{"id":24937,"date":"2024-12-30T11:18:31","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T11:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/?p=24937"},"modified":"2024-12-30T11:18:31","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T11:18:31","slug":"listening-to-your-body-and-giving-it-what-it-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/listening-to-your-body-and-giving-it-what-it-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"Listening to Your Body and Giving It What It Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201c And I said to my body softly, \u2018I want to be your friend.\u2019 It took a long breath and replied, \u2018I\u2019ve been waiting my whole life for this.\u2019\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more than half my life, I took care of my body \u201cby the numbers.\u201d Every day, I walked a certain number of steps, no matter how sore, sick, or tired I was. I worked a certain number of hours, often going without sleep in order to finish my work and check off all the numbered items on my to-do list, no matter how my body begged for rest.<\/p>\n

Listening to Your Body and Giving It What It Needs<\/strong><\/p>\n

By
\nDr G Om Prakasham<\/a>
\nChairman, Lotus Wellness
\nConsultant Cardiac Surgeon<\/p>\n

\u201c And I said to my body softly, \u2018I want to be your friend.\u2019 It took a long breath and replied, \u2018I\u2019ve been waiting my whole life for this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

For more than half my life, I took care of my body \u201cby the numbers.\u201d Every day, I walked a certain number of steps, no matter how sore, sick, or tired I was. I worked a certain number of hours, often going without sleep in order to finish my work and check off all the numbered items on my to-do list, no matter how my body begged for rest.<\/p>\n

For weeks I\u2019d follow a strict diet, counting points or calories or carbs, ignoring hunger pains and my growling stomach. But when the diet was over, I\u2019d stuff myself on sweets and junk food until I felt sick and ashamed. At the same time, I struggled to see a certain number on the scale and to fit into a certain dress size.
\nNot only was I miserable physically, but when I didn\u2019t meet these \u201cnumber goals,\u201d I felt like a failure, and told myself there was something wrong with me.<\/p>\n

Maybe some of this sounds familiar to you. Maybe you\u2019re exercising though pain, working beyond exhaustion, and eating in ways that leave you feeling tired, bloated, or sick.<\/p>\n

Maybe, like me, you\u2019re blaming your body for not being strong enough, thin enough, tough enough, or just plain not good enough.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the truth: None of this is your body\u2019s fault.<\/p>\n

Whether you know it or not, your body is speaking to you all day long. It\u2019s telling you on an ongoing basis what it needs to keep you healthy, comfortable, and happy.<\/p>\n

The trouble is that we\u2019ve all been taught to ignore what our bodies are telling us in order to please the people around us. From our earliest days we were told when and what to eat. We\u2019re told how we should look, act, and live in order to fit in. And, over the years, we\u2019ve learned to judge ourselves and our lives \u201cby the numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n

But what if you decided to stop letting those numbers run your life and started listening to your body instead? What if you could trust that your body has a deep wisdom you can rely on to keep you healthy and strong?<\/p>\n

Here are some techniques you can use to connect with your body in a way that helps you feel, hear, and then honor its needs. Try them all and see what works for you.<\/p>\n

Listening to Your Body<\/p>\n

1. Respect it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Begin by thinking about and speaking to your body with love and respect. If you\u2019re not sure how to do that, try repeating this.
\nDear Body:<\/p>\n

I love you exactly the way you are.
\nI thank you for all the things you\u2019ve done for me throughout my life.
\nI respect you for all the things you do for me daily.
\nI honor you for having the wisdom to know how to heal.
\nI trust you to take care of me, and I will take care of you.
\nI promise I will always listen to you and give you what you ask for to heal and thrive.
\nMy beloved body, I will speak to you with love and care for you as long as we\u2019re together.
\nThank you.<\/p>\n

Commit to replacing any negative thoughts you have about your body with thoughts of gratitude for how well your body works and how many ways it serves you throughout your day. If you\u2019d like, pick the body part you like best, and resolve to replace any negative thoughts about your body with a positive thought about what you like about your nose or your hands or your teeth.<\/p>\n

2. Connect body and mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The easiest way to connect your body and mind is to use a combination of your breath and your sense of touch. Begin by putting your hand over your heart. Notice how your heart beats under your palm, and how your chest rises and falls with each breath you take. Now close your eyes and draw a deep breath into your belly. Hold it a moment, then exhale slowly.<\/p>\n

As you continue to breathe deeply and rhythmically, bring your focus to the sound of your inhale and the sound of your exhale. Breathe in and breathe out as you continue to relax.<\/p>\n

Now, tune into your body and what it\u2019s telling you.<\/p>\n

Is it tense? Relaxed? Tired? Hungry? Thirsty? Jittery? Notice if there\u2019s a part that\u2019s holding tension. Is that part tight or stiff? Does any part of you feel achy or anxious? Take a moment and really listen. You may be surprised at what you learn about what\u2019s really going on inside you.<\/p>\n

3. Ask what your body needs in the moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now ask your body what it needs to feel better right away. When it answers, be ready to honor that need.<\/p>\n

\u2022 If your body is feeling anxious, try this breathing technique. Pull your shoulders all the way up to your ears, then exhale with a whoosh and repeat until you feel calmer.
\n\u2022 If you\u2019re hungry, grab a quick, healthy snack.
\n\u2022 If you\u2019re thirsty, drink some water.
\n\u2022 If you\u2019re restless, take a break and go for a short walk.
\n\u2022 If you\u2019re achy or stiff, stretch or try a few yoga poses.
\n\u2022 If you\u2019re tired, take a nap if you can. If not, try taking a two-minute vacation. Close your eyes and imagine yourself relaxing in a beautiful, peaceful place. Let your worries and exhaustion go for those two minutes while you soak up the feeling of calm relaxation.<\/p>\n

4. Ask what your body needs to stay healthy in the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Next take some time and ask your body what it needs on a long-term basis to heal and thrive in the future.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Do you need to go back to the gym?
\n\u2022 Do you need to stop eating at night?
\n\u2022 Do you need to replace your mattress to get a better night\u2019s sleep?
\n\u2022 Do you need to ask for help at work, or at home?
\n\u2022 Do you need to schedule a massage?
\n\u2022 Do you need to forgive yourself or someone else?
\n\u2022 Do you need to start speaking up for yourself?
\nPick the one thing you know your body needs right now to help it heal. Decide on one small step you could take right now to make long-term healthy changes. Commit to taking that step. Then commit to taking another small step tomorrow, and the day after that, until it becomes a healthy habit.<\/p>\n

5. Stop living \u201cby the numbers.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Resolve to stop letting numbers run your life. Instead, commit to allowing your body to be your guide to good health and peace of mind. No more fear of failing, because you can\u2019t get this wrong. Your body always knows what it needs.<\/p>\n

Remind yourself how important you are, not only to yourself but also to the people around you. What you think and feel matters. Your body matters. And when you honor that body by treating it with love and respect, it will respond in kind.
\nAs Jim Rohn says, \u201cTake care of your body. It\u2019s the only place you have to live.\u201d<\/p>\n

ABOUT LOTUS WELLNESS<\/p>\n

Lotus is the most Popular Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in Coimbatore , India offering the best programs for Detox , Deaddiction and Absolute Wellness.<\/p>\n

LOTUS WELLNESS AND REHABILITATION CENTER
\nPollachi, Coimbatore , Tamilnadu , India
\nCall confidentially 24\/7 (+91 7339062555)
\nReach us at info@lotuswellness.life
\nTo know more about us visit our website
\nwww.lotuswellness.life<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201c And I said to my body softly, \u2018I want to be your friend.\u2019 It took a long breath and replied, \u2018I\u2019ve been waiting my whole life for this.\u2019\u201d For…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24938,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[191],"tags":[208,203,197,202,200,206,198,204,205,207,199],"class_list":["post-24937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellness","tag-addiction-recovery","tag-affordable-addiction-treatment","tag-alcohol-addiction","tag-best-rehab-centers","tag-detox-programs","tag-drug-detox-near-me","tag-drug-rehabilitation","tag-holistic-rehab-programs","tag-mental-health-treatment","tag-opioid-recovery","tag-substance-abuse-treatment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24937"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26865,"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24937\/revisions\/26865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotuswellness.in\/lotus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}