posted on Jan, 30 2014 @ 10:15 AM
Intuitively we should all understand that emotional well-being is inextricably linked to physical well-being, but never before has a comprehensive
study been attempted demonstrating the physical ramifications from the conscious experience of emotion.
Until now:
The researchers found that the most common emotions trigger strong bodily sensations, and the bodily maps of these sensations were
topographically different for different emotions. The sensation patterns were, however, consistent across different West European and East Asian
cultures, highlighting that emotions and their corresponding bodily sensation patterns have a biological basis.
- Emotions adjust not only our mental, but also our bodily states. This way the prepare us to react swiftly to the dangers, but also to the
opportunities such as pleasurable social interactions present in the environment. Awareness of the corresponding bodily changes may subsequently
trigger the conscious emotional sensations, such as the feeling of happiness, tells assistant professor Lauri Nummenmaa from Aalto
University.
Negativity in the mind doesn't just wreck havoc with your psychology and the attitudes of those around you, it can also quite literally erode your
physical health.
Western Science is finally coming around to realize the state of one's emotions will have a direct effect upon the health and condition of the
physical body. At times like this, when science is FINALLY probing into the interconnectivity of the mind/body paradigm, never have emotionally
calming and restorative energetic practices like Yoga and Meditation and Qigong been more important.
While there's long been a consensus that we need physical exercise to remain healthy, it's becoming more and more evident that we also need MENTAL
exercise to keep our minds clear from the destructive influence of external stress and negative emotions coming from within.
This new medical understanding of the link between cognitive and biological functions is a welcome change, a step in the right direction towards
promoting a more integrated model of health. Hopefully in the future we'll all open ourselves to the benefits that a holistic approach to physical
and mental well-being can offer.
The bottom line? You're more than what you eat... you're also what you THINK. (And that's certainly food for thought.)
Source Article, with mappings of different emotional states