Focusing on the positive and negating the negative can go a long way to improving your health. Being thankful is one way to be positive and reduce your level of stress. Too much stress increases cortisol levels, which may increase inflammation. It is our body’s reaction to what it perceives as a threat: we feel as if we must fight it or take flight from it to protect ourselves. Instead, look at life through the lenses of reality. Are we really being threatened? Don’t we have food to eat, clothes to wear and a safe bed in which to sleep? Of course, some people do not have these basic things, and their elevated cortisol levels are justified. But even they can find reasons to be thankful. So how much more should we, who have so much more than the basics of life, be grateful and have less stress?

Caregivers of those who are ill are especially challenged to lower their level of stress. They suffer from the constant responsibility of caregiving. That is why they must work extra hard to be good to themselves and be grateful. I was a caregiver and regard it as a privilege and an honor. I have always said that I can withstand anything as long as I know it is temporary. It was hard but it was only for a time. Until next time. Just in case you are interested, here is an interesting paper I found in my research: Psychological-Stress-and-its-relationship-to-Cytokines-and-Inflammatory-Diseases