Looking at the science of health when we may not always feel well emotionally is perhaps one of the most important topics in Holistic Medicine today. Putting into context the physiological response to our thought process is what we are hoping to explore in this particular writing, but how can we talk and explain this in clear, plain terms? Our thought processes can either heal or debilitate. This is one of the first points that we have to start out with. It bears repeating that the way we think and talk to ourselves makes all of the difference in terms of healing and wellness. Consistent negative internal verbal reinforcements, brings about a state of ill health and keeps the cellular healing process from fully taking place and doing their job.
How A Supportive Community Heals and Brings Connection.
In her book, Mind Over Medicine, Dr. Lissa Rankin discusses and brings to the forefront the importance of being connected to a supportive community. This is especially important when someone feels alone in their health and wellness journey and also when they don’t feel supported in their home if they live with others who choose to live a different health path. Isolation and loneliness are usually the first reasons why many people give up on taking better care of themselves, so taking the appropriate steps to being connected can make all of the difference in the world.
In the right setting a supportive community provides just the right amount of emotional healing by supporting and maintaining healthy endorphins. This helps with cutting back on the internal fight or flight stress responses- acting as a major mind-body connector. Even in a recent study, it was shown that those with the most meaningful social connections were found to have the lowest rates of various types of cancers. Finding the support that you need may be the missing piece in someone’s wellness plan. Which brings us to the core point: learning to relax, the ability to manage stress, makes for better outcomes in the end. Overthinking or consistent negative thinking can mean we are experiencing a mind-body disconnection.
Reconnecting The Connection.
The key is to ignite and contact- stimulate the hypothalamus area of the brain to trigger the relaxation response to turn off the mental ‘alarm switch’ that triggers stress, fatigue, insomnia, high blood pressure and metabolic diseases such as angina pectoris, cardiac arrythmias, allergies, asthma, chronic cough, arthritis, back aches and etc.; – they are all connected to managing the relaxation response. Visualizing healthy avoidance of these health imbalances is crucial. Dr. Herbert Benson (the author of The Relaxation Response) listed some main points to maintaining regular relaxation response skills and steps:
- Repeating regular dhikrs, mantras, or phrases from your belief system.
- Keeping a quiet posture.
- Inducing body scan relaxation.
- Slowing the breathing.
- Remaining in a place of non-judgement.
- Keeping the appropriate timing (at a minimum of 20 minutes).
These are the actionable steps to making the connection with Mind-Body treatments; this is now going into the era of the New Medicine. We have spoken at length in previous writings about this; and now you are presented with the ways to build on your Holistic plan, whether you are focusing on your nutrition plan or your exercise regimen. Understanding that our mind is not separate from our bodies gives us a system of working through our wellness with better understanding.
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©-Copywritten Material.
-Dr. David K. Scott N.D.; CHNP.
*Take a deeper dive with your health and wellness and get your copy of ‘Spark of Life’, written by Dr. Scott. ‘Spark of Life’ takes you on a journey of true Naturopathic healing that addresses our state of nutrition, movement, and mindset, all the while offering concrete solutions that you can apply to your life the first day you read it. Get your copy today.
NATURES' FIRST PATH: HOlISTIC MEDICINE. 