The Mental Side of the Triad of Health has been addressed by psychiatrists, psychologists, and other psychotherapists have dominated their methods to the mental side of the triad, but it is the psychoneuroimmunologist who physiologically defined the mind/body connection. We can change our brains as the field of plasticity in neurosciences has recently found by altering our external environment and/or our body’s internal environment, we can take advantage of our strengths and amend our weaknesses. Possibilities for change are bound only by our imagination, our willingness to assess our circumstances accurately through self-reflection, and our commitment to hard work. The psychoneuroimmunologist specializes in the bioecopsychosocial realm, which promotes ideal relationships with nature, others, and oneself towards the goal of optimal health and elite athletic performance in San Francisco CA.
The mental side of the triad of health deals with the relationships we have with ourselves, others, and nature, thus the workings of the body. Self-reflection often involves clearing and managing emotional wounds from past relationships, forgiving, setting goals, moving forward in life, getting in touch with passion, and voicing opinions. These actions can unload the mental side of the triad of health. The commitment to work on these issues strengthens the internal resistance on the mental side of the triad, so the body can resist mental distress and move toward optimal health and elite athletic performance.
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH IN SAN FRANCISCO CA
Physical and mental exercise, proper nutrition and supplementation, and adequate sleep will help anyone gain cognitive clarity and emotional stability. Increased health can also come through spiritual practice, meditation, relaxation, and the pursuit of personal interests. One necessary precursor to change is often an alteration of attitude. Mental problems, from a hot temper to laziness, from chronic worry to excessive drinking, all have roots in the biology of the brain. This shifts the focus of responsibility. We have to examine our lives from the joint perspectives of biological, ecological, psychological, and social factors.
There are many psychiatric problems that have a physiological and/or physical cause. Depression can be caused by inadequate blood sugar control, food sensitivities, and/or constant pain for example, thus a physiologic cause with mental consequences. There can be chemical and structural causes of “mental” problems. The sides of the equilateral triangle interrelate with each other. A constant structural strain will affect one’s emotions. The emotions can then affect the digestive system, such as depression which can decrease one’s appetite and/or motivation to eat. This can affect one’s chemistry in terms of nutritional deficiencies from eating less. This can then lead to muscle weaknesses, which will further aggravate the structural strain.
A unified, integrated, and cohesive approach is therefore important and necessary. Unfortunately, the allopathic health (disease) care system has promoted extreme specialization. This has provided good results in highly specific and acute conditions but not necessarily in overall health of the patient. Problems exist when a specialist may be treating a patient for a problem on one side of the triangle, and the actual problem lies on one of the other sides of the triad. An example of this is the use of painkillers and muscle relaxants for structural problems with a known cause, such as segmental joint / myofascial dysfunction for instance. You fix the cause by the removal of the segmental joint /myofascial dysfunction with physiologic therapeutic modalities, chiropractic adjustments, myofascial release, good body mechanics, and exercise thus you fix the problem. Striving for balance on each side of the triad of health means to address all sides of the triad including structural, chemical, and psychological by minimizing distressing risk factors and building internal resistance.
Psychoneuroimmunology Model for the Mental side of the Triad of Health: minimize mental distress factors & build mental internal resistance-
Mental Distress Risk Factors:
- Social isolation
- Sleep deprivation
- Addictions
- Inability to forgive & express opinions
Psychological Internal Resistance Remedies:
- Social network & connectedness
- Psychotherapy & hypnosis
- Time & stress management
- Mental & physical exercise
- Meditation & imagery
- Art & passion expression