Our bodies heal through movement.

This is a bold statement to make without referencing studies to back it up, which would normally be my style, but then there is something to say about the innate sense of something that intuitively feels right. (And, of course, tons of studies have been done to back this up.)

I spent all day Sunday in a seminar with my good friend and colleague Scott Kuhagen, of Functional Evolution. He teaches a revolutionary way to heal tender muscle tissue and reverse the aging of cells, thus slowing down our aging process. I know, that also sounds like a bold statement to make without citing studies, but broken down into physiology, it makes all the sense in the world. This new tissue healing system has two specialized research and practicing MDs who have helped to develop the program.

In simplified language, our physical movement is our metabolism. When we move, we convert nutrition to energy and expel toxins and waste products. That is what gives us energy to move. We are a moving, detoxifying organism just by doing what we were born to do: move! So what happens when we don’t move? Disease, depression, obesity, aches and pains in our backs and joints. Worst of all, this decline accelerates the older we get. Not a fun story at all!

There is also a somatic response to emotional trauma, which resides in our muscle tissues. I have encountered many incidents where a traumatic event from someone’s childhood has impaired their range of motion. By implementing psychotherapy with movement therapy, I’ve seen many people return to a normal range of motion. Once again, while there are case studies to reference, we don’t need the studies to know what is true when we feel it for ourselves.

Emotional release is a natural part of the healing process. We need to connect our bodies and minds again, by allowing movement to be not only a guide, but a therapeutic tool. You may have heard of NIA and Dance Therapy, which are both movement systems used in cases of eating disorders and other types of body dysmorphic disorders. These programs help individuals learn how to trust their bodies again and, through movement and sensation, feel themselves and slowly heal.

The next time you move, train, or workout, try to use all your senses. Be less intellectual and just start exploring what is really going on in your body. What do you feel? Maybe you will cry or maybe you’ll laugh out loud. Whatever you feel, you are making a good start in the healing process.

Live Life Loud!

Image: Elvert Barnes