Physical Health

Fitness for Expats: Staving off the "Foreign 15" | Verge Magazine

Why staying fit should be part of your self-care plan to handle the stresses of expat living.

So you found the perfect volunteer abroad opportunity or got a job tutoring English to foreign movie stars. You have your passport, visa, all your vaccinations, matching luggage and you’re ready to go. Right?

Not so fast.

Unfortunately, the “foreign 15” can happen just as easily as the “freshman 15,” and that’s not what you meant when you told people you hope to “grow as a person” while overseas.

Have you given any thought as to how you will stay fit during your foreign foray? KEEP READING

Fitness for Your Faith | Aubree Hays

Everybody knows they should be healthier. But why does that matter? Why should you choose kale over ice cream when we all know ice cream tastes better? Its because your faith and fitness are completely intertwined. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” —John 10:10 READ MORE

Missionaries and Adrenal Fatigue | Sarita Hartz

Rarely as missionaries do we have a high value for taking care of our bodies because we’re too busy taking care of everyone else. Some people overseas seem to feel they earn gold stars based on how much abuse they’ve inflicted on their bodies to “sacrifice” for the cause. Or maybe deep down we believe the lie that God will be more pleased with us the more hardship we endure. The truth is God is already pleased with you. READ MORE

Is Physical Health a Spiritual Issue? | Tyler Huckabee

Embracing the concept of loving God with all our strength.

“After we’re done here, we’re gonna hold a little Bible Study.”

The man talking is Kelsey. He’s a good friend, a firefighter, and, at the moment, a personal trainer at my new gym. He’s also, apparently, a Bible study leader.

I haven’t been a member at the gym for an hour yet. I’m standing with about two dozen other members, all of us just finished with a morning workout. We’re heaving. Our hands rest on our shaky knees. Our excess clothing has been cast into sweaty piles around the gym. And our trainer is asking us to partake in a Bible study. I wouldn’t have been more surprised if he’d asked us to do a jig.

I’m skeptical, and I try to figure out why. I’m a Christian, after all. I go to Bible studies. I just don’t usually mix them with exercise.

“Nobody has to come,” Kelsey continues. “But we make it available for everyone. Our faith is an important part of why we do this.” KEEP READING

Helpful Hints to Improve your Sleep Hygiene | Alfred Sleep Disorders Centre, Melbourne

Sleep hygiene is a term used to describe your sleep habits. Below are a few suggestions which some people have found to be useful in improving their sleep hygiene, thereby enabling them to feel more alert while awake. KEEP READING

Are Physical Health and Spiritual Health Connected | Steven Grahmann

I didn’t feel motivated to do much of anything and felt like I was walking around in a constant haze. “I’ll do it later” became my unintentional mantra, especially when it came to things like reading the Bible or connecting with God in personal quiet times. Many of the things that used to bring me joy weren’t cutting it anymore. Basically, it was hard to engage, hard to listen, hard to pray, hard to interact with people and with Jesus.

Around that time, I was also becoming increasingly physically unhealthy...KEEP READING