The Potent MindThe Potent Mind

Body StatesBody States

Jerry H. Gelbart, M.D.Jerry H. Gelbart, M.D.

This is your bodyThis is your body

This is your mindThis is your mind

This is what happens in your body under stressThis is what happens in your body under stress

Short term…Short term… • Concentration impairment•Distractible, overwhelmed

•Insomnia•Sexual dysfunction

•Increased self-doubt

•Increased Heart RateIncreased Heart Rate•Increased Blood PressureIncreased Blood Pressure

•Increased Vascular ResistanceIncreased Vascular Resistance•Cardiac ArrestCardiac Arrest

•Increased stomach acidIncreased stomach acid•UlcersUlcers

•Gastro-esophageal refluxGastro-esophageal reflux•Decreased blood flow to kidneysDecreased blood flow to kidneys

•Sympathetic Nervous System: “Fight or Flight”Sympathetic Nervous System: “Fight or Flight”Increases in Nor-epinephrine and EpinephrineIncreases in Nor-epinephrine and Epinephrine

•Muscle tensionMuscle tension•HeadachesHeadaches

•Chest tightnessChest tightness•Sexual dysfunctionSexual dysfunction

•Stress Response “borrows” Stress Response “borrows” resources from Immune and resources from Immune and

Endocrine SystemsEndocrine Systems•Adrenal Glands: Increased CortisolAdrenal Glands: Increased Cortisol

•Pituitary Gland: Increased Prolactin, Pituitary Gland: Increased Prolactin, Endorphins, VasopressinEndorphins, Vasopressin

•Pancreas: Increased GlucagonPancreas: Increased Glucagon

•Decreases inDecreases inreproductive and growth hormonesreproductive and growth hormones

•Releases T-lymphocytes AND Releases T-lymphocytes AND blood vessel walls secrete blood vessel walls secrete substance that binds these substance that binds these

cells creating plaquecells creating plaque

•Increased ACTH blocks Increased ACTH blocks Interferon which then reduces Interferon which then reduces

responsiveness of White Blood responsiveness of White Blood CellsCells

And long term…And long term…• Decreases in Nerve Growth Factor:

Brain cells die, Depression, Stroke•Damage to “fear circuitry” of brain•Impaired focusing, processing of

information, problem solving

•Heart DiseaseHeart Disease•HypertensionHypertension

•Irregular heartbeatIrregular heartbeat•AtherosclerosisAtherosclerosis

•ClaudicationClaudication•Cardiac arrestCardiac arrest

•GastritisGastritis•Peptic Ulcer DiseasePeptic Ulcer Disease

•Irritable Bowel DiseaseIrritable Bowel Disease•DiabetesDiabetes

This is what happens in your body under stressThis is what happens in your body under stress

•Muscle Tension, Muscle Tension, •Chronic painChronic pain

•Sexual DysfunctionSexual Dysfunction

•More likely to catch common coldMore likely to catch common cold

•Longer recovery and wound Longer recovery and wound healing times (after surgery, healing times (after surgery, infections, heart attack)infections, heart attack)

•Faster aging of cellsFaster aging of cells

•Gene that enhances production Gene that enhances production of lymphocytes and boosts of lymphocytes and boosts activity of killer cells can be 50% activity of killer cells can be 50% decreaseddecreased

•Weakened response to flu vaccineWeakened response to flu vaccine

This is what happens in your body This is what happens in your body when you do something calming, when you do something calming,

such as sitting next to the ocean, or meditatingsuch as sitting next to the ocean, or meditating

•Decreased Heart RateDecreased Heart Rate•Decreased Blood PressureDecreased Blood Pressure

•Decreased Oxygen consumptionDecreased Oxygen consumption•Decreased CO2 OutputDecreased CO2 Output

•Improved DigestionImproved Digestion•Increased Blood FlowIncreased Blood Flow

•to Kidneysto Kidneys

Decreased GlucocorticoidsDecreased GlucocorticoidsDecreased SympatheticDecreased SympatheticDecreased AutonomicDecreased Autonomic

•““Recharges Battery” of Immune SystemRecharges Battery” of Immune System•?Enhancements of Immune system ?Enhancements of Immune system

using relaxation techniques?using relaxation techniques?

You have told your brain there is no current threat so neurochemistry

can re-stabilize

This is your body angry, or even resentfulThis is your body angry, or even resentful•Narrows focus of attention•Puts you in “Attack” mode•Shame and anger increase Cortisol especially when PERSONAL•“Righteous Anger” can become an addiction

Increased Heart RateIncreased Blood Pressure

Increased TestosteroneIncreased TestosteroneIncreased AdrenalineIncreased Adrenaline

Increased Cortisol levels, especially when personal. Increased Cortisol levels, especially when personal. Public shame highest of allPublic shame highest of all

•Muscle tension and Muscle tension and associated symptomsassociated symptoms

•Many people carry their Many people carry their emotions in their gutsemotions in their guts

This is what happens in your body when you feelThis is what happens in your body when you feellove or compassionlove or compassion

• Stimulates “Pleasure Center”

•Increased SerotoninIncreased Serotonin

•Increases in Nor-epinephrine and EpinephrineIncreases in Nor-epinephrine and Epinephrine

•Increased DopamineIncreased Dopamine

•Increased VasopressinIncreased Vasopressin

•Increased OxytocinIncreased Oxytocin

•Increased PheromonesIncreased Pheromones

•Loving relationships correlate with:Loving relationships correlate with:•Less infectionsLess infections

Quicker healing after heart attack, surgery, etc.Quicker healing after heart attack, surgery, etc.

•Loneliness HUGE risk factor for catching colds,Loneliness HUGE risk factor for catching colds,•RISKIER THAN SMOKING!RISKIER THAN SMOKING!

This is what happens in your bodyThis is what happens in your bodyin the short term when you exercise:in the short term when you exercise:

• Increased Nor-epinephrine enhances mood•Increased brain energy consumption•Endorphins improve mood, euphoria

•Blunting of stress response

•Short-term Increase inShort-term Increase in Heart Rate and BPHeart Rate and BP

•SweatingSweating•Increased EndorphinsIncreased Endorphins

•Increased Ammonia causes Increased Ammonia causes fatigue in musclesfatigue in muscles

This is what happens in your bodyThis is what happens in your bodywhen you exercise regularly over a longer period:when you exercise regularly over a longer period:

•Builds and maintains healthy bone structureBuilds and maintains healthy bone structure

•Builds Muscle StrengthBuilds Muscle Strength

•Decreased risk of various metabolicDecreased risk of various metabolicand cardiovascular diseasesand cardiovascular diseases

• Increased Cognitive Function

• Increased level of nerve growth factorsSupports survival and growth of neuronal cells

•Neuro-protective

This is what happens in your body from wear and tear This is what happens in your body from wear and tear of negative habits or “Coping strategies”of negative habits or “Coping strategies”

• Anxiety•Insomnia

•Headaches

• Strokes

• Anxiety•Depression

•Seizures•Neuropathies

•Alcohol Dementia

•Heart PalpitationsHeart Palpitations

•Heart AttacksHeart Attacks•Lung Diseases and CancerLung Diseases and Cancer

•Peptic UlcersPeptic Ulcers•EsophagitisEsophagitis

•Gastro-esophageal reflux diseaseGastro-esophageal reflux disease

•Nutritional DeficienciesNutritional Deficiencies•Gallbladder DiseaseGallbladder Disease

•PancreatitisPancreatitis•Kidney stonesKidney stones

•Liver diseases including CirrhosisLiver diseases including Cirrhosis

•Muscle twitchingMuscle twitching

•Weight GainWeight Gain

UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEALTHY EMOTIONS UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEALTHY EMOTIONS REDUCES UNHEALTHY EMOTIONS…REDUCES UNHEALTHY EMOTIONS…

(AND THE WEAR AND TEAR(AND THE WEAR AND TEARON YOUR BODY)ON YOUR BODY)

YOU CAN CHANGEYOU CAN CHANGE

THE WAY YOU FEEL !THE WAY YOU FEEL !

TO LEARN HOW GO TOTO LEARN HOW GO TO

WWW.THEPOTENTMIND.COMWWW.THEPOTENTMIND.COM