Mind, BODY and Spirit

It has often been said that we are a soul that is housed in a body. Scripture describes the body as being the temple of God. We are each mind, body and spirit. Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. One is not separate from the others.

There are numerous things we can do to gain enlightenment, but if we are walking around not feeling our best we may be hampering those efforts.We owe it to ourselves to learn what we might do to be our best physical selves so that we might better enjoy the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of life.

One of my favorite psychological theories is Maslow's Hierarchy. In fact I used his theory as one of the components for the original theory and research I developed for my doctoral dissertation. Maslow discussed basic human needs and the fact that they could be viewed as a hierarchy. Like rungs on a ladder, you simply cannot address level three until you have attended to levels one and two. If you want good self esteem, a sense of belonging, and fulfillment of aesthetic needs, you must first satisfy the physiological/biological needs, for they sustain life. The majority of a person's attention will be at this level until the particular needs are met to the proportion needed to sustain sufficient performance of the body.

What that amounts to is this: If you scored tickets for the most fantastic event you can imagine, but you ended up with a serious headache, you simply cannot enjoy the event. Your faculties will be lent to taking care of the physical you.

I thought it might be interesting, therefore, to hear some of the newer research on the organic nutrients that help sustain normal metabolism and good health - our vitamins.

Here are some interesting findings:

Vitamin E helps control dystmenorrhea (menstrual pain)
Stress level high? Again Vitamin E, is of help.

The Journal, Medical Chemistry, reported that Vitamins C helps to kill off malignant cells in the body and helped in the treatment of prostrate cancer.

Worried about cholesterol? Vitamins C and E help with these levels and slow the progression of heart disease.

Many people may know that vitamin C is good for overall circulation, but it was also reported to help prevent premature delivery, and assists in dental health (along with Vitamin B) .

As our population ages there is concern about cognitive decline; one of the vitamins research suggests helps with ability is folic acid.

Vitamin D is good for bone health and one study suggested it helped with low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and helps to improve the symptoms of many chronic disorders. I have also read research that it helps to prevent or treat depression.

Keep in mind that dietary supplements here in the US are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Vitamins and other such supplements may not claim to prevent or treat specific disease, although they may state how they may reduce the risk of a condition which is health related. Although it is best to get the vitamins from the food we eat, our diet is often not balanced and the food itself is often deficient.

I would hope that you would look further into this topic. There is a lot of good information online. A reputable health food store will also be able to assist you in giving recommendations for dealing with specific conditions and how vitamins may help you to strive toward optimal physical health. This is turn will bolster your system so that you may deal with the stress inherent in today's world.

Remember we cannot separate one part of our being from the rest. Although I know that this topic is not the sort of thing I usually write about, I think it deserves being mentioned so that each of you might be healthy and thus strive to truly live your purpose and share the gifts that are uniquely yours in today's world.

Until next time,
Dr. DyAnn