Your Mind and Your Skin- Mind Body Connectivity

Strengthening the mind body connection- When we create new memories, it can change the pathways and connections in our brains. During what is known as long term potentiation, the brain’s electrical and chemical pathways morph in a way that causes them to be stimulated more easily. Simply put, learning changes the makeup of your brian. The specific pathways and memories that are formed vary from person to person, but one aspect that remains constant across all minds is the types of neurotransmitters the brain uses. 

Our minds respond to outer stimuli. Stress and negative emotions can effect the types and amounts of neurotransmitters that are released in the brian. The negative emotions and thought patterns that individuals develop can become ingrained along pathways in the brain. The more negative emotions you experience, the greater propensity you have to experience negative emotions in the future. On the flip side of this coin, you can also train your brain to experience more positive emotions. Just as you can engrain negative memories or experiences in the LTP circuit, you can do the same with positive emotions. 

So how does all of this relate to the mind body connection? Our brains are an aspect of our body that need care and rest, just like the rest of us. Our brain can also determine how we react to certain situations. Whether or not we respond to a stressful situation with stress or tranquility is determined by our brain. As we are sure most people are aware, stress can greatly effect our body in negative ways. The experience of stress causes the body to release cortisol, and prolonged exposure to cortisol can cause the immune system to become ineffective and a variety of other problems. 

Taking time to relax and treat your body is of immense value, especially in these stressful fast paced times. Treating your skin with proper care often is underestimated by people and professionals in the health care world. Your skin keeps your body protected and can also been seen as a reflection of your inner health. A sickly individual is almost immediately recognizable by their off-color skin tone. When you do something as simple as care for your skin, you can greatly enhance your health. Taking care of your skin can lead to healthier choices to care for the rest of your body as well. At ESI we put all of our focus on skin so that you can de-stress and take care of your body. Taking a short time to care for skin, and your soul, won’t invade your schedule, but will provide you with valuable relaxation time.