I’ve always been curious why one side of my body seems healthier than the lopsided one. On my left side, my eyebrow droops, I get more acne, am more infection prone, and my breast is a different size than my right. In an attempt to find out why, I was led on a journey exploring the intricacies of brain hemispheres – how the left and right sides work in tandem – and anthropological studies detailing the beauty in symmetry.
SYMMETRY IS BEAUTY
I’ve often read that physical beauty lies in bodily and facial symmetry. Evolutionary theorists explain that symmetric faces are a greater sign of fitness and superior genetics, a characteristic evolved to help individuals choose the healthiest mate. Any deviation from symmetry – asymmetry – often points to unattractiveness, perhaps someone unfit or diseased, leading us not to want to mix with that particular partner. This is what “they” say anyway.
WHY ARE SOME OF US ASYMMETRIC?
While many scientists claim that these symmetries are a sure sign of biological fitness, it is possible that symmetry, or lack thereof, is not due to genetics, but the amount of exposure to stressors during bodily development. It can only be one or the other that is responsible for our funky body sides. Sometimes we’re born with oddball parts, like when one of our limbs is longer than the other; sometimes we build them on our own, as we see in athletes with differences in muscular makeup; and some are brought on by environmental factors from an early age, like nutrition, pollution or cigarette smoke. Still though, one has to wonder if these asymmetries do in fact, influence our overall fitness. Would we doomed to not attract a mate? And, because I have one breast that’s fattier than the other, does that mean it’s more prone to breast cancer? Or, if my leg is shorter than the other, will I have joint problems in my lifetime?
NEW-AGE IDEAS
There are even new-age explanations on body symmetries. One interesting one I found explains it this way: the left side of the body is the feminine side and represents the mother. The right is regarded as the masculine side, representing the father. When we continually have problems with one particular side of the body, it can mean there are issues with the parent – represented on that particular side – which have not been settled.
BRAIN HEMISPHERES
How do brain hemispheres factor into bodily symmetries? They don’t really; they are symmetries of their own, although with asymmetrical roles, working as “duel-core” processors. They have no control over bodily aesthetics, only functions. It’s difficult to read about body symmetries, however, and not have this topic included alongside.
DO SLEEP POSITIONS FACTOR IN?
Back to environmental factors affecting symmetry, I’ve wondered whether my sleeping patterns have an effect on this. It is known that the position you sleep in affects your health: lying on your back is the worse for sleep apnea, sleeping on the left eases heartburn and acid reflux, etc. There are many pros and cons for all positions. I believe that our bodies behave in certain ways – evolutionary protective strategies – to protect us from danger. I often worry about heart disease since it runs in my family. It has been found that sleeping on the right side – which I always do – helps with heart function. Sleeping on the left is related to heart enlargement and can contribute to dysfunction. In regard to my body’s symmetry, perhaps my right eyebrow is so much higher because of years of my face being smashed in my pillow on that size. Who knows;)
