA. This slows down digestion and blood flow.
How can you manage stress?
It isn’t easy when you work hard and have a family. I am a hard worker and have so many hats to wear. It has taken me years and a huge health journey to slow me down and prioritize rest. You may be able to go on little sleep and working nonstop for a little while, but eventually, you will end up suffering the consequences. Even if you eat healthy, stay away from processed and refined carbohydrates, and take great quality supplements, you can end up sick if you aren’t managing stress. With the busy life you lead, here are some tips to help you manage stress.
Take a day of rest. This doesn’t mean you just sleep all day (although there may be days off you do lounge around quite a bit). Do something fun with your family. Take a hike. Go to your favorite spot. This is a no work day that you can just be you! Your mind and body need it. Make it a priority because even God rested on the 7th day. We weren’t meant to work 7 days/week.
Get outside more. Studies show the huge benefit to getting outside. The sun, the breeze, the trees. They all offer healing elements that our bodies were designed to interact with. This is not some strange earthy thing, God created nature and he intended it for our pleasure and benefit. Have you ever watched a sunset or sunrise and felt the joy rush over you? What about laying in the grass and looking for shapes in the clouds? These all may seem silly, but our brains need a good ol’ fashion cloud and sunset session to recharge and fill ourselves with awe. *
Take a hike. Not only helps with stress, it boosts your immune system. Did you know that spending 45 minutes in the forest can up your killer cells by 50%? It is no wonder the smell of pine trees sells. Pine alone has so many healing properties. When we expose our microbiome to a diverse atmosphere such as the forest, it diversifies it. In return, we can fight off pathogens better. Over the years we have truly depleted our soils of nutrients and have been exposed less and less to a diverse ecosystem. This plus the western diet has led to overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut. This is why I hold gut ION in my office, to help my clients introduce their microbiome to constituents that we have lost in our soils. It helps repair the gut lining and brings your health to the next level. Stress works against you, but ancient soil and forests help restore your health. *
Unplug. That’s right, turn off the phone and social media. When we take a break from the demands of work, why not take a break from the demands of a high paced society who demands that we hype about EVERYTHING? While you are at it, turn the media off. All they do is hype and most of it are lies. Panic causes stress. Fear works against the body. Social media has been causing all sorts of problems in the younger generation, but we rarely talk about what it does to us adults! Instead of trying to appear perfect for the world, grab a good friend face to face and do something without technology.
Find a hobby. Did you know that studies show that those who garden live longer? There are so many health benefits to gardening, but managing stress is one of them. If it’s not gardening, find something that speaks to you! Hobbies give us something we enjoy to do that takes us away from the every day demands of life.
Breathe deeply. I don’t like using the word meditate because it has gotten such a bad rep, but even the Bible says to meditate on the word of God. When we close our eyes and breathe deeply, it helps us get out of flight or fight mode and takes our body into a place where it can rest and repair. Studies show so many benefits to meditation. Stress causes inflammation to the body but meditation does the opposite. This can be as simple as taking one minute to breathe in and out with a timer or reading scripture and meditating on that passage as you breathe out and in deeply. Breathing deeply also prevents pneumonia and treats lungs in acute sickness. Our lungs and brain need us to breathe deeply!*
Read a book. Have you ever enjoyed a novel that takes you to far away places? Have you ever experienced rich literature? Reading a good book that is free of technology. Yes, I’ve read the kindle as well, but nothing holds a candle to a nice crisp book. Even better, take it on the beach or to the mountains to read it in nature. It unlocks creativity and unleashes stress. In fact, according to a 2009 study from the consultancy Mindlab International at the University of Sussex, testing found that reading reduced stress levels by 68 percent. I can attest to that!
If your job requires you to work 7 days/week, maybe it’s time to look elsewhere. No job and no amount of money is worth your health. You will lose much more than your family. You will lose your brain, strength, and optimal health. You will slip into an autoimmune disease because the body is not meant to work nonstop. This is one thing that America also does poorly. We stress getting ahead in our jobs and putting jobs ahead of our family. That is never ok. Priorities keep us well-rounded and well rested. If you want to live a good, long life with the people that you love, set boundaries in your work life.
Learn how to say, “No.” If you learn that you don’t need to please everyone and that your health needs to come before looking like the “go to” person, then your body and your family will adore you. There comes a point when you need to choose what is most important, and sometimes that means that you really can’t do it all. Setting that boundary with friends and family, will only make those who truly love you respect you. If they don’t, then it isn’t your job to worry about it. That may seem harsh, but if you care about your family and your health, you’ll make rest and family life a priority. If you have three kids, this may mean that they just can’t all do different sports because you’ll be stretch too thin. If you are a business owner, this may mean that you have part time hours if you choose to homeschool (that’s me). You know your limits and you know what you need to prioritize.
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