Three Proven Tips for Mind, Brain, and Body Healing
Exercise
is Healing My Mind, Brain, and Body. How About You?
Little did I know when I started
taking step aerobics classes again that I was healing my brain. My brain had
gotten a little slow over the last 15 years since I had taken an exercise class
of this kind. I definitely see how I cannot do what I did when I was in my
fifties - yet!
By exercising, my mind is becoming
sharper and quicker, as I try to keep up with the instructor's commands. It is
benefiting me greatly, both physically and mentally.
Coincidentally, I recently read two
books on Neuroplasticity. Now I understand how my brain is being "tuned
up" in the exercise class. I can imagine how my little neurons are shaping
up and toning up, just like my body.
Even at standstill, my neurons are
learning how to balance my body better. I can see how this will help prevent
falls in the wintertime.
I am not where I want to be, but I
am improving. I am learning all the time.
As I exercise more, I find it
particularly helpful to enlist my mind in my body and brain repair. I consider
my brain as "hardware" and my mind as "software". My brain,
mind, and body work in unison. My mind is the action initiator. My brain sends
out signals to perform that action. My body fulfills that action, with my brain
supervising the action. My mind decides if the action was good or not. If not,
this mental-physical process is repeated, modified, or stopped.
Here are some tips to that might
help you promote mind-brain-body healing:
- Start moving and the brain will follow. It might be slow at first, but keep moving, even a little. See the progress each day. If a part of your body is difficult to move, perhaps the brain is re-routing the mental circuits to perform this function. This takes time. Be patient.
- Start moving and the mind will follow. As you exercise, endorphins are produced that make you "feel good". The mind gets used to feeling good and you begin to want to exercise.
- Start moving, even in your mind's eye. Athletes use this trick to prepare to do difficult functions. Golfers imagine hitting the ball in the hole. Basketball players imagine slam-dunking. Therefore, you, too, can imagine yourself doing what you want to do. Imagine as often as you can. Your mind loves to work on a problem. Give it something to do. "Where there's a will, there's a way" is a commonly used phrase. Even if you are paralyzed or have a debilitating illness, do not give up hope. Find others who have overcome the limitations you have. Learn from them.
Takeaways:
- The mind, brain, and body are very resilient.
- We really do not know about healing much, especially from the inside out.
- Any movement or exercise will aid in overall health improvement.
For More Information:
- "The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science" by Norman Doidge, Penguin, 2007
- "The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force" by Jeffrey M. Schwartz et al., HarperCollins, 2003
- "Exercise and neuroplasticity in persons living with Parkinson's disease" by M. A. HIRSCH et al.
Disclaimer - Article is for
informational use only and is not medical advice.
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