The mind, body, and spirit are intimately connected. Lack of adequate hydration, nutrition, exercise, relaxation, recreation, and sleep can interfere with your ability to manage your stress.
Nutrition
Without proper fuel, your body won’t operate at its best. If you were to put poor quality gas in a car that was made for high octane, the car probably won’t perform well and eventually it breaks down. Same goes for the human body. Give it good fuel and it will probably function better.
It stands to reason that when God designed the body that He also created the optimal fuel for the body. Based on that concept: the more wholesome the food, the healthier the body.
The human body is designed to make use of the food that God created for it. Foods that mankind has altered are less likely to offer the same nutritional rewards as as unaltered foods. Altered foods include: genetically altered foods, hybrid seeds, processed foods, artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial preservatives, added growth hormones, refined sugar products, refined grains, and hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils.
Fruits and vegetables offer vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and fiber. Nuts and legumes offer vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fiber. Grains offer vitamins, minerals, fiber, and in some cases, protein. Dairy, eggs, fish, chicken, and other lean meats offer vitamins, minerals, and protein.
Raw foods (other than meat) usually offer more nutrition than cooked foods. Lightly cooked foods usually offer more nutrition than overcooked foods. Sprouted grains usually offer more nutrition than non-sprouted grains.
Even if you are eating healthy foods, keep in mind that it is still possible to have too much of a good thing. Variety and portion control are important considerations in nutrition, food selections, and weight management. Choose good foods and be aware of your body’s needs.
Hydration
While your body can continue to function for a while without food, it cannot function for long without water. Water is the most essential component in the human body. About 50% to 60% of an adult’s body weight is water. About 80% of the brain is water.
The human body does not store the water it needs so fluid must be replaced daily. Researchers report that more than a third of Americans do not drink enough water. The traditional recommendation for water consumption is 8 glasses of water a day (about 64 ounces).
Lack of adequate hydration can result in: muscle spasm, renal dysfunction, increased risk of bladder cancer, and even death. When the brain becomes dehydrated, symptoms may include: confusion, difficulty concentrating, and hallucinations.
Not all liquids are the same. Water is the liquid the adult body most needs. While the body is capable of making use of most liquids, anything other than water requires the body to process it and therefore is not an equivalent for water. That means water is usually better for your body than soda pop or coffee even though there is water in both.
Another way to increase total water consumption is to eat foods with a high moisture content such as: fruits/vegetables (which are about 90% water) and meats/cheeses (which are about 50% water). Fruit/vegetable juices contain water and are nutritionally preferable to drinking soda pop but also remember that 6 oz of fruit juice has the calories of several pieces of fruit/vegetables but none of the fiber that eating the actual fruit/vegetable offers.
Exercise
Just the mention of exercise makes many people sigh. Some people like exercise and some people don’t. Regardless of your preferences, once you make a point of being physically active in a way that fits your body and your personal preferences, you usually feel better as a result and enjoy life more.
The fact is that our bodies need exercise for improving functioning, reducing stress, and improving our overall sense of well-being. There are two different types of exercise: aerobic (uses oxygen) and anaerobic (without using much oxygen). Both kinds of exercise are important.
Movement and deep breathing help to:
- oxygenate the blood so that your brain, muscles, and vital organs get the oxygen they need for optimal functioning
- relieve stress by using up the extra chemicals/hormones that are produced during times of stress
- strengthens the muscular/skeletal system which can help to reduce tendencies toward injuries and quicken recovery time when healing
- burns calories to help manage and/or maintain body weight
If you take the time to find physical activities that you enjoy doing, you are more likely to enjoy exercise, do it more often, and even miss it when you don’t do it. Exercise does not have to be tedious — it can be fun!
Examples of physical activities include: dancing, hiking, golfing, basketball, tennis, biking, horseback riding, skating, skiing, gardening, and weight lifting. Exercises that are gentler on the body but still very effective include: walking and swimming. If your body is unable to safely do physical activities and need an even gentler activity, consider singing and isometrics.
General recommendations for adults usually include exercising for about 30 minutes per day 5 times a week. Before starting an exercise program, its a good idea to consult your physician. In addition, certified personal trainers may be helpful in designing an exercise program and helping you to achieve the results you want.
Recreation
Many adults tend to postpone recreation until all the work is done. Unfortunately, sometimes there seems to be no end to the work that needs to be done. Months and/or years may pass before we realize that life has ceased to be enjoyable because we have not made time in our busy schedules for recreation.
All work and no play is both unwise and unhealthy. Rest and recreation are as important as work. God rested on the 7th day and demonstrated to us the importance of setting aside one day a week to rest, replenish, and to enjoy the fruits of our labor. He also commanded that we keep the 7th day holy and by keeping a focus on holiness, we can utilize that day to soothe our soul/spirit and nurture our relationship with our Creator.
Recreational activities are often divided into different categories:
- High risk/adventure (such as white water rafting, skydiving, hang-gliding, mountain climbing, wilderness trips)
- Active (such as team sports, gardening, golf, swimming, bowling, hiking)
- Leisure (such as fishing, camping, cooking, dancing, dining out, singing, playing musical instrument)
- Passive (such as reading, writing, crafts, board games, movies, video games)
Recreation can be utilized to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It can be utilized to improve social skills, coordination, confidence, self esteem, and overall health. It can be creative, fun, interesting, and challenging. It can also help to provide some much needed balance to life’s challenges. Making time for recreation is a win/win situation.
Relaxation
The body needs time to relax and recuperate from the demands we place on it. Resting and relaxing are not exactly the same thing. You can sit down to rest your body when it is tired but you won’t be able to fall asleep until you are able to relax your mind/body.
Examples of relaxation activities include:
- prayer
- spending time in nature
- deep abdominal breathing
- mindfulness (be in control of your thoughts)
- massage
- muscle relaxation
- visualization
You can increase your ability to relax by creating a place where it is safe to relax. Someplace where you are not likely to be interrupted, where you don’t have to keep watch on anyone/anything, in a quiet setting, and in a comfortable position. Dim lighting, listening to soothing music, and/or smelling relaxing aromas (such as lavender) can also be helpful.
Sleep
Adequate sleep is essential for our minds and bodies to function well. Sleep helps with: memory/learning, moods, decision making, nervous system repair, healthy immune system, and growth/development.
While the amount of sleep a body needs varies with each person, most adults need between 6 to 9 hours of sleep per night (children need more sleep than adults). Getting less than or more than that amount may eventually impact the functioning of the mind and body.
Lack of adequate sleep may result in: irritability, mood swings, poor decision making, exhaustion, anxiety, depression, impulse control problems, reduced school/work performance, reduced coordination, difficulty concentrating, slower reaction time, impaired judgment, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
In addition to getting the quantity of sleep needed, we also need to get the right quality of sleep. During normal sleep, we cycle through different levels of sleep. The cycles are thought to take place within approximately 90 minute intervals. There are two especially important levels of sleep: Delta and REM.
Delta sleep is a very deep level of sleep. It is often difficult to wake up someone when they are in that level of sleep. During Delta sleep the body does its most intensive repair work. Unless we regularly get the Delta level of sleep, our body is not able to do some of the physical healing that it needs to do.
When we dream, our eyes move back and forth under our closed eyelids. Thus the name for that level of sleep: Rapid Eye Movement (REM). When we dream, our mind is trying to process events of the day and address other unresolved issues. Unless we regularly get the REM level of sleep, our mind is not able to do some of the mental healing that it needs to do.
Not getting the quality of sleep you need can result in sleep deprivation. Too little or too much sleep is often an indication that something is wrong with the body/mind. If you are experiencing ongoing sleep disturbances please see your doctor.
What the Holy Bible says about having a Strong BODY
Your body is a temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is also a temporary vessel that can be impacted by the challenges in this world. Either way, we are mandated to take care of the body that God has given to us.
For more information on what the Holy Bible says about specific challenges, simply click on the topics listed on this website.