It seems that our bodies are created to cope well with
stress when we expect them to cope well with it. When we expect that stress is
killing us, it does.
Just listened to a TED talk online about this subject. Very
interesting. Mind over matter, she was saying. When we welcome the pounding
heart, recognising it is preparing us to do our best; when we realize the
accelerated breathing is taking more oxygen to our brains and enabling us to
think better; when we see the other signs of stress such as sweaty palms as
signals that we are prepared for what lies ahead, we take courage and do better
and so does our health.
And I thought stress killed you. And as long as I think
that, it will. Mind over matter.
One other point raised is that there is a stress hormone
released nicknamed the cuddly hormone, or something like that, because it is
active when we socialise during stress: when we either reach out to encourage
and hug someone under stress, or someone does that for us, this hormone is
released which has a health-inducing effect on the body. Studies showed that
people who reach out in caring ways for others going through tough times have
more of this hormone circulating in their bodies.
Humans like a blueprint for things, not least health and
longevity, so knowing these things could motivate folk to add another point on
their ‘to-do’ list: help out at a care home or do my shut-in neighbour’s
shopping, not so much to be a help but in order to get more of that good
hormone racing through my body.
It’s kind of funny if it weren’t so sad. Because we’re
missing the point: God created our bodies and this hormone didn’t just happen.
Human beings live at their optimum when they love God and seek to live in his
way – which is both to be brave and courageous but also to be caring and
compassionate and reaching out. Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
soul, strength and mind, and your neighbour as yourself.
Love is the key to stress relief. Love is the key to right
living. Love is the key.
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