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Pharmacy Links

THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION

23rd March 2009

Other stress mechanisms triggered by beliefs, thoughts and emotional states can affect the central nervous system or the endocrine system, leading to vasomotor instability. When a person becomes enraged, angered or hostile, for example, the fight-or-flight response is invoked, causing constriction of arteries throughout the body. Within minutes, this condition can cut blood supplies to the heart muscle, precipitating sudden cardiac death, a heart attack or severe angina. The existence of this emotional link to heart disease has been thoroughly documented. But few researchers have bothered to investigate the fact that this same mechanism constricts blood vessels in nasal passages, reducing blood supply to the nose area and causing nasal congestion, and inhibiting the disease-resisting powers of nasal mucosa and of the cilia beating in nasal passages.

Gradually, piece by piece, the results of dozens of small scale studies are contributing to the total picture. We now know for example, that feeling lonely may also significantly suppress the immune system.

Other studies have demonstrated that positive beliefs, thoughts, emotions and attitudes can enhance immunocompetence. A number of studies have shown that antibody and helper T cell counts have been significantly boosted after subjects were given a few sessions of instruction in deep relaxation and creative mental imagery.

Basically, then, it has been found that prolonged stress, depression or other negative emotional states suppress the immune system while positive beliefs, thoughts, emotions and attitudes enhance our immunocompetence. While the benefits of Positivism have been most clearly identified in the link between emotions and immunity, strong and irrefutable evidence is also emerging to show that diet and exercise are also powerful tools for boosting immunity.