Mind Over Matter

As happens when one starts packing up the house to move (or to just de-clutter), it is common to come across books that you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t gotten around to it.  Such is the case for me and a book my mother gave me called “There’s A lot More to Health Than Not Being Sick” by Bruce Larson.  After reading the jacket cover, I will admit that I was not sure I wanted to read this particular book because of the religious slant, for lack of a better term.  Having gone to a Christian college, I’m kind of over reading books that shove religion down my throat.  I am a spiritual person and have my religious beliefs but am not one to voluntarily pick up a book in that particular genre.  Since my mom knows this about me, though, and since she gave me the book, I decided to give it a whirl. 

To date, I haven’t gotten very far in the book but the few chapters I have read (and even the title alone) got me thinking especially given the major life change I’m about to make.  I learned a long time ago, probably in college but who remembers that far back, that moving is one of the most stressful things in life.  I couldn’t agree more.  This move along with changing careers has stressed me out more than I would care to admit.  I loathe packing and talking to the vet to determine if my cat is well enough to make the trip and storing my stuff until I have a permanent place to live and on and on and on.  STRESS!

But I digress.  The point I’m trying to make is that life’s events can stress us out which can make us sick (or not healthy).  Research has repeatedly shown (and it’s the whole premise of this book) that your attitude and mindset has a direct impact on your wellness and overall health.  Think about it for a minute.  When you are tired and run down, you are more likely to get sick.  When you have something very stressful going on in your life, you are more likely to get sick.  When someone has a severe illness, you hear people say “It’s the power of positive thinking”.  That’s not just some cliché people say because they don’t know what else to say.  Science has shown the connection exists. 

And sleep?? WOW!  What a huge impact sleep  has on every component of the mind-body connection.  If I don’t sleep well or enough, I generally am grumpy or irritable.  If I’m irritable, things are going to stress me out quicker.  If I’m stressed out quicker, my immune system is compromised.  And if that lack of sleep and stress continue for long periods of time??  You guessed it.  I end up sick.  That’s why during this move, I have really tried to focus on the positive and what my new job and new residence and new social circle will be like and it makes the stress lessen.   

I’m even convinced that all those “home remedies” we learn at a young age really work because we THINK they will work.  Orange juice?  Vicks vapor rub?  We think they are helping us recovery and that, alone, helps us recover.  The mind-body connection is limitless. 

What, then, does this have to do with fitness?  Isn’t it obvious?  If you are healthy and thinking positively, your body is going to be able to perform at a higher level for longer periods of time.  That means you can run longer and/or faster, add another weight to the machine or do more pushups.  Besides that, though, and more importantly, it’s not just about fitness.  It’s about your health.  I’ve maintained from the beginning that being healthy isn’t just what you do in the gym or what you eat.  It’s the combination of it all. 

So next time you are faced with what feels like a Herculean task or life throws you a major curve ball, do yourself a favor and just breathe.  Take a minute to yourself and figure out the best way to approach the situation.  Better yet, go for a walk, swim, bike ride, run or whatever activity you enjoy.  Chances are, you will feel better, you may have identified a solution and you’ve burned a few calories in the process.

Your body (and mind) will thank you.

BE BOLD! BE YOU!