Living without limits

National Geographic

2 days ago

With mind and body closely connected, there are techniques that everyone can learn to manage the physical and emotional health impacts of living in the modern world. Find out four ways people are learning to live without limits. Video by National Geographic CreativeWorks
Humans are extraordinary. Our brains and bodies have evolved in ways that make us capable of astonishing feats physically, intellectually, and emotionally. This has given us an edge over other species and helped us to do more than survive—we truly thrive as individuals and communities. With brain and body in constant communication, the human brain has 86 billion nerve cells processing continuous information at phenomenal speed through highly specialised areas controlling myriad functions throughout the body—from automatic actions like breathing to conscious decisions like picking up a stick.
Yet, we remain vulnerable. It's believed our brains grew more sophisticated to cope better with more complex and unpredictable habitats. But while we may have mastered our environment, have we truly mastered ourselves? Today's fast-paced world is arguably more complex than ever, putting significant strains on mind and body. These bring out vulnerabilities that can limit our lives, feelings of anxiety, stress, fear, panic, pain, confusion, and disconnection. Living without limits is a new series from Blua, digital health by Bupa, exploring how we can boost our health and well-being, and overcome vulnerabilties that can impact our day-to-day lives. Here are some of its stories. Ruby Tui is the 2019 World Rugby Female Sevens Player of the Year, a Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist, and a Black Ferns Rugby World Champion. She is also a dedicated mental health and well-being advocate. Photograph by National Geographic CreativeWorks
New Zealand Rugby star Ruby Tui stands on the pitch in front of a roaring crowd and takes a single, controlled breath. She is a picture of calm, clarity, and absolute focus. But for the rugby international, Olympic gold medallist, World Cup winner, and World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, it wasn't always so. 'Before a game I'd be pinging off the roof because I was way too up,' she admits. 'Ruby, you've got to calm down,' her teammates would tell her. 'But I couldn't.' Pre-match excitement and nerves pumped Ruby so full of energy that she couldn't focus. Then she learned to take a breath.
Breathing is one of the body's only automatic function we can control, and this enables us to influence positively our response to difficult situations. When we perceive threat, real or imagined, our sympathetic nervous system activates our body's fight-or-flight mode. This includes breathing faster to deliver more oxygen to the muscles, readying them for action. But mindful breathing switches on the body's counterbalance, the parasympathetic system, our rest-and-digest mode. Taking controlled, intentional, slower breaths tells the body that you're relaxed, and for Ruby this brings mental calm and physical ease. 'Unlocking the breath has allowed me to be the best rugby player I can be,' she says. Yagazie Emezi is an artist and self-taught documentary photographer from Aba, Nigeria. A National Geographic Grantee, she is focused on stories surrounding African women and their health, sexuality, education, and human rights. Photograph by National Geographic CreativeWorks
National Geographic photographer Yagazie Emezi contorts her body into a complex stretch to get the perfect angle for her shot. Holding the unnatural position until the subject is just right, she is a picture of controlled concentration. But this is even harder than it looks, because Yagazie suffers from chronic physical pain caused by a childhood car accident. 'The physical demands of photography were leaving me in pain, it was triggering the leg injury,' she reflects. 'I was so frustrated, angry, worried.' Then she learned to listen to her body.
There is often a pressure to push through pain—you really want to do something, or you really don't want to let people down. But while pushing yourself can be good, pain is there for a reason: It's the body alerting you to a problem, warning you to take remedial action. Which is why we need to listen to our bodies. 'I've learned to take a mindful approach to exercise,' says Yagazie. Whether its Pilates, stretching, jogging, walking, or any activity, the key seems to be doing it while respecting and accepting your limits. 'Mindful movement has changed what I can do,' she says. 'When the pain does come back, it's about telling myself that it's okay.' Dr. Romain Pizzi is one of the world's most pioneering wildlife surgeons. His operations take him from jungle sanctuaries to busy rescue centres, performing lifesaving procedures on some of the world's rarest species of animal. Photograph by National Geographic CreativeWorks
In the sweltering jungle, pioneering wildlife surgeon Dr Romain Pizzi's steady hands make a precise incision into a sick animal. Performing life-or-death surgery on some of the world's rarest species in the field, Romain is constantly adapting to changing circumstances, but he never misses a beat. It wasn't always like this. 'In the past I'd spiral,' he confides. 'What if the equipment breaks en route? What if the storm rolls in? What if I make the wrong incision? Fearful thoughts would overtake me.' Then he learned to visualize.
Visualizing takes many forms, but most involve imagining positive outcomes—being in a happy place or making the perfect pass in sport. Romain takes this further. Constantly catastrophizing, on one trip he realized that by imagining everything that could go wrong his brain had already worked through all the possibilities—and this calmed him and gave him confidence. Visualization works because of neuroplasticity, our brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. When we imagine doing something, the brain activates similar neural circuits to those that would be used—making them perform more effectively. 'I slow my breath, relax, and mentally rehearse everything,' explains Romain. 'I've already done the surgery in my head a hundred times.' Stewart Roberts, MBE, founded the charity Haircuts4Homeless, a community of skilled hairdresser volunteers who give their time free of charge to provide haircuts for homeless people. Photograph by National Geographic CreativeWorks
Hairdresser Stewart Roberts chats easily with his customer, scissors snipping away at the unkempt hair of the homeless person he is helping. They talk, laugh, touch, and, crucially, they connect. This is something Stewart has struggled with. 'I was an addict,' he admits. 'My mental health was in the gutter. I felt totally disconnected from myself, from my family, from the world.' Then, Stewart learned to reconnect through helping others.
As part of his rehab program, Stewart volunteered at a Salvation Army shelter. One day he took his scissors and started cutting people's hair. At first, most were reluctant: The homeless are often unused to physical contact. But the interaction gave them renewed confidence—not only in their appearance, but in themselves. Touch is an essential element of human connection and brings significant physical and mental benefits. And Stewart experienced a transformation, too. 'It grounded me,' he says. 'My heart rate slowed, my mind cleared.' This act of kindness, connecting with someone openly, helped Stewart to turn his life around. 'When we really connect with someone, you can feel it lift you physically,' he reflects. 'In that moment you both heal a little.'
Humans are extraordinary. Living without limits highlights the simple techniques we can all use to enhance our mental and physical health so that we can better manage the impacts of vulnerabilities, including stress, anxiety, isolation, and pain. In the modern world, with all of its pressures, digital technology is helping increase access to invaluable techniques and treatments. For example, Blua, digital health by Bupa, provides anytime, anywhere access to online health programmes that support mind and body—from meditation to physio, fitness, and mindfulness. With such support at our fingertips, we can boost our health and learn to address proactively our vulnerabilities, so they don't limit our lives.