It’s been a tough couple of years. For lots of people, it’s been it’s own unique kind of emotional upheaval.
I guess COVID can do that to people, especially the fearful and unhealthy. All of us, I dare surmise, were caught off-guard (remember putting Amazon® boxes in the sunlight so germs could dissipate). Since then, there’s a glimmer of hope but it just seems like the gray cloud many people appear to be consumed with continues to float about them.
It’s really difficult to know how to handle all of this emotionally. Spirtually? God’s got it handled. Unfortunately, we get so caught-up in our own human fears and emotions until for many people, it’s hard to learn on the Ever Lasting Arms and feel His peace. That’s OK; God knows we’re just human. He loves us anyway. 🙂
And how important is it that we feel loved? Heavenly love from God above and earthly love from our spouses, children, family, and friends. We’ve all been so emotionally and physically isolated until it’s time to shower the people you love with love. (You can actually hear and watch this … keep reading).
For the past few years, it’s been the social distancing, the un-presence of those we love, the days off of work without pay, the inability to buy toilet paper … the list is long and no doubt, slightly different for each of us.
It’s this myriad of unacceptable, negative emotions forced on us that has understandably led to confusion and more fear. This is why it is so very important to support your emotional and spiritual health with what God provided.
He created us with the “fight or flight” ability that after so much time has dissipated into (for many) hopelessness.
But did you know that vitamin D which God gave to us in abundance through sun rays, plays an important role in nervous health and depression? And yes, I do feel the irony in quoting science to prove the correctness of God.
Other things that help us return to a balanced state of emotional health aren’t as easy as enjoying some sunshine. But this doesn’t mean they aren’t easy to access.
You see, our bodies (and brains) run off of nutrition (which is not the same thing as food … but that’s a different story for a different day). When we are correctly nourished (which is what God created us to be), the stress, the fear, the anxiety all seem to lessen and then dissipate.
Emotional health is not just a psychological issue; it is a physiological issue. When your organs and body systems are functioning correctly, the brain follows suit. But first, it’s good to know how stress can affect the body.
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How Stress Affects Your Body
If you are experiencing any new symptoms or worsening of pre- or post-COVID issues, your body likely isn’t dealing well with the stressors that’s been thrown at it:
- ADD/ADHD
- Allergic reactions
- Body aches and pains
- Carbohydrate cravings
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Digestive problems like indigestion, gas and bloating
- Food sensitivities
- Hiatal hernia
- Increased infections
- Insulin resistance
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Low energy
- Sleep problems
- Weight gain
- Yeast overgrowth
- Any condition that ends in “itis” such as arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, gastritis, sinusitis, bronchitis, dermatitis, etc.
Here’s the Reality
None of us can avoid stress; it’s always been a part of the human experience. It’s about supporting your body so it can adapt to new stress in a healthy manner.
One of the best ways to handle stress is to provide support for the adrenal glands (those things that house our fight or flight responses).
MOOD Balance is a supplement that contains adaptogenic herbs. These herbs work like a thermostat to sense imbalances and naturally correct them. They enable the body’s cells to access more energy and help the body utilize oxygen more efficiently.
These herbs are also called adaptogens because of their unique ability to “adapt” their function according to your body’s specific needs. MOOD Balance not only helps your body to physiologically adapt to stress, but can also bring emotional balance (which is really nice, considering the times we live in).
How Emotions are Affected
Here’s an example of how stress impacts emotions:
If blood sugar drops too low, you may become “hangry” (hungry + angry). The anger and irritability you experience in this situation is not a problem with your psychology, it is an imbalance of your physiology. Low blood sugar also affects the brain directly. Your brain needs glucose (blood sugar) in order to function. If it doesn’t receive enough glucose, you will experience brain fog. This can be misinterpreted as a psychological disorder and is most commonly labeled as depression.
Supporting your emotional health in this situation means balancing your blood sugar with a good diet and appropriate supplementation (because we can’t get all the nutritional needs for our bodies met with today’s food supply).
In addition to low blood sugar, imbalances in blood pressure, thyroid hormones, steroid hormones (estrogen, testosterone, etc.), liver function, immunity and other body systems can all affect your emotional health.
You see? And folks who are unaware of how nutrition impacts emotion may have the misconception that something is wrong with them, that they aren’t loveable, that they aren’t worthy … you get the picture. It’s a slippery slope that sometimes may require the intervention of a medical professional. But what if it was a matter of feeding the brain appropriately, getting some sunshine, and showering the people you love with love? It all sounds too simple, but then again, God, in His creation, has made the extremely complex appear very simple.
A Few More Ideas
- Schedule a relaxation massage. Make the time just for you (silence your phone and breathe in the soothe).
- Get some lavender essential oil (grab the “Love Kit” and take better care of yourself). Lavender is famous for its calming effect so take advantage for yourself.
- Eat foods that induce calm like avocado, broccoli and dark chocolate (yum).
There You Have It
Try the MOOD Balance; it’s pretty amazing. It is not a cure-all for everything but can help balance the adrenals. That’s how God created us in the first place – with the “fight or flight” ability. When we stay in one of these modes consistently, things get messed up fast. So, you may want to give the MOOD Balance a try.
Remember to seek God and listen to that small, still voice; it’s massively comforting to know you are fearfully and wonderfully made and that your Maker knew your name before you were born.
I hope this brings you as much peace as it does me.
In Great Faith,
Cathy
PS: I’m listening to James Taylor lately; here he his performing “Shower the People.” This gave me the inspiration to write about MOOD Balance and emotional upheaval. 🙂