Well+Being Holistic Mental Health
“Emotional Health & Wellness Tips From The Therapy Couch And Other Places”
On Well-Being
Human well-being and the ability to flourish is only possible when we feel safe and secure in the world. When this basic need to feel safe is not met, our sympathetic nervous system is activated, and we default to and inhabit a “fight or flight” stress response. In flight-fight, anything not essential for immediate survival is turned off—this includes the immune system, the digestive system, the human growth and reproductive systems. When these systems are turned off for too long, or are turned on and off too frequently, they break down, leading to the illnesses of modernity: diabetes, heart disease, infertility, obesity, anxiety, depression, autoimmune diseases, sleep disorders, and on.
This activated stress response can lead to detrimental changes in the structure of the brain and negatively impact emotional regulation, attention, concentration, and memory. Psychologically, when in the stress response, we pre-consciously sense our very survival is at stake, and in this activated state, the natural state of being open, relaxed, and receptive is not available to us. Instead, we are vigilant and tense, psychologically defensive and contracted. In
Urban Zen Center: Dr. Mark Hyman Speaks On Diabesity
Urban Zen was delighted to hear that Mark Hyman, MD considers the Urban Zen Center to be his second home, and we were thrilled to welcome him back to the studio. On October 30, 2010, the center was filled with guests eager to learn more about his approach to living a disease free life. The day long workshop was dedicated to the topic of “Diabesity” which is, as Dr. Hyman describes, an epidemic health condition that is metabolic in nature and ranges from mild blood sugar imbalance to full-blown diabetes. It is such a health concern that military leaders have labeled it a “threat to national security.” Workshop guests were surprised to learn that one out of every three volunteers in the military is obese.
The statistics are even more sobering in the general population with an alarming obesity rate of nearly three out of four Americans. Dr. Hyman added that “our children may be the first generation that will not outlive their parents.” What would it take to turn things around so that our kids can grow old? Dr. Hyman’s sensible approach to health reminded us what we probably already knew—that lifestyle treatments and a whole systems approach to chronic disease IS the cure. So, if you think you can’t reverse the problem you are wrong. The trouble with conventional medicine is that we treat the symptoms, not the root cause according to Dr. Hyman.