Does your mind affect your physical health and well being? The more we learn through research, the more we understand that the health of the mind is intimately connected to the health of the body.  And if you think about, it makes sense: our nervous, circulatory, immune, and endocrine systems all work together — not independently.

For example, a mother sees her child in danger — trapped in a burning building. She rushes in. She doesn’t stop to think, nor does she feel the flames while rushing out. According to Deepak Chopra, M.D., it isn’t adrenalin that makes her rush in. It’s love. And it isn’t an endorphin that protects her from feeling the flames. It’s focused determination. The mind, in the form of love and determination, works in conjunction with the physical body to find a chemical pathway to the brain. The brain then tells the body, “Move! Save your child!”  We can’t see the mind’s influence on the body. Yet, with every thought, we actually move atoms as well as other particles in the cells of the brain.

If our minds and bodies work in such close association with one another, is it possible that the state of our minds can influence the state of our physical health? Can the mind contribute to heart disease, diabetes, or cancer? Or to our buoyancy and well-being? Studies have shown that it can. Depression, widely considered to affect only the mind, appears to have a systemic risk. Dr. Dwight Evans, professor of psychiatry, medicine and neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, as quoted in Time magazine, says “Depression jumps out as an independent risk factor for heart disease. It may be as bad as cholesterol.”

What about stress— those unrelenting pressures we feel as we try to cope with everyday life? Recent research indicates that stress takes its toll on almost all functions of our bodies. In fact, stress as a chronic state of mind is linked to increased cholesterol and heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, weight gain, and arthritis. Excesses or deficiencies of the hormone cortisol, released in the body during stressed states, can lead to various symptoms and diseases.

There is good news: What’s healing for the mind is good medicine for the body. And we have the ability to make life choices in favor of our emotional health that can reduce the chances for body breakdown. Here are some things you can do:

• Meditate — It boosts your immune system, and studies suggest that it also rewires your brain to reduce stress. More and more doctors recommend meditation to prevent or control the pain of diseases such as cancer. Meditation has proven to restore emotional balance and reduce the effects of conditions such as hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure.
  

• Create happiness — Happiness is the body’s most potent medicine. Researchers have discovered that happy people tend to have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, hypertension, and colds. Traits of happiness, such as optimism, contentment, and gratitude, aren’t random states of mind. They can be cultivated and developed. One way to boost your happiness quotient: count your blessings. And do a few kind acts each week.

• Share friendships — Friendship has a profound effect on physical well-being. Having good relationships improves health and lifts depression.  According to Redford B. Williams, M.D., director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center and professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center, there is a definite connection between friendship and longevity. Studies show that the emotional support gained from close relationships actually prolongs life.

• Have a spiritual practice — Recent research demonstrates the positive effect of spiritual practice on physical health; in fact, studies indicate that people engaging in a spiritual practice live longer.  The link between spirituality and healing is becoming increasingly accepted.

• Try yoga — Yoga (the term means union) aims at integration and harmonization of mind, emotions, body, and spirit. This practice teaches how to quiet the mind and relax, strengthen, and invigorate the body. It can also be used as a therapeutic practice for physical difficulties, as well as a way to reduce stress and face life with greater equanimity.

Plan peak experiences — Scientific findings support the positive health benefits of peak experiences, for example a transformational journey, hike, or watching an extraordinarily beautiful sunset.  The powerful events that energize us and cause vivid emotional change also create deep physical renewal, transforming our biology and boosting our immune systems.

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