MUNAY-KI

Have you ever wondered why some people heal quickly from injury while others may take longer or perhaps may have the same recurring injury over and over and over and over?  Why do some live with chronic, unexplained pain?  Or why, given similar physical circumstances, do some of us seem to be chronically ill with whatever respiratory illness is going around while others seem immune?  We have to look beyond our physical body for understanding as there is always an energetic component to illness, disease, and injury.  We have both a physical body and an energetic body.  So what does this mean?

A very simplistic explanation borrowed from quantum physics is that everything in this universe has both a particle state and a wave state, and behaves like both a particle and a wave at the same time.  Our human minds perceive the world through our senses of sight, sound, taste, and touch and rarely, in my opinion, are we aware of the energetic field that we walk in.  But it's there.  We have both a particle (physical) state and an energetic state that exists as a luminous energy field (LEF) around and within us.  You can imagine your LEF as a translucent oval shaped field of light extending several feet in all directions around your body.

Our personal LEF extends to the farthest reaches of the universe, but diminishes in strength the farther away it gets from our physical body.  It's nonlocal, it's everywhere.  So in our field state, we are connected to everything.  In our particle state, we collapse these waves of energy to our physical body.  Both exist at the same time.

Our LEF contains all of the information about how we will live, grow old, and die.  It contains stories of how our parents lived, stories of "bad" genes and diseases that are passed from one generation to the next.  It contains the energy of our attitudes and beliefs, traumas, and energy from negative experiences and negative interactions with others that we hold onto.  Examples are grudges, resentments, blaming, shame, guilt, entitlements, fears, the unwillingness to forgive, feelings of "being less than" - these are unhealed parts of ourselves that create toxic, or dangerous dynamics that influence our health.

The field communicates with and directly informs our physical body.  The energy of attitudes, beliefs and behaviors, of traumas and old stories we keep telling ourselves about what is reality - anything in opposition to our health and well-being - affects us at the cellular level, contributing to injury illness, and disease.  That is, if we don't deal with them and clear them from our field.  Otherwise, those patterns of behavior, those outworn beliefs, those things that don't support and create health, figuratively turn off our inner light, preventing us from becoming who we dream to be and often preventing us from even knowing who we truly are.  Our inner light is turned off.  And then switches that create health inside the cells of our physical body are also turned off.

Clearing our energy field requires self examination and excavation of our fears, our guilt, our expectations of others, the ways we blame others and hold onto anger and resentments, the beliefs we hold about what is and what isn't possible - all the ways we hide and turn off our inner light.  This work isn't easy by any means, and many are unwilling to go there.  But our brain's neural circuity can be rewired, limiting beliefs replaced with possibilities, unwanted habits discarded.  We can turn the light back on.

PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS

(excerpt from:  Rode, M., Dance: Physical and Energetic Perspectives on Injury and Healing.  May not be reproduced or republished in any form)

I originally wrote the following for dancers, as psychological stress is among the known risk factors for physical injury. But I realize this is not just about dancers. We’re living in an especially chaotic world and we all face the stressors of daily life. We all experience loss and grief. We’re all dancing through life. So I hope you read on.

The American Psychological Association defines stress as “the physiological or psychological response to internal or external stressors” (APA, 2018). Stress is a response to pressure in the form of a major traumatic event, a sudden loss (a job, a loved one, our health, etc.), or the pressures of our daily commitments and responsibilities. Stress can manifest physically, emotionally, and/or mentally. We may feel overly anxious and worried and when under psychological stress we may feel that circumstances have become too difficult and overwhelming to cope with.

None of us can escape stress in our lives. Life is chaotic. Things will never be “perfect” in our lives, at least in the ways that we imagine they should be. Change is constant and often not to our liking, but our attitudes and behaviors towards ourselves and others in the face of life’s challenges are under our control with the choices that we make. And – our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are determinants of the state of our health. 

Much has been investigated and written about the effects of stress on our health and it’s well known that stress is related to the development of illness and chronic disease. There’s no way to stop change in our lives, but we can learn to manage or reduce its impact on our wellbeing. I think we’d all rather swim gracefully along the river of life without being swept into the undercurrents where we’re grasping for a life raft. 

Countless sources of information and advice about stressors and stress management can be found through online blogs, websites, weekend seminars, self-help books, and so on. It seems that everyone has advice for coping with stress. Examples include relaxation techniques, yoga, physical activity, breathing exercises, meditation, and prayer. 

We can also change the way we choose to view life events that “stress us out”. In every moment we have the opportunity to ask ourselves: “Am I really in danger here? What if I could look at this stressful situation from a neutral point of view? What if I could change my perspective and therefore my reaction to the situation?” 

It’s true that not all of us experience stress in the same way, so that a stressful situation for one person may not be for another. For example, I’ve met many people who say they do their best work under the pressure of deadlines, while others fall apart. Some may ride the waves and currents of daily life with ease while others lose their grounding with the slightest breeze. It’s also true that we will never have stress free lives. Our goal shouldn’t be to eliminate stress because this isn’t possible, but to manage it so we don’t become overwhelmed and defeated. To be still in the midst of chaos. And that requires that we get to know ourselves deeply so we understand what triggers our responses to stressors, what we can change and what we can learn to let go of – even if that means changing our own attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

DANCERS, STRESS, AND INJURY

It’s my belief that psychological stress isn’t always given due attention in regards to dance and injuries. In addition to life’s stressful challenges that we all experience, dancers face enormous stresses related to job instability, the physical demands of their chosen occupation, the fear of injury, the stress of auditions and competition for roles, and the pressures of maintaining a “perfect” physical body. 

Research tells us the following about stress, dancers, and injury.  Stressful life events that are viewed as negative may be predictive of injury for dancers who don’t have caring and supportive social support systems (Patterson, Smith, Everett, & Ptacek, 1998). It’s also been found that low coping skills among dancers are associated with higher frequencies and durations of injuries and that higher levels of negative stress correlate with longer recovery times (Noh, Morris, & Andersen, 2005). Negative attitudes surrounding body dissatisfaction have been reported to be higher in injured vs. non-injured dancers. For performers, the anxiety associated with stage fright is associated with injury in dancers (Liederbach & Compagno, 2001). So negative attitudes towards life’s challenges, the inability to effectively cope with life’s challenges, and the lack of a caring and supportive environment are all in some way connected to the risk of injury and the length of time it takes to recover.

The absence rate among professional ballet dancers has been positively associated with stress, sleep disturbances, and negative moods such as anger, depression, anxiety, and confusion (Adam, Brassington, Steiner, & Matheson, 2004). Anger has also been identified as a significant factor among Irish dancers as a contributor to the incidence of performance limiting injuries (Cahalan, O’Sullivan, Purtill, Bargary Bhriain, & O’Sullivan, 2016). Recognizing the stressors in your life and finding ways to cope with them can help you not only deal with a dance injury, should it occur, but can help with prevention of dance injuries. 

In addition to psychological stress as a risk factor for injury, it’s important to talk about the impact of injury on a dancer’s psychological well-being. Researchers have discovered that distress, fear, anger, frustration, and depression are predominant emotional reactions to injury among dancers (Mainwaring, Krasnow, & Kerr, 2001), as injury threatens a dancer’s sense of identity and self-esteem. 

Your attitude towards injury and how you manage your emotions influence your recovery and may prolong the duration of an injury (Mainwaring & Finney, 2017). This is what I’ve experienced during my work with pre-professional college dancers over many years. When experiencing discomfort and pain, slight or severe, with or without injury, dancers always present with some level of fear and anxiety, usually about when they’ll be able to return to dance, whether or not they’ll be able to audition or perform, and, because they’re college students, whether or not their absence from class will affect their grade. For those sidelined from dance for more than a few days, and especially for periods of a few weeks or months, dancers talk about being depressed and/or frustrated because they no longer feel part of the group. Dancers have expressed sadness and guilt about having to observe class from the sidelines and not being able to participate. They feel guilty about having to remove themselves from a performance; like they’ve let everyone down – their teachers, choreographers, other dancers. They feel alienated, like outcasts, and wonder if they’ll ever be able to rejoin their community or have a career in dance. 

The following is one dancer’s perspective about psychological stress and dance injuries. She wrote this during a class discussion of the topic: 

“I think the key here is being more proactive and self-aware when it comes to mental health, and not justifying the feeling of immense stress just because we think we do not have a choice and being psychologically unstable is expected and common. We must change the stigma and make choices that benefit our mental health not only for our minds, but also for our bodies since it clearly affects both. I have experienced firsthand that everything else goes downhill, especially when it comes to injury, when I’m facing negative thoughts and high levels of stress. What is even worse is when someone does acquire an injury and the injury itself causes so much unnecessary stress that it can take even longer to heal, the opposite of what needs to happen. I think the moral of the story is to be kind to yourself, and as dancers we have a hard time practicing self-love because we can only see what we need to improve on. We can all do a better job of listening to our thoughts and feelings and what they are telling us about our mental states…and decide to seek help when needed.”

COPING WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS

Thankfully, there are ways that we can manage or reduce the harmful effects of stress in our lives. It’s been demonstrated that social support can moderate the relationship between life stress and injuries in dancers (Patterson, Smith, Everett, & Ptacek, 1998; Adam, Brassington, Steiner, & Matheson, 2004, Mainwaring & Finney, 2017).  I encourage you to surround yourself with people who are caring and supportive. Create a nurturing environment of people who will listen to you without judgment. Researchers have also found that reductions in the frequency and duration of injuries among dancers can be achieved through coping skills intervention programs that include self-hypnosis, positive self-talk and positive self-imagery (Noh, Morris, & Andersen, 2007). 

So what can we do for ourselves? Few of us have access to formalized stress reduction intervention programs. There are many, many ways that people use to manage their stress levels.  Unfortunately, engaging in harmful behaviors such as excessive alcohol or drug use, or overeating, are ways some of us attempt to cope when facing overwhelming challenges or when trying to manage the chronic daily stresses of living. Hopefully, you are using or will find more positive ways to manage stress. I like to walk, meditate, and talk to the divine in prayer. Or how about a cup of hot tea and a book - just a 10 or 15 minute break. It’s important to take time for yourself and not to feel guilty about it.

You no doubt have several stress reducing methods of your own, but I’m going to ask you --- do you practice them regularly? Or do you only remember to stop and destress when you are feeling especially overwhelmed and worried? This may help in the moment and that’s a good thing. However, stress management coping strategies are an important part of self-care and I encourage you to develop a self-care routine and engage in it regularly. Find something that feels right to you and then make a regular practice of it. You’ll find some suggestions and resources below.

I need to say that although most of us are able to find ways to manage our stress levels, there may be times when things are so overwhelming that nothing seems to work. If you find yourself in a situation like this, where circumstances seem beyond your control, I recommend that you seek psychological or spiritual counseling. Sometimes stressful situations can’t be changed, but you can choose to look at them differently. Counselling can help you with this.

SUGGESTIONS FOR MANAGING STRESS

STRESS AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Before looking at several proven techniques for reducing stress in our lives, we need to learn a bit about the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS regulates body functions that aren’t under conscious control. There are two branches – the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

We are all familiar with the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which is responsible for “fight, flight, or freeze” reactions. It’s the branch of the ANS that prepares your body to respond to danger and it does this by flooding your body with hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. 

Cortisol has been called the “master hormone” because it’s involved in the regulation of so many physiological processes, including blood pressure, blood sugar, inflammation, your immune system, stress levels, and sleep cycles. High levels of cortisol can lead to health problems – a few of these are anxiety, depression, and weight gain.

Adrenaline increases your respiratory rate, your heart rate, and the blood flow to your muscles, all of which are needed if you have to run away from a tiger. That’s great, and if our only stressors in life were comparable to, and as rare running away from a tiger, all would be well. You run away and within 20-30 minutes your body returns to normal and you are no longer in a high sympathetic state. 

The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is just the opposite of the sympathetic system, slowing heart rate and lowering blood pressure. It’s also active in the process of digestion and is often called the “rest and digest” branch of the ANS. Once you’ve recovered from your encounter with the tiger and the PNS is in charge, you can go about your business in a calm and positive manner, with a sense of well-being – and ideally this is where we should “live” – in a parasympathetic state almost all of the time.

The problem is that, in this day and age, we are bombarded with multiple tiny stressors that come with modern day living, such as overly busy schedules and obligations, traffic, money worries, and many others. We can feel like we’re pulled in many directions and that we never have enough time to get things done. This causes us to be in a constant sympathetic state, which not only means we feel anxious and stressed out, but over the long run, can cause damage to many body systems.  As you read through the practices for reducing stress below, you’ll see that many of them work, at least in part, through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, having an overall calming effect on your mind and body.

1. Meditation. There are so many benefits to meditation, among them reducing stress and the symptoms of some conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, PTSD, and fibromyalgia. Meditation has been shown to decrease the production of stress hormones; lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels; lessen levels of anxiety and depression; and improve sleep. It can also improve your attention and memory and increase your positive feelings towards yourself and other.

In short, the experience of calm, relaxation, and improved focus that can be achieved through regular meditation can be effective in managing your stress levels. If you’re interested in exploring meditation as a personal practice, you might start by looking at some of the links to articles and websites, listed below. 

· https://chopra.com/online-courses/basics-of-meditation/on-demand

· https://chopra.com/articles/the-neuroscience-of-mindfulness-meditation

· https://chopra.com/articles/start-here-5-meditation-styles-for-beginners

· https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/heart-and-soul-healing/201303/dr-herbert-benson-s-relaxation-response

· http://www.relaxationresponse.org/steps/

· UC Davis - 10 health benefits of meditation. ENP Newswire, 5 June 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://electra.lmu.edu:5773/apps/doc/A587751605/ITOF?u=loym48904&sid=ITOF&xid=ef13138a. Accessed 9 Jan. 2020.

· https://osher.ucsf.edu/research/research-team/helen-weng. This is a video titled “How Meditation Impacts the Brain and Implications for Health”. It is presented by Helen Weng, PhD, of the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and includes participation in 3 meditation practices that help to produce feelings of calm, produce awareness of emotions, and cultivate positive relationships with ourselves and others. 

2. Breathing techniques.  Breathing exercises can be used to regulate stress by influencing the body’s autonomic nervous system, both the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) divisions. The SNS is in charge of the “fight, flight, or freeze” response to perceived mental or physical threat that produces, among other things, increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate. The PNS has, in some ways, the opposite effect, producing relaxation.

Three of my personal favorite breathing techniques are ‘alternate nostril breathing’, ‘4-7-8 breathing’, and a deep breathing exercise I learned in a Qigong class, described below. 

I prefer to sit while performing breathing exercises, but that’s not necessary. You may choose to stand up or lie down, for example – but don’t fall asleep if you lie down!

· Alternate nostril breathing: This technique is just what it sounds like. You use either your right or your left hand to close off one nostril and inhale and exhale through the open nostril, alternating nostrils with each breath. I’ll describe the technique using the right hand. 

Sit comfortably in an upright “neutral” position, close your eyes, and spend a minute or two allowing yourself to rest in relaxation. Then, inhale and using the  thumb of your right hand, gently close off the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. Then inhale through the left nostril. Now close off the left nostril with a finger or fingers of the right hand and exhale, then inhale through the right nostril. Repeat this alternate breathing for about 5 minutes. When you’re finished, continue sitting quietly for another one or two minutes.

Breathe normally as you do this exercise. Don’t count your breaths, force, or hold your breath. If you, at any time, feel lightheaded, anxious, or in any way uncomfortable, stop the exercise and sit or lie quietly in rest for a few minutes before you get up.  

Practice alternate nostril breathing once or twice (recommended) each day.

· 4-7-8 breathing: This technique is also great for helping you fall asleep. Start by inhaling through your nose to a count of 4. Hold your breath for 7 counts. Exhale for 8 counts through your mouth, blowing air out through pursed lips. Inhaling is quiet, but exhaling produces a soft sound as you blow out the air. Repeat the cycle [of 4 inhale. – 7 hold – 8 exhale] for 4 sets total.

When you first begin, practice 4-7-8 breathing at least twice each day. It’s OK to practice more than twice a day, but it’s not necessary. Don’t do more than 4 sets of the breathing cycle at one time until you have been doing this regularly for at least 4 weeks. You can then increase the number of cycles to a maximum of 8 if you wish, but again, this isn’t necessary.

Over time, after practicing 4-7-8 breathing regularly twice per day for about 2 months, you will experience more of the benefits of relaxation. 

Watch Andrew Weil, M.D. discuss how to use the 4-7-8 breathing technique in the short video below. He also demonstrates the technique and has you practice it with him. https://www.drweil.com/videos-features/videos/the-4-7-8-breath-health-benefits-demonstration/

· Here’s a breathing technique that I learned in a Qigong class that will clear stress. Place one hand on your lower abdomen around the level of your navel and the other hand on your chest. Inhale deeply through your nose, first into your belly and then let the air expand into your rib cage, and lastly let the air expand into your chest. Exhale through your nose in reverse order, from your upper chest through your ribs, and then through your belly. Breathe slowly, deeply, and fully but in a fluid manner without forcing. Here’s the key: at the end of the exhalation through your nose, when you think you’ve completed the exhalation, completely empty your lungs of air by blowing the remainder of the air out through your mouth. As you do this, think of some stressor in your life and imagine that is leaving you as you blow out your breath. As you inhale, you’re taking in a new perspective so as you breathe in and out, you’re transforming stressful energy into vital energy.

3. Progressive muscle relaxation. This technique basically involves alternately tensing and relaxing muscles. You do this in a progressive fashion, one muscle group at a time; perhaps starting with the muscles of your feet, then your legs, and working your way up your body. Or you could try the reverse order. It’s important to do this without the strain of forceful muscle tensing or sudden release. It’s also important to breath normally throughout the practice. Hold each tensed muscle group for 5-10 seconds and then gently release and rest for 10-20 seconds before moving on to the next muscle group. 

My preference is to have a person lie down in a comfortable position while teaching this technique; however, you can also practice progressive muscle relaxation while sitting in a relaxed position. Once in your relaxed position, inhale and exhale deeply, but without forcing your breath. Do this several times or up to a few minutes, allowing your abdomen to gently rise and fall with each inhalation and exhalation. The goal here is to feel your body start to relax.

Muscle groups you can tense: 

· curl your toes

· flex your ankles and tense your calf muscles

· tense all the muscles of your thighs

· squeeze your buttocks muscles

· tighten the muscles of your abdomen 

· tighten the muscles of your back

· pull your shoulder blades together and tighten the muscles of your upper back

· lift your shoulders up towards your ears

· tighten all the muscles of your arms

· make fists with your hands

· smile widely

· squint your eyes

· raise your eyebrows

As you release tension of each muscle group, imagine the muscle relaxing as all tension and stressful feelings “melt” away.

4. Exercise. There’s no one right exercise when it comes to relieving stress, but it can be a powerful stress reliever ‘in the moment’ when you feel you just have to let off some steam. Some people like to “burn” it all away with vigorous aerobic exercise such as running. Sometimes you may need to quiet your mind so you can focus on making a decision or solving a problem that is causing you anxiety. I head out for a walk whenever something is weighing on my mind or my heart and, more often than not, an idea or solution is ‘downloaded’ and I see things with clarity. If you’re a student, try walking when you’re stuck on finding an idea for a project or paper, or if you’re trying to commit something to memory. I got through college this way and I still walk whenever I need to clear my mind or do some deep contemplation. When in the midst of a project, or when I deliberately head out to walk in order to sort something out, I’ve learned to take pen and paper or take notes on my phone because I know that ideas will come quickly and frequently. 

Whatever it is -swimming, a gym work-out, lifting weights – the point is to move. It’s known that movement affects the autonomic nervous system, so you’ll feel better. If you’re reading this book, chances are very good that you’re a dancer or dance instructor and know how your body responds to exercise. However, if this isn’t you, or if you’re concerned about some health problem, make sure you consult with your medical doctor before starting any new exercise routine. 

A word of caution: High intensity interval training (HIIT) should be avoided when under high stress as it may stimulate excessively high levels of cortisol that have negative consequences to your health (Gupta, 2020). HIIT may also increase perceived stress and negative emotions in the short term (Saanijoki, Nummenmaa, Eskelinen, Savolainen, Vahlberg, Kalliokoski, & Hannukainen, 2015).

5. Meditative Movement  Qigong and Tai Chi are traditional Chinese movement practices. Both activate the parasympathetic nervous system (So, Cai, Yau, & Tsang, 2019; Wong, Figueroa, Sanchez-Gonzalez, Son, Chernykh, & Park, 2018), relieving stress and anxiety by calming the body. 

There are several styles of Tai Chi and many different forms of Qigong. Qi (pronounced “chee”) means “energy”, as in life force energy. Gong means “skill”, or “work/working with/cultivating”,  therefore QiGong translates to the cultivation of life force. It’s a method that incorporates movement, breathing patterns, and meditation in the development of skill in working with life force energy. There are many different styles of Qigong. A good way to begin your exploration is by looking at some of the many videos available online.

Many people practice yoga as a way to manage stress. Like Qigong and Tai Chi, yoga uses postures, movements, breathing, and meditation to connect the mind and body.

6. Visualization. Rather than using your imagination to dream up anxiety producing problems and scenarios, you can focus your imagination on thoughts that calm you and lessen your anxiety. So get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and allow your imagination to take you on a “mind vacation” by visualizing yourself in your favorite relaxing environment. You might listen to guided imagery audio scripts, or explore guided imagery meditations and visualizations. You won’t have any trouble finding resources for any of these online. 

7. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or TAPPING This tapping technique is a focused exercise that asks you to give attention to a stressor or stressful situation in your life while tapping on acupuncture points of the hands, head, face, and upper body. In Chinese medicine, acupuncture points are located along meridians, the pathways (or channels) through with Qi (energy) flows. Studies show that EFT may act on centers of the brain such as the amygdala, the “fear center” or “fight or flight” center of the brain (Stapleton, P., Crighton, G., Sabot, D., & O’Neill, H.M., 2020) and that cortisol levels drop after practicing EFT (Church, Yount, & Brooks, 2012; Stapleton, P., Crighton, G., Sabot, D., & O’Neill, H.M., 2020). The following links provide short follow-along demonstrations of how to practice this technique. I recommend you try it – it’s easy to learn, easy to do, and takes only a few minutes. 

 (1) https://product.soundstrue.com/energy-healing-toolkit/a-tapping-exercise-to-lower-cortisol-and-support-your-immunity/?sq=1&_ke=eyJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJtYXZpc3JvZGVAeWFob28uY29tIiwgImtsX2NvbXBhbnlfaWQiOiAiSk1EZ2FxIn0%3D

“A Tapping Exercise to Lower Cortisol and Support Your Immunity” with Dawson Church, PhD. 15 minute video with an explanation and follow along demonstration of tapping technique. Dr. Church’s website is https://dawsonchurch.com/where you’ll find plenty of information about EFT and it’s practical applications, as well as free videos.

(2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRfLTQjJhp0

“How to Tap – with Nick Ortner of The Tapping Solution”. 4 minute video with short explanation and demonstration of tapping. Nick Ortner’s website is https://www.thetappingsolution.com/?cookieUUID=09ce0eb1-79cb-4793-a7e0-34425647bc8a.

8. Nurture your friendships. Spend time with friends who truly care for you and support you. Perhaps plan a lunch with a good friend and enjoy yourself. Don’t spend your time complaining and rehashing your problems; rather, talk about what’s going well in your life. Talk about possibilities, potentials. Go for a walk with a friend and pay attention to the beauty around you, because it’s everywhere if you open your eyes. 

9. Be positive. This is a choice. Positive thinking is healing, negative thinking is destructive. And do all things with kindness. Be compassionate. Practice understanding. Both towards yourself and towards others. Say hello to a stranger. Smile. Lend a helping hand. You’ll be amazed at how conscious awareness of your own thoughts and behaviors can help you reclaim your inner power and generate positive feelings.

10. Take care of yourself. We often get so busy that the things that bring us the greatest peace and joy are relegated to the bottom of our “to-do” list. Please don’t do this. Doing what makes us happy keeps us grounded in what matters and gives us energy to tackle the rest of that list. So whatever it is – time with a good book, listening to music, making music, baking, walking on the beach with a friend, star-gazing, or sitting under a tree watching birds … just do it. 

Remember that self care also means getting rid of destructive attitudes and behaviors. Overindulging in anything – alcohol, food, drugs, screen time, exercise – will cause you more stress. Let go of harmful behaviors – it’s your choice. Let go of anger, don’t hold grudges, stop blaming others for how you feel or for what is happening, has happened, or may happen in your life at some time in the future. It’s your choice. Hard work, I know, that takes practice and requires constant awareness. But you can do it. It’s your choice. 

(excerpt from Rode, M., Dance: Physical and Energetic Perspectives on Injury and Healing. May not be reproduced or republished in any form)

References available upon request

Your immune system is your body's defense against illness and if it's strong and healthy, you're less likely to get sick, and, if you're sick, you're more likely to have milder symptoms and to recover more quickly.  When you're invaded by a bacteria, virus, or other "foreign body", an army of immune system cells shows up on the front lines, ready to attack and defend.  You want your army of cells to be in the best shape possible so they have the greatest chance of fighting off whatever it is that has invaded your body.

SLEEP, NUTRITION, MANAGING STRESS, STAYING ACTIVE

Lack of sleep, low nutrient foods, stress, sugar, smoking, and alcohol all weaken our immune systems.  We need to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night, eat healthy nutritious food, manage our stress levels, and get some exercise.  This is no mystery.  I think we all KNOW what to do, but so often we make choices to do otherwise.  We all do, no exception.

SLEEP

I'm putting sleep at the top of this list because there isn't anything about our physiology that isn't affected by a lack of sleep.  For example, lack of sleep affects your ability to lose weight (you probably won't be able to), your risk of injury increases, and you won't be able to sustain your level of activity when you lack sleep,  (For dancers, this means you won't perform as well in your dance classes and during performances.). Lack of sleep is linked to all of our major lifestyle diseases - cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.  It's also linked to autoimmune diseases.

It's true that sleep is the "best medicine" when you're ill with an infectious disease and it's also true that sleep is important for maintaining a strong immune system so that you're more resistant to getting sick in the first place.  Prolonged sleep loss weakens our body's defense mechanisms, making us more prone to catching a cold or flu.

Your changes of catching a cold increase if you sleep 6 hours or less per night.  And you can't make up the hours of sleep that you miss.  So get your 7-8 hours per night.  It's also important that you develop a sleep schedule and stick to it.  Try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day.

Tips for getting a good night's sleep:

• Set a regular sleep schedule.  Most important is getting up at the same time every morning.
• Sleep in a cool room.  A cool room promotes deep sleep.
• Sleep in a dark room.
• Avoid any type of stimulation before bedtime - disturbing TV/movies, arguments.  Instead, try reading an inspirational book.
• No coffee within at least 6 hours before bedtime, longer as you get older (10-12 hours if you're 60 or older).
• Dim the lights in your environment and unplug from social media at least an hour before bedtime.
• Avoid alcohol before bedtime - it will wake up up during the night and will prevent your dream sleep.  Alcohol also suppresses the functions of the immune system.

Still can't sleep?  Try one or more of the following:

• Meditation or prayer
• Review your day in your mind, or you may want to write in a journal.  Best - think of positive things that happened that day.
• Take a warm bath
• Stress reduction breathing techniques

And you still can't sleep?

Don't stay in bed.  Your brain will start to associate bedtime with awake time.  Instead, get out of bed and try some stress reducing practices such as meditation or deep breathing.  Or make yourself a cup of herbal tea and sit quietly.  Read an inspirational book.  Just don't engage in anything that will stimulate your brain.

LINKS TO VIDEOS ABOUT SLEEP AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

1)  "What happens to your body and brain if you don't get sleep"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-8b99rGpkM
 

2)  "Strengthen your immune system with sleep"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDT16SxG0Cc 

NUTRITIOUS FOOD

Nutrients are substances that your body uses for energy and for growth, maintenance, and repair of body tissues.  They include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water.  Your body needs a healthy balance of ALL of these nutrients in order to maintain optimal health.

Foods that are overly processed lack nutritional value and others, like sugar, have no nutritional value at all.  In fact, too much sugar can weaken your immune system, as can too much alcohol and any amount of smoking.  You're also more susceptible to getting sick if you don't eat enough protein and fats.  For you science nerds, fatty acids (a part of fats) are a main structural component of cell walls, so we need them in our diet in order to keep the cell walls healthy and strong so, for example, viruses can't penetrate them.  Low fat diets are not a good idea, especially when you're sick or at risk of getting sick, like in cold or flu season.

Some vitamins and minerals that have been shown to maintain health of the immune system include Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, and zinc.  Example of foods that contain Vitamin C are bell peppers, berries, green leafy vegetables, and citrus fruits.  Below, I've provided links to some resources where you can find information about healthy sources of all the nutrients.

Many people take supplements as a way to ensure they're getting plenty of the necessary vitamins and minerals.  If you've been doing this, OK.  You've probably had a suggestion or recommendation about supplements from your medical provider.  If you're not taking supplements, I would not recommend that you start without first checking with your medical or naturopathic physician or with a registered dietician.  But you can make sure that you're eating a well balanced diet that contains mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, and healthy fats and proteins.

LINKS TO RESOURCES ABOUT NUTRITION

1)  Link to "The Nutrition Source" from the Harvard School of Public Health

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/ 

2)  Link to The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Lots of good information about nutritious foods.

https://www.eatright.org/food 

STRESS

When we don't successfully manage our stress, our immune system suffers.  We can't eliminate stress, but we can manage it.  There are many, many strategies that people use to manage stress and here I'll suggest a few that are very effective and that you might try.  I do recommend that everyone have a daily routine of self care that includes some stress reducing practice.

Some suggestions for coping with stress

• Breathing practices.  Increasing the exhalation time over the inhalation time activates the ventral vagus nerve to bring you out of fight, flight, or freeze mode.  There's a link below to a short video demonstrating the "4-7-8" breathing practice.
• Exercise.  Any type of movement is helpful: dance around your living room, yoga, pilates mat exercises.  If you can, go for a walk and breathe in the fresh air.
• Meditation.  Studies show that meditation increases immunoglobulin A (IGA), a substance that is a primary defense against bacteria and viruses.  There are many ways to meditate and below you'll find 2 short guided meditations for reducing stress and boosting your immune system.
• Prayer.
• Spend time with friends who support you.
• Think positively.
• Be grateful.

1)  "How stress affects your body"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-t1Z5-oPtU 

2)  "Guided Meditation for Health and Healing (Immune System Booster)"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14PrBZ8oUXs 

3)  "20 Minute Guided Meditation for Reducing Anxiety and Stress - Clear the Clutter to Calm Down"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIr3RsUWrdo 

4)  "4-7-8" Breathing.  Health Benefits and Demonstration"

h4ps://www.drweil.com/videos-features/videos/the-4-7-8-breath-health-benefits-demonstraMon/ 

EXERCISE

Moderate intensity exercise has a beneficial effect on your immune system and lowers your susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infections.  However, this effect is temporary so it's important to exercise on a regular basis.  Moderate exercise also helps you sleep and helps manage your stress levels.

Be aware that high intensity, prolonged exercise of 90 minutes or more temporarily depresses your immune system so you have a higher risk of respiratory infection.

If you're able, try going for a walk several times per seek for 30 - 60 minutes.  Putting on your favorite music and dancing around your house is also a good way to get some moderate aerobic exercise.

Should you exercise when you have a cold?  That depends on your symptoms.  It's OK if your symptoms are "above the head" - runny nose, nasal congestion.  However, if you have muscle aches and pains, chest congestion, a cough, a fever, or an upset stomach - don't exercise.  Your body needs to rest.

Below is a short (3 minute) video on exercise and your immune system.

How Exercise Affects Your Immune System"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T1p-13YYf8 

M. Rode, 04/2020, revised 11/2023