Tranquility, Strengthening Faith, and Physical Activity: Balancing the Sympathetic System

Last week, we wrote about balancing the sympathetic system as a way to address conditions like constipation. First, I'll mention that everything I write below applies to overall health but especially refers to constipation, which we began discussing in our previous article. To start, the sympathetic system is part of the nervous system, mainly active in emergency situations, causing us to feel alert and tense to respond to a threatening factor. If we constantly live in an emergency state, we are perpetually tense. As mentioned, one result of this is constipation.

How can we balance the sympathetic system? Generally, the methods are divided between "turn from evil" and "do good." I'll provide a few examples.

Let's start with "turn from evil": Anything that disrupts a person’s balance and tranquility throws them into an emergency state. That is, a state where they activate survival mechanisms needing to respond. This can be something very minor that one barely notices or something severe and significant requiring strong activation of the body’s survival and response mechanism. Some people live constantly in a survival state because they are perpetually unbalanced, continually ready for a challenge that might come. Many things can pose a threat to us, from poor nutrition, mistaken conduct, to people we can't get along with for some reason, and more severe situations. Therefore, it’s essential to identify foods unsuitable for someone, causing them to enter a defensive mode, and avoid them. Additionally, it's necessary to assess lifestyle elements that don’t fit and avoid them. Sometimes, an approach to life can cause stress and a sense of emergency.

"Do good": Regular physical activity helps the brain release calming substances. Thus, regular physical activity is essential to strengthen the parasympathetic system, part of the nervous system that helps balance and calmness. It's also crucial to nourish the nervous system with various vitamins, such as B vitamins, and fats like Omega 3, which aid the nervous system's function and thereby strengthen the calming tone in body and mind. Consuming good quality, suitable food, engaging in positive spiritual activities, and above all, building confidence and faith.

Eliahu Shechter is an iridologist and natural therapist