Mind-Body Musings

The mind-body connection has become such a worn out talking point that its integrity, and perhaps worse, it’s tangibility, have become compromised. You may be wondering, what even is the mind-body connection?

The inextricable link between our emotions and physiology is so self-evident, that it can be easily overlooked. For the stumped, or perhaps doubtful in our midst, here are some concrete examples of the dynamic interplay between our mind and body:

- Heart rate increasing during a public presentation

- Feeling “butterflies’ in one’s stomach on a first date

- Becoming aroused while reading a playbook magazine

All the above are examples of the ways our thoughts metamorphose into emotions, which can cause a ripple of physical manifestations. It’s also a testament to how exquisitely sensitive we are to our environment, and how our bodies instantly calibrate to whichever situation we may find ourselves in. This attunement between headspace and physiology served our ancestors well, as sensing a perceived threat prepares the body for action.

Unfortunately, our biology has not evolved swiftly enough to adapt to our vastly changing environment. While we do not have threats such as tigers chasing us, modern society is chock full of stressors such as complex social dynamics, financial duress, relationship problems, and the list endlessly stretches on. In this way, our emotional systems have become hijacked, and many people unwittingly experience chronic stress. As living life in strain has become the rule rather than the exception for many, people may be oblivious to the reality that they are constantly stressed. After all, how can you detect chronic stress if stress is your default state?

It is no secret that the hamster wheel of chronic stress bears a devastating toll on physical health in the long-term. But extending beyond the negative, what about positive emotions? Can they make a dent in physical health?

Emerging research suggests that positive emotions can elevate not only our minds and moods, but also our physical health.

Here are but a few examples:

· A 2017 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that increased optimism was associated with a significant reduction in risk of mortality due to cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and infection.

· A 2005 study discovered that higher levels of curiosity were associated with diminished likelihood of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and that higher levels of hope were linked with reduced likelihood of broad-scale disease development.

· A 2012 investigation launched by the Good Science Center found that participants who kept an online gratitude journal for two weeks reported fewer headaches, less stomach pain, clearer skin, and reduced congestion.

What madness underlies this magic?

Of course, correlation is not causation. And after all, people who experience compromised health and a disadvantaged social stature are understandably less likely to smile into the sunset singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Yet, could it be that positive emotions act as nutrients coursing through our veins? The jury may still be out on this one, but perhaps the tentative takeaway is that we should don more holistic lenses. While it is important to care for oneself by being physically active and consuming nutritious foods, we should pay commensurate heed to our emotional diets. Doing so will nourish our well-being, and perhaps have dividends for our physical health, too.

While it is far simpler to conceptualize the mind and body as separate entities, the truth is that the two are inseparable. While this reality is far more complex, it is also more exciting. And so, for anyone on a quest for better health, remember that healing is rendered incomplete if it does not address mind, body and spirit.