5 Ways Your Spirituality Can Reduce Stress By Lleda McCurty

Expert Author Lleda McCurty I was a young child when I first made the connection between stress and heart disease, ironically, from watching television. My grandfather used to watch a show called Sanford and Son (some of you may still remember it). To this day I have a vivid image of the hilarious, silver haired, Redd Foxx grabbing at his heart saying, "Here comes the big one, Elizabeth." Yes, when faced with a stressful situation, his character would jokingly start to fake a heart attack. For lots of tips and information: www.weightlosstips4today.blogspot.com Recently, this childhood memory was resurrected while perusing the World Heart Federation's website which identifies stress as a trigger for cardiovascular disease. It states, "One study found a linear progression between self-reported psychological stress and damage to the carotid artery. The extensive Whitehall Study in the UK among government employees found that those with the least control over their work had the highest rates of heart disease." In addition, stress itself can alter the way the body behaves and this can bring about changes to the blood and nervous system, which can have negative effects on your heart health. Wow, Fred Sanford was right, stress really can trigger a heart attack. Most of us know that exercise and a balanced diet are the key components to good cardiovascular health, but diet and exercise alone are not enough to combat the effects of chronic stress. One of the less obvious things we can do is use our spirituality to help reduce stress. The word spirituality refers to an attitude or an approach to life. It's not necessarily connected to a specific belief system or even religious worship, but it can be if we so choose. Spirituality is different for everyone. For some, spirituality takes the form of religious observance, prayer, meditation, or a belief in a higher power. For others, it can be found in nature, music, or art. For lots of tips and information: www.weightlosstips4today.blogspot.com How can our spirituality help us to manage stress? When we are spiritual, we recognize our lives have purpose. Discovering our true purpose in life allows us to put everyday problems into perspective. They do not distract us from our larger vision because we realize they are bumps along the road of our journey. As we dare to delve deeper and step into our life's purpose, we will feel exhilarated, excited, happy and alive. The opposite of stressed out. We focus on what is truly important. The push, pull, tug and tow of life is never ending and can cause great anxiety. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, we must clearly define priorities. Our spirituality helps us to decide what takes precedence in our lives and we focus less on unimportant things. By not ''sweating the small stuff" we are able to let go of unnecessary stressors. We gain power through prayer. Prayer can help us feel more connected with a Higher Power, leaving us with a calmer, safer and more grounded feeling that can act as a buffer against stress. The sharing of spiritual expression can help build friendships because spiritual people are usually connected to other spiritual people. Studies show that stress management is one of the great benefits of friendship. In fact, sociologist Jan Yager says, "Researchers have found that having even one close friend that you confide in can extend your life by as much as 10 years." Our attitudes shift. Inner peace is directly affected by your attitude, or the way you view things. Your spirituality helps you to realize some of your stressors are out of your control and cannot be changed. However, you can control the way you think, feel and respond to them. Spirituality also helps us to cultivate attitudes that support serenity and focus on positivity. We then realize the thing that is keeping us up at night is not the only possibility. Thus, we become more optimistic rather than pessimistic. How can you become more spiritual? A good place to start is by getting back to nature. According to Dr. Dewayne Dyer, "One of the most spiritual things you can do in your life is spend time in nature. A setting that showcases nature's beauty is pure God in action: unspoiled, untended, alive in stillness and teeming with life. When you're there, you'll begin to see the miraculousness of every cubic inch of space. You'll feel the presence of an energy that you may have lost touch with in your daily life, and that energy is in you." For lots of tips and information: www.weightlosstips4today.blogspot.com Managing and reducing stress involves a holistic approach, looking at all aspects of our lives and how they are connected to our overall sense of health and well-being. This includes spirituality. Developing your spiritualty will help you to benefit in many ways, stress reduction is just one of them. Lleda McCurty, the Joyful Health Coach and healthy eating and living expert supports busy adults, who are overweight, tired all of the time, stressed out and addicted to sugar. Her coaching and support helps them to eat heart smart foods, live in a non-toxic way, increase energy, reduce stress, lose weight and make healthy meal and lifestyle choices for themselves and their families. Would you like to feel better and improve your family's overall health? Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lleda_McCurty For lots of tips and information: www.weightlosstips4today.blogspot.com