Taste like lemons

Imagine you saw someone take a big bite into a lemon, how do you feel? Does your mouth water just a little? I did as I think most people would because our brain remembers how sour it was when we did it before. This is how our brain could make our body feel something (like the taste of a lemon) that isn't actually real.

I was reminded of this when I saw Dr. Peter Goldman and asked him to help me with my left shoulder which seems to always have a tight knot in it. I told him I attribute it to my work injury 4 years old and also now when I stress about anything. I told him it just doesn't seem to go away. I have tried working out, getting massages, going to chiropractor and acupuncture. I would get some relief and then it would just come back as soon as I am stressed about something.

He then told me the lemon story above and told me that in fact I am compounding the issues by thinking about fixing it so much. Every time I stress about this knot in my back and remember my injury 4 years old, my mind actually will tell my body to remember the tightness I felt then. Therefore, it continues to remain tight. He told me instead to know that I have a healthy back now and that the tightness is very temporary. Just touch my shoulder a few times when it's tight and then forget about it. Don't agonize on why it's tight or what causes it. He then adjusted me to put my body back in balance.

Guess what, ever since then, I followed his advice and my left shoulder is a lot less tight then before. :-) It's amazing how the mind can play tricks on the body.

- Lei