Dear Readers,

Is your exercise routine helping you achieve your fitness goals? Do you find that your body doesn't respond to exercise the way you would like? Do you feel that your exercise plan isn't optimal for you? This month we look at the best exercises for your body type.

Thyroid body types are theoretical and practical, and they thrive on doing things that are worthwhile. This month we look at what drives the Thryoid body type.

Lemon Essential Oil can be used to release Sadness, which is a core emotional issue for the Thyroid body type.

As always, I hope and trust that these newsletters help you enjoy a happier, healthier life.

Health and Happiness,
Dr. Carolyn Mein

Exercise Right for your Body Type

The Thyroid Body Type

Lemon Essential Oil for Releasing Sadness

Exercise is usually associated with diet, or with bodybuilding & toning, although there are health benefits as well. For example, did you know that exercise activates your immune system? And while exercise is certainly beneficial, there are significant differences between how the 25 different body types respond to exercise. The best type and intensity of activity, variety of routine, and even the best time of day to exercise are different for each body type. Knowing how to exercise right for your body type will maximize your results, regardless of whether your goals are oriented towards physique, health or well-being.

The Health Benefits of Exercise

Of course exercise can help weight loss, along with muscle building and toning. It can also activate the immune system, help digestion, and get lymphatics moving.

For many of the 25 body types, the primary benefits of exercise are more emotional than physical. Exercise may help alleviate stress (Adrenal body type) or release pent up emotions (Medulla body type), add variety to the day (Balanced body type), provide a sense of accomplishment (Gonadal body type), or offer an opportunity for social interaction (Heart body type). Some of the mentally-oriented body types experience a beneficial calming of the mind during physical activity (Hypothalamus body type).

Some body types gain a specific benefit as coordination or integration – such as hand/eye coordination, or mind/body integration (Thyroid body type) – from certain types of sports or activities.

Not all body types can achieve the same muscular definition regardless of diet and exercise regimens. This simple fact can help you to set attainable goals, if physique is your motivation to exercise.

Some of the 25 body types simply have a natural soft layer that can conceal underlying muscle tone, regardless of exercise. Other body types have a naturally lean musculature that can be toned but is not easily bulked up for body building. Knowing the characteristics of your body type allows for realistic expectations.

More pain = more gain, right? Not necessarily! Some body types (such as Intestinal) can’t sustain heavy or high-impact exercise, while other body types (such as Blood) find that too much exercise exhausts their body’s energy for other things such as digestion.


When, What, and How Often?

The best time of day to exercise varies by body type, for different reasons. Lymphs are best exercising first thing in the morning to get the lymphatics moving; Adrenals are best exercising after 5:00 to help release the adrenaline and stress built up during the day; Intestinals are best exercising between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM when their body has extra energy for the activity.

The optimal type of exercise also varies dramatically between the different body types. The reasons for this vary. Strong body types like Stomach can handle high impact exercise, which would exhaust a Blood body type with no real benefit. Heart body types benefit more from activities that are social or interactive. The optimal type of exercise also varies dramatically between the different body types. The reasons for this vary. Strong body types like Stomach can handle high impact exercise, which would exhaust a Blood body type with no real benefit. Heart body types benefit more from activities that are social or interactive. Eye body types find that high impact lower body exercises or sports help to release stress or anger.

Don’t know your body type yet?
Determining your body type is easy using my online body type test:

Exercise Notes for each Body Type

Adrenal	Can easily build muscle mass and definition; afternoon or evening exercise is best – releases adrenaline built up during the day; exercise with movement (running, swimming, etc.) has a calming effect vs. stationary (gym) exercises
Balanced	Exercise lifts spirits, adds variety, and activates the lymphatics; variety is essential; sunlight and being around water are beneficial
Blood	Exercise optional – but it does clear the mind and release stress; best with low impact exercise such as walking or swimming, easily exhausted with high impact exercise; moderate exercise helps weight loss and vascular integrity
Brain	Exercise is optional, but helps to move energy from head to body; exercise should be fun, or nurturing – like a meditative walk
Eye	Essential to exercise an hour every other day for digestion, mental clarity, and stress reduction; when stress is high, daily vigorous lower body exercises releases anger; does well with intensive lower body activity such as kick boxing; natural soft layer makes muscular definition difficult to attain
Gallbladder	Natural soft layer makes muscular definition difficult to attain; exercise clears the mind and provides sense of doing something useful – so productive activities (cleaning, organizing, chores, etc.) are best
Gonadal	Exercise provides a sense of accomplishment, and gets energy moving; need sunlight during exercise; do well with vigorous activities
Heart	Natural soft layer makes muscular definition difficult to attain; exercise to elevate mood, connect with others, or lose weight; social or group activities are best
Hypothalamus	Exercise calms the mind and supports centering; provides body/mind integration; should be recreational
Intestinal	Exercise relieves stress and helps digestion; best between 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, as morning or evening exercise leads to fatigue; recommend low impact exercise such as walking or swimming, easily exhausted with high impact exercise; natural soft layer makes muscular definition difficult to attain
Kidney	Exercise moves energy in body; best 4 times weekly to relieve stress
Liver	Exercise burns calories; best activities are those that improve fluidity and coordination – such as dancing or tennis
Lung	Exercise calms the mind and oxygenates the body; does well with intensive lower body activity such as kick boxing
Lymph	Exercise essential at least every other day or may become depressed; variety is important to keep interested; activities with full body movement are best for moving lymphatics; best time around 7:00 AM to get things moving for the day
Medulla	Exercise activates immune system, relieves tension, and moves stuck emotions; exercise best later in day as morning exercise leads to afternoon exhaustion; can do repetitive and high-impact exercise; activities like dancing or tennis can improve fluidity and coordination
Nervous System	Exercise activates immune system and releases emotional stress; recommend at least 20 minutes every other day; can do repetitive and high-impact exercise; should be interactive (such as classes, groups or team activities)
Pancreas	Natural soft layer makes muscular definition difficult to attain; exercise increases metabolism; choose enjoyable, low-impact exercise; best in morning or afternoon; to lose weight, exercise 1 hour daily 6 days per week
Pineal	Exercise helps calm mind and overcome depression; best before 3:00 when body’s energy is higher; aerobics and low-impact recommended
Pituitary	Natural soft layer makes muscular definition difficult to attain; exercise relieves stagnation, and helps weight loss; stretching and aerobics are beneficial; can do repetitive and high-impact exercise
Skin	Natural soft layer makes muscular definition difficult to attain; stretching 15 minutes daily is recommended; additional exercise should be social and fun – class, group or team activities are best
Spleen	Natural soft layer makes muscular definition difficult to attain, although exercise does tone muscle and release stress; one hour of activity before breakfast every other day is recommended
Stomach	Strong body, responds well to heavy exercise, especially when balanced with yoga or stretching for flexibility; aerobic exercise relieves stress, lifts depression, and can be a form of personal expression (like dancing)
Thalamus	Exercise helps clear the busy mind of Thalamus body types – best to scatter short activities throughout day, every day, a few minutes here and there
Thymus	Exercise is essential as it activates the immune system – at least 15 minutes daily, any time of day; needs sunlight, so outdoor activities are best; can do repetitive and high-impact exercise; tall and lean, easy to tone but difficult to bulk up
Thyroid	Exercise is optional, but benefits toning and mind/body connection; aerobic activities good for developing muscle

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Do you thrive on doing things that are worthwhile, and often idealistic? Do you find yourself wanting to make a contribution to your world? Do you have an affinity for both the theoretical and the practical? Do you formulate theories, test them and refine them based on their practical application? Can you understand and relate to all types of people? Are you able to see both sides of an issue, distill it, and communicate its essence? Are you self-contained, often internalizing rather than asserting your feelings and attitudes? Are you extremely responsible and known for going to great lengths to fulfill your obligations, often at your own expense? If this describes you, you could be a Thyroid body type.


Passion

What gives the Thyroid body type the greatest sense of fulfillment is doing something “worthwhile”. Ideally, doing something worthwhile is associated with making a “contribution”. Hardworking, strong-willed, and idealistic about their chosen pursuits, Thyroids have a sense of dedication that almost guarantees success in whatever endeavors they choose to undertake. Worthwhile is not limited to a career, but extends into daily activities. They are happiest when they feel the way they spent their day has been worthwhile. Worthwhile can also include taking care of one’s self.

Motivation

Thyroids are motivated by a desire for “self-realization.” They seek personal growth and deal with what’s not working in their lives on an ongoing basis. Because of their intensity and lack of fear when exploring spiritual and emotional realms, they can access areas that most people around them don’t understand. Consequently, they generally have less of a need to share what’s going on in their lives han most other types. Thyroids who are less focused on personal growth are motived to make changes due to “emotional pain”. Being more mental than emotional, Thyroids are not as emotionally reactive to others’ emotions as many other body types are, tending to focus more on the task than others’ emotional states, giving the appearance of being aloof or unavailable. Miscommunications lead to emotional pain.

Core Emotional Issues

The core emotional issue for the Thyroid is the fear of “injustice”, or not fair. The other side of “injustice” is “resolution”, which entails finding a solution or answer, even if it means accepting something as “it is just the way that it is.” The way out, the lesson, or higher learning is, “I accept the truth.” Injustice is stored in the thyroid and the essential oil used to release it is Sacred Mountain. Sacred Mountain is also used to release another related core issue, the fear of speaking out which is stored in the throat. Other core emotional issues include Sadness, Failure, and being Misunderstood.

Life Lesson

The life lesson for the Thyroid is “to communicate the truth”. Difficulty communicating the truth can come from the fear of speaking out due to being misunderstood, not wanting to do anything to hurt someone else’s feelings, or to being belittled or betrayed. In their attempt to discover ways to speak their truth in an acceptable manner, Thyroids often hold back, reviewing what they want to say in their minds, even to the point of waiting until the appropriate moment for expression has passed. By not discussing areas of conflict, preferring to smooth things over or let them slide, they often hold back communication that could be valuable. The lesson is to identify the problem and its cause, formulate a viable solution or theory, and speak clearly and directly.

Points of Connection

Dominant senses for the Thyroid are mental and spiritual. The mental side is thoughtful, reflective, and observant. The spiritual is sensitive and intuitive, which is often apparent in their eyes. When a subject captures their attention, Thyroids will use their strong mental capacities to study it in depth and intuitive abilities to capture its essence.

Celebrities

Thyroid body type celebrities include J.K. Rowling, Matthew McConaughey, Richard Chamberlain, Katharine Hepburn, Leonard Nimoy, Hillary Rodham-Clinton, Nancy Reagan, Adam Levine, Ashton Kutcher, Russell Brand, Johnny Depp, Shaun White, and Chris Martin.

To learn more about the Thyroid body type, see the July 2015 Newsletter.

Don’t know your body type yet?
Determining your body type is easy using my online body type test:

One of the core emotional issues for the Thyroid body type is Sadness. Sadness can even be experienced as sadness for the state humanity is in. The other side of “Sadness” is “Joy”, which is stored in the CNS(central nervous system)/Lymph point located on the top, front of the throat, on the midline at the chin and neck junction. Lemon is the essential oil for sadness and the affirmation to clear it is, “I see the humor in the situation.”

Other emotions Lemon is used to clear include the fear of being left behind, frustration, emptiness, entitlement, life being unreliable, detachment, feeling stuck and jealousy. The underlying emotion of jealousy is the fear of being left behind.

Lemon has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that have been studied for their effects on immune function. It may serve as an insect repellent and may be beneficial for the skin. (Caution: citrus oils should not be applied to skin that will be exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet light within 72 hours.)



For more information on the use of Essential Oils to release emotions, refer to Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils.