A top New York City wellness guru, whose common colds include Kim Kardashian and Drake, had a surprising message for his patients. “Stress isn’t bad for you.”
Dr. Jonathan Leary, a health expert who recently opened Remedy Place, a second social wellness club in the city, believes that moderate stress is beneficial to health and improves people’s performance.
“Stress is getting a bad name…and now everyone is shying away from stress. [from stressful situations]. But moderate stress can actually improve performance and memory. ”
He believes that a city like New York, which can constantly present its residents with one stressor after another in a chaotic daily life, is perfect for mental sharpening, and that his clients accept it. , I want them to think of it as a kind of exercise. It only makes them stronger.
“I think stress is necessary in life… People who are not mentally strong need resistance. The way to increase their mental resilience is through stress.
“We need resistance to grow muscle. We need resistance in every other aspect of our lives,” he added.
It’s not just stress that Leary tells her clients to reconsider, but also to reevaluate the word “pain” and their relationship to it.
“Pain is just a signal to the brain,” he added.
“If you start telling yourself…I wake up in pain every day, you’re sending that signal to your body, too.”
Instead, Dr. Leary recommends saying: “We just have to move better today or get some movement back.
Changing the way you talk about your health and body can also help create new ways of thinking, he added.
“If you start reprogramming your brain… learning how to talk about it and how to express it, it actually changes the neurology, the neurological connections, the circuitry in your brain, so it can also help you become more mentally strong.” Masu.”
Dr. Leary also paid tribute to New Yorkers, saying that no matter what stress or uncertainty the city is experiencing, their positive attitude and ability to cope with the situation puts them in good stead.
“It’s a spontaneous thing…You know, in New York you can’t control your own life. New York has its own way of thinking and its own plans. And that’s why people here are actually healthy.” I think that’s the only reason I can stay.
“New York City will set you up for success.”
This article is part of a new editorial series called NYNext, which focuses on innovation across various industries in New York City and the people leading the way.
