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Listen to Your Body Talk

By on June 4, 2013
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The bottom line is that your pain has got your attention. Now the ball is in your court.

By Lisa Petty

Your body talks to you all the time. All the time. You’re likely familiar with how it speaks up if you eat a food that doesn’t agree with you or if you overdid it last night at the wine-tasting, but your body constantly sends you signals – giving you feedback and updates about how things are going.  (Yes, it is time to go to sleep if you can no longer keep your eyes open.)

But what about those random aches and pains? Hot flashes? Memory loss? Muffin top? What do they mean?

Sometimes, we get stuck on the symptom and take whatever bottled solution is nearby to make the symptom go away, without considering the root cause of the problem. Here’s what I mean: let’s assume, for example, you have a headache. What’s the first thing you do? Do you simply reach into the cupboard or roam the depths of your purse for your bottle of pain killers? Most people do. But doing so has effectively told your body thank-you-very-much but I’m not listening.

Trust me, your body wasn’t calling out for an aspirin. It could, however, have been begging for a long, tall glass of water. Most of us walk around dehydrated, then become shocked with frequency of our headaches. Maybe your head pain is trying to tell you that whatever you had for lunch was not a good choice. Maybe your headache means to go to bed earlier tonight. It could also mean to stock up on feminine products, because your period is on the way. I’ve described only a small sampling of the stories your head might be trying to express about your physical situation. Of course, there are many others.

listen to body

The bottom line is that your pain has got your attention. Now the ball is in your court. Before immediately rushing for the pill bottle, do an inventory. Get right in the moment and be there. Find your quiet place and simply ask your body what is trying to tell you. Then be still. The answer will come. You might see a flash of the ocean or taste water in your mouth, after which I recommend you fill up a glass and enjoy a drink of water.  You might see the face of your boss or your spouse in your mind’s eye. Ah-ha. What needs to be resolved there? While I’m not suggesting you should suffer in silence with your headache, I do believe that before you reach for an agent that will numb your pain or discomfort, you do a proper inventory of possible triggers. You might learn that all you need to avoid the regular headache is to adjust your office chair – or pop in a T-Tapp DVD! The few minutes of reflection could save you not only the cost of the pain relievers, but also future headaches.

Your body wants you to be vibrantly healthy, happy, energetic and passionate about your life… and only gives you symptoms to let you know that choices you are making don’t support that goal, or that there is something going on that requires your attention. Rather than succumbing to the temptation of the quick-fix, do some ‘inner body’ investigation when your body attempts to communicate with through symptoms. Read a book, take a course, or work with an expert to get back on track to vibrant health: listen to your body talk, and then answer with loving attention.

 

Lisa Petty is a health and personal transformation visionary who helps others to live vibrantly. She is an internationally renowned radio show host, award-nominated journalist and author who has shared her unique perspective with thousands of people through her workshops, lectures, coaching, TV and radio appearances and throughout her extensive writing. She has written over 200 articles for major health publications, and is author of Living Beauty: Feel Great, Look Fabulous & Live Well, a modern guide to feeling younger at any age. Lisa can help you reconnect with your body and change your limiting beliefs so you can create your most vibrant health – and life! Visit www.LiveVibrantly.ca

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