I’m becoming a believer as of late, that how you manage stress can affect your immunity. So far, this calendar year, I’ve had both the flu, and now a common cold along with a fever and a cold blister. I eat a pretty well rounded diet. Don’t care for sweets, avoid fried foods, and I love fruits and vegetables along with fish, lean meats, beans, nuts , and all kinds of things to eat.
I get plenty of sleep. I don’t have debt. I have a happy marriage and family life and pets who make me laugh and smile that I love to take care of. I have a busy career that can be a little mentally and physically exhausting, but I just make 40 hours a week so it’s not eating up my whole life. I have a good balance…I THINK
Yet I have some borderline high BP I am addressing and I’m finding that little things cause me to get overexcited. I never used to be like that. Stuff used to just roll off my shoulders .
Now I just done feel strong enough!!
Anybody else struggle?!

Absolutely. Your body only has so much energy. If you spend more stressing about things, you don't have enough left to fight off the sickness that you encounter every day.

You need to destress, daily if possible. Trapping plays a huge role in that for me. In the non-trapping season there is weightlifting/strongman. Something to blow off steam, make me focus on something other than the world around me, and wear me out physically.

Went on 5 hours or less sleep a day for over 35 years, now retired sleep 7-8 a night . High bp can be hereditary my mom never weighed over 120 pounds in her life and at 5 ‘ 7” was thin and had high bp

^^^we did get out on a hike Saturday to look for the mouth of a creek. Just to say we did. It was wonderful. Complete silence in the woods. Found some tracks in the mud. Buck rubs.
Pretty soon it’ll be time to look for morels and focus on fishing. Today I had to call off work because of the fever but I almost wish I had something to skin and put up. Now watching the tanning videos I have a great desire to work on that. There’s a scripture somewhere about the longing for the work of your own hands. I think it holds true.
That kind of work is rewarding. Not that other jobs are not. But to busy yourself with something for YOU means a lot more. Like a garden or something. Or raising chickens.

The link between stress and sickness is undeniable. Stress kills. It might kill slowly in some cases but it will catch up to you. I think there's more than one reason Jesus said peacemakers are blessed. Becoming a peacemaker is more than being an agreeable person. It's first of all being at peace so we can carry peace with us to the rest of the world.

Exercise is a great stress reliver.

Nothing clears your mind like lifting twice your body weight.

Never underestimate the medicinal powers of good whiskey either!

Walking in a field is great .

Go for a drive with gloves s syringe and some glass bottles and extract the skunk essence on the road kill that has not sprayed. Nice and relaxing and people will look at you like you have 3 heads if you tell them you do that.

Adrenal exhaustion is very real . Many people have it and don't realize this, or the things they can do to build up their body and immune system. It is a myth that salt is bad . The adrenals soak it up like a sponge and utilize it for energy. I take natural supplements that really supplies the nutrition and energy I need. They are NOT synthesized, the vitamins bought at stores that don't assimilate in the body because they are synthesized, not from natural plants and animal proteins. Dr Schulze has powerful things. I mix his Super Food powder in my bone collegian or broth with a pinch of Redman's salt. Dr Livingoods vit D and other supplements are top notch, as are Standard Process. I also take pure turmeric and papaya enzymes in tablet forms .

There are foods that can't be easily found or consumed, and these options are fantastic. I feel the difference if I go off them .

Just some ideas in the natural supplement dept. The ingredients in these are great immune builders, and feed the organs , and even help them heal from injury, or at least get stronger to cope better.

And yes, exercise makes a big difference. After being back on my weight lifting bodybuilding program again, for almost a year now, I've never felt better.

You have a good lifestyle, Ashley, though the stress we endure a lot nowadays is from worries and upsets of things going on around us, very often.

As mentioned, being in the woods , walking, riding a horse, even a nice slow "Sunday drive" , does wonders as reprieve from the country's worries.

We went to change batteries in the trail cam and I smeared some lure on the trees. Felt great to get outside. Thanks everybody! I don’t know if weight lifting or whiskey drinking is gonna be for me…but it’s nice to know I’m on the right track with the self care!

Don't know if you watch much news but I find I am happier and less stressed the less I watch. I also find time spent reading the bible reduces stress.

In general I don’t watch television. We watch our few old classics but not the news and I don’t get involved in politics. Just was reading about King Hezekiah earlier today and how one Angel destroyed all the Assyrians who threatened God’s people.
Thank you this is good advice for anyone!

True that, I would also suggest unplugging and get out under the sun..

Today was a half day at work so I made a couple sets. I saw a half dozen turkeys and I got some exercise , dug in the dirt, and smelled the sweet skunkiness of a long range call lure. Very helpful. I came home energetic and in a great mood. Excited for the morning

That sounds like exactly what you need. That's what makes trapping better than hunting to me. In the woods every day, even if its only for an hour or so. Some is better than none.

Oh it’s SO much better than hunting! You don’t have to sit still and try to be quiet and wish you brought more snacks. You spend some time and use your brain and enjoy being outside and the next day, you may get a reward!

Sounds like you take good care of yourself. Kudos to you. But some things are hard to outrun when it comes to your genes. I'm not overweight, active, eat well but still have the family curse: type II diabetes.

for me it has been chasing birds ,fish and gardening.

and not watching the tv news ,if I am just going to be miss informed , uninformed is a lot more relaxing.