Exercise and the Mind-Body Connection

Are you familiar with the mind-body connection? More importantly, did you know that fitness and exercise directly affect and enhance this connection? You may have heard these phrases thrown around, but you may still be wondering what they really mean and how they work together. Let’s spend a moment simplifying these vital concepts and making them more relevant.

Our physical and emotional health are not separate entities. They are closely interwoven in what’s called the mind-body connection. Communication between body and mind happens via chemical and physical messengers, such as hormones and neurotransmitters, and through chemical and electrical signals. By taking good care of our physical bodies, we enhance our emotional health, and vice versa. The feedback loop that interconnects them is always at work, and the integrity of that loop will determine the state of your health and well-being. This is why it is essential to engage in life-affirming actions, and supports those actions with positive thoughts.

Whether you are into walking, yoga or weightlifting, any movement you make to increase your physical well-being is an opportunity to channel and strengthen your mind-body connection. There’s a common misconception that you need a gym membership, equipment or fancy workout clothes before you can start getting in shape. Nothing could be further from the truth. The best place to begin is right where you are. NOW. We strongly recommend starting with the oldest sport known to man: walking. If you’re daring and feel up to it, you can even jog or run, but we like to set the bar low so that anyone can begin. That’s the bottom line, by the way: BEGIN. No one ever accomplished anything while thinking about it. You have to DO something. So go take a walk, a jog or a run.

You can make your walk a multi-sensory experience as well (which is also very good for stimulating the brain). Go for walks in parks, gardens, malls and zoos. Take in an abundance of enjoyable sights and sounds. When you want a change of pace, turn on some upbeat music and dance. There are endless possibilities when it comes to putting your “couch potato” days behind you, so start today and unleash the strength of the body and the power of the mind. They are your two most powerful tools, and the more you see to their well-being, the better you will feel.