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We must do things to engage the relaxation systems of the body, the “rest & digest mode”.
Massage, yoga, tai chi, a warm bath (especially with Epsom salts), there are many ways (some
are even free) to relax. The intention is to relax physically and emotionally. The goal is to
engage the parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest & digest mode”, to allow the body to
repair & rebuild its cells.
In the “fight or flight mode”, the sympathetic nervous system: the heart rate rises, blood
pressure rises, the respiration rate rises, the pupils of the eyes dilate, and digestion shuts
down. Energy goes to the limbs of the body and we are ready for action.
In the “rest & digest mode”, the parasympathetic nervous system: the heart rate decreases,
blood pressure decreases, the respiration rate decreases, the pupils of the eyes constrict, and
digestion kicks in. Energy goes to the trunk of the body, and digestion happens (digestion
consumes much energy). When the parasympathetic nervous system is engaged, the body is
at its best in effecting digestion (breaking foods into chemicals the body can use at the cellular
level). This is when cellular repair and rebuilding actually happen.
Do relaxing activities to allow the cells of the body to repair and rebuild themselves…relax to
rejuvenate.
Deno Toulatos, LMT, NCTMB, IMBA, BA
Peggy Toulatos, LMT, NCTMB, MBA, BA, Clinical Nutrition
Student, Baccalaureate Candidate
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