It is sometimes said that you are about as healthy as you feel you are and while this may not be altogether true, it is an interesting idea that thoughts can impact your well being. It is common to hear conversations in which folks complain of their physical ailments, often over and over. Whether it's not being as strong as they once were, or simply not feeling good, these thoughts preoccupy numerous folks. It is clear therefore, that you can have a mentality that is not healthy and the question is whether you can truly feel better if you can change this. So let's talk about several ways in which positive thinking can better your health.
The relationship between mental and physical health is very evident when looking at individuals who suffer from depression. There is evidence that depression can typically have physical causes but in a lot of instances, it will result from your attitude to life and certain events. In order for psychological therapies to be most effective, they must focus on both the conscious and unconscious minds. Rational therapy, which depends on the conscious mind, is often good in pointing out that most of our stressful thoughts don't happen. Many of our deepest beliefs and habits are controlled by our subconscious mind, and changing these involves more than rational thinking. Visualization and hypnosis can be very effective in changing beliefs and, if you do this, the long-lasting effects can be more powerful than using logic solely.
One of the most telling statements for the effect of our thoughts on our physical health is what is referred to as "the placebo effect." This is when people are given a pill which in reality does not have any therapeutic property, and yet they claim to note an improvement in how they feel. The placebo
effect shows how powerfully the mind can influence the body to enable faster healing of injuries and maladies. The mind also shapes our physical stamina and can be controlled to achieve better health. Until Roger Bannister ran a mile in under four minutes, it was thought to be an unattainable feat for a human. With the breaking of the supposed "barrier", numerous other runners followed, and today the record is about 3:43.
Let's look at one more example of how positive thinking impacts the aging process. Once again, the language you hear from numerous men and women as they get older is based on not being able to do things, and that aches and pains are inescapable. A new science of longevity points that our thoughts influence our bodies and can reverse a lot of the so-called "inescapable" effects of aging. The fact that a lot of people choose not to must be based on mindset and not having a positive outlook on what they can do.
So, why not use the power of positive thinking to improve your health and to reach the fitness and health goals that you set for yourself.
