Mind over Matter… Really?
We’ve all heard it before… “its just in your head”. A lot of times it stems from getting a sense that something is wrong, but having no real or tangible basis for that sentiment. Or, maybe you’ve been working out with someone and you hit a wall. You feel like you can’t push any further, it’s too much weight, or your heart is beating so fast you think it might explode. Realistically, you could probably lift the weight at least one time, your heart isn’t going to explode if you do that last uphill wind sprint. Your workout buddy, does the “right” thing, and says, “Mind over matter, friend. You got this!”. If you are like me, you look at them totally sideways, and start evaluating the entire friendship.
How true is that statement, really? Can I, with the power of my mind, will my body to do things it is truly incapable of doing? Obviously, I can’t will my body to fly, unless I’m in an airplane or some other piece of equipment designed for that. Why? Because God didn’t intend for us to fly. He gave that privilege to the birds, bees, and butterflies. No matter how “in shape” I am, my body just doesn’t fly. That is ok. I can will my body to get out of bed when I really want to sleep in, but what happens when my mind doesn’t want to get out of bed? Chances are our body will get up and get us where we need to be, because we “have to”. It tells the body when to breathe. Without the mind, we wouldn’t know when we are in pain. Damaging parts of our brain can cause loss of speech, the ability to move our limbs, and changes in our sight.
We are well aware of the fact that the brain requires certain hormones/ chemicals that help to balance our moods, and, therefore, our emotions. What happens when our bodies are out of sync for one reason or another? All too often, we think of mental illness as solely a “brain” issue. But just like God spent a lot of time creating the spirit of man, it can be assumed He spent just as much time creating our bodies. Every function in our body is supported by or supports another function of the body. The nervous system tells the body what to do and when to do it. The nervous system tells the body to breathe, triggering the respiratory system. The respiratory system oxygenates our blood, and the circulatory system sends it to every part of the body and back to the lungs for replenishment. If our lungs are compromised, we struggle to get proper levels of oxygen, if the issue is not resolved quickly, over time, our brain function will deteriorate due to the lack of oxygen in the blood circulating throughout our body.
Also circulating throughout our bodies: hormones, also known as neurotransmitters. Serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, melatonin and cortisol are all hormones supporting different functions of the brain and their balance or imbalance can be indicative of your overall brain health. Imbalances in these neurotransmitters can lead to mood swings, and even cause mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders.
According to UPMC Healthbeat article from September 2016, by Neurology, they can also be the cause of other diseases such as autism, and Parkinson’s.
It is believed that you can work to maintain the balance of the brain chemicals and hormones to some extent through a balanced diet, limiting stress, and regular exercise. It is important that on your journey to Mental Stability, you never lose sight of the fact that taking care of your body is just as important as seeking help to manage your emotions.
What can you do?
See a doctor for a complete physical. Have them check your thyroid/ hormone levels.
If cleared by the doctor, start a regular workout routine. Make sure you push yourself for results, but stay mindful of your own abilities.
Work toward balancing your diet. Change one meal and one snack per day to something more healthy than before.
Log the food you eat, and your activity as well as your moods in a journal. Review it regularly to identify trends.
Things to look out for:
Replacing one addiction for another. (Working out excessively, drastically changing your diet to the point of obsession)
Look for trends of overeating related to changes in your mood.
Identify “go-to” foods. Unhealthy foods you eat when you are in a bad mood.
Identify high-calorie/ high fat foods with little or no true nutrients, and find healthier substitutes.
Working toward overall mental stability is difficult with an unhealthy body. So many of the diseases plaguing our society right now could be prevented with a healthy diet and consistent exercise. In your free time, research the side effects of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension. Also of equal importance, research the side effects of the medications used to treat them. You might find depression to be amongst both. When working towards mental stability, we must understand that it is critical to our whole being to tend to our flesh with as much effort as our emotions and Spirit.
Schedule a physical as soon as possible!
