Tips on Listening to Your Body
One very unfortunate thing that has happened since our world became so modernized and fast-paced is many people have stopped listening to their bodies. This can actually happen from a young age. We are born naturally in tuned to our bodies and can be essentially taught to NOT listen. Eat now because it’s convenient. Finish all the food on your plate. You will have to hold it – we can’t go to the bathroom now. You have to sit and listen even though you are uncomfortable. You have to get up now even though you are tired. The list goes on and on.
I remember reading a book in early college years and the author suggested that a lot of people did not even know what true physiological hunger felt like (i.e.stomach growling) and suggested that you did not eat your next meal or snack until you actually (truly) felt hungry. This was her way of helping people recognize their body’s signals. Although I was shocked to read that people didn’t know what hunger felt like, I can see how one could easily go weeks or months without truly feeling hungry. This is not only because we find ourselves eating at “set times” but also because some of the junk we eat causes imbalances in our bodies leading us to have cravings (not true hunger). A lot of people live high stress lives and turn to emotional eating as well. Do you know the last time you truly felt hungry?
Our bodies are constantly sending messages to us – do you know how to listen? Sometimes we don’t listen until our body is screaming at us… often times after a problem has been going on for a long time. This is one reason I absolutely LOVE chiropractic care. Being under regular chiropractic care helps you to learn how to listen to your body. When your nervous system is balanced, you can often begin to FEEL when it is unbalanced. This may not show up as a pain symptom but rather noticing you are sleeping as well or you have brain fog or getting sick more often. The more you learn about your body, the more able you are to take care of it. Have a headache? Don’t just pop a pill. Listen. Do you need water? Do you need more rest? Are you sitting with bad posture? When was the last time you took a deep cleansing breath? Do you need to be adjusted?
Chiropractic care has so many far reaching benefits. Take time today to connect with your body – you may be surprised you can find the answer you are searching for!