Posturology and systemic health

The nervous system is a rather complex entity governing all of our functions. It has been divided into two parts, I believe, for pedagogical reasons.

The somatic nervous system manages how we move.

The autonomic nervous system manages how we live. It’s responsible for our vital functions. Classically, we are taught these systems operate rather independently. We know now this is not the case. Everything truly is connected.

Researchers in 2016 published an article entitled Functional Imaging of Autonomic Regulation: Methods and Key Findings. They key findings add a layer of understanding as to how the brain manages how we move as it manages how we live, not only simultaneously, but in symbiosis.

Here are a few gems from this study:

1) The ventro-medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) contributes to autonomic regulation.

What does this mean, you ask? The VMPFC is an area located in the front of the brain (frontal lobes). Classically, it is implicated in the processing of risk and fear. It plays a role in inhibition of emotional responses, and in the process of decision-making.

This study demonstrates that it’s also responsible for regulating the autonomic nervous system, thus decreasing the stress response.

What you need to know is that the cerebellum activates the VMPRC as well as the entire prefrontal cortex (PFC). The cerebellum a brain within the brain! It is responsible for transferring information from all of the body’s muscles to turn on the brain. If these muscles are imbalanced, the brain stimulation is, as well. The resultant: a PFC that is not fully lit up. Then, the VMPFC cannot as easily tame down the stress response.

2) The cerebellum contributes to autonomic regulation

Not only does the cerebellum transfer information from the body’s muscles to the brain, it also is responsible for taming down the stress response. It is because it is responsible for coordinated movements that is can do so.

The cerebellum is the hub in the brain that compares the difference between what we can do and what is possible. As it does so, it is connected with the centers responsible for regulating blood pressure so that the cells of the organism are nourished. If the body can move more efficiently and with less hesitation, less adjustments are needed, diminishing the contribution of the cardiovascular and circulatory systems to allow us to move.

By calibrating posture with Posturology, we optimize muscle balance. By default, we improve the activation of the VMPFC. As well, we diminish the need for adjustment of blood pressure due to inefficiency in movement. For those two reasons, it seems logical to assume that Posturology is for a bit more than misaligned joints. Could it be that it’s good for your health?