Not many people realize that positive thoughts alone have the power to produce certain bio-chemicals within your body, comparable to those you would find in a pharmacy minus the side effects and high cost!
Despite what many people think, positive thinkers are not just wasting time thinking up futile thoughts that merely lift their mood. Studies demonstrate that our mind can provide comfort beyond the here and now – it can improve our immunity.
The Power of Thought
How many thoughts would you say go through your head each day? 1,000? 10,000? The answer is an estimated 60,000 for the common individual. This makes you realize just how significant your brain is!
Consider military training for a moment, Special Forces and elite military divisions, such as the Navy Seals go through rigorous training that teaches them to ignore pain, severe cold and other circumstances that would likely make most of pass out or go crazy. This is just one example that illustrates the point that the mind is very powerful, and truly does dictate what happens in the body.
The Research
Researchers have proven that positivity bolsters the immune system and reduces stress, which in turn helps you fight against diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
The field of study that examines the link between the immune and neurological systems is called psychoneuroimmunology (sometimes referred to as psychoendoneuroimmunology).
Psychoneuroimmunology is leading to more discoveries on how our thoughts affect our health. Many of these researchers study the “placebo effect,” which is a “sugar” pill or other false treatment that is typically provided to a subject in the control group.
Even though the subject receives a pill or treatment that is completely ineffective, he or she may believe that the treatment is effective and that he or she is recovering. As the subject thinks positive thoughts, he or she is releasing endorphins, which are chemicals that help fight against cancer and other diseases.
Although the subject received no actual treatment, he or she still recovered due to natural chemicals released in the body. This is due to the power of thought. Some of these bio-chemicals that you would receive from a pharmacist cost thousands and thousands of dollars. Imagine the money you could save with something as simple as a positive thought!
How the Process Works
Placebos have been effective because the body processes a mental charge as a physical reaction. Just as we see things happening around us in reality, thoughts are also processed as images that are actually happening.
For example, if you close your eyes and see yourself lounging on the sand on a hot beach day, your body will physically relax, your blood vessels will widen and your fingers and toes will even warm up as if you are truly on the beach.
In the simplest terms, your mental thoughts generate emotions that stimulate organs that release endorphins and other bio-chemicals that impact your health. The process is natural, free, and effective.
Researchers continue to explore how positive thinking and optimism can support good health and overall wellness. Some of the key health benefits of positive thinking include:
- A longer life span
- Reduced depression
- Reduced distress and anxiety
- Better resistance to the common cold
- Improved physical and mental wellbeing
- Lower risk for heart disease
- Improved coping skills during times of stress that result in a lower risk for stress related conditions, such as, insomnia, headaches, heart disease, weight loss, weight gain, high blood pressure and others.
Becoming Positive
If you have a disease, an ongoing or even short-term illness, or you are healthy but want to live the healthiest life you can, make every effort to learn a positive attitude.
However, it is not quite as simple as it sounds – it requires practice, relaxation, and sometimes deep concentration. In order to truly boost immunity, it also requires long-term commitment and a truly concerted effort.
Spend at least 30 minutes per day, three times a week meditating and visualizing positive thoughts. If your life becomes busier, do not let life get in the way. Your health is one of your most important responsibilities, as your life literally depends on it.
Learning positive thinking is a skill that is acquired over time, and takes the learning of a new thought process that replaces the automatic negative thoughts that have been a part of us for many years. It is a conscious effort that must be practiced daily.
Whether you feel it happening or not, your positive thoughts are releasing healing remedies within your body, in the form of bio-chemicals. Learn to improve your immunity and lead the healthiest life possible by training yourself to think positively. Adopt practices such as meditation to help support the effort. You will find yourself leading a long, happy life.
