ABOUT MESSAGES TO THE BRAIN

[CROWN COUNCIL]

Have you ever wondered why a stressful situation causes the body to send a message that it wants some chocolate, some peanut butter, or some other so-called comfort food?  This impulse seems to function independent of any control or function of the brain in your head.  It seems to function like a second brain–one in your chest.   It appears to control the movement and absorption of food without any input from the brain that is above the shoulders.  It even sends signals to the head-brain that directly effect the feelings of sadness, stress and even influences memory and sometimes even decision making.  After all, like the brain in the head, it is in contact with all that is going on around you.  Researchers agree that when the head brain processes something, the body can feel it and it may effect the body emotions.

 

So what do we do now with all this information?  The experts agree that the information on which so many of us base important decisions should originate in the head brain. When a decision creates an emotional reaction and/or unhappiness, the head brain surely needs to give it consideration. Emotions usually arise because of some previous experience.

 

Next enters the medical people who say that if the body complains of stress and starts sending messages to the head brain about decisions to be made, it is well to pause, take five deep breaths exhaling slowly so as to relax the body reaction and get it to quit complaining.

 

It seems important to agree that decision making should be firmly monopolized by the head brain and hopefully the so-called body brain then eventually agrees.

 

Gregory B. Anderson--director