Turn On Your Self-Healer . . .

Healing rests in the hands of every human being. We all carry with us the most powerful medicine that exists. We have it only if we choose to use it, if we learn to use it.

Whatever gives us an encouraging sense of control–whether it is love, faith or cognitive coping–seems to set off our self-healing systems. Some people experience, being told by their physicians, because that person has a serious illness there’s little hope in leading a "normal" life. When some people are put in this situation, they appear to use courage, determination, even anger, to take control and turn on their healing systems. Everyone has their own way, some may do it by meditating, praying, renewing strained relationships, or giving their bodies the love that it has been craving, through good nutrition and exercise.

Regardless of the situation, what leads us to believe it, if we become assured that we can control our lives, our bodies, and our health, we obviously gain access to our self-healer.

Any painful, chronic illness often leads people to believe that nothing can be done to help them and that their situation is hopeless. Dramatic changes in pain relief can occur, only if such people are able to gain some sense of control.

People who believe they can be effective in managing a problem, including their own health situations, have also experienced beneficial effects in their immune systems.

Researchers are now seriously searching how positive thoughts and feelings can promote healing and keep us well. The secret effect of faith, love, and positive expectations on health and disease has long been acknowledged in many elements, but how these forces work in the body is still a mystery.

We appear to have powerful healing systems in our bodies that give us the possibilities to overcome much pain and illness if we can learn to use them. Certain evidence suggests that our systems respond to anticipate the best possible outcome, caring, closeness, hope, and other positive thoughts. Those who may be the most out of touch with these self-healing processes are those who most likely get sick.

By toning down our negative thoughts and beliefs, we can be less susceptible to illness. When we use thinking control and restructuring, we help to reconstruct a balance to the mind and body that affects on the nervous system, our hormones, and immune defenses. However, being less negative is one thing, being positive is another. There is such a thing as "mind-made disease" illnesses that can be largely triggered by our own stressful thoughts and behavior—there is good reason to believe the also "mind-made health" is a reality.


Body’s Response to Love
Having the ability to love and care about yourself and others is an important factor in having a healthy immune system. Less illness is associated with the caring character. People who seek friendship and a union with others are generally more healthy. The effects of tender loving care can be deep. Social support in general has provided additional evidence of the benefit of positive thoughts and feeling on health. We need each other.

Smiling May Help
 Just putting on a happy face can be beneficial. There was a study, by Bandura, a well-known psychologist, that showed if we take on aspects of happiness, we can increase blood flow to the brain and stimulate release of favorable neurotransmitters. In other words, if we are anxious or depressed, we may prompt better feelings by putting a positive look on our faces.

Creating a Hope Habit
 People who live longer have shown that they properly have a sense of hope, order, and control in their lives. "The hope habit" seems to encourage length of service by reducing the effects of stress on the body and turning on self-healing systems. Some believe that hopeful patterns of thinking can be cultivated like any habit or discipline, for example, brushing our teeth.

Happiness and Health
Happiness is related to attitude and how a person chooses to look at things. The four attitudes found to be particularly important to happiness are to anticipate the best possible outcome, lack of disbelief, mistrust, hate, misgiving etc., belief that life has true meaning and the feelings of control.

We need to give our body the care and love it deserves. By doing this, our body will respond in a healthy way. It is important to turn the positive thoughts up really loud, so we can be able to put such thoughts into action. Remembering that, by smiling we are giving ourselves and others a special gift, the joy of happiness. If we make it a habit to be positive, having a smile, have hope, and share love, we will be in better health!