How to Tune In to Your Body
WARNING:
If you’re uncomfortable with talking about the female reproductive system, this post probably isn’t for you.
We can learn in classrooms. We can learn from experiences in everyday life. We can learn the formulas and beat the algorithms. We can talk to the experts and get information from the best doctors and professionals in the world. But there’s one thing that we can only learn from ourselves: the intrinsic, internal connection.
I began actively pursuing that intrinsic connection three or four years ago. During my sophomore year in high school, I experienced pain that I will never forget. It was “that time” of the month, and it certainly wasn’t the first time. But it was the first time that I had cramps that were so debilitating. I went to the attendance office, which also doubled as the nurse’s area, and asked if they had anything that I could take to help me. I started off standing (doubled over, but still on my feet), but by the time someone came to take me home I was in the fetal position, writhing in pain. No over the counter medicine was touching it. So I went to my primary care doctor and told her that I needed something, anything. I was on that prescription for 4-5 years before trying other ways to manage it.
One summer thereafter (maybe 2014?), I realized that my cramps were much worse than usual. By paying more attention to and tracking my symptoms all the time, I thought that maybe my cramps were worse when I ate read meat and pork more often (hello, summer cookouts). So I did a little experiment: one month of eating how I normally did and one month without red meat or pork. Sure enough, when I wasn’t eating beef or dining with the swine, my cramps were minimal at best. Now, 3-4 years after cutting out beef altogether and eating pork very, very sparingly, I have zero cramps. You read that correctly. I don’t take anything for menstrual cramps because I don’t have them.
So before I go any further, here’s what I’m not saying:
Eliminating pork and red meat from your diet will eliminate menstrual cramps. Everybody’s body is different so I will never make a blanket statement like that. But, I will say that there is research that, in short, supports the notion that red meat’s elevated saturated fat content may increase cramps and increase prostaglandins in our bodies, which is linked to muscle contractions (source).
That the elimination of pork and red meat was the primary player in solving my problem. During that 3-4 year period, I’ve also made several other lifestyle changes that probably contributed to the reduction of cramps like eating three solid meals per day, not exercising too much/giving my body a chance to rest, and adopting better sleep habits. I’m sure not being on any other medication has been helpful too.
What I am saying is that this is just a very small example of how powerful and transformative getting in tune with our bodies can be. The mind-body connection is a very real thing and the two are in constant communication. Our nervous systems also play a part in keeping us balanced/keeping our bodies in homeostasis (I know, throwback to your high school bio class). When we ignore the signs that our bodies send to the mind, we lose the mind-body connection.
So basically what I’m saying is that the first stop to solving a physical problem or healing is to go back to the body. Take time to understand and connect with your body. This requires:
Tracking
You have to track your cycles to determine what does and doesn’t work for your body. Our breath, digestive systems, sleep patterns, and reproductive systems have cycles. Tracking systems involves daily work, not just when you’r on your period or when something feels off. Tracking allows you to figure out what’s “normal”, which provides your baseline for comparison.
Being Present
You may have to change your physical routines in order to be more present. If we’re talking workout routines, muscle memory is a very real thing. If you do 30 minutes of leg lifts, squats, and ab work on the first day of the month and you’re still doing that exact set of work on the last day of the month, you probably aren’t burning as many calories. Why? Because at that point, your muscles remember the routine. So being present may require you to switch up physical routines more often so that you know normal feelings from abnormal feelings. It’s also worth mentioning that you should do what your body needs (and I’m using workout examples because it’s something most people are familiar with, not because I condone traditional exercise as the only “worthy” form of movement or exercise). If you’re feeling extra sore after yesterday’s boxing class, a HIIT workout or two hours of intense strength training today probably isn’t a great idea. As a part of being present with your body, you have to listen to what it’s asking for. If you’re unsure, here are five signs that you probably skip your upcoming workout.
Understanding Physical Intelligence
This is the bottom line for everything that I’ve talked about so far: our bodies have intellect beyond the brain. Physical intelligence in my opinion is the mind-body connection. When we are in tune with our physical needs, we’re much more likely to succeed. “Listening” to your body is a four-step process.
Knowing what is causing your stress, either personal or environmental (death in the family, personal beliefs)
Environmental stressors are outside or external things that affect you. It could be something as small as the weather or something as big as a death in the family. Personal stressors are the internal things (worries, thoughts, beliefs) that affect our health and performance. The silver lining with these is that these are the ones that we can control. We may not be able to change the person or experience that has made our lives harder, but we can control how to react.
Understanding what cues are manifesting as stress in your body (irritability, difficulty concentrating, sweaty palms)
The traditional fight or flight reaction to stress is natural but not always appropriate in certain settings. When we are forced to stop or modify these responses, that modification can sometimes turn into ignoring or tuning out, which decreases our physical awareness and intelligence.
If we pay attention to the symptoms, and do something to intervene, we reduce the possibility of being hurt or exhausted. Illness is nothing more than the culmination of long periods of stress on the body. When we identify and recognize the cues of our bodies and intervene, the more advanced issues can be avoided.
Doing what’s necessary to perform optimally (focusing on not being overloaded or underloaded)
The degree to which stressors affect us depends on the curve of optimal performance. We’re usually most effective when we’re in the sweet spot between overloaded and underloaded. Each of our levels of optimal performance is different and that’s totally okay. What may be manageable for one person may be overload for another, which is why the comparison game is such a dangerous one to play. In order to use your physical intelligence effectively, you have to identify the level of activity that is best for you and stay within a safe range of activity.
Being proactive (drinking water, engaging in breath work, reframing thoughts).
I’ll always advocate for drinking water! It stimulates the brain, manages the body’s electrical system, and helps us to focus our attention. Breath work is also a really simple and effective relaxation technique. In addition to providing more oxygen to the body, breathing helps to stimulate the brain processes of cognition and creativity. Studies found that relaxation breathing when used by professional adults increased levels of health, ego strength (self esteem), and adaptability while calming the mind and body. Following are specific practices for the utilization of breathing as a physical intelligence practice. Reframing thoughts is also very important. Is it supporting your purpose at this moment? If not change it. Look at which thoughts might support your purpose. It’s impossible to have a negative stress response while thinking a positive thought.
That’s it for this post! I hope this gets you one step closer to becoming your own wellness expert without the guesswork. If you’re ready to start your wellness journey, get my free list guide 5 Things to Know When Starting Your Wellness Journey to uncomplicate wellness, bypass some common roadblocks, and begin the journey to becoming your own wellness expert.
I hope you found it useful and as always, thank you for journeying with me.