Faith On The Line - Stress, Stress Go Away Vol 18 | Page 19

Your body is a powerfully
interconnected system of
unconscious triggers and
responses.

Believe it or not, inside your
body at this very moment, millions of cells are hard at work in
response to these thoughts. Your
brain is transmitting hormonal
messages through your nervous system.
Your heart is slowing. Your muscles are relaxing. Your breathing is deepening.
You are not consciously willing these responses. Your
body is a powerfully interconnected system of unconscious
triggers and responses. It is this network that makes all of us
vulnerable to the effects of stress.

Hormonal Genetics at Work
Everyone has heard of the “fight or flight” response that
allows the body to shift into “survival” mode during acute
stress. Our heart pounds, blood flow increases, breathing
grows shallow, and muscles tense in anticipation of the need
for self-defence.
These days, few people are required to actually run for
their lives—unless that last vacation was perhaps an African
safari. Still, the body reacts to all stress in the same way.
Whether you tense up during traffic or in a board meeting,
your inner systems are undergoing the same responses as if
you were darting through a jungle.
Short term, a little stress can be a good thing, increasing
performance and stamina. Long-term, however, stress of any
kind can contribute to underlying hormone imbalances that
influence everything from how you sleep to how your body
burns fat.
A seemingly simple issue like losing weight takes on new
insight when you look at it hormonally. You could be working out every day, but if you are not addressing underlying
stress-induced hormonal imbalances, and of course trying to
reduce those stressors, you won’t achieve your ideal figure.
The same is true for all other health conditi