Rest and Renewal for Holistic Living

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What if I told you that your mental well-being directly influences your physical health? Join me, Tone Motivates, as we navigate the profound mind-body connection, exploring how stress and emotions manifest in our physical bodies. I'll share my personal journey with gestational diabetes to underscore the vital role physical health plays in nurturing mental wellness. Together, we'll uncover the transformative power of exercise, nutrition, and sleep, and how these elements can uplift your mood and emotional equilibrium.

Rest is not a luxury, but a crucial element of self-care that's often overlooked in our productivity-obsessed culture. This episode invites you to tune into your body’s needs and embrace rest as a pathway to holistic wellness. By incorporating mindful movement, breathing exercises, and journaling techniques, you can fortify the communication between your mind and body. Let's challenge societal norms, foster kindness towards ourselves, and take small, meaningful steps toward enhancing our overall well-being. You've got this!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's good Motives?
It's your girl Tone Motivates.
Back with another episode ofShades of Tone.
And today we will be discussingmind-body connection and
understanding the link foroverall wellness.
Of course, you know I gottadrop a quote in there, right?
So the quote is it's not howmuch we have, but how much we

(00:21):
enjoy that makes happiness.
And that's by Charles Spurgeon.
Have you ever felt butterfliesin your stomach before a big
presentation?
Or maybe your shoulders tensedup after a stressful day?
These are all little remindersthat what's happening in our
minds directly affects ourbodies.
Today we are diving deep intothe mind-body connection bodies.

(00:45):
Today we are diving deep intothe mind-body connection, how
our thoughts, emotions andmental health impact our
physical well-being and howcaring for our bodies can help
support a healthier mind.
Why this topic matters?
We often treat our mental andphysical health as separate
things, but they're deeplyintertwined.
By understanding thisconnection, we can take a more

(01:05):
holistic approach to wellness,nurturing both mind and body
together.
So what exactly is the mindbody connection?
Well, at its core is the ideathat our mental and emotional
states can influence ourphysical health and vice versa.
When we're stressed, anxious oremotionally overwhelmed, our

(01:28):
bodies react, sometimes withheadaches, muscle tension or
even illness.
Let's talk about the role ofstress, because it's one of the
clearest examples of themind-body link.
When you're stressed, your bodyreleases cortisol, a hormone
that's helpful in a small dosebut harmful over time if it's
constantly flooding your system.

(01:48):
Chronic stress can lead tophysical issues like high blood
pressure, sleep problems andweakened immunity.
Think about a recent time whenyou felt stressed.
Can you recall how your bodyreacted?
Maybe you felt tense, got aheadache or noticed changes in
your sleep.
Maybe you felt tense, got aheadache or noticed changes in

(02:09):
your sleep.
These physical symptoms areyour body's way of responding to
what's happening in your mindHolistic health.
What this shows is that wecan't separate mental and
physical health.
They're two sides of the samecoin and taking care of one
helps support the other.

(02:31):
I remember a time when I wasn'texercising or taking care of my
body and I started feelingsluggish, unmotivated and down.
I didn't realize thatneglecting my physical health
was affecting my mood so much.
With being diagnosed withgestational diabetes at 21 with
my first child and, on top ofthat, working somewhere that
treated patients with end-stagerenal disease, which is caused
by high blood pressure ordiabetes or both, I decided I

(02:53):
had to lose the weight for good.
Let's chat about exercise andmental health.
There's a reason people sayexercise is the best medicine
for your mind.
Physical activity releasesendorphins those feel good
chemicals that boost your moodand reduce anxiety and
depression.
Even just a short walk or yogasession can make a huge

(03:14):
difference in how you feelmentally.
Nutrition and mental health whatwe eat also plays a big role in
how we feel mentally.
A diet high in processed foodsand sugar can lead to energy
crashes, mood swings and evensymptoms of depression.
On the other hand, foods richin nutrients, like leafy greens,

(03:37):
healthy fats and whole grains,support brain function and
emotional balance.
I actually discussed this morein an episode a few back called
Transform your Plate.
Take a listen if interested.
Now I want you to think abouthow your physical habits impact
your mental health.
How do you feel after you'vehad a healthy meal or finished a

(03:59):
workout, and how do you feelwhen you haven't been taking
care of your body?
Now, the body is very emotional, right?
Just like physical healthimpacts mental health, our
emotional and mental states havea direct impact on our bodies.
When we're anxious, for example, our heart rate increases, our
muscles tense up and ourdigestion slows down.

(04:20):
It's the body's fight or flightresponse kicking in With
chronic stress and illness.
When mental stress becomeschronic, it can lead to physical
problems too.
Stress becomes chronic, it canlead to physical problems.
Research shows that chronicstress can increase the risk of
heart disease, digestive issuesand even autoimmune disorders.
It's the body's way of tellingus that our minds are out of

(04:41):
balance.
Think about how your emotionsaffect your body.
Have you ever noticed how yourbody feels after an emotional
draining day?
Maybe your shoulders are tightor you get a headache.
These are signs that your mindand body are closely linked.
Sleep and mental health Sleepis another major player in the

(05:04):
mind-body connection.
When we're mentally overwhelmed, it can be hard to get a good
night's sleep, and lack of sleepin turn can affect our mood,
making us more irritable,anxious or depressed.
Practical ways to strengthen themind and body connection
Mindful movement.
One of the best ways tostrengthen the mind-body

(05:26):
connection is through mindfulmovement.
Whether it's yoga, tai chi oreven just stretching is through
mindful movement.
Whether it's yoga, tai chi oreven just stretching, these
practices encourage you to tuneinto your body and breathe
deeply, which helps calm themind and release tension.
Breathing exercises.
Breathing is an incrediblysimple but powerful tool for
connecting the mind and body.

(05:46):
When you're stressed, taking afew deep, slow breaths signals
to your body that it's safe torelax.
You can do this anywhere,anytime, and it has immediate
calming effects.
Journaling for mental clarityJournaling is a great way to
clear mental clutter and helpyour body relax.
By writing down your thoughtsand emotions, you're giving your

(06:14):
mind a way to process andrelease stress, which, in turn,
helps your body feel more atease.
I encourage you to try one ofthese practices this week.
Whether it's taking fiveminutes to do some deep
breathing, going for a mindfulwalk or journaling.
Give yourself the space toconnect your mind and body and
notice how you feel afterwards.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice ofbeing fully present in the

(06:37):
moment, without judgment.
It's about paying attention tohow your body feels, what's
going on in your mind and howthe two are connected.
Mindfulness meditationMindfulness meditation is a
simple yet powerful way tostrengthen the mind-body
connection.
By sitting quietly and focusingon your breath, you're training

(07:00):
your mind to stay present andgrounded, which helps reduce
stress and calm the body.
Body scanning Anothermindfulness technique is body
scanning, where you mentallyscan your body from head to toe,
noticing any areas of tensionor discomfort.
This practice helps you becomemore aware of how your body is

(07:32):
feeling, which is the first stepto addressing any physical or
emotional stress.
I invite you to try a shortbody scan.
Take a moment right now toclose your eyes, if you can, and
mentally scan your body.
Start at your head and workyour way down to your toes.
Notice any tension or tightness.
Are you clenching your jaw?
Are your shoulders tense?
Just notice without judgment.

(07:58):
When I was first diagnosed as agestational diabetes patient, I
found out after faintingrandomly in public.
I used to push through physicaldiscomfort, thinking I could
power through stress, buteventually my body made me
listen, whether it was duefatigue, headaches or back pain
In my case, diabetes.

(08:18):
The body's wisdom, our bodies,are constantly giving us signals
about what's happening in ourminds.
When we're feeling anxious oroverwhelmed, our bodies let us
know through tension, pain orfatigue.
The more we listen to thosesignals, the better we can care
for ourselves.

(08:39):
Rest as self-care.
Now let me some.
Rest as self-care.
Sometimes the best thing youcan do for your mind and body is
to rest.
In a culture that valuesproductivity over everything, it
can be hard to prioritize rest,but rest is not lazy.
It's essential for yourwell-being.
Reflect on how well you listento your body.

(08:59):
When was the last time youreally listened to what your
body was telling you?
Do you push through a pain orexhaustion, or do you give your
body the rest it needs?
Today, we've explored the deepconnection between our minds and
bodies.
Or do you give your body therest it needs?
Today, we've explored the deepconnection between our minds and
bodies, how stress, emotionsand mental health affect our
physical well-being and howtaking care of our bodies can

(09:22):
support a healthy mind.
By strengthening the mind andbody connection, we can take a
more holistic approach towellness.
It's not about perfection.
It's about paying attention,being kind to ourselves and
taking small steps to care forboth mind and body.
Remember, wellness is not justabout hitting the gym or eating

(09:44):
healthy.
It's about tuning in to how ourmind and body are communicating
with each other.
The more you listen, the betteryou'll feel inside and out, I
promise.
This week, I challenge you totry practicing one of the
techniques we discussed.
Whether it's a mindful movement, breathing exercises or simply

(10:05):
taking a moment to listen toyour body.
See how it helps you feel moreconnected and grounded in your
wellness journey.
We'd love to hear from you, asalways, always, love.
You got this.