Reading the Signs

Reading the Signs

“I’m good, I’m good - Life is good… But…”

Have you ever taken a moment to witness the world you created around you? Paused to simply be an observer. When you detach from the personal stories and pan back to a wide screen view... everything may very well "look" pretty good. When others ask how you are doing, your response is “good” and you genuinely mean it. But yet your physiology may indicate something different.

I’m good but yet I awake at 3am every night or my sleep patterns are way off.

I’m good but yet I eat a bag of chips each night and that box of cookies keeps calling my name. Or, I have lost the desire to eat all together.

I’m good but yet my body aches and I just don’t feel right inside my own skin.

I’m good but my stomach and bowels are in knots.

I’m good but I can’t maintain a balanced body weight.

I’m good but yet my hair is thinning, my skin is a wreck and my appearance is indicating that the words coming out of my mouth (“I’m good”) do not match what my physiology is expressing.

If any of this feels familiar or rings a bit of truth for you, it could be a sign from your physical body trying to alert you to pay attention

So what is going on here?

Our physical body and the way it is functioning is one of the best barometers of our overall well being and indicates what state of being we are residing in most often. If we are energetically “off”, our body will send out the warning signal however, it is our job to read the signs.  It can even act as a sort of polygraph. We may keep telling ourselves, “life is good, life is good” and Life may very well look Magnifique! But our bodies can still be experiencing stress.

Just getting things done, making it through the day and plugging away at life leads to burn out. Our natural and organic state-of-being is Joy- Love- Truth- Beauty- Goodness. When we are anything but that, especially over long periods of time, it leads to burn out.

Beholding a state of well-being, or wellness, means that our physiology is balanced. In health care it is termed homeostasis: “The ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes.”

So when the body systems are being stressed the physiologic states changes as a way of responding and adapting to the signals we are sending. When we worry or feel anxious a cascade of neuro-hormonal (electrical and chemical) spikes and processes are triggered. Certain systems may be tuned up or down or even shut off as a way to keep the whole body from crashing. These are those signs like sleep disturbances, weight changes, mood swings, glitches in thought processing, etc.

What does this really mean and what do we do?

Life does not have to be “bad” to have a stressed out body. Nor does this mean our body is sick or things are going wrong. Temporary changes in body functions are normal and it is good to be in tune with how our physical body is functioning. Our bodies are designed to shift in accordance to the surroundings. Working cooperatively with our innate intelligence is how True Health is achieved and experienced. When your body is signaling to you that it is being overloaded to the point that it’s adaptive changes are prolonged or becoming chronic then that is more like the check engine light shining on your cars dashboard; Alert, Alert- check under the hood. Meaning, check in with yourself to see where the imbalance is coming from.

One way to get in the habit of staying tuned-in and becoming an expert in reading the signs is learning to be mindful in each moment. Practicing something like mindful eating is a simple way of allowing a harmonious relationship with your physical human body to become effortless and automatic.

Before eating your next bite of food, 

take a moment to quiet down your thoughts and close your eyes. 

Take a few relaxing deep breathes. 

Bring your attention to your body, recognize how it feels and if you notice any tension take another deep breath in and when you exhale, let that tension begin to melt away. Purposefully dissolve any stress you are holding inside with each outward breath. 

And when you feel in the present moment and tuned into your body, 

choose your next bite of food. 

Bring your attention to what it feels like as you make that choice, what it feels like to hold the food in your hand, what it tastes like, how it feels in your mouth, how does your body respond? 

How do you feel as the food and your body begin to interact? How does the energy exchange feel between the your cells and the food molecules?

Continue on with the experience….. 

Pay attention to what is transpiring. 

Allow your awareness to be fully engaged in what is happening.

This is one step in you getting to know You. We can take this so much farther but let’s practice this first. One step at a time. Begin with even one meal a day… See what shifts for you. 
Stay tuned as we continue on this delicious journey of honing our skills and become more aligned with who we Truly are and how we want to create and experience our world.

I invite you to please share your experiences. Comment here or email me at carolyn@drcanderson.com

Are you bringing Love to the table?

For more related information please visit:    www.thesustainablehuman101.org       www.drcanderson.com