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Hello,
During the last three months, more people have landed on my web site searching
for information on stress than for any other reason. That's not
surprising, considering the economy and the financial markets and the
impact on Americans.
With this in mind, I hope you'll find the recent blog posts to the
left and the short entry below to be helpful.
"Everyone who cares for the soul needs a person who will care
for his or her soul." Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Spiritual
Care
Enjoy!
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Stress - What The Bible Says About It
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 In January of this year I made a blog entry titled "Jesus
on Stress Management". That Weekly Faith and Health
scripture post was from Matthew 11:28 - 30 which reads "Then
Jesus said, come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you,
because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your
souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I gave you is
light."
It's not surprising that so many of you are searching for scriptures
and biblical principles about what God says on stress. Lots of us are
struggling with our home loans and many are experiencing foreclosure.
The higher oil prices raised the cost of gasoline. The economy has
clearly been on shaky grounds. We are less than three weeks away from
a presidential election and many people are concerned about making
the right choice. These are just a few reasons why I am certain that
many people are stressed.
As Jesus has told us in this scripture in Matthew, more than anything
when we are stressed he wants us to turn to Him. Spending regular
time with God in prayer and reading the Bible is one of the best ways
I have found to "turn to Jesus." The more I do this I am
less stressed. I hope that you will take this scripture to heart and
turn to Jesus during times of your stress.
See this
page on my web site for more scriptures on stress and
receiving strength from God.
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My Latest Articles
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"It's About the
Relationship"
 What's the most important relationship in your
life? Wouldn't a person of strong faith want God to be their
most meaningful connection?
For those of the Christian faith, Jesus wants to be our center of
attention and our most significant relationship. I'm learning
that the more I nurture my relationship with Jesus, the more my
deepest needs for acceptance, to feel loved and to be cared about are
met. In turn, I'm empowered to better care for myself and all areas
of my life are affected, including the lifestyle choices I make that
affect my health.
To see 'What the Bible Says', 'What the Research Says' and 'What
You Can Do,' read
the entire article.
"Are Your Thoughts Causing Health
Problems?"
As a man thinks in his heart so he is. Do you believe this? How
much influence do you believe that your thoughts have on how you
experience life and on your health? James Allen, author
of As a Man Thinketh, once said "You are today where your
thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts
take you." I'm absolutely convinced that we can make
significant changes in our life, and in many cases, to our health, by
changing the way we think.
To see 'What the
Bible Says', 'What the Research Says' and 'What You Can Do,' read
the entire article.
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Recent
Faith & Health Research
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"Lack of Joy in Life Ups Early Death Risk"
 Reuters
Health released an
article on September 1, 2008 about a research study
conducted in Japan.
The research found that people who don't think life is worth living
are more likely to die within the next few years.
Each person was asked the question, "Do you have
"ikigai"( or joy) in your life?" The researchers found
that those who did not have a sense of a "ikigai" were in
worse health, more mentally stressed, and in more bodily pain.
The research involving 43,391 men and women between the ages of 40
and 79 is reputed to be the largest to date to investigate how
"ikigai," or "joy and a sense of well-being from being
alive," affects mortality risk, and only the second to examine
death from specific causes, according to researchers from the Tohoku
University Graduate School of Medicine in Sendai.
Click
here to read my blog post on this article and about what
the scriptures say about God and joy.
"Happiness,
Life Satisfaction and Health"
On August 29th, 2008, an
article was released by Health Behavior News Service
suggesting that happiness and life satisfaction might lead to better
health. They refer to a study that was based upon research in Australia
conducted in 2001 and 2004. The researchers looked at 10,000 adults
who responded to items about health indicators in the presence of
long term limited health conditions and physical health. They found
that both happiness and life satisfaction might lead to better future
health.
In a blog post I answered the question, how do we become happier and
more satisfied with our life? A verse in the Bible tells us
"Happy are those who ...." Another scripture says
"This is my happy way of life ....." Read
the post.
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In The News
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"Money Woes, Other Stresses
Bring Unwanted Physical Response"
 The headline above appeared in a USA Today article
published September 18th. The article begins "As the market
melts down, hurricanes wreak havoc, war grinds on and feelings of
helplessness set in, stress goes up. That can bring on a host of
unpleasant physical symptoms, say health professionals. When we
get stressed, our bodies naturally respond. Stress-related ailments
include headaches, restlessness, agitation, insomnia, irritability,
neck pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, insomnia, chest tightness
and lack of sex drive."
Another
article published in USA Today on July 8th reported "Dieters who
write down everything they eat each day lose twice as much weight as
those who don't, according to one of the largest weight-loss studies
ever conducted. This confirms the importance of keeping a food diary
- advice that nutritionists and weight-loss programs have pushed for
years."
Read
the entire article.
"Exercise
In A Pill: Researchers Identify Drugs That Enhance Exercise
Endurance"
And
finally, for some interesting humor, read
about a research effort that turned laboratory mice into
long distance runners!
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For Your Personal Health
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 Irritable Bowel Syndrome
& Your Mind
The gut and brain are intimately connected, with more nerve cells in
the intestines than in the spinal cord. The gut has been called the
body's second brain, containing 95 & of the body's
neurotransmitter serotonin and direct nerve connections to the brain.
So it is no surprise that this common disorder of intestinal function
has a strong mind-body connection.
Read a New
York Times health section article on this topic.
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On The Web
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New Government Guidelines on Physical Activity
Released
 On October 7th the government released new 2008
physical activity guidelines for Americans.
This
link offers information about the guidelines for both
individuals and health professionals.
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Updates to My Website
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We are marvelously designed by God. He made us in a way that all our
functions or systems work together in unimaginable and intricate
ways. I've added a
page that addresses how our spirit, soul and body
interact.
For some great in-depth reading about the distinction between spirit,
soul and body from a Christian perspective, consider reading material
written by Watchman Nee, especially The
Spiritual Man which is a free e-book.
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I hope that
you've found the information and encouragement I've provided to be
helpful. Consider forwarding this newsletter to a friend or
co-worker.
Have a great Fall season!
Dale Fletcher, M.S.
Founder, Faith and Health Connection
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