As of the day of writing this blog, only 9 months and 22 days to Christmas. Christmas is a time to share with friends and family, with people you care about. The problem is when people in this circle have a negative effect on your health. It could be unknowinlgly from the words they say or the way they act, but as a result, it causes hurt feelings and unhealthy thoughts in you.
So just as important as the food we eat and the exercise we do to stay healthy, we need to be aware of the effect people have on our health. In pop culture, they are called “haters”, people who bring you down when you should be up. You can hear about them in songs and see them on shows. It’s something everyone will feel, especially if you achieve success in something. Thus, my theory is that it stems partly from jealousy, which is expressed through veiled words and actions, which affects us emotionally.
In a previous blog, I talked about Disneyland and how it causes our brain to release happy hormones, which is why it’s called ”the happiest place on Earth”. On the other hand, when people we care about don’t care about what they say to us, instead of happy hormones, it causes stress in our bodies. I am sure you are aware of how stress affects you, otherwise just Google for countless studies on stress and your health.
From an Osteopathic point of view, my theory is that stress is expressed through our muscles. The muscles in turn stimulate our central nervous system, which maintains tense muscles. If the feedback cycle continues over time, it affects our health as seen by chronic fatigue, loss of sleep, and headaches, among other symptoms.
It is up to us to decide how we deal with stress. If that stress is coming from people we spend Christmas and other holidays with, then ultimately we have to decide how much time we want to spend with them. It is much easier to change the way we interpret their hater ways than to wait for them to change.
Thus, for your health and well-being, take care of yourself and don’t care about what others may say. Your health is like your climb to fame: it’s not what you know, but who you know.
Osteopathic Practitioner
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