I envy the days of yore when joint families existed; friends cared; pollution and inflation were non-existent and there were zero lifestyle diseases.A straight cut to today’s fast-paced world! Like the cars we ride, we awaken, dress and rush to work after a heady dose of nourishing road-rage. At work, more love comes our way from gossip-mongers, insecure and parasitic co-workers and condescending bosses. Those without work stress have alternate stressors. It is small wonder, therefore, when thirty-somethings succumb to health problems. Touch the age of thirty and you can boast of your own ‘Dadi ka Jhola’ full of medicines! While some have hormonal inadequacies, others carry their fair share of beginner’s arthritis, joint aches and pains, diabetes, blood pressure, vertigo, obesity and so forth.
Most of our diseases originate from our perceptions. We perceive stimuli as negative or positive based on our present frame of mind. When we helplessly react in a negative manner rather than deliberately respond to our benefit, we pass on the message of helplessness to our minds. That, in turn, makes our bodies release stress hormones that cause our muscles to tense-up. So compressed in mind and body, we venture into more difficult situations. The physical and psychological planes are inter-related. When we are mentally and emotionally drawn-out, that stress extends to our bodies, rendering us sick and vice-versa.
The vicious cycle then assumes a velocity that throws helter-skelter all our efforts to stabilize ourselves. Can you imagine standing before a derailed train hurtling towards you at an incomprehensible speed? That’s you, when you are unbearably burdened by sickness in mind and body, coupled with hopelessness.
At such a late stage, medical intervention is the only resort but much can be done to prevent the earliest fragments of stress from settling on your shoulders, literally. Our shoulders, neck, ears, back, arms and feet become the seat of our stress.
Have you noticed how you suffer a minor ache in any of these regions shortly after a stressful event? That is your body's alarm to drain out the congestion by relaxing that particular part of your body. When there are no good masseurs around, with your own hands apply varying levels of pressure on the tense portions for a few breath counts, then relax. At first, there may be unbearable pain but in time as the pain dissipates, anger, upset feelings, helplessness, frustration and negative thoughts fade out too. It's a fail-proof method, one that will benefit you with consistent practice. So the next time your body screams in pain, relax with some DIY massage and stay healthy longer!
(The writer is a popular actor)
