Stress is and always has been a normal response of the body and mind. Life events like marriage, divorce, births, deaths, disappointment, starting or ending school or jobs, arguments, finances, deadlines, or traffic jams are all normal stressors. Social isolation and loneliness, job insecurity, peer pressure, broken families, hurriedness, technology are just the tip of the iceberg of our daily stress load.
Stress -induced hormones (mainly cortisol) from chronic stress can affect our health by raising the risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, gastrointestinal problems, eating disorders, depression, sleep disorders, fatigue and memory loss, among other conditions. Extreme sudden emotional stress, like news of a death, can actually cause a heart attack. Researchers have now shown that stress also weakens the immune system. This has implications for increasing risk for many other diseases ranging from the common cold and flu to rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. Prevention of stress- related diseases must obviously include ways to relieve and decrease stress.
This includes eating healthy foods that encourage the excretion of the antistress hormones serotonin, endorphins and dopamine and eating enough mixed meals (carbohydrate, protein and fat) during the day to keep glucose levels constant. But stress can also be reduced by means other than diet; let’s look at physical activity, for one.
Activity lowers stress
In addition to eating healthy foods and keeping our blood glucose levels normal and constant, appropriate physical activity lowers stress levels in the body – as do maintaining normal body weight for height, prayer, meditation, relaxation and sleep, also. Lowering stress levels, in turn, lowers risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, dementia and depression. Physical activity improves intellectual capacity, increases productivity, strengthens the immune system, strengthens the skeletal system, helps prevent chronic back pain, improves digestive system function, improves sleep, increases resting metabolic rate, and increases personal energy.
Does physical activity really do all that? Absolutely! Our bodies were made for activity! In this book, we are going to look at ways to incorporate activity into our daily lives, focusing on activities that build strength, endurance and flexibility – the three components of fitness. Membership at a gym or health club is not necessary in order to be physically fit. The activity of daily living (household chores and daily routines) provide some exercise; that in combination with additional intentional activities of extra steps, different modes of exercise, sports and stretching can improve your emotional, spiritual and physical health.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
