How Stress Affects Your Genes - Part Two
Although stress can damage your body, even down to the genetic level, you have the ability to directly influence the way you age, based on your mental outlook and the habits you choose to cultivate.
So here are six suggestions you can put in practice right now: MANAGE STRESS: 'Don't fret or worry.
Instead of worrying, pray.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.
Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
' (Philippians 4:6, 7 Message) Pray, meditate, spend time in praise and worship, practice deep breathing, go for a walk, exercise, laugh.
("As long as you can laugh at yourself you will never cease to be amused.
" Anonymous) Find the methods that work best for you and practice them consistently! MONITOR YOUR THOUGHTS: As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
(Proverbs 23:7) We all have a conversation that plays non-stop in our minds - our self-talk.
Most of the time we are not consciously aware of it.
I suggest you purposely pay attention to those thoughts.
Many times they are negative - and those negative thoughts create chemical reactions and produce stress.
The Word calls it renewing your mind (Ro.
12:2).
Challenge any thought that contradicts the Word of God and replace it with the truth.
CLEAN UP YOUR DIET: In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 13 the animals that are clean and fit for us to eat and Genesis 1:29 gives us the plants we are to use as our food .
A processed food, sugar-laden diet is extremely stressful to your body.
Replacing sugary, chemically processed "food" (I am using the term loosely here!) with fresh, whole, nutrient-dense, real food will nourish you down to the cellular level providing the building blocks of vibrant health.
You will naturally detoxify, which reduces stress as well.
GET ADEQUATE SLEEP AND REST: It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
(Psalm 127:2) Sleep deprivation causes great stress physically and emotionally.
If you are experiencing sleep problems, there are definitely things you can do that can help.
You may simply need to eliminate some foods that may be interfering with sound sleep or create a more restful environment.
STAY WELL HYDRATED: When you are dehydrated (which most people unknowingly are), it puts great stress on your body.
Be sure to drink at least half you body weight in ounces of clean water daily.
CULTIVATE A GRATEFUL ATTITUDE: At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
(Ephesians 5:10 Amp.
) There are spiritual attitudes that are extremely stress-relieving and healing to our physical bodies.
Among them are gratitude, forgiveness, love and joy.
You can overcome stress and even less than ideal genetics!
So here are six suggestions you can put in practice right now: MANAGE STRESS: 'Don't fret or worry.
Instead of worrying, pray.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.
Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
' (Philippians 4:6, 7 Message) Pray, meditate, spend time in praise and worship, practice deep breathing, go for a walk, exercise, laugh.
("As long as you can laugh at yourself you will never cease to be amused.
" Anonymous) Find the methods that work best for you and practice them consistently! MONITOR YOUR THOUGHTS: As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
(Proverbs 23:7) We all have a conversation that plays non-stop in our minds - our self-talk.
Most of the time we are not consciously aware of it.
I suggest you purposely pay attention to those thoughts.
Many times they are negative - and those negative thoughts create chemical reactions and produce stress.
The Word calls it renewing your mind (Ro.
12:2).
Challenge any thought that contradicts the Word of God and replace it with the truth.
CLEAN UP YOUR DIET: In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 13 the animals that are clean and fit for us to eat and Genesis 1:29 gives us the plants we are to use as our food .
A processed food, sugar-laden diet is extremely stressful to your body.
Replacing sugary, chemically processed "food" (I am using the term loosely here!) with fresh, whole, nutrient-dense, real food will nourish you down to the cellular level providing the building blocks of vibrant health.
You will naturally detoxify, which reduces stress as well.
GET ADEQUATE SLEEP AND REST: It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
(Psalm 127:2) Sleep deprivation causes great stress physically and emotionally.
If you are experiencing sleep problems, there are definitely things you can do that can help.
You may simply need to eliminate some foods that may be interfering with sound sleep or create a more restful environment.
STAY WELL HYDRATED: When you are dehydrated (which most people unknowingly are), it puts great stress on your body.
Be sure to drink at least half you body weight in ounces of clean water daily.
CULTIVATE A GRATEFUL ATTITUDE: At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
(Ephesians 5:10 Amp.
) There are spiritual attitudes that are extremely stress-relieving and healing to our physical bodies.
Among them are gratitude, forgiveness, love and joy.
You can overcome stress and even less than ideal genetics!