There are 3 types of stress that knock the body out of homeostasis, or the body's way of maintaining stability and balance of its internal systems. When our bodies are in balance, all systems are orderly, functioning optimally, and using energy most efficiently. When we take care and get 2 out of 3 of these in order in a chronic condition (chronic dis-ease is an outcome of long term stress and exhaustion), more often than not, the third will follow and come back into balance as well.
Physical stress: traumas, injuries, accidents, falls, intense physical exertion
Chemical stress: hangovers, blood sugar levels, smoking, unhealthy foods, toxins,
Emotional stress: family tragedies, single parenting, finances, work pressure, relationships, mental load
Dr. Joe Dispenza says, "If there are 3 types of stress that knock the body out of balance, then we have 3 ways to create balance back in the body."
So if someone is physically out of balance and they work on improving their emotional state, through say watching an hour of comedy, and their chemical state by eating healthy foods and being mindful of their breath, they become more physically in balance (their neck pain subsides, their jaw tension eases up). If someone is emotionally out of balance and they start taking care of themselves physically (exercise, dance, yoga) and eating properly (nutrient dense whole foods) then their emotions come into balance... which then supports them to continue to make healthy physical and chemically balancing choices.
This is why I love massage and homeopathy and verbal skills as a coach to educate my clients about how valuable they are. Both support the system as a whole and amplify the positive effects created from eating well, moving your body and taking care of your heart.
Homeopathy is an energy medicine that, when chosen properly to match your constitution, supports the body's vital force. In doing so, it replenishes energy levels, giving the person more energy in which to utilize for repair and renewal. It is a scientific fact that the hormones of stress down regulate genes and thereby create dis-ease in the body. We're talking long term effects here. Where the sympathetic nervous system is stuck in fight/flight/freeze and cannot switch off and return to a state of homeostasis - so it hangs out in survival mode for long periods of time, exhausting adrenals, energy, etc. Homeopathy helps make that switch which helps replenish energy levels by bringing order to the system. When we replenish our energy, our body replenishes us.
Massage also checks all of the boxes. On the physical plane, you're receiving inputs of soft tissue manipulation, neuromuscular prompts so that the nerves and muscles come back into a healthy, working relationship, as well as receiving relaxing, caring touch on an emotional level. All of this signals the brain to release relaxation and feel good chemicals called endorphins. These hormones circulate the body giving the recipient a sense of well being, an elevated emotional state, and relief of physical symptoms.
Here's the trick. Can you maintain this new state of well being with eyes open walking through the rest of your day? If you watch an hour of comedy after a delicious dinner with friends, you may feel relief of your physical discomforts... until you fall back into the loop of thinking and feeling and remembering your problems... which then releases more stress hormones which then brings back the physical symptoms. If you want the effects of your massage or yoga class or comedy or food or your runner's high to last longer, then it's up to you to stay conscious with where you tend to default back to familiar, unconscious patterns of past-present loops of thinking/feeling.
Can you begin to become aware of becoming aware of how you're being in your day, of where you go unconscious and operate automatically? Reflect on these three kinds of stress and where you might be able to add in one thing in one of these areas to have a ripple effect of change in another. And then recognize the victory! and purposefully activate a feeling of care for yourself and your efforts. It's a practice. The more you do it, the more familiar it becomes.
If your new normal has become one that is consistently out of balance, you're probably going to feel uncomfortable at first. Just like learning anything new, give yourself some grace and an A for every effort made towards becoming the observer of your patterns. Once you begin to get used to feeling better and having more vitality, it is my hope that you will feel inspired to show up again and again for yourself, in all that you do.
