More Stretching, Less Stressing

I’m not sure I ever remember a time when so many people were under so much stress.  We all may have our different reasons, and some quite valid!  But, have you ever stopped to think what that stress is doing to your body?  There are 2 systems within your nervous system called “fight or flight” and “rest & digest” (they have physiological names, too: sympathetic and parasympathetic).  One very simple thing you can do to switch your body away from the stress response (fight or flight) is to stretch your muscles from head to toe!  You can truly stretch your whole body is less than 2-3 minutes, taking every joint from your head/neck down to your fingers and toes through its full range-of-motion.  When you’re doing this, it’s stimulating blood flow, increasing digestion, calming stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine to reduce and taking you much closer to a state of “rest & digest” and away from “fight or flight.” Stress and stiffness make you old, and unquestionably, remaining in a state of “fight or flight” will make you sick.  Truly, this state is synonymous with reduced immunity, reduced digestion, and even reduction in memory capabilities!  Prolonged mental stress can have a very negative effect on your overall health, and I want you to be aware so that you don’t stay on that road!  Physical stretching is just 1 simple way to help your body deal with what your mind and heart are perceiving.  But, infinitely more important is what you’re actively doing to counsel your heart and mind in times like these…in a world filled with lies and deception at every turn, the Bible is the Word of Truth, might I also suggest reading Psalms 15-19 today?  You may be amazed that King David went through some pretty stressful times in his day as well, but he always knew where to turn.