Health

The mind body connection

People are aware of taking care of their body, even if they don’t do it regularly. But this broad subject is one that has been instilled in us since we were little. You shouldn’t eat “bad” food and you need to be active. Everyone will tell you this, there’s no secret about it, everyone knows it. However, not everyone practises what they preach, and from acknowledging something to doing it goes a long way.

It also shouldn’t come as a surprise to you when I tell you that our mind and body are connected and that one affects the other constantly, and vice-versa. So, if you’re here because you want to work on your body or mind, know that you’ll be working on both.

The Mind-Body Connection: What is This All About?

You’ve probably heard of holistic health before. Holistic healing considers a person as a whole, body and mind together. It believes that to heal one, you cannot only focus on it, you need to consider every single part of you, and that includes your body and mind. If you’re struggling with chronic pain, for example, holistic healing believes you need to embrace and heal your mind too, because when they both come together, you’ll liberate yourself from blocks you didn’t even realise were there.

Another topic you’ve also probably heard of before is placebo. Placebo occurs when your mind (and in consequence, your body) is tricked into believing something is helping you, making you feel better, stronger, when in fact, there’s no proof it’s actually helping. Imagine being under the weather and taking pills many say don’t help, but you believe that they are helping you, therefore you get better. Placebo! Right there for you.

Either you decide to go with holistic healing or call it placebo, the fact is this connection is there. There’s no way to deny it. So, now, all there’s left to do is find a way or ways that will help you balance your mind and body connection.

What Can You Do to Work on One to Heal the Other?

Be Active!

Your body is screaming for activity and it really wants you to do your best by it. Being active means going out on a stroll, going shopping, walking your pet, going up the stairs - there are so many different ways of being active and people still get stuck with the idea of just going to the gym for an hour or two.

Your body will thank you for the time you spend moving it and your mind will reflect those same feelings. Have you heard of the happy hormones, also called endorphins? Yeah, they’re very much real! Being active leads to a happier mind. While you’re working on your body, you’re healing your mind. What else could you ask for?

Be Mindful!

Practising mindfulness and working on your mental health will, undoubtedly, help you deal with your body and any issues it might be facing. When we feel calm and at peace in our own mind, our body gets the message and it lets itself relax too. Just 5 minutes of being with yourself, mindful of your body and mind, every day will help you feel a lot lighter in the long run.

If you don’t know where to start, download an app or two, so you can have the guidance you’ll need at the beginning. You can also follow videos on YouTube; there are so many available with different approaches - just take your pick.

Slow Down...

Whatever it is you’re doing, it’s ok to slow down. Give your body and mind the time to catch up. Healing is a process that is different to everyone and you cannot rush it. Working on one part of yourself will help the other, it’ll help heal it, but you need time to reset everything. Don’t rush it, it’ll happen.

You now probably have a few ideas of what to do and what works best in your life, but I strongly recommend trying out yoga. It’s the perfect balance of our mind and body connection. We work on our body but at the same, on our mind. It helps you slow down, be more mindful and also take care of your body, all at once. It’s a simple activity that might look difficult at first, but I promise it’s not, and most importantly, it’ll help you on your journey.

So, What Now?

Now, you have time. Take the time you and your body need to adjust to something new. There are no deadlines; you are the one making the rules. Whatever it is you decide to do or start with, it’s something that will work for you only. Take a deep breath and go, you’re almost there!

Rebecca is a translator by day, and a traveler mostly at night. She is an expert on living with jet lag – and packing in tiny suitcases. Her stressful lifestyle has taught her the importance of de-stressing and staying mindful, and writing about living a better life forces her to keep at it even on the worst days. She writes for Auralia.

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