Ramneek Bhogal | Mind - Body - Soul Connection

Ramneek Bhogal Cherokee County, GA

What You Ingest

The chemistry of the mind-body-soul connection has a lot to do with what we ingest, as it’s the most significant and direct route of toxins and chemicals entering the body. 

Ways to improve your health on all levels begins with eating organic whenever possible. When you eat organic, you’re vastly increasing the nutrient density of the foods you eat and eliminating their toxic load. If your body is in a negative mind-body balance — which can result from high stress, physical illness, nutrient deficiencies from depleted soil, environmental and household toxins, and more — what you’re eating and consuming contributes tenfold to that negative balance.

Along with eating organic foods, avoiding food colorings, dyes, and other artificial ingredients makes a significant difference. In a Standard American Diet (SAD), most people are consuming more processed foods than foods that are alive. Opt for real, pesticide-free, low glycemic-load foods that support and regenerate neurochemicals and neurotransmitters.  

If cost is an issue, check out the Environmental Working Group’s dirty dozen list to learn more about which produce items are most important to buy in their organic form. 

Exercise

From a mind perspective, the nervous system is nurturing cognitive pathways, innovative thought, and brainstorming. From a physical standpoint, this system sends signals to muscles to contract or for a joint complex to be aware of its movement and protect itself. With exercise, the brain receives different signals that stimulate activity centers that increase heartbeat and blood flow. Consequently, the brain is nourished by cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and the lymphatic system. By staying active, you nourish your brain and create specific neurological pathways.

One problem with exercise in modern society is that we’ve become disconnected with what types of movement and activity actually bring us joy. For optimal health, exercise should make you happy, as this will not only be more enjoyable but also more sustainable. If you don’t like running, choose from any number of other options, such as long walks, hiking, dancing, weight lifting, biking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, or try a new class or group that interests you.

It’s also important to keep in mind that the body can interpret exercise as another stressor. The intensity of exercise should correlate with your stress levels. Otherwise, it has the potential to increase cortisol levels instead of relieving them. For many people, the 30-40 minute mark is the stress “sweet spot” and keeps you from going overboard.

Soul Connection

Whether we’re discussing exercise, mental stimulation, or diet, the ways you choose to support and achieve balance and health should feed your soul. Similar to how you can choose from a long list of exercise modalities in order to find what you enjoy, you can also choose from a wide range of health-promoting foods and mind-stimulating activities. 

This isn’t purely for enjoyment’s sake, either. Research shows that when the limbic system and the amygdala are stimulated and satisfied, you feel content and fulfilled, and this leads to the process of positive neuroplasticity and positive neurogenesis.2

Recuperation

Just like muscle recovery after exercise, your mind needs time to recuperate. This is where calming practices like meditation, prayer, or meditative movement techniques such as Qigong or Tai Chi come into play. These practices provide a crucial centering component to your mind and body, and they offer time to gather yourself and create a buildup of metaphysical action potential. In other words, it’s necessary to give your brain a chance to regenerate itself, replenish electrical signals, and recharge; sometimes, that’s as simple as rest.

Balancing the mind, body, and soul is largely personal, as it comes down to what you enjoy, what is doable for your lifestyle, and your baselines. However, finding ways to stimulate your brain with new activities, move your body, take in nourishing foods from nature, and recuperate is a general recipe for health on all levels.

Cherokee County is where Ramneek Bhogal, DC, DABCI is a functional medicine practitioner, doctor of chiropractic, and educator with over two decades of clinical experience. He specializes in stress physiology, hormone optimization, gut health, and skilled chiropractic care. Known for his patient centered approach, Dr. Bhogal combines evidence-informed strategies with personalized care to help individuals restore balance and achieve long-term wellness.