Janice Dorn, MD, PhD
Neuropsychological Trading Coach
Janice Dorn, M.D., Ph.D., has been a full-time futures trader since 1994. Doctor Janice holds an M.D. in psychiatry and is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. She holds a Ph.D. in brain anatomy. A graduate of Coach University, she is a pioneer market psychiatrist and financial neurobehaviorist. Doctor Janice has written over 500 articles on the financial markets and coached over 600 traders worldwide. She is the Global Risk Strategist for Ingenieux Wealth Management Group, Sydney, Australia.
|
Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of, a blessing that money cannot buy...Izaak Walton
Time after time, through years of coaching traders of every ilk, I am struck by a repeating theme. Trading to mastery requires a person to grow and strengthen in at least five areas: mental, emotional, physical, financial and spiritual. In order to trade in a consistently profitable way, the trader must have all of these elements working in a unified and holistic manner.
Slowly and steadily, as we progress through the coaching process, there is one aspect which is the most challenging for almost everyone, and that is the physical.
Almost without exception, every person that comes to me is almost completely out of shape physically. They are sedentary, spend hour after hour at their computer screen studying or trading, do not work out regularly and fail to eat properly.
From an anatomical point of view, the most salient manifestation of this lack of self care is a large mid-section. The TV commercials call it "belly fat." My traders and I call it, jokingly, "panniculus adiposis-city!" (The panniculus adiposis is, in lay terms, a layer of tissue or an "apron" over parts of the abdominal area. Excessive amounts of fat are stored here, causing the abdomen to protrude.) This joke phrase is really not all that funny, however, because of what we now know about fat deposition in the body.
Recent studies have shown that there are at least two types of fat in the body. These are called visceral fat (deposited in the abdominal area) and extremity or subcutaneous fat (deposited elsewhere in the body). The visceral fat, which is seen visually as a protuberant abdomen, is different from the extremity fat in that it actually releases toxic chemicals into the body. Studies have shown that increases in visceral fat (so named because it surrounds the viscera, or the internal organs of the body) have been correlated with the development of a number of diseases, including heart attack, diabetes and other metabolic problems. In a word, belly fat is dangerous to your trading due to its lurking capacity to make you suddenly ill.
Additionally, the production of the adrenal hormone cortisol is increased in the presence of stress. Cortisol causes many negative effects in the body, including further deposition of belly fat. It is a vicious cycle. Stress causes belly fat, which produces toxins, which in turn cause more stress. This is not a pretty picture, but it is one that is easily corrected with diligent and consistent effort.
Trading is a competitive sport with many analogies to athletics. It is a rough, tough game. Can you imagine an elite athlete who never worked out or kept himself in peak physical condition? Can you picture some great football or baseball player saying he got fat and out of shape because he didn't have the time to work out and manage his diet? What about the top model, actor or dancer who doesn't pay attention to the way he or she looks? How long do you think any of these people would survive in the competitive athletic or entertainment areas?
The solution to this is simple. Studies have shown that even gentle exercise, such as walking or stretching, can reduce fat deposition if done on a regular and consistent basis. Additionally, attention to diet is critical. Reduction of high glycemic foods such as simple sugars and white flour show good results in weight reduction. Avoidance of fried and "junk" foods can take inches off your mid-section and add years to your life.
There is little excuse for not engaging in radical self-care. To neglect your body tells the world that you don't have much self-esteem and you don't care how you look or feel. To allow yourself to sit day after day, glued to the computer screen or the TV, eating on the run and not exercising reflects a toxic lifestyle. It is yet another form of self-sabotage. If you sabotage your body, you are sabotaging your life and your trading. What difference does it matter if you make tons of money and drop dead at age 50 from heart attack or degenerative disease?
This is so easy to fix, people! Just set aside time every day to do some kind of exercise. Take a long walk outside, eat clean and healthy food, do yoga or weight lifting and teach yourself to breathe properly. These are simple things you can do to be kind to your body and mind, and they will repay you with a long and prosperous life.
The poorest man would not part with health for money,but the richest would gladly part with all their money for health...Charles Caleb Colton
|
