It’s now proven, you can think your way to a healthier body. When most people think about what it means to be healthy they think about the body. Maybe they think about belly fat or muscle tone. Many people are concerned with their cholesterol and blood sugar numbers. While these are all vital aspects to one’s health, there is much more to the story involving how you think.
Eating well, exercising and getting good sleep are part of the equation too but alas there is one more thing that doctors almost never discuss with their patients: attitude.
The mind is an extremely powerful tool that many people do not take advantage of. By training your brain to think in a more positive way, you are directly improving your physical health. Here’s how:
1. When a negative thought comes your way, practice letting it go and replacing it with a new more positive thought. You can shop for more positive thoughts in your mind no different than you would shop for clothes that make you feel good. Keep shopping for good ones 🙂
2. When you have positive thoughts, those turn into positive actions.
3. Positive actions towards your goals (i.e. better health) will get you on the fast track to success.
4. When you complete steps towards your goal you feel happy and fulfilled!
Now, don’t be discouraged if you find yourself being too negative. You can retrain your brain to automatically think about problems in a positive way and that does not happen overnight. This can be applied to any goals you want to achieve including, and arguably most importantly, your health.
When you directly engage in taking charge of your body and mind, amazing things start to happen. Your mind will be more clear and focused. You will see the opportunity in everything that happens. When you keep a positive mindset you are choosing to decide how you react to events. Reactions are actions that directly affect your goals. Reacting in a positive way will only send you on a positive path. When you are living a less stressed life because you have chosen to focus on the good things, your body directly benefits from that.
Stress and inflammation in the body is the #1 pathway to developing a disease. When your mind is stressed, your body sends out hormones such as cortisol which causes inflammation in the body. Overtime, this can lead to heart disease, weight gain, insomnia, and even cancer. According to the Indiana University Bloomington’s research, “The physical problems related to chronic stress include the lowering of the immune response, chronic muscle tension, and increased blood pressure. These problems can eventually lead to serious life-threatening illnesses such as heart attacks, kidney disease, and cancer.”
Negative thoughts create chronic stress which can lead to life altering consequences. Fortunately, you have the power right now to choose to think positive thoughts and lead the life that makes you truly happy! There are many other tools and tricks to get you started on maintaining a positive attitude. You can practice meditation, learn how to make art, and even pick up a new hobby that you have been wanting to try. Just remember you are the one in control and you are the only one who can make happiness for yourself!