Listening to Our Bodies

Food for Thought From Mindy Gorman-Plutzer

Hi Paul,

The body holds much of the information we need to function at our best, but too often we ignore its messages and plow ahead with what our minds tell us. Perhaps because we’re not taught from early on to pay attention to, or trust, internal messages as well as external demands, we frequently ignore our body’s communications.

So we take another extra-strength aspirin rather than investigating what’s causing our head to ache. We use more caffeine or sugar to give us a lift when we feel tired, rather than hearing our body’s message about needing rest or recognizing our fatigue as an early symptom of burnout we’d do well to honor.

We fail to take into account the thousand little messages communicated to us by how we’re holding ourselves: the mouth that’s pinched and tight rather than relaxed. The fact that our shoulders are up around our ears, the knot of tension in our stomach as we promise to do something when closer consideration might tell us we are already over-extended.

These days we’re notorious for putting deadlines ahead of the protests of aching bones or inadequately nourished bellies. (Is there hidden wisdom in calling a due date a deadline in the first place?) Instead of asking our body what it wants, we go for the quick fill-up or the comfort food that may be the last thing we really need.

So what to do to give your body an equal say in how you use it?

Start with the breath. Breathing consciously is a major part of body awareness. Turn off thoughts and just let yourself experience the inflow and outflow of breath. Label them, “In. Out. In. Out.” Note how and where you are breathing or failing to, a clear sign something important is going on.

Allow yourself quiet time. Sit for ten minutes just observing yourself, even (especially!) in the middle of a busy day. Meditate. Take a walk or a nap. Allow time to do nothing. Soak in a hot tub rather than taking a quick shower.

Get a massage. It’s not self-indulgence to be massaged; it wakes up the whole nervous system and helps you tune in.

Use your journal to dialogue with your body. Ask your body how it’s feeling, what it wants, what’s going on. Give that healthy hunger or craving a voice and let it tell you what its message is. And practice listening!

Do a body inventory to relax. Start with your toes and work upwards. Scan your body from the inside. Or try tensing each part slightly, then relaxing it to release residual tension.

Practice mindfulness. Get used to tuning in to your physical self, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing.

Take a walk in Nature, barefoot. Research teaches that contact with the earth offers amazing health benefits including lowering stress levels, improving sleep and circadian rhythms and decreasing chronic pain, inflammation and fatigue.

Hungry for more? Schedule a complimentary Discovery call with me. During the call, we’ll discuss your biggest eating challenges and health concerns as well as answer your most pressing questions. The Discovery call in and of itself is an amazingly valuable opportunity – you’ll get clarity on how to confidently proceed on your health journey – and many of my clients have called it the single most impactful conversation they’ve had around their issue. Here’s the link to my calendar.

Breathe, Stay safe with love and care,

Mindy

P.S. To insure my emails don’t end up in your spam or promotions folder, locate my email with your free resources inside. If you don’t see it in your inbox, please search your inbox for Mindy Gorman-Plutzer or The Freedom Promise – and if my email ended up in your spam, mark it as “Not Spam” and drag it into your primary inbox.

Additionally, whitelist my email to keep it out of your spam & promotions folder (so you don’t miss out on critical communication from me going forward). and finally, join our The Freedom Promise Way FB Group where we have discussions working on their way to a better self.

The Freedom Promise

https://thefreedompromise.com

(646)726-4084