According to The Florida Medical Clinic:
The mind-body connection is the link between a person’s thoughts, attitudes, behaviors, and their physical health.
That is to say, there is a link between what we think, and our physical health.
How?
Imagine that a bear has just walked into the room.
Is your body going to keep behaving the way it was before you saw the bear?
Unless this bear is an old friend of yours, probably not.
Most likely, your heart rate will increase, your eyes will dilate, and your liver will start breaking up glycogen so you could get up and sprint away.
But, if a puppy walks into the room, your body will respond very differently.
So what is the difference?
The difference is how you perceive both events. Your brain processes every situation that you are in, and tells your body how it should respond.
Your brain puts your body into fight or flight when it sees a bear, because you believe (rightly) that a bear may harm or kill you.
But if you don’t believe that a puppy is dangerous, your body will not respond to it as a threat.
Why is this important?
By recognizing the mind-body connection, we can change the way our body acts by changing how we perceive the world around us.
Ideas and beliefs play an essential part in the healing process. Health and wellness are not just about what chemicals go in and what chemicals come out. Healthy beliefs heal the body as well as the mind.
There is no one way to do this. You need to find what is most helpful for you, but here are a couple of suggestions to get you started:
- Go deeply into your spiritual practices.
- Pick up a book on self love.
- Try to surround yourself with media that inspires you.
Whatever you choose, remember, it all starts with opening your heart and mind to the process.
This blog is an excerpt from a group visit Emily Spring, PA-C hosted with patients who are part of our MaxWell Care program. Our group visits (available only to our MaxWell Care patients) are designed to change your life and supercharge your health.
If you have questions about MaxWellCare and how to join please click here to learn more or call us at 615-370-0091. We’d love to help you Maximize your Wellness!
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