I am confident in saying that the new benchmark for staying current and being a truly holistic healthcare provider is practicing and preaching mindfulness to patients. In fact, everyone should feel a responsibility to embrace and spread the value of mindfulness. As the late virologist Jonas Salk described in his metabiology philosophy, we are shifting from a Darwinian “survival of the fittest” to a “survival of the wisest,” and “we are now seeking the connection, or the relationship, between the biologic and the metabiologic.” Or, put another way by Susan L. Smalley, PhD, author of Fully Present: The Science, Art and Practice of Mindfulness: “In metabiological evolution, creativity and choice function as the key mechanisms of change, just as mutation and selection do in biological evolution.”

This is at the core of Functional Medicine. We are the source of change to our homeostasis. The way we react to stress and manage our lives permeates our habits, relationships, and food choices—influencing our gene expression (epigenetics). We only have control over so much, and in the reality of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the need to slow down, reset, recharge, or simply connect on a human level could not be more important for our survival as a species.

As a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, I recommend mindfulness to my clients who, despite changing their daily habits or improving their five pillars of health, still report that something feels missing in their lives—or perhaps more objectively, their salivary and urinary cortisol levels are through the roof, or worse, down the drain. Mindfulness taps into our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), thereby increasing heart rate variability (HRV) and improving resilience to stress, while toning cardiovascular health. In fact, many of the fitness wearables on the market today—such as Fitbit, the Hume Health Band, Ultrahuman, or the Oura Ring, to name a few—measure key signals (including heart rate and sleep patterns) to help us understand how our mind and body are connected. It is another way to assess the health of the mind–body connection through biofeedback from the tenth cranial nerve, known as the vagus nerve.

Mindfulness often brings to mind the act of meditation—the all-too-familiar seated yoga “lotus” position, eyes closed, emptying our thoughts. But in daily life, mindfulness can be as simple as “stopping to smell the roses” or being fully present while doing x, y, or z.

My journey with mindfulness began at university through my relationship with food. Fortunately, my nutritionist at the time recommended mindful eating as a way to adopt healthier habits and avoid the infamous “Freshman 15” (the average weight gain during the first year of university). Being away from home and dining in a cafeteria with endless options was a recipe for emotional and stress eating. Yet, no matter what I ate, nothing felt fulfilling. Mindful eating meant pausing to reflect on what my body was telling me. Was I hungry? Low in salt? Low in sugar? Was I simply thirsty? I would then reflect on how I might feel after eating a particular food. The magnitude of improvement—observed by my nutritionist—following this simple exercise was incredible. Since practicing mindful eating, I no longer enjoy eating while walking (with the exception of an ice cream on a hot summer day), eating standing up, or eating while watching TV (save for the occasional popcorn during a film).

My experience with mindfulness has since deepened and expanded into other pillars of health. Yoga is meditation connected with movement and breath. It is perfect for someone like me—a once avid dancer and now a busy mother of two toddlers. I am a restless individual. Yet, in reality, since truly understanding yoga, I believe everyone—every body—can benefit from it.

I will never forget my first shavasana, Sanskrit for “corpse pose,” the final posture concluding a yoga session. Ironically, the feeling I experience during and after shavasana is anything but dead. My Residential Life mentor and boss at university, who had just become a certified yoga teacher, led a yoga class as a team-building activity. She guided us through a “body mapping,” instructing us to relax different parts of the body from head to toe. “Relax your tongue from the roof of your mouth.” I had never realized how my tongue rested in my mouth until that moment—and what a difference it made to release it. By the time she reached our toes, I was not asleep. The best way I can describe the sensation is that my soul rose above and hovered over my chest. I was outside my body, witnessing myself lying in shavasana. I chase this feeling every time I practice yoga. I can count on one hand how many times I have experienced it. One might assume this sensation could be reproduced after every class, but that is precisely why it is so rare—and so powerful.

My takeaway is this: the more present and mindful I am during my practice, the more profound the shavasana. And as any true yogi will tell you, yoga is meant to break the ego, push you beyond your edge, and humble you. In today’s world, our minds are constantly racing. We are critical and judgmental—not only of ourselves, but of others. These are the very obstacles that can prevent one from experiencing the metabiological, or transcendence—the feeling I encounter during a true shavasana.

By committing to a discipline of practicing yoga at least once a week, I recalibrate the pillars of my health when I feel as though I am hanging by a thread. I relax. I sleep better. I make healthier food choices. I respond more gently to stress, thereby cultivating healthier relationships. I become more productive and more positive in every sense. The effects of a 50-minute yoga class linger for several days, if I am honest. Imagine what it would be like if I practiced yoga daily!

Yoga may not be for everyone, but its benefits are valuable to all. Alternatively, mindfulness can be practiced alone in a quiet space—sitting on the floor, walking in nature (often referred to as a meditation walk), or journaling. If emptying the mind feels challenging, writing thoughts down in a gratitude journal is an excellent introduction to mindfulness. Guided imagery is another useful tool, helping focus the mind on a pleasant image to help release our stress.

As a mother to two toddlers, my life has changed exceptionally. When I’ve had a particularly busy week, I tend to blame motherhood for being an obstacle to practicing more mindfulness. However, the beauty of parenthood is that mindfulness is at your fingertips. My children may slow me down when I am rushing to do something—but they are the opportunity to be mindful. They are only that age at that particular time. I stop. I slow down. I reflect on what they are saying to me or doing. I embrace them. I look at a resting butterfly with them, and each second that passes feels like eternity.

And if this sounds too subjective for all those scientists out there, the tangible impacts of mindfulness include, but are not limited to:

• Lowering elevated cortisol levels
• Reducing high blood pressure
• Enhancing digestion
• Decreasing the perception of pain
• Improving behavior—in schoolchildren and adults alike
• Improving sleep quality
• Cultivating creativity (had to add this for the artists out there!)

I will end by echoing what Buddhists strive for: equanimity—inner calm and emotional balance. We may feel emotions, but equanimity protects us from their negative effects. In any way possible, we should endeavor to be mindful in our day-to-day lives—not only for its health benefits, but for our very existence.