Upset about your growing waist line…. then ‘being upset’ could be adding more to it. It all begins with the mind and I firmly believe that our body is the reflection of our mind. Pick up any comic book and ask a child to identify the hero or the villain ……believe me, even without reading, a child can identify based on the facial and body structure of the characters.
Yes, our thoughts shape us up. A healthy mind is the key to a healthy body.
The modern way of living brings with it higher levels of stress, strain, anxiety and a 24 x 7 sub-conscious brain activity pattern. Left to its own, it is a recipe for disaster. For this is where our inner forces of emotion, habits and mental conditioning end up making us feel tired and out of sorts. Being under constant stress has a direct impact on our endocrine system which essentially maintains our optimal homeostasis. When the functioning of our glands are compromised it reflects immediately on the hormone production and metabolism that makes us gain or lose weight.
Ever come across the term ‘Adrenal Fatigue’.
Adrenal fatigue is a result of our adrenal glands not being able to cope up with stress. When we are stressed physically or emotionally our adrenals have to respond and maintain homeostasis. If their response is inadequate, we are likely to experience some degree of adrenal fatigue.
Symptoms of Adrenal fatigue include: – feeling tired for no reason – trouble getting up in the morning, even when you go to bed at a reasonable hour – feeling rundown or overwhelmed – difficulty bouncing back from stress or illness – crave for salty and sweet snacks – feel more awake, alert and energetic after 6 pm
When essential energy is not available for taking care of day to day requirements of the body our metabolism is disturbed and our weight balance takes a beating. We could either start gaining weight or losing it rapidly.
Apart from just weight thoughts affect our range of motion, eating habits, sleep pattern, quality of skin, smile, eyes, response to situations, digestion, blood pressure, breathing and so on. Every cell in our body is affected by our thought pattern.
To sustain the balance in our body or to regain it we need to balance our thoughts or the mind. This is where Asanas, Meditation, Pranayama, Yam and Niyam play a vital role. Yoga knows how to power the brain and more importantly, when to power it off to a mode that helps switch off! This is achieved by getting into Asanas that are directed towards bringing inner peace and well-being, higher energy levels and the ability to handle situations better. Meditation and Pranayama equips us to manage stress effectively and the body works to its full efficiency.
So if you think you need a balanced healthy body that keeps you energetic and full of life then look nowhere but in your mind.
Namaste,
Kamal Maliramani