The Mind/Body Connection
Ruth Miller, Special to the Gazette
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Shape Up, Emporia!, is a weekly fitness and health column aimed at readers of all ages to get off the couch and get into shape. Each week will feature a fitness, health or nutrition professional from around the area who will share some friendly tips on how to improve your overall health. Our goal is to make getting in shape fun and easy to fit into your existing lifestyle and daily routine.
By Ruth Miller
Special to The Gazette
You can hardly pick up a magazine and not see the phrase “The Mind Body Connection” or something related to that topic. Whether you have thought about that regarding your own body, there is enough information out there to support this concept . The mind and body are very much connected — mentally, emotionally, and physically. That is the premise of this article and that nourishing the mind …... in turn nourishes the body.
So how does one go about nourishing the mind? I am so glad that you asked!
Mentally
Have you heard the term “you are what you think”? How we think affects our actions and in turn affects how we feel and how our bodies respond to things.
Do you find yourself mentally tired and overstimulated? Is your mind cluttered with things you have or need to do? We all have stressors, interruptions, and distractions in our life. It may be that you need to cut back on some things that you are currently involved in. Learning to say “no” instead of always saying “yes” can be one of the most freeing things to do for you mentally.
As a trainer, I hear people say “I just don't have time to exercise.” We all have the same amount of time. There are exceptions of course depending on work and other extenuating circumstances. But much of not having enough time is really about our inability or unwillingness to prioritize.
Think about what is important to you —a nd then change the way you think.
Prioritize — make sure that the things you decide are important are at the top of the list.
Let go of activities or commitments that keep you from doing the things you need do to.
Stay focused — you have your priorities now — keep them.
Emotionally
Our emotions are so affected by what we think and by what we feel. This in turn also affects us physically. Life experiences and stressors play a huge part in our mental and physical well being.
A couple of years ago, my husband and I had three of our parents pass away within a ten month period. That was probably one of the hardest years of my life. My mental, emotional, and physical tank was empty.
Many of you reading this article have experienced similar reactions from grief or other emotional upheavals. When we are overly stressed, we may block out how we feel.
Give yourself some slack. If you are feeling numb or lethargic from life experiences or trauma maybe that is necessary for a period. However, during this time you need some emotional nourishment.
Do some things that you like to do or that give you pleasure. Right now mentally list three things that bring you pleasure. If you can't think of three things, you have some brain storming to do. It is time to indulge! It doesn't matter what it is, because it should be what you enjoy. Remember your “feel good tank” is low or may even be on empty—that is not good for your body!
Allow yourself to be “present in the moment”. Sometimes we get so focused thinking about things we need to do, that we miss the joys of right now. Being present is such a simple thing to do but it is not an easy thing to do. I am guilty of this myself but do try to practice this throughout the day.
Allow yourself to feel your emotions. We can be so good at hiding our emotions that we do not allow ourselves to feel them. Blocked emotions can lead to physical illness and disease. When is the last time you laughed so hard that you almost cried? Laughing and even crying can be a great release. You can be creative here but I think you get the idea.
Physically
I would like to ask how do you view being physical? So many of us think that we have to “work out” hard to get any physical benefit. Or that we depend on the endorphin high that can come from a workout. I would like to suggest another way to view being physical.
Try a mind/body class such as Yoga, Pilate’s, Ta i Chi, Martial Art or any other modality that is considered Mind/Body. I for one have practiced Tae Kwon Do for years and have been involved or taught Yoga and Pilate's. If you have participated in any of these, you know the value of connecting the mind to body during the exercise. In some of the mind/body modalities there are relaxation periods during the session.
Allow yourself to FEEL what you are doing when you exercise such as strength training or aerobic activity For example — when you do an arm exercise such as a bicep curl, key in to what the muscle is feeling. Be sure you are feeling it in that muscle and not so much in the joint. If you are not thinking about what you are doing, you can do too much and even get hurt. Pain is an indicator that something is wrong. Strength training should be mental. When you are working on your body, it is definitely a time you need to key in to what you are feeling. Same thing with aerobic activity such as running, walking, cycling — ( any physical activity that increases your heart rate). If you are walking or running you should notice your stride or gait. Is there any pain in your foot or other joint. Proper body mechanics may need to be addressed. You will get the most benefit out of your time spent if you do this — be mindful. Remember the mind/body connection — your body may be trying to tell your mind something is wrong but you aren't listening.
Massage:This is a great way to nourish the mind. There are physiological principals at work during a massage. It feels good for a reason. It is evident that the mind and body are so connected during a massage. Your mind and your body are allowed to relax. You may find yourself going to sleep during a massage or going into a deep restful state. It is a great way to nourish the mind and body at the same time.
We have just made it through the holiday season and are at the end of the year. This a good time for reflection. The older I get I find that the things that really matter in life or that are important to me, are few. It is easy to get caught up in many things that don't really matter in the end. Time is a precious thing that we may be giving away too freely. Assess what is important to you and take the time do it!
In closing I would like to do a little mindful exercise with you. Just humor me, okay? I have done this in group and individual settings and the response is normally positive. It helps if you can do this without any distractions or noise. This may not be possible but is preferable. Shhhh....... It is time to QUIET the mind.
First of all close your eyes, after reading this of course, and take a couple of deep breaths. Notice how you feel. Now take another deep breath but slow it down and count to 4 as you inhale and count to 4 as you exhale, allowing your inhalation to match the exhalation. Do this 4 more times but each time count slower. If you are really brave, try doing this with no thought as to how many breaths you complete. This is really good in bed to encourage going to sleep.
There is an amazing physiological response that should take place when you do this deep breathing exercise. It should help to quiet your mind and calm your body. If the thought of what I just suggested makes you nervous or seems to weird, I understand but I still want to encourage you to try it.
Remember “nourishing the mind nourishes the body.” What a deal!
Comments
Post a comment
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. Our goal with this feature is to encourage thoughtful discussions about the news stories. Using the comment feature to make random attacks on people is not acceptable. Emporiagazette.com neither endorses nor guarantees the accuracy of any user contribution. Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
(Requires free registration.)