ENOUGH: WHEN SACRIFICE HAS GONE TOO FAR BY ANDREA D SULLIVAN, PHD, ND

STRESS – WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT OUR BODIES, MINDS AND SOULS? FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE; BODY PRODUCES STRESS PRODUCING HORMONES – ADRENAL HORMONES REDUCING BLOOD SUGAR UTILIZATION AND DECREASING INSULIN SENSITIVITY; HYPERTENSION THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND FOREIGN MICROORGANISMS WHITE BLOOD CELLS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS – ASSOCIATIONS WITH DISEASE

NO ONE IS EXEMPT FROM STRESS CONSTANT AND CONTINUOUS STRESS IS CALLED “WEATHERING” RACISM IS ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT AND DESTRUCTIVE SOURCES OF STRESS IN AMERICA– IT SHAPES OUR BEHAVIORS AND RESPONSES TO LIFE RESEARCH TELLS US THAT DISCRIMINATION TRIGGERS ABNORMAL PHYSIOLOGIC RESPONSES AND POOR HEALTH IN AA WOMEN OUR HEALTH DISPARITIES ARE PHYSIOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF SOCIAL INEQUITIES AND THE DISADVANTAGES OF COPING WITH STRESS; DISCRIMINATION DUE TO ETHNICITY, GENDER, CLASS AND AGE

BEGINNING EARLY IN LIFE AND CONTINUING WITH AGE DUE TO MANY VARIABLES WE CARE FOR EVERYONE BUT OURSELVES; A PATIENT SAID TO ME “ BLACK WOMEN WILL DO ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE THEY LOVE BUT NOT FOR THEMSELVES. SOME OTHER TIME NEVER COMES.” MORE JOBS AND JUGGLING ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, MORAL, CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WHAT TO DO ?– BABY STEPS STARTING FROM WHERE YOU ARE; ACCEPTANCE ( NOT CONDONING IT ) AND GRATITUDE (LIST ) THE MORE WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MORE WE WILL BE GRATEFUL FOR… YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE; DOESN’T MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO GET YOU HERE. MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO CHANGE IT– LIFE SAVING CHANGES

WRITE OUT HOW YOU WANT TO LIVE AND EVERYDAY DO SOMETHING TOWARD THAT END; HAVE THE INTENTION AND THE METHOD WILL SHOW UP FIND YOUR PURPOSE AND MISSION –THAT WILL ALLOW OTHERS TO FIND THEIRS ACTIVELY LOVE YOURSELF- PRACTICE. FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR JUDGING YOURSELF AND OTHERS AS WRONG SAY NO SLEEP HABITS- SHUT IT DOWN BEFORE BED EXERCISE HABITS – 10 MINUTES 4 TIMES A WEEK EATING HABITS- HOW WILL THIS MAKE ME FEEL ULTIMATELY ATTITUDE ( AS ABOVE ) RELAXATION HABITS – BREATHE IN COUNT OF 6, OUT COUNT OF 5

STAY PRESENT; NEITHER THE PAST (GUILT) NOR FUTURE ( ANXIETY ) EXIST DO ONE THING AT A TIME SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE TO INCLUDE FUN AND SPONTANEITY LAUGH MORE DO NOT EXPECT OTHERS TO BE DIFFERENT THAN WHO THEY ARE DO UNPLEASANT TASKS IMMEDIATELY PRACTICE COMMUNICATION SKILLS SUCH AS “I”. I NEED TO OR WANT TO NOT I HAVE TO FINISH SOMETHING STRESS =