The State Of Your Nervous System Determines Whether Your Body Can Heal

For decades, Dr. W. Lee Cowden has taught patients a simple exercise designed to help the nervous system shift out of chronic stress and return toward balance. He shared this technique with patients throughout his clinical career as a practical way to support the body’s natural regulatory processes.

We’ve all lived this pattern.

A stressful week. Pressure at work. Emotional strain that lingers longer than expected.

Then something shifts.

You feel run down. You catch a cold. Fatigue sets in. Your body doesn’t feel as resilient as it normally does.

Most people don’t question this. We intuitively accept that stress makes us more vulnerable.

If stress can make us sick, then the opposite must also be true:

When stress is reduced, the body regains its ability to regulate, repair, and restore itself.

This is not simply psychological. It is physiological.

It begins with your nervous system.

The Two Modes That Govern Your Body

Your autonomic (automatic) nervous system operates in two primary modes.

Sympathetic Mode: Fight or Flight

This is your survival state.

When the brain perceives threat, distress, uncertainty, or pressure, the sympathetic nervous system activates automatically. The distress you perceive can be from emotions, but can also come from chemical toxins, microbes, misalignment of joints, loud noises, or electro-pollution, etc. Your sympathetic response prepares you to react quickly and survive the stressor.

In this state:

Heart rate increases
Breathing becomes faster and shallower
Muscles tighten
Stress hormones rise
Blood flow shifts toward immediate survival functions

This response is essential when true danger is present.

But it comes at a cost.

When the body remains in this state for prolonged periods, resources are diverted away from maintenance and repair. Cellular function becomes less efficient. Oxygen utilization and nutrient absorption are not optimized. The body prioritizes survival over restoration.

The body is protecting you—but it is not healing.

Parasympathetic Mode: Rest and Digest

This is your recovery state.

When the parasympathetic nervous system is active:

Breathing becomes slower and deeper
Muscles relax
Digestion improves
Cellular repair processes accelerate
The nervous system stabilizes

This is the state in which the body restores balance and supports optimal function.

Health depends not on eliminating stress—which is impossible—but on the body’s ability to return to this healing state consistently.

Over time, this ability can be strengthened.

A Stress Reduction Method Taught by Dr. W. Lee Cowden

Over more than four decades of medical practice, Dr. Cowden taught patients a simple technique designed to help the nervous system shift out of chronic stress and return toward balance.

This method requires no equipment. Only consistency and focused attention.

The steps below preserve the structure and intent of the original instructions he provided.

Step 1: Establish the Hand Position

Sit (or, if possible, lie down) in a comfortable place.

Gently hold your left thumb and left index finger together using your right hand. Rest your hands in your lap and maintain this position throughout the entire procedure.

This hand position is intended to help support faster nervous system balancing.

Allow your body to relax.

Slowly roll your head a few times to release tension in your neck.

Step 2: Regulate Your Breathing

Begin breathing deeply and slowly.

Breathe in through your nose, allowing your lungs to fill completely.

Then breathe out through your mouth without forcing the air.

Continue this slow, steady breathing for approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

This step helps signal to the nervous system that it is safe to shift out of a stress response.

Step 3: Recall a Peaceful Memory Using All Five Senses

Next, bring to mind a peaceful place in nature you have personally experienced. This may be a vacation location or a meaningful memory from earlier in your life.

Engage all five senses as you recall this place.

See the surroundings clearly in your mind.
Hear the sounds associated with that place.
Feel the physical sensations present there.
Notice the smells.
Experience the environment as fully as possible.

For example, if you imagine the beach:

See the ocean, the sand, and the seagulls.
Hear the waves and the sounds of the birds.
Feel the sand under your feet, the warmth of the sun, and the breeze on your skin.
Smell the ocean air.
Taste the salt in the atmosphere.

Remain focused on this peaceful memory for approximately 4 minutes.

It may be beneficial to include God in this peaceful place and even have a conversation there. However, avoid imagining interactions with family members, friends, or other humans, as this may unintentionally trigger stressful or negative memories.

Step 4: Practice Consistently

Regular practice of this stress-reduction helps reduce all forms of stress, as well as aiding digestion and immune function, and improves sleep quality.

Dr. Cowden recommended to his patients practicing this technique four times daily:

Before breakfast
Before lunch
Before dinner
Before going to bed

With repetition, this relaxed state becomes easier to access.

Over time, the technique can be used whenever stressful situations arise. If necessary, you can briefly excuse yourself—even to a restroom stall—and perform the exercise before returning in a more balanced and stable state.

Optional Support Measures

Dr. Cowden also noted that the technique may work more effectively when used with certain optional supports immediately before beginning:

Rub 10 drops of Bach Rescue Remedy on the head, face, or neck

Take 15–20 drops of Nutramedix Amantilla under the tongue or in ¼ to ½ cup of water

These measures were described as optional and not required for the technique’s effectiveness.

Why This Matters

Your nervous system constantly responds to your environment, your thoughts, and your breathing.

When the nervous system remains stuck in a stress response, the body’s ability to regulate and restore itself becomes less efficient.

But when the nervous system returns to a calm, regulated state, the body regains access to the processes that support stability, resilience, and repair.

This ability can be strengthened through practice.

Not through force.

Through consistency.

Because when stress no longer dominates your nervous system, your body can return to what it was designed to do.

Restore balance.

Educational Note

This article is provided for educational purposes to unpack historical medical frameworks and clinical observations. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and does not replace consultation with licensed medical professionals.