Jason Steed Certified Primal Health Coach
Our Inner Dialogue
Have you considered how your brain and body react to some of the mundane events in everyday life? It can be truly empoweing to consider how autonomous and single-minded our brains and our bodies can be.
Here are some familiar scenarios that your brain and body likely have very differing opinions about:
Grumpy Brains, Happy Bodies:
#1
Getting into a hot car:
Getting into a hot car:
Grumpy brain: Help, we’re suffocating in here! Quick, crack a window, I’m starting to sweat like a pig. Why isn’t it cooling down already?
Happy body: Good things happening here, with vasodilation in so many blood vessels. Let’s clear out some additional cancer cells with a little hormetic heat stress. If we’re lucky we’ll perspire a bit and pull some toxins out to our skin to be evaporated.
#2
Potholes:
Potholes:
Grumpy brain: Why can’t I see these holes in time to dodge them? Who in their right mind would let a public road get this way? This road will surely kill us—we’ll get a flat tire, or the engine will drop out, and we’ll be stranded here until…wait, what if nobody EVER finds us!
Happy body: Hey, that bump stimulated some mechanotransduction in my rib cage. And there’s another one, some jostling in my hips activated some blood flow in millions of capillaries. Sure, we’ll take whatever movement we can get in this cramped car seating position.
#3
Misplacing your car keys:
Misplacing your car keys:
Grumpy brain: Are we losing our mind here? Who moved my keys?! We can NEVER make up this lost time. I’m pushing more cortisol through our veins to see if heightened vigilance helps us find the keys faster.
Happy body: What’s this, more walking? More bending over, arm-stretching, cognitive backtracking? Whew, we thought we’d already be locked behind a steering wheel in cramped sitting position.
#4
Meditation:
Meditation:
Grumpy brain: Do I even have time for this? I still have to figure out my son’s school lunch plan, and fill in a gap for the carpool. Who even abandons a carpool anyway! There’s that annoying barking dog again. My breath feels really shallow. I’m sure I didn’t get good sleep last night. Why didn't I just get to bed earlier?
Happy body: Deep slow breaths in and out are doing wonders for my circulation, and even activating a bunch of cell regeneration. Amazing to feel all all of these body systems connected and energizing. Let’s see if a little deliberate balance, relaxation and mindfulness can reactivate some lost skeletal balance for the day.
#5
Walking:
Walking:
Grumpy brain: Not sure where we’re going, but we’re not getting there very fast. What is this, Medieval times? There are much more efficient ways of getting around, you know. Come to think of it, we would probably be wise to go back to the sofa and preserve our energy.
Happy body: My favorite combo: Movement AND circulation! Great timing too, because a few billion cells were starting to atrophy. Hey, let’s walk over in that rough stuff—there are a bunch of tendons in our feet that haven’t budged in a while.
#6
Hiking:
Hiking:
Grumpy brain: Whoa, let’s get to a sidewalk before we roll an ankle! These hidden roots are likely to kill us. What if we lose cell reception or something? So many obstacles, how are we supposed to read a book like we could on a treadmill? We ought to be multitasking here! More importantly, there’s no telling what might be lurking around a corner.
Happy body: Happy feet! They’re utilizing 10-times as many tendons, ligaments and capillaries as opposed to flat surfaces. Plus, we’re getting full-body benefits, right down to our DNA, as we negotiate the uneven terrain. All these outdoor negative ions are really kicking our mitochondria into gear. Good exercise for our eyes and ears as well.
#7
Grocery shopping:
Grocery shopping:
Grumpy brain: Grocery stores are so tiring…and unsanitary! We didn’t even make a shopping list. The kids are hungry NOW! And so am I. Hey, remember that new bacon burger we saw online? It’s fast, cheap and easy! In fact we ought to just call in door delivery. Yeah, it’s a hot drive, the gas tank is low. Done!
Happy body: Yes, we’re foraging again! Shipping art or basket this time…? So many healthy biomechanics when we’re housing watermelons and bags of potatoes. Ah yes, back to the frozen food section to get a circulatory boost from colder temperatures.
#8
Meal prep:
Meal prep:
Grumpy brain: Wait a minute, it’s meal time again?! No time to cook something up. We’ve got to eat right now. You see, I’ve done the math, and we’re now officially starving. Besides, all the recipes are so confusing, and the meals are just plain boring. Plus, the last thing we need today are more dirty dishes.
Happy body: Now we’re cooking! Nice to get circulating again after afternoon-long sitting. Hoping we'll handle something frozen to wake up all those capillaries with constriction and dilation. Love all those negative ions from the steam on the stove. If we’re lucky we’ll get to wash some dishes afterward for even more boosted circulation and negative ions.
#9
Swatting and flies:
Swatting and flies:
Grumpy brain: I hate flies! They’re out to kill us. This fly is purposely taunting me. What’s the purpose of flies anyway? Flies are just germ-infested annoyances. And the LAST thing we need are germs!
Happy body: Ooh, I love flies! Shoulders and elbows, look at you go! Yep, we’ve still got lightning-fast reflexes. Great, we missed him, we’ll get in some added tendon and muscle benefits. That fly doesn’t stand a chance with our Ninja-fast movements!
#10
Getting the mail:
Getting the mail:
Grumpy brain: If they didn’t deliver it to the front door, then it’s not important. Not even sure where our shoes are. It’s probably cold and wet outside. And besides, didn’t we already sign everything up for eBilling?
Happy body: Let’s take the long cut to the mailbox today. Or better yet, let’s check the mailbox early so we can take a 2nd trip a little later. I sure hope we got extra junk mail, more mail means more delightful dexterous movement for our hands and fingers.
The Power of Perspective
I'm convinced that there's tremendous potential for life balance as we recognize both the independent and combined roles that our bodies and brains play. Simply begin by considering potential conversations from both vantage points. Over time I promise you that your body and brain will find an aggreeable middle ground in their perspectives and goals. When your brain and your body are on the same page, that's a pretty powerful space to be in.
Keep de-stressing, good friends!
Interested in more personalized exercises in balance and wellbeing? Let's get started with a Free 20-minute Discovery Call