The body IQ
Is there a health instinct that wants to control our dealings with our own body? Hella Thomas, a nutritionist at the health consultancy of the Deutsche Angestellten Krankenkasse (DAK), is convinced: "The body demands its needs, constantly communicates the appropriate commands to the brain - without us being aware of it."
Body IQ: Body Intelligence
"Only those who come to rest can perceive what they just lack - and then satisfy those needs - good for well-being and good health," says Hella Thomas. She advises those who want to become more aware of the signals of the body to learn relaxation techniques: yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training or awareness exercises using the Feldenkrais method sharpen the perception of one's own needs and thus train a kind of body intelligence. Just as IQ could also speak of a body IQ. As soon as something is missing from the organism, it kills us immediately. If a cold is approaching, you have an appetite for fruit or vegetables (vitamins!) And long for rest. In the afternoon, when blood sugar levels and the ability to concentrate wilt, coffee (promotes blood circulation in the brain) and chocolate bars are fast energy sources.
Contradictory signals
The body gets what it needs - if we listen to it. "Most people have forgotten to pay attention to their body signals, which is why they often misinterpret them," says Hella Thomas. One of the reasons for this is our tightly organized daily routine: in the job, a walk after lunch is not always possible. And even in our spare time, we pant between children, cinema and pub back and forth. Bad chances to follow the instructions of the body. Especially as they can be contradictory.
The brain signals, "Drink, your blood becomes too concentrated!" And because colleagues, work mountains on the desk, or the child is just mumbling SOS, we do not receive the message. In the evenings we only feel the desire for sofa and wine - even if we know from our own experience how good sports feel and how wonderfully relaxed exercise.
Learning to train the body IQ!
But how can you, as a healthy person, strengthen the feel-good connection, train your body IQ? Just by more attention. Listening closer helps. And make sure that the interference frequencies are less. That is, creating the conditions under which the body can make its voice heard.
With these exercises you can improve your body IQ and develop an early warning system for malaise:
- No matter what you are doing, think in between: How do I feel? Seats or do I stand straight or crooked? Am I hungry or full, tired or fit? Do I breathe flat or deep, fast or calm? Use boring waiting times for exercises that train your sense of well-being:
At the cash register or on the platform
Draw your attention from the outside in and feel your feet on the floor. Systematically explore your body:
- Where do the feet touch the ground?
- Does the bale have more contact or the heel?
- Resting on both feet the same amount of weight?
- Are the knees loose, bent, stretched?
- Does the pelvis tilt to one side?
- Is the spine stretched?
- Is a shoulder hanging?
- Are the shoulders pulled up?
- Where would I like to be more relaxed?
In the traffic jam
Sit comfortably and upright, your hands are loose at the wheel. Lower shoulders and elbows; relax the facial muscles and consciously breathe through the nose. Let the air flow deep into the abdominal and pelvic area and feel how the body expands when inhaled. Tell yourself: "I let my breath come and go and wait until it comes back."
- Interpret Zipperlein and pulling as a signal, not as an evil. If you B. in the shoulder and neck area are braced, this means: The muscles are loaded on one side and require relaxation. Who then makes small breaks in movement, immediately feels better and takes also tensions and discomfort with the time always earlier.
- If you want to train your body awareness with instructions or in a group, you can, for example, B. at the community college a Feldenkrais course occupy. The exercises train the body perception.
