It has been documented that thoughts and emotions have a powerful influence over our physical health. There was an interesting study conducted at UCLA in the early 1990s where 14 professional actors were recruited to study the effects of emotion on the immune system. During the study, the actors were told which mood state they would be experiencing.
They then read the appropriate scenario, which was about 100 words long, and were told to create and experience a realistic mood by developing the scene and verbally and behaviorally acting it out while seated. Actors were encouraged to use their own personal memories to intensify the experience. Once the actors were in a particular emotional state, the researchers drew blood to measure any physical changes that may be associated with particular emotional states. What they found surprised everyone. Simply by shifting from one emotional state to another, the actors could stimulate or suppress their immune function. Subsequent studies have measured all kinds of physical changes that result from emotional states, such as changes in hormone levels, brain chemistry, blood sugar levels, even the ability to heal properly. In fact, the mind-body connection is so strong that an entire field of science has emerged called psychoneuroimmunology.
More and more scientific studies are published on a daily basis proving the idea that thoughts and emotions have a powerful influence over our physical health. This is one of the reasons why people are much more likely to get sick during job changes, holidays and other stressful times; or why people who are depressed have a much higher risk of developing cancer. How can emotions affect our immunity or resistance to disease? Research shows that the brain can release hormones and other chemicals that affect white blood cells and other parts of the immune system. Though the chemicals also have other functions, they are a link between our thoughts and our ability to resist diseases.For example, when people react to stresses with fear, their brains send a "danger" message to the body. Hormones are released to raise blood pressure and prepare muscles for quick action, as if to fight or flee from danger. The stress hormones also depress the disease-resistance system, and over time, can damage the brain, heart and digestive tract.Thoughts can cause physical abnormalities such as ulcers, indigestion, nervousness and high blood pressure. Thoughts can also depress the immune system, which leads to a wide variety of diseases. Whether a person experiences poor health, and how soon, depends on that person's heredity, environment, diet, and behavior.
An Australian study in the late 1970s showed that when one spouse dies, the other experiences a weakened immune system. This helps explain why grieving spouses have more diseases and a higher death rate than others of similar age. Other studies have shown that heart patients who are depressed have more heart problems than happier heart patients; depression was a better predictor of problems than physical measurements were.
Cancer is more common in people who suffer a major emotional loss, repress anger and feel helpless. Cancer patients who express their emotions rather than denying them seem to recover more often. The link between emotion and cancer is so strong that some psychological tests are better predictors of cancer than physical exams are. This does not mean that everyone who has cancer or some other disease has simply thought it upon himself. There are many factors involved in disease; even the best attitude is not going to prevent ill effects from genetic malfunctions and some chemical and biological hazards. A new study shows physical proof how one of those aspects - a strong and happy marriage - can be a boon to your health. According to the study, physical wounds take much longer to heal in marriages marred by hostility and conflict than those in which couples build a more pleasurable home life.
As our thoughts and emotions have such a powerful influence over our physical health, we must take proactive steps to regain our health through healthy thinking, relaxation, and positive affirmations. Explore this section for more on how to calm your mind and improve your health.
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Osteoporosis
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Chronic Condition Relief
Although most chiropractors don't directly treat Osteoporosis, chiropractic care directly addresses spinal misalignments, which in turn directly impact proper functioning of the nerve system..
Osteoporosis is a metabolic disease involving loss of bone tissue and the disorganization of bone structure.
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Ear Infections
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Pediatric Ailments
If your child experiences recurrent ear infections, chiropractic can help by restoring normal drainage of the lymphatic vessels.
Almost half of all children will suffer from at least one middle ear infection (otitis media) before they're a year old, and two-thirds of them will have had at least one
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Carpal Tunnel
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Repetitive Use Injuries
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) has become one of the most widespread occupational health problems we face today. It affects millions of people a year, and with our growing reliance on computers there seems to be no end in sight.The syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve just above the wrist.
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Auto Accidents
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Auto Accident Injuries
Numerous studies have shown that years after auto accident victims settle their insurance claims, roughly half of them state that they still suffer with symptoms from their injuries.
If you have been involved in a car accident, your injuries need to be taken very seriously. Because symptoms of some
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The Quest for Strong Abs
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
The abs rule. As a result of this not-so-subtle imperative, a flat abdominal musculature is one of the primary goals of all exercise programs. Flat abdominals have great aesthetic appeal, not only to the "owner" of those abs, but also to the person's spouse or partner.
Of course, a flat abdominal musculature
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Self-Actualization and Regular Chiropractic Care
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
Whether you're going out for a walk or a run, to the gym to lift weights, or to the pool to swim a few laps, the self-affirmation involved in the concept of "going out" or "going to" something for the sake of exercise is quite substantial. For most of us, it takes an extra effort, an extra application
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The Skating Rink
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
In his 1856 journal, the great American philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau wrote, "I love the winter, with its imprisonment and its cold, for it compels the prisoner to try new fields and resources." Thoreau, a fearless explorer of inner and outer landscapes, welcomed opportunities to learn
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Taking Care in Winter Weather
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
The onset of winter does not signal the end of exercise and outdoors activities. There's plenty of skiing and snowboarding available in the Northeast, the American Rockies, across Canada, and even in Southern California. For those who like their exercise with less dramatic velocity and acceleration,
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Cold Snap
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
As the weather turns colder, our metabolism begins to slow ever so noticeably. This change is nature’s design to synchronize our systems with the world around us and conserve resources. Instead of pitting ourselves against the laws of nature, it's a much wiser course of action to do our best to align
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Backpack Misuse & Chronic Back Pain
Category:
Newsletter Library, Back, Body & Joint Pain
Back pain is pervasive among American adults, but a new and disturbing
trend is emerging. Young children are suffering from back pain much earlier
than previous generations, and the use of overweight backpacks is a contributing
factor, according to the American Chiropractic Association
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BACK To The Stats
Category:
Newsletter Library, Back, Body & Joint Pain
Although doctors of chiropractic (DCs) care for more than just back pain,
many patients visit DCs looking for relief from this pervasive condition.
Thirty-one million Americans have low back pain at any given time (1).
One half of all working Americans admit to having back symptoms each year
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Advice For A Healthy New Year
Category:
Newsletter Library, Healthy Tips
There is no better time to rejuvenate your health than the start of a new year. So don't let your resolution to eat more nutritiously fall by the wayside. Just a few simple changes in your diet and lifestyle can have a positive impact on your health— and can also prevent you from experiencing a variety
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Chiropractic Advice for Moms-to-Be
Category:
Newsletter Library, Pregnancy & Parenting
The weight gain, the bloating, the nausea... Most new mothers will tell you that the aches and pains of pregnancy are a small price to pay for the beautiful bundle of joy they're rewarded with nine months later.
But as many new mothers can attest, the muscle strains of pregnancy are very real and can
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Choose the Right Shoes
Category:
Newsletter Library, Healthy Tips
Look around
any crowded city street, and you'll see plenty of footwear— from
stiletto heels to platform shoes— that is more than a little unkind
to our feet. It's no wonder that foot pain is such a common complaint.
But it's not just our feet that are hurting. Improper footwear
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Bad Habits Lead to Bad Health
Category:
Newsletter Library, Breaking Bad Habits
Did you know that drinking too much soda or other carbonated beverages could interfere with calcium absorption - a problem that could eventually lead to osteoporosis? Or that slouching at a desk all day or tapping away at a computer keyboard can lead to painful strains in your wrists, shoulders, elbows
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Backpacks: Lighten Your Child's Load
Category:
Newsletter Library, Back, Body & Joint Pain
As millions of kids get ready to go back to school, many will pull out
old backpacks or purchase new ones. While the books, homework assignments,
lunches, and other school gear those bags carry may be important for success
in school, some experts point to backpack use as the leading
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