Treating Hormonal Imbalance in Women Naturally

What to Do When You Have Difficulty Trusting God

This a difficult topic to discuss, but I believe it is one that many people struggle with, and do not discuss.

If we can be honest there are times that we just do not understand God’s ways, timing, or plans. This can particularly be true if you have undergone a traumatic event, have experienced afflictions like Job in the Bible, or have been waiting for promises to be fulfilled in your life. Sometimes the very thing we have been praying for and desiring, we can see other people with those very things, and wonder why God has not answered our prayers. To hear someone say, “Thank God, He has finally answered my prayers,” can be difficult for someone to hear who is still waiting for God to come through for them. It can be easy to be cynical and even at times jealous of others who do get what they have prayed for.

We can hear our inner voice say, “Why not me?” Then of course, we get upset at ourselves for even thinking such thoughts. We want to trust God, but sometimes it seems like He is not listening to us or that He does not care. We wonder, “God why have I been afflicted so much?”

If we were raised with an absent father or abusive father, trusting God can be difficult especially when we run into trials and circumstances that appears God is not intervening. We can hear other people tell us God loves us and He has a good plan for our lives, but that can be hard to believe when you have seen much heartache and devastation over your life.

So what happens when you’re not seeing good come from your circumstances, or your prayers seem to go unheard? What happens when you feel like God has abandoned you? I have encountered many people that when they go through these times, they walk away from God. But is that the answer? Would that not make our problems worse?  I am convinced that people who walk away from God or who become Atheist, do in fact believe in God, they are just angry at God and cannot understand His ways. Can we really admit that we have been angry at God? Is it possible to say, “God, I am angry with you and I just don’t understand what you’re doing.” I believe it is possible to do so, and I believe God already knows how we feel anyway. So, if we stop trusting God and turn from Him, what is the alternative? I just know what I was like before accepting Christ as my Savior, and it was a terrible, hopeless place. What if instead, we admitted our true feelings to God, and believed that if God has not answered our prayers in the way we wanted, that He may have another plan for our lives, and that we can TRUST His ways are better than ours. What do we really know about how to orchestrate our lives? Do we really know what is best for us? Is it possible that all the hardships and trials that you have been through, God is using to strengthen you, refine you, and make you fit for His vessel? Is it also possible, that we can believe that God is a redeemer and restorer, and He will work all things out for good for those who love Him?

Can we trust a God that seems to have let us down or disappointed us? I believe the answer is yes, when we surrender what we want and realize that we are not in control of our lives. Dispelling the lies that God is mad at you, does not love you, or is against you, should be wiped from your mind. How do you know what God has planned for the things you have endured? How do you know what God will do with all the pain you have endured? And do you really know the final outcome of your life? If your life is not over, than you do not know how God will come through.

I encourage you today, to stay the course with Jesus. What is the alternative? Do you really want to live a life without God or live not trusting Him?

ADmit your true feelings to God. Believe that god has a unique plan for your life, despite the heartaches and the suferings. ask god to show you that you can trust him. DO NOT GIVE UP ON GOD OR IN TRUSTING HIM. TRUSTING GOD WHEN YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, IS AN ACT OF FAITH. IT SAYS TO GOD, “I TRUST YOU, EVEN THOUGH I DON’T SEE YOUR PLAN OR UNDERSTAND YOUR WAYS.”

gOD DOES LOVE YOU! hE DOES SEES YOU. YOU ARE HIS SPEACIAL TREASURE, AND A UNQIUE CREATION. HOLD ON TO WHAT YOU KNOW OF GOD. GOD IS GOOD AND HIS WAYS ARE GOOD. EVIL HAS PREVAILED IN THIS WORLD, BUT GOD WILL TRUIMPH OVER ALL YOUR ENEMIES. believe GOD, ASK HIM TO SHOW YOU. HE WANTS TO RENEW HIS FAITH AND TRUST WITH YOU. FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, WOULD YOU COMMIT THEM TO GOD, AND ASK HIM TO HAVE MERCY ON YOU. GOD IS NOT TRYING TO HARM YOU OR HURT YOU. HE LOVES YOU WITH A LOVE THAT IS SO DEEP AND WIDE.

Causes and Consequences of Stress and 16 Healthy Ways to Reduce Stress

Stress can be defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.

Stress is not always bad, but when it becomes overwhelming it can affect your health, your mood, your productivity, and your hormones and your relationships. Since our bodies do not distinguish between daily stressors and traumatic life events, your body will still react to daily stressors as if you are facing a life and death situation. When you face repeatedly stressful events, it can increase your blood pressure, put you at risk for heart attack or stroke, lowers your immune system, and can lead to irregular menstrual cycles in women.

Everyone experiences stress differently. What may cause stress in one person’s life, may not cause any stress in another person’s life. Your ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors such as a supportive network (family and friends), your attitude and outlook, and knowledge about the stressful situation (such as how long it may last and what to expect).

#ReduceYourStress

Causes of stress:

1.      Work related-heavy workload, poor management, and working long hours.

2.      Family related-the death of a loved one, divorce, wayward child, infertility, adoption, getting married, taking care of a family member, lack of family support, and any type of relational difficulty.

3.      Our attitudes and perceptions about life circumstances-how you view what happens in your life can impact how much stress affects you.

4.      Fear and uncertainty (the unknown). Not knowing what may happen, especially if you have been through a previous trauma or crisis.

5.      Being too busy, taking on other people’s responsibilities, and not taking any time for yourself.

6.      Internal causes-negativity, chronic worry, unrealistic expectations/perfectionism, and rigid thinking (lack of flexibility).

Now that we know some of the causes and consequences of stress, how can one reduce tension?

16 healthy ways to reduce stress:

1.      Physical exercise. Walking, running, swimming, and dancing are particularly great stress reducers. Exercise releases endorphins that boost your mood.

2.      Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is restorative to our immune system.

3.      Eat a healthy diet. Skip on alcohol, nicotine, and take a multi-vitamin.

4.      Spend time in nature. Talking a relaxing walk in nature or just observing nature can be very soothing to our minds.

5.      Spend time with God, praying, singing, and journaling. Meditate on scriptures that apply to your situation.

6.      Drink a cup of tea, try green tea, Kava Kava or Chamomile tea.

7.      Read a good book.

8.      Watch a comedy, laughter truly is good medicine.

9.      Do something you enjoy every day.

10.  Reframe the stressful situation by focusing on the positives or the good in the situation.

11.  Breathe deeply. Taking a deep breathe can lower the stress hormone cortisol.

12.  Take a warm bath and light some scented candles.

13.  Maintain a grateful attitude by focusing on your blessings not the stress. Write out daily at least 5 things that you are thankful for.

14.  Accept the things that are out of your control or that you cannot change.

15.  Do an art project-painting, building, or redesigning.

16.  Limit time with toxic and unhealthy people. Set boundaries on the “time-wasters” and the “victims.”

While it can be healthy to have some stress in your life, too much can be detrimental to your health. Finding healthy ways to manage stress is key to improving your ability to cope when difficulties arise.

Run to the feet of Jesus when you are overwhelmed and stressed, and He will show you what you need to do specifically to rid yourself of your stress.

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30.

What can you do today to eliminate the stress in your life? Be proactive and find at least 1 thing from the above list and start today reducing your stress. If you need additional help, check out my latest book, “Disciplining your mind, 30days to a better you,” for tips and practical advice how to have more peace, more contentment, and more joy by training your thinking.

How Stress Affects Hormonal Balance

If you have not had a chance to read my previous posts on Hormonal Balance and Diet, click on the link to read. I am posting articles weekly for this month on how to balance your hormones naturally.

Stress affects hormones. Hormones affect brain chemistry, and brain chemistry affects stress. Prolonged physical, emotional, and mental stress will have a negative impact on your body’s hormones.

When you are under stress, your adrenal glands produce cortisol. Chronic stress can lead to cortisol imbalance. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. When cortisol levels get high, it blocks your estrogen. Less estrogen causes low serotonin. Low serotonin causes you to have a short-fuse, feel irritable and agitated and not able to sleep well. When serotonin drops, norepinephrine gets released. When norepinephrine is released you heart pounds, you get hot flashes, and you have difficulty sleeping.

►Symptoms that indicate stress is causing a hormone imbalance:

·         Poor digestion

·         High blood pressure

·         High blood sugars

·         Lowered immune system

·         Loss of fertility and libido

·         Anxiety

·         Depression

·         Weight gain

·         Memory loss

The cycle of hormonal imbalance can start with the hormones themselves, which can cause a biochemical stress response, but hormone imbalance can start with high stress which can cause the hormones to get out of balance. Sometimes you just don’t know what occurred first, the stress or hormones, either way stress does impact your hormones negatively. Learning to manage your stress will help with balancing your hormones naturally.