To be well, we need to attend to the mind and the body. Most of us know that our emotional or mental state affects our physical health and vice versa.
We know that if we are stressed, we are more likely to catch the flu or tummy bugs, to get headaches, muscular tension or overeat and if we get an injury or gain so much weight that we can't exercise as usual, we might start to feel depressed or irritable.
Our mind-body sensations and functions are interdependent. If we neglect one, we jeopardise the other.
Unfortunately, most of us tend to neglect both.
There's a growing number of Westerners who are overweight, sedentary and stressed.
Those of us who do take time to eat nutritiously and exercise, are still often overworked, anxious or stressed.
Our habit is to ignore these imbalances until they cause illness or pain.
The concept of mind-body interdependence has existed for thousands of years, going by the ancient yogic sutras or teachings, but in the Western world, during the 17th century, we began to view the mind and body as two distinct entities.
The body was treated like a machine with replacable, independent parts, which had no connection to mind.
This is not to say that modern Western medicine isn't valid (mostly as ''the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff'').
However, if we want to live well, we need to integrate a more holistic approach to our health, to invest more time on preventive medicine, on wellness.
Thanks to new research, we now have scientific proof that mind-body are inseparable.
Brain, peripheral nervous system, endocrine system, organs, muscles, connective tissue, emotional responses, thoughts, all share a chemical language and communicate with each other.
To embrace the idea of wellbeing we need to;
•address mental stressors, not just work-related, but our ability to address old emotional injuries and negative mental patterns that create stress.
Engaging with electronic equipment is relevant here too.
Although we might think we're relaxing by sitting on the couch like a blob, we are actually wasting away in our muscular body, stagnating our circulation, confusing our circadian rhythm, overstimulating our nervous system late at night, with smartphones glowing by our pillows or watching screens before we go to sleep, depleting our physical and mental reserves.
•address physical stressors, eat nutritious whole food and exercise regularly.
It is time to take this knowledge and use it to empower ourselves, to deal with physical or mental/emotional issues, to prevent imbalances, to improve our health, to be well.
-Gemma Carroll is a Dunedin yoga teacher and massage therapist. www.akashawell.com.
