Ever since medicine came into the modern age, we have seen advances like never before. Medical doctors are able to look deeply into our bodies with imaging devices, such as FMRI and CAT SCANS. They are able to look at the individual parts and scientists have even looked all the way down to one’s DNA in order to find diseases.
When the Human Genome project was first started, geneticists surmised that humans would have hundreds of thousands and even over a million genes. They believed that every single disease had to have a genetic reason why. And taking into account all the different variables between individual humans across the globe, there had to many differences genetically. As they went deeper into the project, it turned out that we humans had around the same amount of genes as a nematode (a small worm, think roundworm). Which is in the area of 22,000- 25,000 genes. A potato has over 39,000 genes when consortium did research into its genome.
The problem with dissecting humans or anything else down to the individual parts is that we or any other organism doesn’t function as parts. We are whole structures working as a unit. Each part realizes that it needs the whole unit. And whole units need to consume whole units. This helps to keep proper functioning of each one of us. Animals in the wild eat whole foods, whether it’s another animal or plants. They also move their whole body too, not just parts.
That is one of the reasons I prefer compound movements, like squats. If I’m going to build my arms, they will have to be built based on training my whole body. Doing deadlifts or pull-ups will also work the biceps. Military presses, push-ups, bench presses all work the triceps. You don’t need to target train to get well-developed arms. Or any other part of your body. So eat whole foods and train the whole body.
Like the body, our mind and brain also need to be trained. As part of the whole person. By the way, when you workout intensely, you’re also helping your brain to grow. This is due to the activation of the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein and gene of the same name. The BDNF is responsible for neuroplasticity and neurogenesis as well as helping to increase serotonin levels that originate from the hippocampus.
The more serotonin that is produced there, the higher “feel-good” levels that occur. The larger the hippocampus, the more serotonin and the BDNF is responsible for increasing its size too. So, make sure to exercise more consistently as well as eating whole foods. Eliminate sugars that are processed and instead, stay with those in fruits and such. And I don’t mean fruit juices either. They are no different than any other sugar drink. Even if it is 100% from fruit. You’re still not getting 100% whole fruit, including fiber and pectin.
From body to brain to mind.
Our minds work best when it is both challenged enough, though not too much. In his book, FLOW: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi talks about that specific area of where being at one’s best occurs. This he calls “being in a state of flow.” When we are engaged in tasks that challenge to a certain point and it brings out a joyous feeling, then we are in flow. In sports they call it, “being in the zone.”
Michael Jordan became the best player in the NBA because his mental state was continuously in a state of flow on the court. His mind didn’t have distractions. He was always in the moment. He was focused. In Eastern Psychology and Buddhist practice it is called mindfulness. One can start mindful training and help to create better flow through meditation. I’ve wrote about this in previous articles and posts.
Most important to create an optimal life, going whole in mind, body, and spirit is key. We are not parts, but a whole system. We are interconnected from the outside in and inside out. You are not a heart or a brain or a liver or your muscles. You are a whole person connected to a whole world which is connected to a whole universe. Live whole from now on.
Cheers,
Bob