LIVE LIFE WELL
“Lighten Up, While You Still Can”
Are you guilty of catastrophizing, disquietude, agita, or the collywobbles? More commonly known as stress, anxiety, and worry. I am, more than I would like to admit.
Husband can be so annoying…
He often says, “I’m really not that worried about it”. Whatever the “it” happens to be. Well, as a new bride, that didn’t sit well with me. Several times I remember climbing onto his lap and pounding on his chest with my fists and saying, “I want you to worry about it”.
He still says that quite often, but I have learned how to deal with his vexing nonchalance better, as well as worry less myself.
For those of with high blood sugars, pre-diabetes, and diabetes, STRESS is not a good thing.
My CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) from Lingo can prove it. We were vacationing on the beach in a high rise condo in Florida a few weeks ago, when we were startled from a deep sleep at about 2 am with a blaring alarm with repeated instructions to evacuate the building immediately.
We were on the 11th floor and did not relish running down all those flights of stairs. However, it was soon communicated to us by someone else in our party that the fire department already cleared the building for occupancy. However, we had to endure the deafening alarm for another hour because the fire department was unable to shut it off and we were waiting for the alarm company to come fix it.
Long story, but I am going somewhere with it. So…my CGM showed a huge spike in my glucose level, which meant a huge cortisol spike that caused it.
You can read my 1st CGM article here. I plan on CGM Part 2 in my next newsletter where you can hear about my month-long experience with it. And, oh, by the way, if you would like to try one, Lingo gave me a few 50% off codes, which I would be happy to send to the first few requestors. CGM’s are definitely a fun, informative tool. Gives a lot of insight about how food, exercise, sleep, and stress can affect ones metabolic health.
Anyway…
Stress = Cortisol release = Blood Sugar release. Which can be good IF you actually have to escape from a burning building or run from a hungry bear.
Good stress management can result in the following benefits:
Physical Health
Better gut health: Reduces inflammation and improves digestive issues.
Better sleep: Calms the nervous system.
Lowers cardiovascular risks.
Better immune system function: Stress hormones, like cortisol, weaken your defenses.
Weight management: Hormone levels are better regulated, which can otherwise lead to weight gain.
Pain reduction: Due to fewer headaches and more relaxed muscles.
Mental & Cognitive Performance
Emotional stability: Reduces irritability and “shorter fuses”.
Memory retention: Chronic stress can significantly shrink the hippocampus, a critical region of the brain for memory and learning.
Sharper focus: Stress clutters the brain, slowing down decisions.
Creative thinking: A relaxed brain allows for better idea flow.
Personal Impact
Better relationships: Helps you to show up as your best self.
Burnout prevention: In your work, your ministry, your parenting
Restores a sense of control and automony.
Various forms of stress…
Do I really need to tell you?
Ways to Ameliorate or Manage Stress Better
One Thing Forward (or as missionary, Christian writer Elizabeth Elliot would say, “Do the next thing”.) - Each day do one forward-moving action like make one call, fill out one form, research one resource, clean out one drawer, write one thank you note…Sometimes these things pile up in the back of your mind and can cause a lot of unrest.
Make a “Control List” vs. a “No-Control List” - One example might be for finances. On the left you write down things you can control, like create a budget, make a shopping list, brainstorm how you can reduce costs, etc.. On the right you write down things you cannot control like past financial events, poor financial decisions, gas prices, or unexpected expenses like a dental or medical bill. Then take action on “Control List” items, even it is a small action.
Stress Dose Reduction: Sometimes you cannot eliminate stress, but you can reduce your exposure. A few examples might be avoiding constant news intake, limiting the amount of time spent on social media, or rehashing stressful events or talking about finances or a needless conversation about a painful relationship. Perhaps even avoiding horror or highly suspenseful movies.
ASK ~ CAST ~ TRUST method: Bring your request for help to God, put it in your worry sack and cast it overboard, then trust God for the help He will provide. I use this one often. But sometimes I pull the sack back out of the ocean and renew my fretting. Then I have to ASK & CAST that thing again.
There are so many more, but reading more may stress you.
Bottom line: Managing and reducing stress is not a luxury, rather it is a functional necessity for your health and productivity.
»»»If you didn’t catch my previous article where I shared one really great way to handle stress, The Offload, when you are feeling overwhelmed, you can read it here.
