nerves send a message to the brain saying, “Hey! Our body is being hurt or might possibly be hurt soon! Do something now so it doesn’t get worse!” Second, when that message reaches the brain, a perceptual process creates the actual sensation of pain.

Why do the words you encounter have such wide-ranging effects inside you? Because many brain regions that process language also control the insides of your body, including major organs and systems that support your body budget.

I use the general term brain to encompass all of this wonderful complexity of the body proper as it intimately intertwines with its chemical environment and with the portion of neural tissue in the head.