Stress? No more!

This past year has been trying for must of us. People are losing there jobs, houses, family members to war, life savings, and their health!  In the mist of this chaos, we are faced with one of the most important Presidential elections of our time.  Hear me when I say “we have to take a moment from time to time to simply regroup”. We have to remain focused on what is important and meaningful in our lives. We have to be determined that we will not be defeated!

This past month I have heard some of the worst cases ever of hopelessness and helplessness. People are in despair, wondering if things will ever turn around for them.  We have to stand together and refuse to be defeated by today’s worldly pressures. We have to reach out and ask for help and assistance with whatever we are facing.  Giving up would be too easy!

The stress that your body is feeling...Is it starting to take over or are you still in control? Have you ever wondered what stress is doing to your body? Allow me bring it to your consciousness, so that if you did not know, you will know and hopefully by knowing, you will start to realize that you MUST make a change.

Stress causes deterioration in everything from your gums to your heart and can make you more susceptible to everything from the common cold to cancer. Cortisol has been considered one of the main culprits in the stress-illness connection, although it plays a necessary role in helping us cope with threats. When we perceive danger, a system kicks into gear: A chain reaction of signals releases various hormones - most notably epinephrine ("adrenaline"), norepinephrine, and cortisol - from the adrenal glands above each kidney.

These hormones boost heart rate, increase respiration, and increase the availability of glucose (cellular fuel) in the blood, thereby enabling the famous "fight or flight" reaction.

Because these responses take a lot of energy, cortisol simultaneously tells other costly physical processes - including digestion, reproduction, physical growth, and some aspects of the immune system - to shut or slow down. Problems occur when stresses don't let up -or when, for various reasons the brain continually perceives stress even if it isn't really there.  Simply put …stress can kill you!

Although when we think of stressors we might think of big things like abuse, illness, divorce, grieving, or getting fired, it is now known that the little things - traffic, workplace politics, noisy neighbors, a long line at the bank - can add up and have a similar impact on our well-being and our health.

If you happen to be a person who is currently experiencing stress, I am not sharing this with you to scare you.  I share this information with you in hopes that you will understand the need to change your stressful situation or circumstance. Regardless, how dark this moment may seem, you always have a choice. Choose to be happy, choose to ask for help, choose to allow others to support and encourage you through theses difficult times. Remember God does not give us more then we can bear.

So, stand firm and stay grounded in the mist of all this chaos and take back what was given to you…your life!

Have a blessed month and be well,