The Mind Body Connection
Introduction:
As a Physical Therapist who practices Functional Manual Therapy and being part of a Wellness Center, I work with many patients who have chronic illnesses and chronic pain. Chronic diseases are becoming more common eg cancer, heart disease, auto immune disease, diabetes, mental illness to name but a few.
We live in a very fast paced society and along with this comes increased stress.
As I look at my patients in a holistic manner I am aware that stress plays a huge role in our physical wellbeing and needs to be addressed as part of treatment.
Historically the mind body connection was rejected by academic medicine, but now modern science and the use of MRI’s, has proved that the mind has the power to heal. Now we can understand these concepts and apply them to clinical care by taking a more integrative approach.
We know that when the mind is tense the body is tense, when the mind is happy the body is happy. The body is always responding to the core of ourselves and at a very cellular level. The mind is not separate from the body.
The brain is like a central messaging center sending and receiving electrical and chemical messages all over the body. The communication between mind and body is very significant. The brain connects directly with receptor sites on the surface of immune cells designed for fighting disease and has a direct connection to our bodies first line of defense.The gut is now sometimes called the second brain because it has connections to the brain and also works independently influencing behavior.
Looking at stress is a great way to see how the mind influences the body. Imagine walking through a jungle and coming across a hungry tiger. We automatically activate our fight or flight response which is there to save our lives and respond to the perceived threat. Our heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate and production of sugars and fats all increase, our blood thickens, there is increased activation of sweat and increased activation in our brain. If we have a lot of stress in our lives we remain in this state placing a lot of physiological wear and tear on our systems. Many of my patients develop chronic pain states from chronic inflammation created by this response. When we internalize stress it can also manifest as pain in the body.
Learning to manage stress in our lives becomes a very important part of managing chronic illness.
The opposite to the stress response is the relaxation response. When we learn to evoke this response, and do it daily, we produce physiological changes in our body that help us heal from chronic disease.
There are many ways to create the relaxation response. Yoga, meditation, breath work, prayer, to name a few.
Meditation is an extremely powerful way to reduce stress and stay calm. It breaks the train of every day thinking allowing us to become more inwardly aware and focus on the present moment. As we meditate there is a calming of the brains activity and we feel more peaceful. It allows us to be more aware of how we are reacting to our environment, be more mindful of our responses and helps to reduce stress in our lives.
Here is a way to start working with meditation. Find a quiet place to sit, with few outside distractions. Get into a comfortable position that minimizes muscular tension. Close your eyes and have a key word or mantra to dwell on, or bring awareness to your breath, to give the mind something to focus on, so your attention doesn’t wander. Try to have a passive attitude allowing the body and mind to relax more fully. When distracting thoughts occur do not pay attention to them. Return to repeating your mantra. Do not worry whether you are successful or not. Maintain a passive attitude and let relaxation occur at its own pace. Do 5-10 minutes each day or whenever you are feeling tense or upset.
Simple changes can have such a powerful impact, helping us heal from disease and live healthier and more meaningful lives
Alison Palmer
Physical Therapist
Functional Manual Therapist
For further information go to www.alisonpalmerpt.com or to schedule an appointment please contact Alison Palmer at Alison Palmer Physical Therapy and Wellness Center 728 1135. We are located in the Cimarron Lodge at the bottom of lift 7. Wellness is the full integration of mind, body and spirit. We look forward to helping you towards a healthier life.