Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Why your intuition is key to better physical and emotional health

Jennifer Shaer, MD
Physician
February 26, 2023
Share
Tweet
Share

In residency, we are trained to follow our intuition. In pediatrics,  this translates into learning how to recognize a sick kid. Of course, we are taught what to look for on the physical exam and the labs and what protocols to follow, but we are also taught how to listen to our instincts. When our gut tells us we have a sick kid, we don’t overthink; we set into action.   As a pediatrician in a busy practice, we often depend on the mother’s intuition. When a mom tells us that her child is “off,” we listen.

But what is that about? That intuition is not about thinking and analyzing. It’s about some sort of deeper “knowing” that is coming up from somewhere else. I never really thought about what that was until recently.

As a society, we are very cerebral. Analyzing and thinking. Our minds are thought of as the leader and boss, and the rest of the body is just sort of “there.” Physicians and scientists tend to focus on facts, analysis, randomized controlled studies, and evidence-based medicine. All of those things are amazing and hugely valuable, but we are missing critical information when we rely exclusively on the brain.

There is a growing body of research on the complex neural plexuses in the cardiac and enteric regions of the body.   The upward feed to the brain from these neural networks explains the sensation of a gut instinct.   Research suggests that the gut and heart are actually contributing inputs to processes like decision-making.

But are we listening?

For the most part, I would say the answer is “no.” We tend to push away our inner knowing and do what our brain tells us we “should” do. How can we tune in and know if our brain is running the show without input? Check-in with yourself. You might want to listen more deeply if you feel unfulfilled, anxious, or stressed or have a general feeling of constricted or tense.

Emotions and feelings are information and feedback for your brain. I think of them as symptoms. You can’t develop a treatment plan for the underlying sense of unfulfillment until you know what is causing it.   Treating a patient’s fever without simultaneously exploring and determining the underlying etiology could have disastrous clinical outcomes. The same can be said for our physical and emotional health and well-being when we ignore the messages coming to our brains from our bodies.

But we are conditioned this way. We’re all familiar with the symptoms. It’s the knot in your stomach or the tightness in your chest. It’s the nagging headache after a long day, the feeling of dread, overwhelm, or exhaustion.   We treat these gnawing symptoms by turning to things like food, drink, and social media. We are trained to ignore, outrun or numb away these inputs. And when we do this, we create a state of chronic stress in our body with all the hormonal cascades that can wreak havoc on our health when left unchecked.

Here’s how I see the balance of the brain, heart, and gut and how you can harness them to develop your inner wisdom. The heart is your inner compass. It knows what you want. Like the expression, “your heart’s desire,” it can help you set your GPS, purpose, and big “why.” No matter how many pros and cons lists you make, your rational brain doesn’t truly know what you want. Once your heart sets your destination, the mind can get to work on getting you there. It will use its expertise to plan and try and do and repeat. One step at a time.   When it makes a wrong decision, and you veer off course from your preset destination, your gut will provide input (if you are wise enough to listen) and get you back on track.

So why do we feel so unfulfilled? Because we are leaning too heavily on and only listening to our minds. The brain is only one piece of a brilliantly orchestrated system.   Put your beautiful mind to work in service of your heart’s desires, and let your gut keep you on track. Only you know what’s right for you; the answer is in your heart, not your head.

So get quiet, let go of your thoughts and listen to your heart and gut. Your physical and emotional health and well-being will thank you.

Jennifer Shaer is a pediatrician and chief wellness officer, Allied Physicians Group, and a certified executive and life coach. She is founder, Shaer Coaching, and can be reached on Facebook. She is available for one-on-one coaching and speaking engagements: Feel free to schedule a conversation with Dr. Shaer or reach out by email.

Prev

From studying to baby kicks: Navigating motherhood in medical school

February 26, 2023 Kevin 0
…
Next

Combining academic medicine and private practice: a success story

February 26, 2023 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Pediatrics, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
From studying to baby kicks: Navigating motherhood in medical school
Next Post >
Combining academic medicine and private practice: a success story

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Jennifer Shaer, MD

  • Surviving an EHR upgrade

    Jennifer Shaer, MD
  • Reevaluating beliefs: the role of real doctors

    Jennifer Shaer, MD
  • Navigating patient requests: Balancing care and communication

    Jennifer Shaer, MD

Related Posts

  • Emotional support animals for health care providers

    Brittany Ladson
  • Why social media may be causing real emotional harm

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • Are negative news cycles and social media injurious to our health?

    Rabia Jalal, MD
  • How social media can help or hurt your health care career

    Health eCareers
  • Sharing mental health issues on social media

    Tarena Lofton
  • 3 ways to advance the credibility of online health information

    Robert Pearl, MD

More in Physician

  • Why being a physician mom is harder than anyone admits

    Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, MPH
  • Removing vaccine advisers could jeopardize lives

    J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, MD
  • Why would any physician believe that the practice of medicine will become less abusive for them in the future?

    Curtis G. Graham, MD
  • The hidden war on doctors: Understanding administrative violence

    Maryna Mammoliti, MD
  • How doctors can stop frivolous lawsuits before they start

    Howard Smith, MD
  • How the 10th Apple Effect is stealing your joy in medicine

    Neil Baum, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight

      Marco Benítez | Conditions
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • How the 10th Apple Effect is stealing your joy in medicine

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why being a physician mom is harder than anyone admits

      Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, MPH | Physician
    • 9 domains that will define the future of medical education

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • What led me from nurse practitioner to medical school

      Sarah White, APRN | Education
    • Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life

      Benjamin Cohen, MD | Conditions
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight

      Marco Benítez | Conditions
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • How the 10th Apple Effect is stealing your joy in medicine

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why being a physician mom is harder than anyone admits

      Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, MPH | Physician
    • 9 domains that will define the future of medical education

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • What led me from nurse practitioner to medical school

      Sarah White, APRN | Education
    • Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life

      Benjamin Cohen, MD | Conditions
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Why your intuition is key to better physical and emotional health
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...