Part Three - Stress and Immunity
In parts One & Two, we learned about the determinants of a healthy or a diseased terrain which affects our immunity. We focused on some anatomy & physiology - the Interstitium organ & the Lymphatic System. We discussed some basic nutritional practices and supplementation to help immunity. Now it is time to discuss what negative emotions do to our terrains. Do they predispose us to lowered immunity? If so, what we can do about it? This article has a whole lot of love poured in it to help you - I do hope you will read it through. Here we go...
Stress – Who Me?
Stress is affecting a lot of us right now. Let me express my own vulnerability. First I am living in a house with someone self-isolating and awaiting test results. I worry for them. Every time I feel a tickle in my throat or hear one of my boys cough, I think another of us is getting sick. I am worrying about my over-80 Mom quarantined in a nursing home – is she lonelier than ever? Or my over-80 Dad and over-80 mother-in-law both alone in their house’s quarantined. They are all in high risk just by being elderly. And my clients, some with co-morbid dis-eases that the health authorities tell us might make them more susceptible to a serious case of this virus. As much as I try to limit my exposure to the news and the devastation/sadness/fear happening all around the globe, it plays in my head. I notice subtle effects – like waking up early and not being able to get back to sleep or feeling anxious for no reason when I wake up. My friends and clients are expressing similar. Hence the inspiration for this blog.
Over-Thinking is Over-Stinking
My alkaline mentor always told me “Over-thinking is over-stinking”. What did she mean by that? Stressful (over) thinking causes 2-3X more metabolic acids in the body than acidic food. In simpler terms, a calm, happy person who has a Coke and a chocolate bar might be more alkaline (healthy) than a stressed out clean eater. As per Part Two – if you are experiencing negative emotions and over-thinking (fear, depression, anger, blame, shame etc.), the by-products of that makes your Interstitium become acidic. The trickledown effect is that your lymphatic system must detoxify this and it can make your paths of elimination “stinky”. With that awareness, I have made it a priority to enhance my spiritual growth for several years now and have overcome a lot of over-thinking/stinking.
I recently created a pre-Valentines workshop and titled it Self-Love 2020 where I shared some of that spiritual growth. I added the “2020” because I felt that there were unique stressors as of February 2020 and that having 20-20 vision was going to help us this year. Now I am wondering if I was foreshadowing something as I look around the world 6 weeks later? Our stress levels are off the charts as we worry – for our jobs, the economy, our social lives, and for all our health. What can we do? I can visualize no better time to practice self-love – it will benefit your terrain and those around you.
What is Self-Love?
“Self-love truly is a win-win. It’s not selfish to put yourself first. To be the best version of yourself is the most loving thing you can do, for yourself and for others. What comes out of the cup is for others but what is in the cup is yours, and it’s your job to keep your cup full. The good news is that bliss is our birthright. The bad news is that we often forget.” These are various quotes from a lovely book I used to research the Workshop.1
4 more points on Self-Love:
- Self-Love involves Self-Care and Self-Compassion
- Self-Care is a form of Self-Respect
- Self-Care is giving the world the best of you instead of what’s left of you
- Self-Compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others
Some Deepak Chopra Wisdom (when we need it!)
“No project is more valuable than to find your true self. Once you do, you wake up to who you really are and realize all your other “selves” (social, private, subconscious) are just mental constructs. Find and identify your true self. Meditation uncovers the true self that lies at the core of every person. The state of pure awareness that is reached through meditation is the ground state of everything.
Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real. Silence is the great teacher, and to learn its lessons you must pay attention to it. There is no substitute for the creative inspiration, knowledge, and stability that come from knowing how to contact your core of inner silence."
Self-Awareness
Use this precious time to discover self-awareness. Self-awareness is the key to closing the gap between who you are and who you want to be in the journey to become your highest self. Practice being your highest self. If you have never meditated, why not start? Even if it is a walk in nature (if you are allowed). Contact your core of inner silence. Reconnect with your bliss.
And know that joy is found in the giving. Another simple way to find that birthright of bliss is to give and it is also an example of being your highest self. Find a way to serve in this unique situation. Just start by offering help. We have been overwhelmed with a total (angelic) stranger who volunteered to shop for us as we get through our quarantine (and we eat alot!).
What are some Other Strategies for Stress?
Pray. Exercise. Breathe. Declutter. Read spiritual books. The list is endless. According to Deepak Chopra, the solution to Chronic Stress is…
- Detach yourself from the stressor.
- Become centered.
- Remain active.
- Seek positive outlets.
- Rely on emotional support.
- Escape if you must.
All of these things are positive adaptations, as opposed to the negativity of worry, complaining, and pessimism. They bring awareness into a situation where falling back on passive acceptance isn’t the right answer. Beneath the attitude of “I have to put up with it” lies stress. If you have the time, reading these books might be timely right now and very alkalizing for your terrain:
Stress as the Great Teacher
In the previous paragraph, we addressed strategies to down regulate stress, but stress can also be seen as positive. Anthony William teaches us to stop seeing stress as an adversary and make friends with your stress. If you spend each day in chronic stress burning through your adrenaline, it will take you down. Adrenaline is corrosive. Learn to counter adrenaline reactions energetically by viewing stress as a messenger. What’s the stress telling you? That you’re needed on this planet, that you’re useful, that you have a purpose.
If you are stressed to the max, it means you are on the frontiers of purpose – engaged on the next level of ordinary living, that you truly touch others with your life. Stress is not trying to kill you. It’s a master teacher that is trying to communicate with you, test you. Honour it as a coach that has moved in to get you into prime shape. Ask it to let go of the physical symptoms from stress and ask it to work for you to help you fulfill your purpose-plus.2
My Favourite Destressing Tools
Access Bars
My favourite consciousness modality is Access consciousness Bars and it pains me that I can’t be helping more people right now by running their bars. If you have never heard of this, see my website link on Bars or this inspiring video. There are 32 points on your head which, when gently touched, effortlessly and easily release anything that doesn't allow you to receive. It’s like hitting the delete button on your computer of all of the Thoughts, Feelings and Emotions that keep you stuck, that keep you repeating the same patterns in your life over and over again. They are released. At worst it’s a relaxing massage, at best it could change your whole life!
If you are a Bars practitioner, you can run your family's bars during social distancing. If not, we can all use the Access tools. Ones that come to mind for this situation: “How does it get any better than this?” and “What Else is Possible?” whenever you find yourself over-thinking. The universe/God/Spirit/Creator/Field or whatever you want to label it cannot help you if you don’t ask the question. It does not read minds. And when life returns to normal, I am here to run your Bars and help raise your vibration.
Yoga
Yoga is another stress-releasing tool. And so many yoga studios are beautifully offering free online classes right now. Even if yoga only enhanced physical fitness, the time spent in practice would be fully worthwhile. Luckily, yoga offers much more than just a way to exercise the body. Yoga means union – union of the self with the universe.
The deeper meaning and gift of yoga is the path it offers into the timeless world of spirit. Yoga gives the gift of a calm mind, even in the midst of chaos, by teaching you to let go and bring awareness to every moment. In this expanded state of consciousness, you experience freedom from suffering. You remember your essential spiritual nature, and life becomes more joyful, meaningful, and carefree.3
Gratitude
What an incredible time to start or restart your Gratitude practice and one of the simplest ways to raise your vibration. Take the time to write down 10 things you are grateful for each day. Watch your spirit soar. “What we choose to give our time and attention to affects us from the inside out. To strengthen our immune system... our nervous system... our heart... our beliefs... our joy... choose to spread gratitude and appreciate. Choose to be the Light... a Carrier of the Light ♡♡♡”4
Wim Hof Method Breathing
I cannot tell you how thankful I am to have learned this technique recently. It’s a daily practice for me and if I wake up anxious, it’s my “sleeping pill”. It is also how I enter meditation these days and often add some Reiki when I am finished my 3 rounds, if I make the time. Wim always refers to how this breathing technique makes the body more alkaline to inhibit dis-ease. He understands terrain. I am not trained to teach this but there are resources below in Resources.
Energy Goes Where your Attention Flows
"What if you and the world are the same? In loving you, you love the planet. And vice versa. "5 "We are a microcosm of the universe. Every human being is a reflection of what's going on environmentally. We have personal climate change going on in the form of inflammation." 6
If you truly believe this as I do, Please join many of us global lightworkers on April 4/5th at 1045pm for a global meditation for Coronavirus: Ascension Timeline Meditation April 4th
Fear is just the absence of Love. It contracts our field whereas love expands our field. Expand your field.... expand your life. Turn to love anyway you can.... use appreciation to get there. We can’t hold 2 vibrations at the same time... so stay in appreciation and love will abound ♡♡♡ 7
We are frequency beings and the frequency we are around the most will decide our health. Look at your environment and watch your thoughts. Are they heavy/dark (toxic) or are they light (love-filled/clean/healthy)? Be aware that it is the invisible frequencies (your thoughts) that will decide your health.
Think positive thoughts to manifest your perfect health. Repeat “I am healthy-healthy-healthy!” and feel it. What would those positive alkalizing thoughts to do for your terrain?
Strive for Progress not Perfection
Please be aware that “Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don’t want.” 8 It is overthinking. Everything we consume, both physically and mentally, have consequences. Those consequences can be supportive to our health or degrade it. Here is a way to start moving away from negative emotions:
- Ask yourself what negative emotions you wish to LET GO of? Write these on a scrap piece of paper
- What are the first steps that I can take RIGHT NOW?” and write them down.
- Now TAKE ACTION
And please know…. “The best project you will ever work on is yourself” 9 You are not alone. We are all a work in progress.
Need Support?
If you prefer holistic nutritional support with your diet, supplementation or lifestyle – just reach out on my Website Contact Page or book an appointment for an online 30 minute or 1 hour phone/video consultation (during this quarantine).
Please stay tuned for Part 4 – Foods to support our emotional health for Immunity.
Epilogue - We just found out my husband's test was negative. Our house vibration is high on gratitude right now!
References
- What’s Self Love Got to do With It?
- Life Changing Foods by Anthony William Pg 19-21
- Donna Porteous Facebook post
- Deepak Chopra blog
- Donna Porteous Facebook post
- Dr. Will Cole Podcast Quote
- Donna Porteous Facebook Post
- Abraham Quote excerpted from Asheville, NC on 9/5/98
- Anthony Golle from Tribal Wellness Facebook
Resources
- COVID-19 • An Uplifting Perspective (Upliftedlife.com)
- Stress is KILLING You | This is WHY and What You Can Do | Dr. Joe Dispenza
- http://www.red-spirit-energy-healing.com/human-biofield.html
- Behavioral Neuroscientist Shows You How to Break The Coronavirus Anxiety Cycle | Judson Brewer – 1 hr
- Jay Shetty Shares 3 Ways to Relax During Self-Isolation
- This Trick Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Depression | Wim Hof
- The Coronation Article - Thought Provoking
Nutritionally yours,
Laura
“Nothing tastes as delicious as healthy does”
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, continue reading ...
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