Have you ever felt a knot or clenching in your stomach because you’re feeling anxious?
Or maybe you’ve felt a heaviness or pounding in your chest when you’re feeling trepidation or distress?
These are everyday examples of the mind-body connection, which is the link between your thoughts, feelings and your physical responses.
All physical responses, or symptoms, have an emotional element.
Emotions such as sadness, fear, jealousy, anger, resentment, and depression manifest within the body and contribute to imbalance and disease.
Constant worry and stress over life’s problems can cause headaches, pain, stomach issues, high blood pressure, and more.
Your mind and your body are intimately intertwined.
What exactly is the “mind”?
The mind is a part of your transcendent and intangible world of thoughts, emotions, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, and imagination.
Where does the brain fit in?
The brain is the physical organ associated with your mind and consciousness. It’s the hardware that allows consciousness to express itself in order for you to experience these mental states.
These mental states in your mind positively or negatively affect your biological functioning.
This occurs because the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems share a common chemical language.
This chemical language allows constant communication between the mind and body through hormones and neurotransmitters, which serve as the messengers.
Research shows that your brain produces different chemicals depending on your thoughts, feelings, and expectations.
What’s extraordinary is that while the mind is in relationship with the brain, it’s the brilliance of your mind that permeates your senses, every cell in your body, and your nervous system, thus what’s going on in your mind has tremendous power over all bodily systems.
Your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes you hold about yourself, and the world, affect your biological functioning and influence your mental and physical health.
The mind-body connection is multidirectional.
Emotional experiences affect both the way you behave and the physiology of your body.
In the other direction, your perception of these physical changes influences your emotions.
Good news!
You can use the mind-body connection to your advantage!
When you consciously try to maintain a positive outlook, regardless of your circumstances, you send signals to your brain, which in turn produces chemicals that boost your body’s healing power.
Love, Your Wellness Coach,
Alyssa
September 15, 2020
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