"Why do I feel so...?" Your body may have the answer.

I've been trying to think of how to explain what this blog is about, to sort of lay it out for you. As I was writing my last post about PMS and girl-hormones, the phrase "Why do I feel so..." seemed to encapsulate my frustration regarding my cycle. As girls, we are basically told, "So, you're about to have this thing that's going to make you crabby, tired, and possibly in-pain for the next 35 years of your life. You won't be able to do much about it, and you won't really know why, but, er, welcome to womanhood!" In a way, this describes the experience of being human, too.

As a woman, my hormones have affected my life profoundly. But by understanding the different aspects of the cycle, and going with my body's messages, I found relief from what once were "symptoms". Anxiety became creativity; fatigue became deep rest and intuition. No longer a burden, my hormones are now an asset to me. I want to share with other women how I got here, as well as new research that explains what's going on with us, so we can become radiant and empowered in our bodies.

Other aspects of the brain-body connection apply to all, of course. Neurologists are starting to discover mechanisms that actually connect the brain to the body: deep breathing, mindfulness, gut flora, and sexual health are being revealed as superhighways to well-being. The question, "why do I feel so...?", is starting to be answered. Whether you're looking for answers to this question, or just practical ways to enhance your mind-body connection, you'll find some of those answers here (for starters, check the links section)!

Chakras are an interesting topic, too. My training at IYT taught me about the energy body and how to use yoga poses, breath, and visualizations to balance the chakras. Chakras are energy centers along the spine that connect the physical, emotional, and energetic aspects of us. You can think of them as transformers, which transfer energy between thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and physical form. Chakras are a powerful way to create health through any number of means, and once understood, provide another answer to the question, "why do I feel so....?"

The body has a language, and science is starting to corroborate what many of us know intuitively: that the body speaks to the mind, and the mind to the body. With this knowledge, the possibilities for attaining health are set to multiply. For example, most serotonin is stored in the gut, and therefore, deep breathing stimulates the release of serotonin, which makes you feel calm. Women are likely to feel more creative when they have a good sex life, according to Naomi Wolf (2012). These are just some of the ideas that inspire me to improve my my total well-being. I hope you'll join me!