Every person faces different stress factors in everyday life. There are some problems and challenges in professional life: high competition at work, that requires huge mental, physical and energy efforts, forcing people to work at their limits; incompatibility between role responsibilities and personal skills and capabilities; disagreements with colleagues; some tension in communication with co-workers and supervisors; a poor working environment; some limitations for self-expression and self-realization at work; reduced prospects for personal fulfilment, and even an unemployment status.

There are some problems and challenges in personal and social life: frequent conflicts and misunderstandings with closest people and loved ones (husband / wife, children, parents), growing needs and demands of the inner circle, difficulties in communication and socialization due to the circumstances.

Nowadays, the following issues are becoming increasingly important, ever more urgent, and relevant to discuss:

• overall health: energetic, emotional, mental and physical;
• a lifestyle and the ability to control our own lives;
• brain health and neuroplasticity¹;
• human needs and emotional intelligence of people;
• self-knowledge, self-expression, self-realization, self-fulfillment and self-actualization².

Without doubt, the amount, frequency, intensity and duration of various stress factors are increasing in the modern world. As a result, it weakens resistance to disease, stress and adverse environmental factors. It causes a homeostatic imbalance in the human body, as well as psycho-emotional, mental and physical exhaustion. Because of this, the capacity of the human organism for self-recovery and self-healing is noticeably reduced.

All processes are becoming increasingly complex; the modern rhythm requires a very high level of stress-resistance in the professional, personal and social spheres. Our body’s responses to stress aren’t always predictable; some effects can be too negative, long-lasting, chronic. Thus, using one or more alternatives to health recovery (such as sport, meditation, yoga, good nutrition, healthy diet, psychological assistance, medication), becomes insufficient to cope with diseases and stress, and moreover, it may be too costly and effectless.

A man appears to be at the crossroads

The first way is to make every effort to cope with challenges and diseases.

The second way is not to take advantage of the first road, and be at risk for diseases and/or mental disorders (e.g. stress, depression, uncontrolled anxiety and fear, panic attacks, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD)) because of weakness and exhaustion. In general, this will require long term therapy and continued medical treatment.

The third way is not to cope with problems and issues of everyday life, and become addicted (overeating that leads to obesity and diabetes / alcohol / drugs, etc.).

The wisest course of action is to choose the first alternative with the following key components:

1. Acquiring the necessary scientific / theoretical knowledge about

• the basic principles of the human organism functioning (brain, mind and body);
• interlinkages between brain health, overall health, individual lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes;
• close connection between psycho-emotional state, mental health, physical health and health risks;
• the genesis (the background for occurrence, shaping and development) of constructive and destructive mental and behavioral patterns;
• individual and social behavioral models.

2. Acquisition of practical skills through the use of the most effective techniques aimed at

• increasing stress-tolerance;
• improvement of psycho-emotional, mental and physical health condition;
• elimination of stress, depression, different psychosomatic and anxiety disorders as well as minimisation of their negative impact;
• obtaining the most effective ways of self-expression, self-realization, self-fulfillment and self-actualization in personal, social and professional life.

Relevant knowledge and practice will help to increase the ability to accomplish what you set out to do, and achieve the desired results. Greater public awareness of health issues and broad understanding of 1) the basics of the human organism functioning and 2) the cause-and-effect relationships between brain health, overall health, lifestyle habits, health outcomes and life satisfaction, give people a great toolkit to improve their general state of health (psycho-emotional, mental and physical health conditions) by strengthening the body’s capacity for self-recovery and self-healing.

Understanding the mechanisms of the human organism functioning, in particular the brain, makes it possible to consciously and wisely regulate personal perceptions, reactions, mental and behavioral patterns.

Thus, there is a real chance to improve overall health, create positive perceptions, stimulate new, constructive thinking, increase life motivation, life satisfaction and happiness as well as to develop goal-oriented behavior and achieve harmony in life.

We create enhanced understanding of the connection between brain health, overall health, lifestyle habits, health outcomes, quality of life and life satisfaction.

Stay aware. Be responsible!