As recently as 1974, scientists believed that the immune system was a self-regulating body system outside the realm of conscious control. This belief was strongly questioned after Robert Ader found that the rats in one of his experiments had learned to suppress their own immune systems and were dying as a result.
A few years later, another key research development furnished more evidence of the mind-body partnership. This was Candace Pert's discovery of the receptor for the neurotransmitter called beta-endorphin. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers, which the brain uses to talk to the body. Endorphins are a type of neurotransmitter, which affect feeling states, such as pain relief, fatigue relief, and a feeling of energy. Endorphin release can literally make you feel better fast.
Pert's findings suggest that neurotransmitters, which also help regulate the internal physiology of the body, have specific receptor sites throughout the body. Pert theorizes that neurotransmitters in the brain send messages between cells that stimulate the release of neurohormones, which then course through the bloodstream to receptor sites in specific organs.
Scientists now know that certain neurotransmitters, namely, endorphins, help mediate the stress response. Endorphins, the feel-good substances, are highly concentrated in the pituitary, the powerful gland which secretes hormones that regulate bodily functions. While this finding strongly supports the existence of the mind/body partnership, it also pinpoints an actual mechanism for psycho-physiological communication-- the way the mind, and possibly the spirit, communicate with the body.
I am telling you about these findings because while the mind/body connection is yet to be completely understood, this research is still good news for all of us. Facts like these are especially useful to anyone who is pursuing personal transformations such as a healthier lifestyle, weight loss, or emotional breakthrough. Remember, these findings prove:
* Your mind and body "speak" to each other with the help of a mechanism using electrical and chemical messengers and messages.
Your brain regulates bodily functions with this electrochemical mechanism.
Your brain, your immune system and your neuroendocrine system are also bound together through this mechanism.
You can gain control over your immune system.
Your mind and body can work in partnership for good health-- or work against each other for bad.
Your brain, via the hypothalamus and its neurohormone production, triggers and influences the stress response.
Yes, you can harness your mind/body energy to manage stress and moderate various bodily functions.
Nordine G. Zouareg is an internationally known French fitness expert who currently manages the Body Mindfulness Center at Miraval – Life In Balance, a world-renowned resort/spa in Arizona. Nordine has won fitness/bodybuilding championships throughout the world. Relying on training strategies he developed based on his extensive educational background, including a Masters Degree in Physical Education and an International Personal Training certification and recognition as well as over 22 years experience in the fitness field. Nordine went on to claim the title of Mr. France, Mr. Europe, Mr. World and Mr. Universe. In addition to English Nordine is also fluent in French and Italian. Nordine's epic account of triumphing over personal obstacles only to become Mr. Universe and a cosmopolitan fitness expert qualifies him as a health guru par excellence.
Born in the back of a French army truck in the North-African desert to impoverished, illiterate nomad parents, Nordine suffered from rickets and barely survived infancy, his was left for dead in a hospital because the Doctors did not think he'd make it. His parents were intrepid, however, they reclaimed their son and they soon made it to France, where they found good medical care for him. Hospitalized for the first two years of his life, Nordine was a tiny and timid child who was later beaten and mocked by the racist children in his school. As an adolescent 108-pound weakling, Nordine resolved to strengthen himself spiritually and physically. Pursuing a vision of total health despite poverty and lack of supporters, Nordine made his vision a reality and turned himself into an international body building champion, and then Mr. Universe, in a few years.
As he tells his clients/guests, each one of us is born with everything that we need in this world. What's more, everyone, including you, is born with the power to become a champion, a champion of "life". To achieve internal strength, you must use your mental and spiritual powers to develop a positive mental and spiritual landscape inside yourself; he says at the same time, you must define your goals. These activities are the formative steps involved in what I call soul building. The more effort you devote to this, the more confident you will feel and the more capable and unstoppable you will become. The great news is that once you are mentally and spiritually invincible, your ability to connect the mind and the body is greater. The body/mind connection exists, and can be cultivated to varying degrees as a means of managing stress and promoting the immune system.
Nordine G. Zouareg brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his program. He is aptly named ?x2018;?x201D;The Body Guru?x201D;. Not only has Nordine mastered the arena of physical fitness, he also has a deep understanding of the power of the mind and how it applies to the body transformation process. Because he follows a holistic approach, his views and methodology bring strength and substance to the existing program. He offers the participants the practical means to achieve their fitness goals as he highlights the importance of ?x2018;mindfulness in training'. Nordine is committed to helping each individual tailor a program that works on a longstanding basis. He offers practical advice to people that have hectic lifestyles and designs extremely efficient programs that anyone can fit into their busy schedules.