Take a Nap to Reduce Stress - and Protect Your Heart

Dr. Cherry



Not many of us have the luxury to take a midday snooze. But perhaps we should make a better effort. Taking time for a nap during the day could actually reduce our risk of death from heart disease, most likely by lowering stress levels. That's what researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and Greece's University of Athens Medical School recently found.

According Dimitrios Trichopoulos, M.D., whose study appeared in the February 12, 2007, issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, his research stemmed from the observation that heart disease death rates are lower in Mediterranean and Latin American countries where midday siestas are part of the culture.

"The siesta is a victim of progress. Most of us aren't in the position to take a daily nap," he says. "But our research suggests that the practice could help protect the heart, and we need further studies to find out if this really is the case."

For the study, Dr. Trichopoulos and his colleagues enrolled nearly 23,700 residents of Greece with no history of heart disease, stroke or cancer and followed them for an average of 6.3 years. After controlling for other heart disease risk factors, such as diet and physical activity levels, the researchers concluded that people who took naps at least three times a week for an average of at least 30 minutes were 37 percent less likely to die of heart disease than people who did not take regular naps. Less frequent nappers had a 12 percent reduction in heart disease mortality. Also, it appeared that working men benefited more from taking naps as compared to men who were retired, suggesting that the stress-lowering effects of napping may explain their findings, according the researchers.

Of course, this study is only one of many explanations for why fewer Greeks than Americans die from heart attacks and strokes. Dr. Trichopoulos' prior research has already helped establish the cardio-protective benefits of the traditional Mediterranean diet, which is low in red meats and rich in fruits, vegetables, beans and grains.

For more information on Dr. Cherry's ministry, visit his Web site: http://www.AbundantNutrition.com

Play to Win

Kenneth Copeland

"Who is he that over cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5)

I've often heard people say, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." That's nonsense. If you play the game right, you'll win!

Any coach will tell you that part of playing the game right is having a winning attitude. That's what God wants us, as believers, to have. He wants us to have so much faith in Him that we expect to whip any obstacle the devil brings our way. He wants us to expect to win at the game of life.

We don't always come by that attitude easily. We're so accustomed to losing that we have to totally change our way of thinking if we want to have a winning mind-set. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul told the Church to renew their minds. They needed to change their attitudes, to renew their minds to the fact that Jesus has overcome the world.

If you haven't already, you need to do that too! You need to develop a glorious sense of confidence that says, "Hey, devil, I'm going to be victorious and there's not a thing you can do to stop me!"

"But, Brother Copeland, you don't know the kinds of problems I'm facing."

I know I don't, but Jesus does and He said you should "cheer up" because He can give you peace in the midst of tribulation. He said that when Satan comes against you with everything he has, you should take heart because He's already beaten it-- Jesus has already overcome it and so can you!

First John 5:5 puts it this way, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Do you know what that scripture means? It means that if you are a born-again believer, you have an absolute right to be a winner, to overcome every aspect of this evil world. Think about that. Meditate on it. Start developing a winning attitude today!

Scripture Study: Romans 8:29-39