HOW YOUR MIND CAN HEAL YOUR BODY
I have seen first hand the effects of both a negative and a positive mindset and the power of the mind is a truly incredible thing.
During my worst time with PTSD I suffered with eczema, psoriasis, insomnia and anxiety.
It has only been in recent years that I have made a point of learning the science behind how our thoughts effect our body.
I recently discovered the work of this amazing man…
Dr David Hamilton David R Hamilton PhD is a former pharmaceutical scientist who was so fascinated by the placebo effect that he made it his life’s ambition to learn the true power of the mind and how we can harness it to improve our physical health.
His book How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body is something that every single one of us should read. Packed with case studies, research and examples, it provides clear evidence of why our thinking influences our physical health.
Having things to look forward to was the first step in causing a chain reaction within my body that snapped me out of my darkness and got me excited about the future instead of fearing it.
It was only later that I understood the science behind why that happened- when we visualise ourselves succeeding in something, it releases that little bit of dopamine in the brain which gives us that feel good feeling and this can often be the first steps in alleviating depression or anxiety.
When we visualise something, the mind can’t distinguish between what is real or not therefore when we imagine being somewhere else we can experience all physical and emotional responses we would by actually being there for real.
Visualisation, people, experiences, gratitude, support, kindness, joy and love have all helped strengthen my mindset to become the healthiest and most contented version of myself.
David’s book beautifully illustrates the connections between the body and mind and how these can influence the healing process. Even the way we think about the treatment or medication we have can have a significant impact on its effectiveness.
His latest book – The Five Side Effects of Kindness is also a must read. We use some of David’s findings in the 52 Lives School Kindness Project and it is absolutely life changing. Kindness doesn’t just help someone else, it also helps ourselves both emotionally and physically.
I met with David this week and also had the pleasure of hearing him give a talk.
His books may just change your life!
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