Lack of Forgiveness Can Affect Our Health

[Guest guest]

(NaturalNews) Everyone knows that being angry feels terrible. When we

feel angry at someone, we get a tight feeling in our chest and body,

and our minds aren't free. Feeling angry at someone who cuts you off

when you are driving is bad enough. Long term, chronic anger can ruin

peoples' lives. Feeling angry for something that happened in childhood

can literally make people prisoners of their own emotions.

 

Dr. Luskin of Stanford University is studying how forgiveness can help

people become healthy. The 150 volunteers who have taken part in the

Stanford Forgiveness Project say that letting go of the hurt caused by

other people or by forces they see as being outside themselves, is not

just one of the greatest emotional releases; they feel better

physically, as well.

 

" Getting angry and needing to forgive are universal phenomena, but the

skills to forgive are inadequately taught. "

 

Holding on to anger for too long can obviously affect a person's

emotional health. But hanging on to that anger, Dr. Luskin says, can

also seriously affect people's physical health.

 

How is the Body Affected?

 

Lack of forgiveness, which often occurs as a result of having been

hurt, humiliated, angered, or having suffered fear or loss, feelings

of guilt, or envy, can have profound effects on the way your body

functions.

 

Physically the body is in a state of stress. Muscles tighten, causing

imbalances or pain in the neck, back and limbs. Blood flow to the

joints is restricted, making it more difficult for the blood to remove

wastes from the tissues and reducing the supply of oxygen and

nutrients to the cells. Normal processes of repair and recovery from

injury or arthritis are impaired. Clenching of the jaws contributes to

problems with teeth and jaw joints. Headaches can become a problem.

Chronic pain may get worse.

 

Blood flow to the heart is constricted. Digestion is impaired.

Breathing may become more difficult. Anger can seriously impair the

immune system, increasing the risk of infections and illness.

 

Luskin cites several studies that show how anger can affect the

cardiovascular system by adding to a person's general level of stress.

Other studies have indicated that patients who have had heart attacks

have been able to improve their physical health by practicing

forgiveness and working to feel more tolerant and less angry.

 

Additionally, Dr. Luskin says, when the body releases certain enzymes

during anger and stress, cholesterol and blood pressure levels go up,

not a good long-term position to put the body in. Forgiveness has been

shown to lower blood pressure naturally. The bottom line, we can eat

healthy and take care of ourselves on a physical level, but if our

hearts are filled with anger, our bodies are not in optimum health.

llaci

[Guest guest]

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this is a great article. UNFORTUNATELY it doesnt give you the tools to know how

to let go. saying letting go isnt enough.

 

how does ONE truly forgive and let go???

 

what are the tools?

 

 

, " llaci2003 " <jjaksic

wrote:

>

> (NaturalNews) Everyone knows that being angry feels terrible. When we

> feel angry at someone, we get a tight feeling in our chest and body,

> and our minds aren't free. Feeling angry at someone who cuts you off

> when you are driving is bad enough. Long term, chronic anger can ruin

> peoples' lives. Feeling angry for something that happened in childhood

> can literally make people prisoners of their own emotions.

>

> Dr. Luskin of Stanford University is studying how forgiveness can help

> people become healthy. The 150 volunteers who have taken part in the

> Stanford Forgiveness Project say that letting go of the hurt caused by

> other people or by forces they see as being outside themselves, is not

> just one of the greatest emotional releases; they feel better

> physically, as well.

>

> " Getting angry and needing to forgive are universal phenomena, but the

> skills to forgive are inadequately taught. "

>

> Holding on to anger for too long can obviously affect a person's

> emotional health. But hanging on to that anger, Dr. Luskin says, can

> also seriously affect people's physical health.

>

> How is the Body Affected?

>

> Lack of forgiveness, which often occurs as a result of having been

> hurt, humiliated, angered, or having suffered fear or loss, feelings

> of guilt, or envy, can have profound effects on the way your body

> functions.

>

> Physically the body is in a state of stress. Muscles tighten, causing

> imbalances or pain in the neck, back and limbs. Blood flow to the

> joints is restricted, making it more difficult for the blood to remove

> wastes from the tissues and reducing the supply of oxygen and

> nutrients to the cells. Normal processes of repair and recovery from

> injury or arthritis are impaired. Clenching of the jaws contributes to

> problems with teeth and jaw joints. Headaches can become a problem.

> Chronic pain may get worse.

>

> Blood flow to the heart is constricted. Digestion is impaired.

> Breathing may become more difficult. Anger can seriously impair the

> immune system, increasing the risk of infections and illness.

>

> Luskin cites several studies that show how anger can affect the

> cardiovascular system by adding to a person's general level of stress.

> Other studies have indicated that patients who have had heart attacks

> have been able to improve their physical health by practicing

> forgiveness and working to feel more tolerant and less angry.

>

> Additionally, Dr. Luskin says, when the body releases certain enzymes

> during anger and stress, cholesterol and blood pressure levels go up,

> not a good long-term position to put the body in. Forgiveness has been

> shown to lower blood pressure naturally. The bottom line, we can eat

> healthy and take care of ourselves on a physical level, but if our

> hearts are filled with anger, our bodies are not in optimum health.

> llaci

>