Essay, Research Paper: The Body-mind Health Connection

Our health is directly related to our attitudes. Our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs form
the way we view everything in life, including ourselves and our health. This is because the mind
and body are closely linked and constantly communicate with each other. This communication is
called the body-mind connection. Many people believe that by nurturing the body-mind
connection, we can sometimes prevent medical illness and often speed our recovery when we do
get sick.
Emotions and attitudes affect blood chemistry, heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension
and the activity of every cell and organ in the body. Emotions can also affect your body's
reactions to stresses and strains. These physical changes are related to many common
ailments. The theory is that by using body-mind medicine, that is the method in which we use
our minds to change our behavior or physiology in order to promote health and recovery, we can
reduce the negative affects on our bodies.
The mind-body health connection treats the whole person by addressing the stresses
we face. Stress management, psychotherapy, hypnosis and relaxation techniques are all
forms of body-mind medicine. Yoga is part of the medicine because it can be used to help
us relax. Many poses, including sponge, child's pose, and tree pose, help relax a persons
mind and body.
We can help ourselves stay healthy, and maintain a strong body-mind connection,
by paying attention to our emotional and mental states. Yoga can be very helpful in this
process.