“… what happened has left a bad taste in my mouth"

Could the expression be literal?

by Iason Venetsanopoulos, psycotherapist

Is a body healthy if the mind and soul are not? The ancient proverb “A sound mind in a sound body” underscores the idea that if our mind or soul is not healthy, how can our body be?

Mental health and physical health are intricately connected concepts. Once we view our body as a whole, a complete organism, much like an ecosystem, it makes sense that if one part is unwell, the entire organism is affected. Just as a malfunctioning liver impacts the whole body, trauma or depression affects it similarly. For example, there are now sufficient scientific studies showing that stress increases cortisol—a type of hormone in our body—which, when experienced chronically, is responsible for many physical illnesses.

This influence manifests in various ways. A healthy mental state strengthens the immune system, builds resilience against adversity, and results in greater well-being, while a troubled mental state can express itself through skin issues, autoimmune diseases, stomach problems, heart issues, etc.

There are familiar phrases like “taking it raw,” “getting on my nerves,” “sitting heavy in the stomach,” phrases that we may not realize are quite literal. They refer to how our entire self—mind and body—reacts to a condition.

For example, if we are exposed daily to conditions that “get on our nerves,” or if we have experienced something in the past that remains unresolved and burdensome, imagine what this could mean for our physical health. How would our body express this mental state of frayed nerves or psychic weight?

Thus, World Health Day prompts me to reflect on how I care for my health as a way of life—mind, body, environment. How much richer does the expression “health first” become when I include all the human aspects necessary for true health?