Really, How Can We Possibly Separate Belief and Biology?

There are no boundaries in our bodies between mental health and physical health. Movement, emotion, visceral sensation, and thought are all the result of biochemical reactions in our bodies just like the countless other processes that maintain and promote our health and well-being. They are seamlessly intertwined within us.

I have come to recognize that every thought or emotion I have, every movement I make, connects with every part of me. Brain cells, memory cells, sensory organs, internal organs, and my nervous, circulatory, and endocrine systems are just some of the partners in this endless array of belief and biology, aka mental health and physical health . The sum total of the life within me can’t be neatly separated into two different, distinct realms.

The fact that most of the modern medical world chooses to ignore the connection between belief and biology, whether it’s the placebo results of drug studies or how the attitudes we have toward ourselves affect our health, is simply the result of medical researchers not being able to measure or “prove” this connection. Dr. Peter Attia, author of Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, used a well-known phrase in one of his podcasts, “If you can measure it, you can manage it.” Unfortunately, you can’t measure beliefs or feelings like you can a blood test result. But just because you can’t measure them doesn’t mean they aren’t there, especially the ones that we may not even recognize, because they are buried deep in our subconscious minds. (And to be fair, Dr. Attia  always advocates for mental health to be part of any health regime.)

So, where does that leave those of us who fervently believe there is a connection between mental and physical health, and a profound one at that? As I’ve written about previously in articles and in my book,your attitude toward yourself and your life is the cornerstone of your ability to lead the life you want. I believe this statement applies to any years of your life, not just your later-life years. If my journey is any indication, the resistance to doing things that I know will benefit me, health or otherwise, can sometimes lie in a general disempowering attitude toward myself, which is often hidden or disguised within me. The origins of these beliefs or attitudes usually go back to my childhood experiences, which set in motion these ongoing patterns of protective behavior. Uncovering these dynamics, being open to them and allowing them to surface, to be felt and processed, is the path toward healing and overcoming them.  It is not necessarily a comfortable process but it is a liberating one.

Our Emotions Can Spur Resistance and Even Illness!

 But this conversation is not only about the resistance to practice healthy habits like diet and exercise, although those are a big part of it. Emotions have actual effects on muscles, joints, organs, and your nervous system, including your brain. As I’ve written about in my book, a preponderance of evidence points in that direction, but medical science simply doesn’t know enough about the mind-body connection yet. However, I believe that anyone who allows themself to feel what is actually going on in their body instinctively feels this connection.

A notable example is Dr. John Sarno who has gained a reputation for “healing” thousands and thousands of people’s bad backs by suggesting the trigger source of their problem was internal rage and not “slipped discs.” Many other experts and books address the power of the belief-and-biology connection, such as Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind Over Body by Jo Marchant. My own experience with digestion—the coincidence of stress and discomfort and the quick relief I feel when I recognize the source of the stress—is part of my own journey with these dynamics.

Ready to Hear a Bold Statement?

I will return to this subject in future posts, drilling down into more detail, sharing my own impassioned view and experience of a deep connection between the two realms—mental and physical—and offering resources for support. I believe this connection is so vast that we are afraid of even entertaining it, given the stunning implications if it’s all true.

So, here goes my bold statement: If you are entering or in the later period of your life (post 60) and you are not intending to live these years with as much passion and health and purpose as you are able, then the barriers to being able to physically live with passion, health, and purpose lie in the realm of mental health.

We all need a certain amount of emotional help with the work of sorting out our inner lives. It is the firm ground of self-knowledge and self-awareness that an honest experience of life demands. No one has made it this far without some scarring and trauma that calls for exploring that vast store of emotional memory in our subconscious minds. The world of feeling and emotion and the meaning of our lives is one that is uncomfortable for most of us. I am no exception.

Yet this stage of life, with its finality and impending end, offers a unique opportunity to experience life on a deeper and more meaningful level. By experiencing this phase of life as deeply (and hopefully for as long) as possible, and sharing what it means to us, we are empowering younger generations to ask themselves the value and meaning of their lives. I know this from speaking to many people younger than me, including my own daughters.

Have an Honest Think About How You Feel About Your Life 

Take a moment, breathe, and think deeply about this question: How do you feel about your life? This include your health and your ability to live the life you want to be living. There are no wrong answers, no judgments or criticisms, only impressions and observations. If you come up short, there are many resources that can help you. The biggest “resource” is your own honest response when you ask yourself “What do I really want from life?” It is the starting point for everything that follows.

(Note: Part II of this article will appear soon.)