Mind Body Medicine...What is it and do I need it??

Mind Body Medicine is a technique we can learn to use for relaxation, repair, healing, and reset of all of our mind and body systems. It is something anyone can do and it really just involves taking a little time to be present, to pay attention, to be in the moment with ourselves, and to do it without judgement.

We spend most of our days rushing about and we do not take time to just shut down the input of the world. Without taking this time for our bodies and our brains reset, bad things can happen, including development or worsening of mood disorders, immune dysfunction, disease processes, pain syndromes, weight gain, sleep problems and gastrointestinal illnesses. The statistics below highlight some common ailments significantly impacted by stress:

Mental Illness- Anxiety is the most common Mental Illness in the US. Since the beginning of Covid, anxiety and depression rates have increased by 25% and nearly 1/3 of all adolescents suffer from anxiety.

Hypertension-47% of US adults have high blood pressure.

Digestive diseases-Irritable bowel, Reflux, Chron's, Ulcerative Colitis are all increasing.

Obesity-Almost 1/2 of Adults and 1/3 of Kids are over weight or obese.

Sleep-1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep

So yes, we do need to learn to relax and Mind Body Medicine can help.

Breathwork -Biofeedback -Autogenic training -Guided imagery-

Hypnosis -Progressive Muscle Relaxation

One of my personal favorites is Breathwork...

Breathing is the only function you can perform consciously as well as unconsciously.

You can choose to breath fast or breath slow when you are awake or "conscious", and when you are asleep or "unconscious" you continue breathing without having to think about it. Most of us never take the time to think about this amazing involuntary mechanism that works 24 hours, 7 days a week to provide us with the oxygen that we need to keep us alive!

Breath is the bridge between the voluntary and involuntary systems.

By voluntarily controlling your breath you can learn connect to the involuntary part of your brain that allows for relaxation. With practice you can more easily be in that space of calm that allows for healing.

Breathing has direct connections to emotional states and moods.

When you look at someone who is angry or afraid, they are breathing rapidly, shallow, noisy and irregular. In contrast, if you breath deep and slow and regular and quiet you are calm, you would find it very difficult to feel angry or upset. So, learning to control your breath can help control your emotions. This is a great tool to teach children to help calm them when they are upset.

Breathwork is easily learned and is an amazing tool you can use daily to treat a variety of conditions including anxiety, panic, obesity, hypertension, GI issues, difficulty sleeping and more.

There are a variety of resources available for breathwork.

I would suggest you find one you like and do it twice a day. You will initially feel the effect of relaxation and with continued practice you will really begin to be able to see and feel the benefits of allowing yourself to be in this healing space.

In addition to helping with the ailments listed above, you will also find benefit in using it on an as needed basis for things like a mid day argument with an coworker, a frustrating day with the kids, or difficulty falling asleep.

Below is a link to an instructional video on 4-7-8 Breathing. Give it a try!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8fjYPC-k2k