The Mind/Body

Portland Japanese Garden

Can we use the mind to feel better physically? 

Even though the mind and body are usually talked about as independent things, the mind and body are integrated and inseparable. This is obvious when we experience something stressful. Our mind recognizes a threat, then that trigger sets off a surge of responses within the body, like an increase in heart rate, and sweating. Another example of the mind-body connection is when we laugh. Something is funny to us, we laugh, and it triggers the body to boost chemicals that cause us to feel good, like endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. We experience the connection all the time.

The American healthcare system generally acknowledges the mind-body as connected, but physicians are separated by specialty, making it more difficult to get treatment for both the mind and whole body together. General practitioners refer patients to specialists all the time. We usually can’t even see a specialist without a referral from another doctor. A patient winds up office hopping from one doctor to another when the patient is one individual being. The separate divisions in healthcare makes it difficult for most of us to think of the mind-body as one unit working together. 

However complex the healthcare system is, it’s clear that the mind and body simply always work together. No thoughts go unheard by the body. Whatever thoughts or feelings we have can trigger physical responses. The mind is also affected by sensations and feedback from the body. The mind-body connection is bidirectional.

While we may not have a lot of control over every thought or every physical response, we can choose new thoughts. We can choose to nourish our mind-body with relaxation, exercise, healthy foods, meditation, mental health practices, and healthy choices. 

It’s up to us as independent individuals to make sure our health habits are integrated for a healthy and strong mind-body. 

If you’d like more information about how to set healthy goals for your health practices, learn about setting healthy goals here. If you’d like to learn more about how you can reduce the stress in your life, take our 30 Days to Lower Stress Course. 

Resources

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/endorphins-the-brains-natural-pain-reliever 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/navigating-cancer/202203/is-the-mind-body-connection-real