As he sat across from me in my office, I could see the energy swirling around his head. (I am also an energy healer.)

My client was in a virtual tornado of thought patterns wreaking havoc on his life. As it pressed upon him, the mental rollercoaster of overthinking, worry and anxiety was obvious.

Today, we live lives that are non-stop continuous pressure and stress for many people, and most of my clients. They are overworked, overscheduled, overbusy, overtired. The result is not just diminished enjoyment of life, but diminished intelligence, cognitive ability and resilience.

Why do we live this way?

To be blunt, we’re looking for validation, security and a feeling of adequacy. And, sadly, running around to please others (whether that’s the boss, the spouse, the parents, the family, the friends who work just as hard) will NEVER give us those things.

At some point in our conversation, I asked about my client about the effect of his mental stress on his self-care – healthy food, plenty of hydration (water), physical activity, deep sleep, time to relax and rejuvenate – and he looked at me like I had three heads.

“You can say drink water, eat right, blah, blah, blah. This is more than that. I drank gallons of water today. I’ve been eating well for two days! It’s not helping at all!”

Now, of course this is how he felt, but it’s far from the truth.

Why does food, water, movement and rest matter?

My client’s current situation may have a lot to do with what’s happening around him – circumstances.

But he can’t control most of that.

His domain is his body. That’s where he has the most control, and the most effect. And that’s the first to go when stress mounts.

This is true for most people who struggle with weight, health, anxiety.

Here’s what I explained to him:

The brain operates because it is nourished. It is fed by two major fluid components:  blood and spinal fluid. The quality of both is determined by what you eat, what you drink, how you breathe, and how well your body is functioning. Both fluids are moved by ACTIVITY. If you are fuzzy headed or unfocused, take a quick walk to pump the blood and spinal fluid around and see what happens.

The more you move, the more you breathe. It’s even better if you move quickly and get a little out of breath or  get quiet and breathe really deeply.  Both put more OXYGEN in your bloodstream, which is excellent for brain cells which have a big effect on your thoughts.

The primary component in blood and spinal fluid should be WATER. Don’t talk to me about the kidneys filtering your diet soda and cleaning it… do you think your kidneys and the all important adrenal glands (stress regulators) right on top of them need that extra work?

If you drink a lot of soda (also known by the names “dirty brown chemical water” or “liquid satan”) – you are literally making every new cell and your body’s fluids and tissues out of chemicals. How well do you think that works internally?

So, when I explained to my client that HE was creating a perfect internal environment for stress with what he ate and drank and how he moved, he got it!

He got it, in part because he was experiencing it at the moment we talked.  Before coming to his appointment, he admitted he been in a stressful meeting at work that put a lot of additional work on his agenda. During the meeting, he ate several brownies. (Why do they always have sugar at a meeting? To sweeten the bitterness of the meeting and what they are demanding of you!)

An hour later, his mind was hopped up on the sugar and caffeine and he literally was in a tailspin of indecision, fear and anxiety. He was in a brain meltdown.

There’s a crucial connection to be made here. The body is important! Not only are we not listening to its cues and communications, we aren’t caring for it in a way that allows it to help us through all the crazy circumstances that may be confronting us.

Change This Equation

I’m stressed and don’t have time to take care of myself.

I’m stressed – I NEED to make the time and effort to take BETTER care of myself.

That’s right, more stress means more time for relaxation, movement, replenishment. Women need more replenishment than men.

Get in Prophylactic Mode with Stress

If you notice my clients’ words, his pattern was to get overstressed, and THEN begin to drink extra water. He would notice a difference, but if he had a consistent pattern of nourishment and hydration, the stress might not build in the first place. He also had a habit of paying attention to his body’s needs for two days maximum.

Eating well for 2 days is great. But, eat well for two years, then talk to me about your state of mind.

Remembering to treat your body with loving care once in a while is not enough.

Your body is your home. It’s the only home you will ever know. It’s your shelter, your structure, your bedrock. It’s the foundation from which you connect to the world.

It will reward you with its amazing powers of healing, regeneration and support – if you nurture it consistently.

* As always, all client stories are shared with permission.

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