You, Me and the Smartphone
A Cellular Body in Review

Donna, a client at the salon, during a recent appointment made a fascinating observation. She made the comment that we are like our smart phones. “There is so much more to us, but just like with our smart phones we don’t take the time to  explore how much more we are capable of doing.” 
Admittedly, not growing up with a smart phone at our fingertips, mastering the enormous introduction to a hand held computer has been a major transition for the Baby Boomers.   Of course, it has made life easier in a variety of ways: instant connection to family and friends, photo ready and memory storage, internet links to the entire world and an upgraded version of the World Almanac and Book of Facts, the data bank of current information.  And the fact that our cell phones are a million times more powerful than all the NASA’s combined computing in 1969, the year man first set foot on the moon, makes it even more astonishing. 
Although the advances in the smart phone technology were shaped by the Baby Boomer generation, the majority of us have had to tip-toe int o its technology prodded by our children or even grandchildren, making sure we can stay connected. If we don’t text, we don’t connect. And for some of us, we have been pushed into the technology because our work depended on it. Nonetheless, according to Bank My Cell, the number of people around the world who use a mobile phone increased by 100 million in 2018, with the global total reaching more than 5.1 billion users by January 2019. This figure brings worldwide mobile penetration to 67% – more than two-thirds of the total global population making it the fastest growing man-made technology phenomenon ever.  
We are connected globally. We are informed in an instant. We have hundreds of ‘friends’ to chat with, play games and arrange jigsaw puzzles, pay our bills, acquire travel information and boarding passes and credit scores, and access anyone’s personal data, including home address, favorite color and criminal records. Well, maybe not their favorite color…yet! Point being, we can explore  so much.
Then there is the relationship we develop with our phones. We are married to them. Can’t live without them and for sure we can’t leave home without them. We upgrade, download and make sure we have the latest apps and gadgets and cover cases to protect them, mostly to express our personalities, including photos of our families and faces of our pets. 
It started me thinking and doing some research. How are our physical bodies like our smart phones? 
Basically, a smartphone is a mini radio that is constantly on the receiving end of other signals. The cell phone networks are separated into different cells. Each of the different cells have antenna signals that send out cell phone signals to all of the phones in a certain area.However, a lot of the reasons smartphones are able to do what they do is because even more  technology is located thousands of miles away from the device. It’s all about cellular connections. 
And what of our physical body? In a documentary,  Science of Mind & Body , I learned of the complexities of our own cellular connections. For instance, in the course of its life, the body will breath 10 million balloons worth of air. It will process 30 tons of food and will secrete 17 gallons of tears. The body is incredibly strong, yet ultra-light so that we can move around freely. The skeleton is made up of 206 ridged bones and keeps us upright, and forms a protective cage around our delicate inner organs. The most venerable organ in the body gets special attention. The brain is shielded by 22 bones fused together to form a natural crash helmet. Our brain experiences the world through our senses. We smell, hear, taste, touch and see through our brain. The brain is constantly rewiring itself. Every thought and emotion can create a new connection or strengthen an existing one. 
The biggest organ of the body weights approximately 9 pounds and covers 20 square feet…our skin. Just below the skin surface are between 2 and 5 million temperate controlments, the sweat glands, each a coiled tube loaded with liquid. As the body heats up, the coils squeeze up sweat to cool the body. And then there is blood. Blood has a number of functions that are central to survival, including: supplying oxygen to cells and tissues. providing essential nutrients to cells, such as amino acids, fatty acids, and glucose. removing waste materials, such as carbon dioxide, urea, and lactic acid. 
Our entire body is a collection of cells continuously reproducing and recovering. Unlike the computer in a smart phone, programed in stone, the body has a more fluid nature. It is repeatedly evolving and recreating itself. Its survival depends on its cellular connections. 
Then there is the unconscious mind, another mysterious connection located in our body…not thousands of miles away, but within the phenomena of thinking and feeling.  I call this accessing our spiritual beliefs and attitudes of health and well-being. We are a walking, breathing living miracle of connections and downloads, upgrades and mental and emotional apps. Amazing! 
As we come to the close of yet another year, I invite you to join me in making time to celebrate and  explore your body. It was a body who invented the smart phone, the internet, medical developments, algorithms, amazon and Zappos, organic food and gluten free ice-cream. Bodies thriving with conscious eating and movement and mindful thinking deserve our attention and praise. A deeper understanding of how we have lived yet another year, and a review of how-to best care for ourselves going forward. Lastly, look for the good in our smart phones and in our bodies for they deserve our respect, care and connection. 

Merry Christmas from my cellular heart to yours, 
Hilda 


Mental Shifts Highly Successful People Make by getpocket.com 

Recovery is more than just physically resting. It’s also being completely unplugged from “connection.” For instance, a recent study found that constant smartphone use stops people from properly recovering from work (and life). In a sense, people are always “on” to distraction and connection. They never disconnect. People keep their smartphones on them constantly. In the study, the experimental group, who became more conscious of their smartphone use, and took adequate breaks from it, were able to experience psychological detachment from work (which is essential for recovery and engagement), relaxation, and mastery.
Take away: Set healthy boundaries on your smartphone and internet use. When possible, keep your smartphone away from your person. If it’s in physical proximity, you will unconsciously use it. Keep it in your car when you get home from work. Or keep it in a drawer in a separate room. Allow yourself to actually rest and recovery so you can engage in life and work!