Yes, Your Body Experiences Emotion Too

Not to brag or anything, but I am always reading new studies, trying new methods, and learning about different techniques in order to boost my own health, but more importantly, to help heal clients (#shamelessplug). One of the most mind-blowing recent studies I've come across proves body organs communicate directly with the brain and vice versa. Scientists used to think that information from the brain was passed linearly through the nervous system like an electrical wire (ex. the stomach communicating to the brain that it's full after eating, or the brain communicating to the heart that a threat is present so it can speed up heartbeat, AKA anxiety, which is a whole other beast).

But now, new research has proved that all body organs (like the kidneys, skin, and the digestive system), as well as blood cells and immune system cells, also have receptor sites for brain chemicals. What does this mean for those of us who are not science geeks and couldn't care less about receptor sites and brain chemicals (I like to pretend I am, but I failed Chemistry in high school)? Not only do the physical organs and systems in the body affect thought and emotion, but our physical organs can create these same chemicals that we experience as thought and emotions. In other words, every part of the body expresses emotion.

When we are sad or stressed, our bodies literally feel the sadness, and the function of each system is affected. And when we are happy and joyful, every organ in our bodies respond accordingly.

This means our understanding of "the mind" is not just located in the brain. What we call our "mind" is actually located throughout the entire body–mind blowing right!? (Literally, lol.) Emotions and thoughts don't just come from the brain; they're coming from the colon, the skin cells, the ovaries, the throat. Why care about where the receptor sites for brain chemicals are? Because it's even more reason to prioritize the health of our bodies, and even more motivation to get to the root of symptoms. When the part of your mind that is your uterus, your skin, or your immune system, is expressing emotion and communicating to you, are you ready to listen?

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