Joining a Women's Group is Good for your Health: Physically and Emotionally ....
Lets start with the science ....
As women we mostly hold our stress and emotions inside. Most of us hold it in our stomachs, right around the spot that also holds that wobbly bit that we just cant get rid of ...
Stress leads to the production of Cortisol in the body. Cortisol aids the storage of fat in the body. Stress reduces oxidation in the body. We need to be well oxygenated in order to burn fat. If we are not burning fat, forget the wobbly bits, more importantly the body is not producing enough energy for us to be performing adequately.
Added to this, cortisol encourages the production of lactic acid. Lactic acid is responsible for 'the burn' that athletes experience when they have pushed their bodies as far as they will go. In the less athletic of us, the lactic acid causes muscles to become less effective and sometimes painful or at the very least, achy. We have all had days were we feel like we are walking through jelly.
The emotional response ...
Even if we are not actively feeling stress over a specific event, many of us are still living with an underlying stress response. The very fact that we juggle jobs, homes, family and friends, means that we are continually in a state of 'fight or flight'. Most days we get up and we fight. On a good day the fight is easy. On other days we are pushing through with achy limbs and a foggy brain. Once we cross over to the flight response, that puts us on the sofa watching Netflix or hiding under the duvet instead of doing the things we need to do, things become far more serious.
The common lament of a woman is "I'm fine". And usually we are ..... until we are not!
What can we do?
1. Vocalise our pain, both emotional and physical. Hum, shout, grunt loudly or any noise that reflects how you are feeling. Sounds daft but it does work. Do it loudly and with the intention of letting the pain out.
2. Exercise. It doesn't have to be a full on gym session, anything that releases the build up of lactic acid in your muscles will do. If you are particularly wound up try hitting a pile of pillows with a rolling pin.
3. Talking. just get it all out
And this is where a women's circle comes into its own ...
When we talk to family and friends we have to edit what we say. Usually to protect them from what we are really feeling or to protect ourselves from shame. Often the advice that we receive from family and friends is based on their own narrative of you or events.
Meeting with other women who are all there to offer each other emotional support and give unconditional acceptance is such a valuable thing to do for yourself. Whether you are going through a period of emotional imbalance or just need a place to stop and breathe a Women's Circle is the place to be.
A women's Circle really is preventative medicine in its purest form ...
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