6 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight (That Have Nothing To Do With Diet And Exercise)

It’s no secret that obesity is a major health challenge these days — and one that has grown steadily over the last few decades.

At one time, experts thought the cause of the epidemic was simple: consuming too many calories + a sedentary lifestyle = excess weight.

But as it turns out, the reasons behind being overweight are more involved than that. Of course, food intake and exercise play critical roles. But according to Jennifer Kuk, the lead author of a recent study from York University in Toronto, excessive weight is “actually much more complex than just ‘energy in’ versus ‘energy out.’" She explained in a press release that lifestyle and environmental factors may also be key in why “maintaining a healthy body weight is now more challenging than ever.”

In their study, Kuk and her colleagues wanted to determine if the relationship between obesity and three health factors — total calories consumed; amount of physical exercise; and intake of protein, fat, and carbs — has changed over the past three decades.

To accomplish this, they reviewed dietary data between 1971 and 2008, along with exercise data from 14,419 people between 1998 and 2006. As it turned out, when all three factors were equal, a person in 2006 who ate the same amount of fat, protein, and carbs, consumed the same amount of calories, and engaged in the same amount of exercise as a person of the same age in 1988, the individual in 1988 would be thinner. That is, the person in 2006 would have a body mass index approximately 10 percent higher than the person in 1988.

Kuk and her team concluded that “factors other than diet and physical activity may be contributing to the increase in BMI over time.”

Although the study did not investigate the possible factors, Kuk and her colleagues did suggest some culprits. Here they are with what you should know about each:

1. Exposure to environmental toxins

We come into contact with hundreds of chemicals on a daily basis, from common items like shampoo, furniture, food and food packaging, plastics, building supplies, and household cleaners. Among those that have been associated with obesity are the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which include bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, found especially in plastics and personal care products.

While these chemicals are rampant in our modern world, there are some things you can do to avoid exposure, including using glass and stainless-steel containers instead of plastic, and opting for natural beauty products.

2. Changes in your microbiome

Kuk and her team also suggested that changes to the microbiome — the population of bacteria and other microorganisms living in and on our bodies — may have a role in the obesity rise. While research is ongoing, these changes may be related to the growing use of artificial sweeteners and processed foods, both of which have a negative impact on bacteria in the gut.

In fact, experts have established a close relationship between the gut microbiome, obesity, and insulin resistance, with the hope that further understanding will help in the fight against this epidemic. It's one more reason to eat probiotic foods and consider taking high-quality probiotic supplements.

3. The use of prescription antidepressants

The use of antidepressants has skyrocketed by nearly 400 percent since 1988, and now 11 percent of people aged 12 years and older are taking at least one of these drugs.

Weight gain is, among others, one of the side effects of these drugs, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft. In fact, up to one-quarter of people who take antidepressants gain at least 10 pounds.

4. Chronic stress and cortisol

Stress takes a massive toll on health, resulting in unhealthy behaviors such as overeating. According to a 2012 American Psychological Association report, “Stress in America,” survey responses indicate that “the nation is on the verge of a stress-induced public health crisis” and the concern is especially critical among people who are obese or depressed.

The connection between stress and obesity lies mainly within hormones, especially the stress hormone cortisol. When stress levels remain elevated, so do cortisol levels, which can increase your appetite. Emotional eating — turning to comfort foods when faced with tension, stress, anxiety, depression — can become part of this pattern as well.

5. Lack of sleep

Research has shown there's a clear relationship between lack of sufficient sleep and obesity. One such study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evaluated data from 13,742 adults and looked at how long they slept and their weight. The authors found that compared with individuals who slept seven to nine hours per night, individuals who got six or fewer hours of shuteye were more likely to be obese and have abdominal obesity.

A recent Gallup poll indicates we're getting less sleep today than our peers did back in the 1940s. In 1942, Americans got nearly eight hours of sleep per night, compared with an average of 6.8 hours today.

6. Lower metabolism.

The fight against weight gain can become a vicious cycle for many overweight people who restrict calories for a while and then experience the yo-yo effect: weight loss followed by weight gain over and over again.

This weight cycling can lead to a reduction in metabolic rate, a significant hurdle when one is trying to drop pounds and keep them off. Add in the fact that fatty tissue requires less energy to maintain than lean tissue, and you have another factor that contributes to obesity.

What You Can Do to Help Reach Your Goal Weight

The York University findings suggest that you need to eat fewer calories and exercise more than your same-age peers of three decades ago. But you can also help fight against obesity by focusing on a few other moves:

• Avoid environmental toxins as much as possible by using all-natural, organic personal care items and household cleaning items.
• Ditch the aftershave and other fragranced product.
• Choose organic foods whenever possible, including grass-fed, hormone-free meats.
• Use glass and stainless steel instead of plastic containers to store your food.
• Only buy products in BPA-free plastic, tins, and cans.
• Get seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
• Practice stress management techniques daily, such as meditation, progressive relaxation, deep breathing, yoga, tai chi, or visualization.
• Support your microbiome by avoiding artificial sweeteners and processed foods, and eating foods rich in probiotics to support beneficial bacteria in your gut.
• Talk to your health care provider about alternatives to prescription antidepressants you may be taking. Other drugs that may contribute to weight gain include beta-blockers, corticosteroids, diabetes medications, and mood stabilizers.

There’s not a simple solution to maintaining a healthy weight — but it’s likely more complicated than eating less and exercising more.

Doctors and other health professionals need to be trained in lifestyle approaches to weight management in order to better counsel their patients. And we need to understand that true health isn't about 9 percent body fat and six-pack abs. It’s about having our mental, physical, hormonal, sexual, and digestive systems working in harmony. That’s something we can all strive for.

by Craig Cooper

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23716/6-reasons-youre-not-losing-weight-that-have-nothing-to-do-with-diet-and-exercis.html

Constantly Stressed & Exhausted? 8 Ways To Heal From Adrenal Fatigue

Out of all the health issues my patients come to me with, fatigue is by far the most common. I witness the epidemic of extreme exhaustion on a daily basis.

Patients wake up feeling exhausted, craving cups of caffeine. They are irritable and "hangry" for salty or sugary foods. They can't lose weight, despite dieting and exercise, and have little to no sex drive. Their energy level crashes in the afternoon, but they often get a "second wind" before bed. Then they have trouble winding down in the evening, only to have another night of restless sleep.

Sadly, many think this is normal. That's because they look around and see everyone looking just as tired and miserable as they are. But just because something is common doesn't make it normal.

This is not normal — this is the epidemic of adrenal fatigue.

What are the adrenal glands?

Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys, like little kidney baseball caps. They regulate many critical hormonal jobs in your body, including the release of your main stress hormone, cortisol.

Our bodies are built for stressful events, and throughout time they have adapted to them. We are here today because the human species can handle stressful events. If our ancestors were chased by a predator, the sympathetic response, our body’s fight-or-flight mode, would be activated. During this stress response, cortisol would be released, ramping up blood pressure and blood sugar, which were needed to cope with the stressful event.

When things calm down, cortisol secretion then decreases, along with your blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Normal balance is intact.

So what is adrenal fatigue?

Cortisol is neither bad or good — it just is. But problems occur when there's an imbalance in cortisol.

In a healthy individual, cortisol is higher in the morning and slowly flows lower throughout the day. Melatonin, your "sleepy time" hormone, is inversely proportional to cortisol. So when cortisol is high, melatonin is low and vice versa.

Adrenal fatigue happens when there's an imbalance in this cortisol rhythm: Cortisol is high when it should be low, low when it should be high, or always high or always low.

The secret to understanding adrenal fatigue is understanding its origin: your brain. Your brain tells your adrenal glands what to do through a complex web of communications called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA Axis), or simply the brain-adrenal axis. Your hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which tells the pituitary gland to release the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH then tells your adrenal cortex to release cortisol.

Adrenal fatigue is really a dysfunction of your brain’s communication with your adrenals — not the adrenal glands themselves.

What causes adrenal fatigue?

Our modern life, with its many ongoing stressors, can turn on your stress response and throw away the key. Unlike acute stress, for which we’re biologically hardwired, chronic stress turns on the fight-or-flight response without any rest.

If the stress response doesn’t leave, those cortisol triggers never stop. Some chronic stressors that can lead to adrenal fatigue include:

• autoimmune conditions
• emotional stress
• excessive exercise
• food intolerances
• microbiome dysfunctions
• toxins

If you're struggling with adrenal fatigue, you're likely experiencing most of the following symptoms:

• You're slow to start in the morning
• You crave salty or sugary foods
• You have a low libido
• You're fatigued in the afternoon
• You get a "second wind" in the evening
• You can't stay asleep
• You experience dizziness when standing up quickly
• You get afternoon headaches
• You have blood sugar issues
• You have chronic inflammation
• Your nails are weak
• You're often moody
• You have difficulty losing weight

So, what's next? If you think you might have adrenal fatigue, I recommend these tips:

1. Consider having labs done.

One of the labs I run on patients is a 24-hour adrenal stress index — a salivary test that tracks your cortisol levels, HPA axis quality, and other hormone levels throughout the day — to get a comprehensive view of what’s going on in your particular case.

Because adrenal fatigue is mainly a brain-based issue, it's also important to rule out brain inflammation. In Signs You Might Have A "Leaky Brain" And What To Do About It, I go over the brain labs I often recommend.

2. Improve your chronic stressors.

Working on the stressors listed above — such as testing for food intolerancesand removing toxins — will be essential to breaking the chronic stress cycle, regaining your health, and feeling like yourself again.

3. Eat calming food medicines.

The foods we eat will either perpetuate stress in our body or calm it down. Oysters and avocado are two of my favorite foods to help de-stress the brain and hormonal system.

4. Practice breathing exercises.

Breathing is a major factor in reducing stress. Take time throughout the day to become aware of your breath — it's a great way to diffuse stress levels and calm your brain-adrenal axis. I recommend mindfulness meditation or present moment awareness to my patients struggling with adrenal fatigue.

5. Start yoga or tai chi.

Bring practices of intense alertness and stillness into your life. Yoga and tai chi are two of my favorite ways for people to start balancing out the stress in their lives.

6. Try natural medicines.

Rehabbing the brain-adrenal connection takes time. What works for one person may not work for you, so it's important to discuss this with a qualified practitioner. Here are some general natural medicines that can help:

• Adaptogenic herbs: Ashwagandha, Rhodiola Rosea, Holy Basil, and Eleuthero Ginseng can have a regulating effect on cortisol rhythm.
• Magnesium: Magnesium is the original chill pill. It helps support the adrenal glands, relaxes stressed muscles and nerves, and promotes quality sleep.
• Methylation support: Taking activated forms of B12 and folate are effective ways to support healthy methylation pathways, which help balance the melatonin-cortisol rhythm.
• GABA support: Your calming, inhibitory neurotransmitter is GABA. Herbs like passion flower and amino acids such as theanine, glycine, and taurine can help calm you down by acting on the gabaminergic pathways in your brain.

7. Get enough sleep.

Make sure you're not staying up too late — you need to allow your brain and adrenals to recuperate overnight. Promote quality sleep by turning off the TV and smartphone a few hours before bed and reading a book instead.

8. Consider functional medicine.

Depending on your individual brain-adrenal dysfunction, you may need to work with a qualified practitioner to carefully replace a small portion of the levels of the missing adrenal hormones for a period of time. Specific amounts of DHEA and the precursor to cortisol, called pregnenolone, can stimulate your body to begin producing it naturally.

Consider a free webcam or phone evaluation to see if functional medicinemight be right for you.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

by Dr. William Cole

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-21980/constantly-stressed-exhausted-8-ways-to-heal-from-adrenal-fatigue.html

In Your 20s Or 30s? Here's Why You Need To Care NOW About Menopause

If you're currently in your 20s or 30s, enjoying good health, glowing skin and free-spirited fun, you’re probably thinking “Why would I need to think about perimenopause now?”

Sure, it may seem light years away. But as a health coach who helps women with hormonal imbalances, I know that the sooner you nurture your health, the better off you'll be when perimenopause arrives.

Perimenopause is the naturally occurring transition between fertility and menopause. It’s a long period in a woman’s life where her ovaries slow down and her body starts to shift, even if those changes are barely perceptible. Perimenopause isn’t a diagnosis, a disease or something you need to fear. It’s a journey of change, and it can last up to 10 years, sometimes beginning as early as the mid-30s.

Wildly fluctuating hormone levels are typically the hallmark of perimenopause and it’s what gives rise to its many symptoms — from hot flashes to mood swings.

But the good news is that if you focus on your health now and keep these tips in mind, you can help minimize potential problems later on:

1. Manage stress and sugar levels.

Adrenals are the glands that produce cortisol, a stress hormone. However, in menopause, the adrenals take over hormone production from the ovaries, which go into retirement. Too much stress (and sugar) equals too much cortisol. And if your adrenals have been over-recruited to produce cortisol in your 20s and 30s, they won’t be able to maintain optimal hormone levels in menopause.

You can help ensure lifelong adrenal health by minimizing your sugar intake now, and practicing stress management techniques like yoga, meditation and gratitude practices.

2. Cut back on the cocktails.

Alcohol is the ultimate sugar buzz — and as we know, anything that raises blood sugar could increase cortisol. Remember, overproduction of cortisol stresses the adrenal glands. You also metabolize alcohol less efficiently as you ago.

In other words, if you want to rock your perimenopause years, it might be time to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol.

3. Find meaningful movement.

Exercise is undoubtedly a big part of a healthy life. It's never too late to start, but the sooner you find something that doesn’t feel like work and stick to it, the healthier you’ll be during perimenopause.

Also, realize that it’s OK to try different types of exercise until you find something you like — whether it's yoga, tennis or hiking. There's no need to become an elite athlete to reap the benefits of exercise.

4. Make sure you're getting good fats, fiber and protein.

You need nutrition on a cellular level in order to build your hormones and neurotransmitters. If you subsist on soda, chips and fast food, your body isn't going to have what it needs to carry out its advanced functions, like proper hormone signaling. Sure, it will keep you functioning, but not at an optimal level.

At every meal, make sure you're getting healthy fats — think avocado, coconut oil, salmon, ghee or pastured butter — fiber and quality protein.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

by Maria Claps

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-21187/in-your-20s-or-30s-heres-why-you-need-to-care-now-about-menopause.html

15 Easy Things You Can Do To Fight Inflammation & Boost Your Metabolism

Regular readers of mindbodygreen know that chronic inflammation has been linked to a host of ailments — from depression and weight gain to cancer — but what can we actually do about it?

Here are some tips to beat inflammation and boost your metabolism, excerpted from Dr. Lori Shemek's new book How to Fight FATflammation.

1. Have your thyroid hormone levels checked.

I always suggest that anyone starting a diet plan get a thorough medical checkup that includes a blood test to check the level of your thyroid hormones. Low thyroid output is a very common (and often hidden) cause of weight gain.

2. Stay well hydrated.

As soon as you wake up each morning, drink eight ounces of water. Then drink two eight-ounce glasses of cool water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is research showing that drinking two glasses of cool water before each of your meals will boost your resting metabolism enough to lose five pounds a year, even if you do nothing else.

3. Don’t forget your protein.

Make certain every meal and every snack includes a good source of protein because it will give your metabolism an additional boost. Remember, the protein you eat doesn’t have to be meat. A piece of celery filled with a tablespoon of peanut butter, for example, includes fiber, a complex carb, and, yes, protein.

4. Always eat breakfast.

Have breakfast soon after you wake up — within 30 minutes. Eating breakfast reminds your metabolism to kick into gear. Studies also show that those who eat breakfast lose more weight and have an easier time keeping the weight off than those who do not.

5. Eat regularly.

I recommend three meals a day and two snacks. This helps keep the metabolism humming and helps avoid hunger and cravings.

6. Practice slower eating.

When you are eating, take your time and chew slowly. Your metabolism speeds up when you eat slow and slows down when you eat fast.

7. Add some heat to what you eat.

Capsaicin, which is found in peppers such as chili, habanero, and jalapeño, gives your metabolism a temporary boost. The same thing is true of ginger, black pepper, and hot mustard. This is a good tip for people who have an easy time digesting spicy food.

8. Don’t eat late at night.

Eating when you should be sleeping stops the natural fat burn (ketosis) that takes place during the night.

9. Keep moving.

Don’t sit still for long periods of time. Even if you have a desk job, make a point of moving around as much as you can. Move your arms and legs while you are sitting in a chair. Get up every 30 minutes. I like to do 10 squats, which takes roughly 10 seconds, but if you have trouble with squats, do 10 leg lifts on each side.

If there is a water cooler, walk out and get some water. Walk around your desk and stretch. When you get home, don’t collapse into a chair or couch and stay there without budging. Do as much walking as you possibly can. Swing your arms as you go through life. Even fidgeting makes a difference in how you burn those calories. There is actually interesting research about the weight-loss benefits enjoyed by people who fidget.

10. Take control of the stress in your life.

Stress bumps up your cortisol, which, in turn, slows down your metabolism, which increases your fat. When stressed, many of us also reach for food. Find a form of relaxation that works for you. This is very important.

11. Exercise smart.

I’m a big believer in HIIT exercise because it has worked for me and my clients. This form of exercise significantly cuts down the amount of time you need to spend exercising. High-intensity interval training really boosts your metabolism and helps you fire up your fat burn! Whatever you do, you need to find an exercise program that works for you. Many people like riding their bikes on bike paths throughout the country. I know several men and women who swim or do water aerobics. This can be as calming as it is healthful.

12. Add some green tea to your life.

A human study has shown that green tea boosts the metabolic rate and promotes fat oxidation, also known as “fat burn.”

13. Have a cup of coffee or black tea.

Research shows that both coffee and tea help boost metabolism. You don’t want to drink so much that you’re feeling “wired” or stressed because this could trigger cortisol. But a little bit of caffeine will go a long way toward helping your metabolism.

14. Take your vitamin D3.

Simply put, vitamin D3 helps with muscle function and keeping your insulin levels healthy. Some research shows that people who are overweight are also more likely to be deficient in vitamin D. Animal studies have shown that vitamin D3 results in an increase in lean mass. Human studies indicate that people with higher serum D3 levels have a decreased risk for falls and muscle weakness as well as less insulin resistance and diabetes.

People are not always informed about their vitamin D3 levels. If you have blood work done, you need to request that the test for vitamin D3 is included. Many of my clients — including some medical professionals — have started out with low levels of vitamin D3. Once they began to take it regularly, they saw a marked effect in their weight and their health.

15. Watch out for pesticides.

Research shows that pollutants from pesticides can be stored in your fat cells; this can cause a dip in your metabolism. There is also some interesting research indicating that pesticides are implicated in weight gain. Whenever possible, buy organic produce. Whether it’s organic or conventional, wash your fruits and vegetables very, very carefully.

Excerpt from How to Fight FATflammation © 2015 by Lori Shemek, M.D. Reprinted with permission from HarperOne.

Photo Credit: Stocksy

BY LORI SHEMEK 

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18369/15-easy-things-you-can-do-to-fight-inflammation-boost-your-metabolism.html

Why You're Tired All The Time + How To Feel Better

Are you chronically tired for no reason? Do you feel rundown and overwhelmed? It could be adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue occurs when your adrenal glands cannot adequately meet the demands of stress. From the demands of work, to family obligations, to the hurried pace of the city and our technology-driven society, many of us feel like we’re under a constant siege of stress.

While the “fight or flight” stress response mobilized by the adrenal glands is a key to our survival as a species, prolonged stress, whether it’s physical, emotional, or psychological, exhausts the adrenal glands, leads to sleeplessness, irritability, and fatigue. When our adrenal glands are constantly required to pump out cortisol, they eventually become impaired. Your body does its best to compensate for under-functioning adrenal glands, but it comes at the price of your metabolism, heart and cardiovascular system, sex drive, and even your sleep.

Research has found that sleep disturbances are directly related to increased sensitivity to the arousal-producing stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is excitatory, which means it arouses us, wakes us up, and leaves us primed for action long after the stressor is gone. Unfortunately, when we’re under prolonged periods of stress, our cortisol levels remain elevated and our adrenal glands, small pyramid-shaped glands that sit atop each kidney, never get a chance to recharge.

When we consistently don’t get a good night’s sleep, our circadian rhythm becomes disrupted. This negatively affects our serotonin and melatonin, hormones which govern appetite and mood. In other words, not only does stress keep us in an agitated state by agitating our cortisol levels, but it can lead to cravings, obesity, and blood sugar imbalances which have been shown to negatively impact mood.

While it may feel like you’re caught in a vicious cycle of stress, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition and mood swings, it’s possible to break free by incorporating these six tips in your daily routine:

1. Eat breakfast.

Make a point of eating a high-fiber, high-protein breakfast every morning to stabilize blood sugar and improve mental alertness.

2. Eat regularly.

It’s important to keep up the momentum after a nutritious breakfast. Skipping meals leads to irritability and mood swings because our mood rises and falls alongside the dips in our blood sugar. Try eating four or five small, well-balanced meals per day.

3. Ditch the junk.

Remove refined, highly-processed food from your diet. This includes sugary snacks, deep-fried food, processed lunch meats, and pre-packaged items with additives, preservatives, dyes, and flavouring agents. These food-like items rob your body of the nutrients it needs to support healthy adrenal function. Our adrenal glands thrive on zinc, manganese, vitamin C, and the B vitamins found in dark leafy greens.

4. Skip the stimulants.

Say goodbye to caffeine that leaves you feeling wired, yet tired! Propping yourself up with coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks will inevitably lead to a crash. These unsustainable forms of energy over-stimulate your adrenal glands and they’re also unnecessary sources of sugar and calories.

5. Supplement with herbs.

Adaptogenic herbs like maca, ashwaganda, and rhodiola can help the body cope with stress and fatigue. For specific doses of these super supplements, consult your health care practitioner.

6. Wind down.

If you have a habit of watching the news before bed or mindlessly browsing the internet, consider a new routine. Unplug and opt for a relaxing bath or a series of yoga stretches to help your mind and body relax.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

BY JULIE DANILUK 

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18277/why-youre-tired-all-the-time-how-to-feel-better.html

Let It Go…For Your Own Sake: 5 Health Benefits Of Forgiveness

Buddha once said, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”

Most of us equate this “burn” to psychological distress; after all, holding a grudge causes you more mental pain than the person who did you wrong.

But did you know that holding a grudge can cause you physical pain as well? You’d be doing your body as well as your mind some good if you took the path of forgiveness instead. There are many health benefits of forgiveness that may make you rethink whether that grudge is really worth it. But first…

…What is Forgiveness?

Some confuse forgiving with just verbally accepting an apology, but that’s not true. Although saying “it’s okay” often goes hand in hand with forgiveness, these things are not one in the same.

In order to forgive you must let go of your anger and negative thoughts and forgive the person deep within yourself as well as outwardly. You can even do this without a true apology, if the person doesn’t feel they are wrong or has too much pride.

Forgiveness is not just a formality, but a state of mind. And that loving, accepting state of mind can lift you from a lot of burdens—mentally and physically.

5 Health Benefits of Forgiveness

1. Lowers stress levels

According to a study done by Hope College reseachers, one of the benefits of forgiveness is lower amounts of cortisol.

Researchers examined 71 participants and their physical responses when they spoke about grudges as opposed to when they spoke about forgiveness and empathy. Those who exhibited more forgiving perspectives had lower physiological stress responses.

Related Article: The Power of Positive Thinking

2. Keeps your heart healthy

Forgiveness is good for the heart—literally. One study suggests that people who hold on to grudges tend to have higher heart rates, while those who are more empathetic and able to forgive tend to have lower heart rates.

Why hold onto anger when it will make your heart do more work than it needs to do?

3. Lowers pain

Having a forgiving heart may lower both emotional and physical pain, according to a study done by Duke University Medical Center researchers. Out of 61 subjects who suffered from chronic back pain, those who were more likely to forgive reported lower levels of pain, leading researchers to believe that “a relationship appears to exist between forgiveness and important aspects of living with persistent pain.”

4. Lowers blood pressure

Letting go of that anger you’ve been harboring might lower your blood pressure. Studies show that forgiveness is linked to lower blood pressure.

Related Article: 11 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

5. Extends life

Your grudges might be shaving years off your life. According to one study, after testing adults ages 66 and older and determining their ability to forgive, those who were more forgiving in nature tended to live longer. Forgive, and you’ll live!

The Takeaway

True forgiveness is easier said than done. It can be difficult, especially if someone truly upset you in a way that contradicted your values and morals. However, it’s important to remember that holding that grudge is not going to fix anything. That hot coal you’re holding onto is just burning yourself.

Let go of the coal, and you will feel the lift of mental burdens. However, you may also notice your body thanking you through the health benefits of forgiveness: lower stress levels, a healthier heart, higher pain tolerance, lower blood pressure, and even an extended life. The next time someone upsets you, remember to forgive if you want to live happily as well as healthily.

by Sammy Nickalls

http://inspiyr.com/health-benefits-of-forgiveness/#at_pco=cod-1.0&at_si=5528dc5c1490f08c&at_ab=per-2&at_pos=2&at_tot=8