Trying to be that superman or superwoman to everyone around us is exhausting. Right?
What happens when we sacrifice so much of ourselves that we literally run out of gas?
We get sick – but you knew that already. For creatures with the ability to reason, we can sure paint ourselves into this sickness and fatigue corner. We can also get ourselves right back out. All it takes is a little work to bring some balance back to your Life and feel better.
Interested?
So what is going on behind the scenes of our bodies with these hectic lifestyles we are trying to support?
To keep it simple, we have a brain as part of a nervous system that is connected to every organ and cell of the body. (Yes, I said cells.) There is a two-way traffic pattern of communication from the brain to the body and vice versa. This conversation goes on during every moment of life. We can, however, alter some of this communication by what we do and think. Here’s how.
Science has developed an entire area of study of this communication called psychoneuroimmunology. What that big word means is that the doctors are studying how the body and mind work together – and how they don’t.
What scientists are finding is that the body and mind are much more closely linked in their functions than originally thought.
High stress levels in one’s lifestyle produce measureable changes in the workings of the body. For example, hormones, an important variety of messengers of the body, are altered and produce different functions in a variety of organs under high stress situations over long periods of time. This changes the organ function and we begin to see diseases like Type II Diabetes and cardiovascular disease starting to develop.
Stress also directly impacts the functioning of the immune system. If the immune system is compromised due to stress, that little cold bug that going around the office can suddenly become a certainty. Once we get sick, we then (hopefully) get the rest and take care of ourselves. Afterwards, we feel better. My suggestion is to do those things to take care of ourselves and skip the getting sick part.
Another important concept that scientists are observing is the role of inflammation in both the body and the brain itself.
Inflammation of body tissues are often attributed to lifestyle factors. The consumption (or over consumption, when we talk about the typical American diet) of refined sugars, starches and even trans fats. These substances contribute to an irritation of internal organs and blood vessels. This eventually leads to poor functioning of these organs and resulting in gradual breakdown until organ failure.
While separated from the rest of the body by a pretty strict “blood-brain barrier”, the brain is not immune to altered function due to inflammation. There is now a generally accepted diagnosis of Type III Diabetes as related to Alzheimer’s disease. Exclusive to the brain, the tissues become more resistant to insulin, the hormone responsible for delivering sugar energy to organ tissues. If insulin can’t deliver it’s payload of glucose (a type of sugar used by cells to produce energy) to the cells, the brain begins to die – one cell at a time.
Okay. Enough with all of that chilling information. What can we do?
The solution resides right between your ears. Making some well-considered decisions to change is all you need to start.
We are talking habits here (and habits take time to change but change they can), so we start with simple steps. The big changes will happen over time.
- Lower stress wherever and whenever you can. “Follow your bliss”, as Joseph Campbell advised us. Do some things that make you feel better and relax. If you are like many of my patients, you don’t really do fun things for yourself, so now is a great time to develop some relaxing interests. Read a book, have bath, go for a walk – it doesn’t matter. Just as long as you enjoy it and you unplug from the day’s stressors for 30 minutes each day.
- Think positive. Science is showing us that an affirmative attitude strengthens the body and a negative attitude weakens it. Find the humor in things – there is plenty of it around us.
- Eat more food that has received little or no processing. Processing removes much of the nutrition from food and leaves behind the type of substances that irritate our bodily systems.
- Make a personal commitment to change your Life. You are the only one responsible for making those numerous decisions every day that directly impact your Health. Change starts with just the first step.
Reconnecting with who you are, and what you do, can help make you feel mentally and physically better. All we can do with what Life gives us is choose how we respond. And you may want to reconsider your choice of trying to be the superhuman who is everything to everyone. Maybe you just need to scale it back a bit and take care of yourself for a change. You are certainly worth the effort and you have the power of make it happen.
“A sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ.” – John Steinbeck
References and additional reading
http://www.apa.org/monitor/dec01/anewtake.aspx
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Psychoneuroimmunology.aspx
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