The Science Behind Wellness

This is a space where you can learn more about the scientific research and proof that our work here at Jothi Creative Wellness Inc. has an impact on the brain and body! It’s truly miraculous and super fascinating to see how our modalities literally rewire and shift our physiology and psychology.

Forgiveness

What is forgiveness?

Forgiveness is “a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.”(Lawler-Row, Scott, Raines, Edlis-Matityahou, & Moore, 2007) The act of forgiveness may seem to be of very little importance and have little to no impact on an individual's wellbeing. When in contrast, the act of forgiveness has an immense impact on one's organism (body, mind , emotional system, and brain). 

What the act of unforgiveness can do to your brain/body

A recent study has shown that forgiveness activates a part in the brain called the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex- a fancy brain region. The low activation of this region has been linked to depressive tendencies. These findings suggests that forgiveness promotes the lack of depressive tendencies (Li & Lu, 2017).

The act of unforgiveness can actually do more harm to your body then you may think. When anger and resentment are held on to it can cause prolonged stress. This stress can amplify the amygdalae (brain structure responsible for the perception of emotions) sensitivity, which can make one more sensitive to anger, fear, sadness, and aggression. This prolonged stress can cause an increased amount of cortisol (the stress hormone), which can damage certain brain regions such as the hippocampus which is our memory center. Holding on to resentment, anger and pain can cause us to be more sensitive and damage our brain (Ricciardi et al., 2013).

In addition, unforgiveness can also impact our physical body. These negative emotions can also be held in your physical body. Many people experience fascias and muscle tension issues due to holding certain events in their body, these events are held in a muscle tissue called fascia. Fascia is the dense connective tissue that envelops muscles grossly and surrounds every bundle of muscle fiber and each individual muscle cell. This connective tissue is linked with the muscle, and is continuous with the tendon” (G. L. Liptan, 2010). A few studies have shown, through the practice of yoga and myofascial tissue massages and such that traumatic events , betrayal , rejection, and several negative emotions are “stored” in our  fascia. The tension caused by the traumatic event stays in this tissue even when the event has passed. The prolonged contraction of this layer of tissue which encases the muscle in itself can possibly be the cause of increased muscle pain and sensitivity (G. Liptan, Mist, Wright, Arzt, & Jones, 2013). This can explain how the body can hold on to anger, resentment, fear, and negative emotions caused by underlying unforgiveness.

When thinking of chronic anger it actually triggers something called the “fight or flight” mode. The fight or flight system increases heart rate, blood pressure, and the immune system response. These changes increase the risk of depression, heart disease and diabetes (O’Connor, Thayer, & Vedhara, 2021). 

Forgiveness is not only emotionally liberating but can somehow rewire your brain. Though the mechanisms which explain these findings are still unclear. Research has shown that people had the ability to jump higher after doing forgiveness exercises. The same study found that when asked to run very high hills- people found the hills less challenging after the exercise was completed. This suggests that forgiveness can help you see your abilities in a different light. A study done by John Hopkins medicine states that forgiveness can lower risk of heart attack, improves cholesterol levels, improves sleep, reduces physical pain , improves anxiety, depression, and stress ( Swartz, 2018).

If you find the act of forgiveness something that is not easy, you are not alone. It is not simply just repeating the words “I forgive someone for doing this wrong”. Forgiveness work requires sitting with some uncomfortable, unpleasant feelings. It requires empathy and understanding how someone else may have been feeling when certain acts had happened. Forgiveness includes self-forgiveness for situations and things one may not have been able to control at one time. Forgiveness work requires releasing and letting go. It is a journey which requires courage. Yet, the benefits reaped from this journey are glorious. It can release physical tensions and soreness, rewire your brain, liberate one from restricting thought patterns and increase ones overall health. Forgiveness is a pathway to psychological and physiological well-being. 

Reference

Lawler-Row, K. A., Scott, C. A., Raines, R. L., Edlis-Matityahou, M., & Moore, E. W. (2007). The Varieties of Forgiveness Experience: Working toward a Comprehensive Definition of Forgiveness. Journal of Religion and Health, 46(2), 233–248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-006-9077-y,

Li, H., & Lu, J. (2017). The Neural Association between Tendency to Forgive and Spontaneous Brain Activity in Healthy Young Adults. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00561

Liptan, G. L. (2010). Fascia: A missing link in our understanding of the pathology of fibromyalgia. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 14(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2009.08.003

Liptan, G., Mist, S., Wright, C., Arzt, A., & Jones, K. D. (2013). A pilot study of myofascial release therapy compared to Swedish massage in Fibromyalgia. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 17(3), 365–370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2012.11.010

O’Connor, D. B., Thayer, J. F., & Vedhara, K. (2021). Stress and Health: A Review of Psychobiological Processes. Annual Review of Psychology, 72(1), annurev-psych-062520-122331. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-062520-122331

Ricciardi, E., Rota, G., Sani, L., Gentili, C., Gaglianese, A., Guazzelli, M., & Pietrini, P. (2013). How the brain heals emotional wounds: the functional neuroanatomy of forgiveness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00839, Swartz, Karen. "Forgiveness: Your health depends on it." Johns Hopkins Medicine (2018).

Written by Anjali P.

December can be a chaotic time of the year for several reasons and for many people.  There is something about the end of year, that makes everything more intense and overwhelming. It's filled with numerous stress factors like work deadlines, school deadlines, unachieved goals from the start of the year and so on. Many people feel the excitement of Christmas/A New Year coming around but also can struggle with processing the past year and everything they have experienced. Overall, December can be a very hectic and stressful time for many people. Here are some stress relief coping mechanisms which can help you make it through this holiday season:

Exercise this can vary between intense workouts , a light walk , a speed walk and weight lifting. Most important thing is to listen to your body! Pushing your limits is great but when done excessively can do a lot of damage to your body. Physical activity releases endorphins in your body which are feel-good chemicals/neurotransmitters. (Edenfield., & Blumenthal,. 2011).

Journaling is a very effective method to help one cope with stress. Many studies have shown the benefits of journaling and the various journaling techniques. Here are some forms which may benefit you. (Flinchbaugh, Moore, Chang, & May, 2012)

Brain dumping : just writing down everything that comes to your mind. This acts as a way to release all your thoughts.

Positive vs negative writing : For this, you would split your page in two different columns. First one writes down all your thoughts that are negative and then on the column beside it, turn those negative thoughts into positive ones.

Stress lists : make a list of every single thing in your brain that is stressing you out and then beside it write down how you can deal with the stress. This doesn't mean you have to deal with that item in this very moment but rather only hypothetically. This helps it get out of your brain and onto paper – it also helps validate it.

Idea organizing : write your name in the middle of your page and then draw lines to different things that are on your mind and then expand on them as you write them down. (creating a spider web - a different way of viewing your thoughts/stresses).

Affirmation journaling : pick an affirmation statement which you want to be true about yourself. Write it 10 times in your journal while repeating it in your head while you are writing.

Gratitude journaling : writing a list of things you're grateful for, forces your brain to concentrate and think of things which you are thankful for rather than the things that are stressing you out.

Yoga :  In recent years, there has been an increase in research allocated to yoga and stress management. Research has shown that yoga actually helps to reduce cortisol production- which is the hormone associated with stress. (Riley & Park, 2015)

Eating healthy : Ha! Believe it or not but what you eat actually affects the chemical processes in your brain. You can eat food with GABA precursors in it. GABA is the chemical in that brain which inhibits neuronal activity. When GABA is activated, stress is reduced as there are less messages being transmitted.  Stress/anxiety in the brain is processed as an access of messages. Some foods are : chicken , fish , eggs , beans , beets , cabbage , parsley, papaya , brussels sprouts , kale , fermented foods ( pickles , cabbage, olives etc) , miso .. and many more. You can also buy GABA supplements which can help reduce stress response. (Gómez-Pinilla,2008)

Work / life balance : Knowing when to work and when you need a day off, that’s self care! It is okay to take a break. We are humans, we weren’t made to be constantly stimulated or constantly doing things/working or using our brains. 

Proper sleep : sleep allows your brain  and body to rest which can ensure proper function when you are awake.

Take an epsom salt bath : epsom salt contains magnesium which is a natural muscle relaxant. It is relaxing. Epsom salt contains magnesium which is a mineral that reduces swelling, inflammation  and  stiff joints. When sitting in a bath with epsom salt not only does it relax you but can help you also take the time for yourself.(King, Mainous, Geesey, & Woolson, 2005)

Mindfulness : is the awareness of one's thoughts, feelings, bodily sensation and environments through a gentle, nurturing and accepting lens. Accepting your thoughts and feelings instead of resisting them. Concentrating on the present moment instead of letting yourself wander to the past or future.  (Parsons, Crane, Parsons, Fjorback, & Kuyken, 2017)

Breathing techniques : counting to 3 , 5 or 10 during each inhale / exhale. This is just one of many breathing techniques which exist. Research has shown that deep breathing has an impact on heart rate and salivary cortisol levels. Following deep breathing techniques, participants have shown a decrease in both of these biomarkers. (Perciavalle et al., 2017)

Art/drawing : Creating art pieces which ever way make you feel good. This could be in the form of abstract painting/drawing/sketching/mixed media. Using different colours/shapes/textures to express your feelings/emotions. Art therapy has been around for many years now and has shown great benefits for reducing cortisol levels and allowing individuals to feel liberated through their art process. (Visnola, Sprūdža, Ārija Baķe, & Piķe, 2010)

Experiencing stress is normal at moderate levels. During different seasons people can experience different levels of stress. Do not hesitate to reach out for support during these stressful times when needed. This list is not limited and  there are many other ways stress can be managed. If you have any questions about any of the techniques mentioned above, please feel free to contact us.

References 

Chong, Cecilia S M. “Effects of Yoga on Stress Management in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review.” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 17.1 (2011): n. pag. Web.

Edenfield, T. M., & Blumenthal, J. A. (2011). Exercise and stress reduction. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology, and health (p. 301–319). Springer Publishing Company

Flinchbaugh, C. L., Moore, E. W. G., Chang, Y. K., & May, D. R. (2012). Student Well-Being Interventions. Journal of Management Education, 36(2), 191–219. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562911430062

Gómez-Pinilla, F. Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nat Rev Neurosci 9, 568–578 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2421

King, D. E., Mainous, A. G., Geesey, M. E., & Woolson, R. F. (2005). Dietary magnesium and C-reactive protein levels. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 24(3), 166–171. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2005.10719461

Parsons, C. E., Crane, C., Parsons, L. J., Fjorback, L. O., & Kuyken, W. (2017). Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress 

Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants’ mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 95, 29–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2017.05.004

Perciavalle, V., Blandini, M., Fecarotta, P., Buscemi, A., Di Corrado, D., Bertolo, L., … Coco, M. (2017). The role of deep breathing on stress. Neurological Sciences, 38(3), 451–458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8

Riley, K. E., & Park, C. L. (2015). How does yoga reduce stress? A systematic review of mechanisms of change and guide to future inquiry. Health Psychology Review, 9(3), 379–396. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2014.981778

Visnola, D., Sprūdža, D., Ārija Baķe, M., & Piķe, A. (2010). Effects of art therapy on stress and anxiety of employees. Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences., 64(1–2), 85–91. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10046-010-0020-y

Written by Anjal. P.