The Body as a Whole

There’s so much talk of the mind-body connection (for good reason), yet so little about how one part of the body may be connected to another!

In the pandemic years, the importance of social relationships and their impact on well-being was highlighted again. The scientific evidence on the correlation between good relationships and good mental and physical health has only grown since then. But these are among the more visible links. What we often fail to notice are the subtler, less obvious connections that shape our health in significant ways.

There’s nearly nothing in the body, or in the ecosystem it inhabits, that operates in isolation. Health is an intricate web of cause and effect, and the more we understand it, the more interconnected it appears.

Take the example of cognitive function. When we think of improving brain health, we usually think of doing memory exercises, solving puzzles, or learning a new language. These are direct interventions. But recent findings remind us that the influences on brain function go far beyond brain-training exercises. A surprising example is the link between air pollution and cognitive decline. It turns out that the air we breathe affects not only our lungs but also our mind. So, if you’re using an air purifier just to protect your respiratory system, you’re also doing your brain a favour. Another such link, which is less publicised but well-documented, is between oral hygiene and heart health. Poor gum health has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular issues.

These instances are anything but outliers. They remind us that the body functions as a unified whole, with each part intricately connected to the others.

Another connection we’ve long known about is between a sedentary lifestyle and type 2 diabetes and obesity. Recent research from 2025 adds another layer to the issue. Prolonged sitting, even among otherwise active individuals, is associated with cognitive decline. The implications of this are profound, particularly in an era where many of us spend hours glued to screens. I’ll return to some of the takeaways from that study shortly, but this brings me to a larger issue.

Despite all this growing awareness of the body’s interconnected systems, the medical field continues to operate in silos. General practitioners or “family physicians”, who were once the go-to experts for any kind of problem that we faced, are becoming an increasingly rare breed. The time when the body was examined as a whole is gone. Today, you’re more likely to visit a nephrologist, a pulmonologist, or even a cornea specialist, depending on the symptom. Moreover, which type of doctor you should see is left to your judgement. What if you don’t understand the root of your problem? Is there anyone looking at the body in its entirety?

As a nutritionist, I too have often been tempted to specialise in gut health, brain health, women’s health. However, over time, I’ve come to value a more integrated approach. While it’s easier to focus on one organ or one population group, it’s far more rewarding to work holistically. Let’s take the example of someone diagnosed with fatty liver disease. Their dietary advice should not only heal the liver but also regulate blood sugar and support cardiovascular health. The human body doesn’t operate in compartments and therefore our treatments shouldn’t either.

So, how do we acknowledge and work with these connections in our daily practice?

Let’s briefly return to the recent study on sitting and cognitive decline. This is a 7-year longitudinal research published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association on May 13, 2025. The study found that even those who exercised regularly weren’t immune to cognitive decline if they spent the rest of the day sitting. The problem seems to be that extended sitting appears to impact blood sugar regulation, which in turn affects brain health.

What’s the solution? Ideally, limit sitting time by standing, walking, or stretching at regular intervals. If taking breaks isn’t always possible, you can counter some of the side effects of sitting by activating the soleus muscle, which is a powerful calf muscle that plays a unique role in glucose metabolism. Simple seated calf raises can help. Unlike most muscles, the soleus uses circulating glucose rather than stored glycogen during contractions, helping stabilise blood sugar levels even while you’re seated.

The next time you come across a health tip that seems very specific or isolated, whether it’s about brushing your teeth, standing more, or investing in an air purifier, make sure to consider its ripple effects. Our mental and physical health are part of an intricate whole, and we’re only beginning to understand how the pieces fit together.