Mastering your Mind-Body Connection
It has never been more important to understand the role your 'Mind Body Connection' plays towards your health and wellness journey. For so long people thought the best way to gain optimal health was by dieting and exercise but we are now seeing this is just not enough. A crucial element many have missed is the importance of our mental and emotional health and how this impacts not only our mind but also our physical body.
'The Mind Body Connection' also known as the 'Gut Brain Connection' refers to the relationship between your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and your physical health. This means your thoughts have a direct impact on your physical health and your physical health can influence your thoughts.
This connection is supported by scientific evidence and can be seen in various ways, such as the impact of stress on the immune system or the link between depression and chronic pain and even the impact our gut microbiome has on our brain. Making sure we work on a positive mind-body connection is crucial for the success of our whole health and wellness journey.
The 'Gut Brain Connection' is a communication pathway between our gut and our brain, its part of our central nervous system known as the 'vagus nerve'. Through this pathway, the gut and the brain can communicate with each other. Studies have found that the gut brain connection is involved in regulating mood, behaviour, and even cognitive function. Disruptions to this connection have been linked to various physical and emotional health conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and anxiety disorders. This is why maintaining a healthy gut by consuming a balanced diet and reducing stress at the same time, will positively impact both the gut and the brain.
Have you ever noticed when you are feeling anxious, nervous or stressed you can sense a funny feeling in your gut? It could be just a small sensation or even nausea. This feeling builds up within our gut and the mounting anxiety sends that information to our brain through the 'Vagus pathway'. If we are having troubling mental thoughts that cause as to become consumed and worried, our brain will eventually send these signals to our gut. It can become an ongoing rollercoaster within us that puts a strain our physical and mental health.
When this tension going through the 'Vagus Pathway' is ongoing and frequent it can have many negative affects.
Affecting our whole digestive system
The natural flow of processing foods
Our bowel function
Our food and life choices
Our mood (anxiety, depression)
Brain activity
Cognitive function
Memory & Learning
Our gut and brain are connected more then you think and they have a huge influence on each other. In fact, our brain is home to 100 million neurons that influence our bodies behaviour, yet our gut is actually home to 500 million neurons that are connected to our brain through the vagus nerve.
Its important to note 95% of serotonin (the feel good hormone) and 50% of dopamine (the bliss hormone) are created in the gut. Can you now see why the saying 'your gut feeling' should be taken very literally?
There are many things we can do from health and lifestyle perspective to support our 'Mind Body Connection':
Working on your diet
Reducing processed foods
Repairing your relationship with food
Introducing body movement & exercise
Meditating and breathing exercises
Improving your sleep
These are some of the main practices that support this connection.
What's important to remember is that health is more than just about the way you look. How you feel from the inside plays an integral role in the success of your health journey. Feeling energised, happy, vibrant and confident are all important aspects that should not be overlooked.
