Disease and the Mind/Body Connection

Recently, a girlfriend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Her life up to that point had been particularly tumultuous, her kids had moved out of the house, business had slowed down, and what’s worse, she was going through a separation with her husband of 20 years. The cancer seemed to have occurred overnight. It developed quickly, was virulent, and needed treatment A.S.A.P. She had a double mastectomy a couple of weeks ago, and I saw her shortly thereafter. She looked pretty good, considering… We talked about how quickly everything had happened surrounding the cancer and treatment.  She said that when she was diagnosed, her oncologist and naturopathic physician had both told her that the type of cancer that she had was directly related to the amount of stress in her life.

When she fully grasped the diagnosis, before the mastectomy, she sought stress relieving meditation and prayer. She decided to manage her level of stress in a different manner. Instead of internalizing like she always had, she decided instead, to focus on the beauty around her and be gracious for things and people in her life. She started practicing gratitude, simple as that. Call it what you will, but essentially what she did was accept and redirect positive thoughts at herself and others.

After the mastectomy, when they biopsied the tumors, they had shrunken from when she was first diagnosed. She even thinks that if she were given more time before the surgery, that she would have been able to heal completely. Her oncologist thinks that they shrank because of her more active role in her health.

Our body responds to the way we think, feel and act. This is often called the “mind/body connection.” When we are stressed, anxious or upset, our body tries to tell us that something isn’t right. For example, high blood pressure or a stomach ulcer might develop after a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a loved one.

Poor emotional health can weaken our body’s immune system, making us more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also, when we are feeling stressed, anxious or upset, we may not take care of our health as well as we should. We may not feel like exercising or eating nutritious foods. Abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs may also be a sign of poor emotional health. Being a part of ReshapetheNation.com can help keep us motivated with the support we need.

People with good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They have learned healthy ways to cope with the stress and problems that are a normal part of life. They feel good about themselves, have healthy relationships, and are less prone to disease.

Comments for "Disease and the Mind/Body Connection"

1. No doubt stress can weaken the immune system but there is no clear link to causing cancer. Researchers believe most cancers are caused by exposure to modern-day carcinogens or genetic abnormalities. Perhaps being stressed sets up the conditions for cancer to take hold—a contributing factor, but not the main cause.

   Bob Ellal

   Posted by Bob Ellal from Connecticut, USA on 07/27 at 07:16 AM

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