Understanding the stress response

July 6, 2020

Chronic activation of this survival mechanism impairs health

A stressful situation — whether something environmental, such as a looming work deadline, or psychological, such as persistent worry about losing a job — can trigger a cascade of stress hormones that produce well-orchestrated physiological changes. A stressful incident can make the heart pound and breathing quicken. Muscles tense and beads of sweat appear.

This combination of reactions to stress is also known as the "fight-or-flight" response because it evolved as a survival mechanism, enabling people and other mammals to react quickly to life-threatening situations. The carefully orchestrated yet near-instantaneous sequence of hormonal changes and physiological responses helps someone to fight the threat off or flee to safety. Unfortunately, the body can also overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening, such as traffic jams, work pressure, and family difficulties.

Over the years, researchers have learned not only how and why these reactions occur, but have also gained insight into the long-term effects chronic stress has on physical and psychological health. Over time, repeated activation of the stress response takes a toll on the body. Research suggests that chronic stress contributes to high blood pressure, promotes the formation of artery-clogging deposits, and causes brain changes that may contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction.. More preliminary research suggests that chronic stress may also contribute to obesity, both through direct mechanisms (causing people to eat more) or indirectly (decreasing sleep and exercise).

The Firmness and Strength of Love

August 25, 2021 Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Louis, King—Optional Memorial Saint Joseph of Calasanz, Priest—Optional Memorial

Video Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.”  Matthew 23:27–28 This would not have been an easy thing for the scribes and Pharisees to hear. It is a hard truth, spoken by our Lord, partly in an attempt to shake them free of their sin. And even though they may not have enjoyed hearing this clear condemnation spoken, since it came from the Savior of the World, we can be sure that these are words of the deepest love and were spoken so that these men would repent and change their ways. Perhaps each of us, at times, feels like criticizing another. Most often, when we feel this way, it stems from our own personal sin of anger. Perhaps we were hurt by another and that hurt results in a desire for a form of vengeance that comes from anger. But this was not the case with Jesus. First, these words were spoken by Jesus to his disciples and to the crowds of people, not only to the scribes and Pharisees. So in many ways Jesus spoke this for the good of those who were suffering under the misguided leadership of these religious leaders. But Jesus knew that these leaders would also hear His words, so He spoke them to them. But unlike us, He did it out of perfect virtue so as to care for their souls. At times, each one of us needs to hear Jesus rebuke us in love. If any of the scribes and Pharisees were open at that time, then Jesus’ words would have first stung them to the heart but then had the powerful effect of challenging them to change. They needed this and so do we. When we become stuck in our sins, especially if obstinacy sets in, then we need to allow Jesus to challenge us firmly. Such a challenge can be rattling, but that rattling is sometimes necessary. Emotion and passion can lead to sin, but it can also lead to repentance and conversion. The passion with which Jesus spoke became an instrument by which their own passions made them sit up and take notice. The result was that they either became more steeped in their sin or they repented. And though most became even more steeped in sin, which ultimately resulted in their persecution and death of Jesus, we can hope that there were some who did repent, such as Nicodemus. Reflect, today, upon the strength of Jesus’ words to these religious leaders. Though they were supposed to be both “religious” and “leaders,” they were neither. They needed Jesus' strength, courage and firmness. They needed to be confronted directly and receive the hard and clear truth about their sin. Reflect upon what it is in your own life that Jesus wants to say to you. Is there an area of your life in which our Lord needs to address you with passion, strength, clarity and firmness? Most likely there is. Perhaps not in an area of serious sin like it was with these scribes and Pharisees, but if we are open, Jesus wants to powerfully go after every sin within us. Open yourself to Him and allow Him to help rid you of the sins with which you struggle the most. And be grateful for this grace when He does. My passionate Lord, You hate sin but love the sinner. You perfectly desire to rid me of all sin and all attachment to sin. Please open my mind and heart to hear Your rebukes of Love so that I may respond to Your invitation to repent with all my heart. I love You dear Lord. Free me from sin so that I may love You more. Jesus, I trust in You.

The Faith of Bartholomew

Tuesday, August 24, 2021 Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle Readings for Today

Video Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:45–46 Nathanael, who also goes by the name Bartholomew, reacted strongly to the news from his friend Philip that they had found the promised Messiah. Why did Nathanael react this way? Most likely because it was common knowledge among the Jews that the promised Messiah would come from Bethlehem, not from Nazareth. So Nathanael immediately raises this doubt because of Jesus’ supposed origin. Of course, Jesus actually was born in Bethlehem and only later moved to Nazareth, but Nathanael did not immediately realize this. The first lesson to ponder today is that, just like Nathanael, we can easily doubt matters of faith because we do not fully understand. Perhaps if Philip had come and said that Jesus was born in Bethlehem but raised in Nazareth, then Nathanael may have been more immediately open. But this encounter most likely unfolded as it did, with Nathanael’s initial doubt, because the Holy Spirit, Who inspired these Scriptures, wanted us to learn an important lesson. The lesson we must learn is that we must not close the door on the Truth just because something doesn’t immediately make sense to us. Doubts are never from God. The good news in this Gospel passage is that, even though Nathanael did immediately express a certain doubt, he remained open to what Philip was saying. Philip, in answer to this doubt, said the best thing he could have said. He said, “Come and see.” What is it in your life that seems confusing to you in regard to your life or in regard to the many truths of our faith? If there is something that you struggle with in this way, then listen to the words of Philip and allow them to be spoken to you: “Come and see.” Once Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, Nathanael quickly professed his full faith in Jesus as the “Son of God” and the “King of Israel.” Jesus said very little to Nathanael to convince him of these truths. Jesus simply told Nathanael that he had seen him sitting under the fig tree and that He knew that Nathanael was a man without guile. To be without guile means that you are not two-faced; rather, you are a very honest and straightforward person. Nathanael’s immediate realization of the greatness of Jesus could have only come by the gift of grace working in his soul. He came to see Jesus and believed through the interior gift of faith. The lesson of Nathanael tells us that if we bring our confusion to our Lord in faith and openness, all will be made clear. We will have our temptations to doubt removed, and we will be able to have faith that goes far beyond human reason alone. Reflect, today, upon the genuineness and openness of the heart of Nathanael. Bring to our Lord any and every question you have with the expectation that you will receive what you need. Faith does not usually come through convincing arguments or detailed deductive reasoning. It normally comes through a pure and simple openness to the Voice of God speaking within our soul. But when the gift of faith is given, it brings with it a holy certainty that cannot be doubted. My loving Lord, You invite all of us to come to You, to see You and to have faith in You. You truly are the Son of God and the King of all. Please open my mind to all that You wish to say to me so that I may shed my doubts and come to a transforming faith in all things. Jesus, I trust in You

Unity of Truth and Virtue

August 23, 2021 Monday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Rose of Lima, Virgin—Optional Memorial

Video “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.” Matthew 23:13 Today begins Jesus’ “Woe to you…” condemnations of the scribes and Pharisees. He issues seven subsequent condemnations. The one quoted above is His first. At the time, Jesus’ condemnations of these religious leaders fell mostly on deaf ears. They were obstinate and would not listen to what Jesus had to say. But it’s useful to note that these condemnations appear to actually be spoken about the scribes and Pharisees to the disciples and the crowds to whom Jesus was speaking. Though there are many lessons we can learn from our Lord, let’s consider the first thing He says. He condemns hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is essentially saying one thing and doing another. It’s a disconnect between what we say and what we do. Hypocrisy can also come in the form of trying to present oneself as if one has every virtue under Heaven but in reality cares little for the clear doctrine and moral precepts given us by God. In the scripture passage, the scribes and Pharisees claimed to be leading people to salvation, but they were condemning the very source of salvation. On one hand, some of what they taught was true, but they failed to teach with the virtue that comes from God. On the other hand, some of what they taught was flat-out erroneous, because they were more concerned about their public persona than they were about the truth. Essentially, they were hypocrites, because their words and actions were neither united in the truth nor lived through the virtues given by God. These two opposing tendencies seem to be a source of much division within our Church today. On the extreme “right,” we have those who preach doctrine but fail to exercise the necessary virtue so as to be effective instruments of those truths. And on the extreme “left” are those who act as if so-called virtue is all that matters. They deemphasize the clear and unambiguous moral and doctrinal truths that were given to us by our Lord, so that others will praise them for appearing kind, accepting and compassionate toward all. The problem is that one cannot exclude truth from virtue or virtue from truth. Compassion is not compassionate if it lacks truth, and the truth is not true if it is not presented with the virtues by which our Lord wants them brought forth. And though the scribes and Pharisees appear to be more focused upon their interpretations of various truths to the exclusion of virtue, their struggle with hypocrisy is just as real for those on both extremes today. Reflect, today, upon the importance of embracing each and every moral and doctrinal precept given by our Lord. We must embrace everything He says with every fiber of our being. Reflect, also, upon how you express these teachings of Jesus to others. Do you strive to present the full Gospel with the greatest virtue? The deeper the truth, the more necessary is the virtue with which it is presented. And the more virtue you have, the better instrument of the full truth you will be. Strive to overcome every form of hypocrisy within your life by working toward true holiness. Holiness is wholeness. The Truth united to virtue. Only then will you escape from the condemnation of our Lord, but you will also thrive as a pure instrument of His saving grace. My saving Lord, You desired deeply that the religious leaders of the time be powerful instruments of Your saving Gospel by presenting all truth in pure love. Please free me from every error so that Your holy Word will be alive in me and will be sent forth to others through the manifestation of the many virtues You wish to bestow. Jesus, I trust in You.

We Have Come to Believe

August 22, 2021 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) Readings for Today

Video As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”  John 6:66–69 As a result of what?  As a result of Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist “many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.”  The Eucharist was the deepest and most beautiful teaching Jesus had given, but for some it was more than they could handle.  So many left Him.  But this passage also reveals the beautiful faith of the Apostles, especially Peter. First of all, Jesus does not back down in any way from His beautiful and very deep teaching on the Holy Eucharist.  What He said He stands behind, namely, that “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (John 6:53).  He goes on to say, “For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink” (John 6:55).  From there, Jesus turns to His disciples and gives them the freedom to accept or reject what He just taught.  This freedom He gives to them is essential to them entering into authentic faith.  If Jesus would have pressured or manipulated the disciples, it would have been hard for them to freely choose to accept Him and all He taught.   The same is true with us.  Jesus does not require us to follow Him.  He will not force or manipulate us into believing.  He will not pressure us.  Rather, Jesus offers Himself and His teachings and invites us to believe.   Within this context, Peter makes a profound statement of faith.  “Master, to whom shall we go?”  In other words, Peter was saying, “Lord, even if the teaching is hard, and even if it is unpopular to follow you, and even if we must suffer, be rejected, be misunderstood…you are the best option.”  Think about it.  What other option even comes close to the option of accepting the full and deep teachings of Jesus?  Is it better to only take part of what He says?  Doing that is a form of rejection of Him. Peter gives us the witness of one who has come to believe that there is only one good option in life.  That option is the choice to follow Jesus no matter what.  Nothing in life is worth choosing over Christ.  We should strive to discover this truth that He is the only one worth choosing.   Reflect, today, upon these words of Peter.  “Lord, to whom shall we go?”  Jesus is God, the Messiah and Savior.  He has the words of everlasting life.  He is the best “option” to choose.  Say those words of Peter and, in saying them, make the choice to choose Him no matter how popular or unpopular that choice is and no matter if others are making it.  Going with the flow leads us down the wrong river.  Making the right choice sets us on solid ground. Lord, there is no place for me to go other than You and Your way.  You are the Lord of all, and You are the Messiah.  I choose You and accept all that You have taught.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Humility...the Path to Greatness

August 21, 2021 Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Pius X, Pope—Memorial

Video “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11–12 If you were to plan out the ideal future for yourself, what would it look like? Imagine if you were not constrained by budget or resources. Imagine if you could pick to do anything you wanted, to go anywhere you wanted, and enjoy any activity that you wanted. Imagine the greatest experience you could possibly have. What would that be? Most people would immediately think about indulging in the greatest pleasures imaginable. A life of the most luxurious accommodations, the best food, the most beautiful scenery and the most relaxing and enjoyable time possible. But would that truly be the “ideal future for yourself?” The Gospel passage above is very clear. Greatness is found in servanthood. Exaltation is enjoyed only through humility. Is the ideal lifestyle one that is filled with indulgence, entertainment, luxury, and the like? Certainly not. The ideal life, the greatest life, the most exalted life is the life of the most humble service of others as possible. That’s essentially what Jesus tells us in this passage. Do you believe that? Note that Jesus uses the words “greatest” and “must” in the same sentence. These two words are both quite definitive. There is no one greater than the “greatest,” and the path to that greatness requires, without exception, that the greatest be a servant of everyone else. In many ways, this truth defies most human conceptions of greatness. Most often, if someone is considered “great,” then they are served and treated with an honor and respect not given to most. For example, if you had someone of great importance over to your home for dinner, you would most likely wait on them. Of course, service in this context is much more than waiting on tables or providing a meal. Though that is a blessed way to serve others and to express love, Jesus’ concept of service goes far beyond this. How do we serve as one who is truly great? We do so especially by humbling ourselves. Humility is the greatest form of service we can render another. Jesus was, without question, the humblest person to ever live. Only His mother shared perfectly in this holy virtue. Humility enables a person to break out of every selfish tendency and turn their love to the good of the other. Jesus did this first by becoming Incarnate in the womb of His dear mother. The Eternal Son of God did not become man because it somehow benefited Him in a self-centered way. He did it because He loved us and His Incarnation benefited us. The Son of God did not allow others to mock Him, ridicule Him and ultimately murder Him because it somehow benefitted Him. He did it so that He could enter death and destroy it so that we could rise with Him. He did it for us. And we could go through every passage of the Gospels and see that everything Jesus did was done for others and never done out of a selfish desire. This self-giving service our Lord offered every day was a fruit of the incredible humility that He lived. Jesus did everything He did out of His love for others and with humility so as to bring salvation and transformation to their eternal souls. In our lives, we need to make a fundamental choice. Am I going to live for myself? Or am I going to live for others? It seems as though very few people live fully for others. It is difficult to take our eyes off ourselves and turn them only to the good of others. But if we realize that living for others is also the path to our own greatness and ultimate exaltation, then it becomes much easier. Serving others, especially in a spiritual way by which you do all you can to help them grow closer to God, is what will make you great. Nothing else can do so. Believe that and live it. Reflect, today, upon a life of true greatness. Reflect, especially, upon how you can live such a life. How can you more completely serve others? How can you make their holiness your primary goal? How can you help others grow in their love of God? Humble yourself and turn your eyes from yourself to others. Doing so will make an eternal difference for others and also for yourself. My exalted Lord, You are exalted far above all others. You are Greatness Itself. The life You lived, dear Lord, was one of the greatest humility. But it was in this humility that You accomplished the salvation of the world. Help me to imitate Your greatness by making the service of others my most central mission in life. I love you, my Lord. May I love and serve others with You. Jesus, I trust in You.

Full list of 60 red countries where travel is banned for holidays

Anyone hoping to jet away for some summer sunshine will have been keeping a close eye on the Government\"s travel updates.

The traffic light system - which categorises countries based on their coronavirus risk, among other factors - has been a useful tool when it comes to assessing risks of foreign travel.

In the last update to the traffic light travel system, which takes place every three weeks, the UAE, Qatar, India, and Bahrain all moved from red to amber, while Georgia and Mexico, plus the French overseas territories of Mayotte and La Réunion, moved in the other direction to join the red list.

Read more: London Underground weekend closures for August 21 and 22

No fewer than 60 countries are currently on the Government\"s red list, meaning travellers returning to England from these destinations will need to quarantine for 10 days in a Government-managed hotel.

On August 12, the Government hiked the price of hotel quarantine per adult from £1,750 to £2,285.

Germany, Austria, Norway, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia were added to the green list in the last update, taking the total number of green countries to 36.

16 of these, however, including popular holiday hotspots such as Croatia and the Caribbean Islands, are all on the green watchlist. This means they could move to amber at short notice.

And even if a country is on the Government's green list, it doesn't necessarily mean they're welcoming British tourists. New Zealand and Australia, for example, aren't allowing holidaymakers despite being considered green, so it's important to check before you travel.

France was also removed from the amber-plus list - a category initially made just for the country - meaning fully jabbed travellers returning to the UK need no longer quarantine.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says you shouldn't travel to red list countries or territories.

It advises against all but essential travel to these destinations based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks there.

Full list of 60 red countries

Here\"s a full list of the 60 current red list countries:

Afghanistan

Angola

Argentina

Bangladesh

Bolivia

Botswana

Brazil

Burundi

Cape Verde

Chile

Colombia

Congo (Democratic Republic)

Costa Rica

Cuba

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

Eritrea

Eswatini

Ethiopia

French Guiana

Georgia (moved to red list from 4am, August 8)

Guyana

Haiti

Indonesia

Kenya

Lesotho

Malawi

Green and amber listed holiday destinations revealed with latest deals

Travel restrictions are set to be eased in the UK following confirmation of Step 4 of the lockdown roadmap.

A number of foreign countries are being added to the Government\"s Green list and Amber list, which fully-vaccinated Brits can travel to and from without having to quarantine.

Various holiday companies are now offering huge deals with major savings to be had on breaks away: 

TUI - Save £100 on selected holidays with TUI - use code SUMMER in checkout

Jet2 - Summer 2021 trips start from just £35pp - see more here

easyJet - Deals from £219pp on selected holidays with 60pp deposits

OntheBeach - short haul breaks can be booked for £30pp

Loveholidays - Summer holidays start from just £90 per person

This article contains affiliate links, we may receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.Learn more

Maldives

Mayotte (moved to red list from 4am, August 8)

Mexico (moved to red list from 4am, August 8)

Mongolia

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nepal

Oman

Pakistan

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Réunion (moved to red list from 4am, August 8)

Rwanda

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Somalia

South Africa

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Tanzania

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Uganda

Uruguay

Venezuela