Do your Emotions affect your Health?
We laugh, we cry, we’re angry, happy, sad, full of joy, sadness or excitement. We experience all or some of these emotions on a daily basis yet we often pay little attention to them or their effect on our health. Most of us have heard of the mind-body connection and are aware that our thoughts affect how we feel. If we are anxious prior to an important event, we may feel a bit nauseated or have to go to the bathroom more often. If we are feeling happy, we are generally more relaxed. However, did you know that nearly all disease has an emotional element.
According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the figure is as high as 85%. Our genetics, nutrition, diet and lifestyle obviously play a part in whether we are healthy or not, but our thoughts and reactions to circumstances in our life have an equal, if not greater effect. Emotions can actually change the shape of our DNA and trigger our genes to express health or disease. Repressed emotions, especially anger, resentment and hate have been shown to suppress the immune system leading to diseases such as cancer, infections and even rheumatoid arthritis.
Okay so how can this occur? Research from The National Cancer Institute in the USA has shown that strong negative emotions stimulate the nervous system, leading to a release of hormones into the blood. This leads to an alteration in cells that protect against diseases such as cancer. Neuroscientists such as Dr. Candice Pert, believe that an area of our Brain called the Limbic system, is involved in our emotional behaviour. Simply put, the Limbic system contains 85-95% of all neuropeptides. Peptides are tiny pieces of proteins that direct and influence every cell, organ and system in our body. They include hormones and neurotransmitters, (which relay signals between nerve cells) and act as chemical messengers. Research has shown that emotions affect the flow of these peptides throughout the body and can suppress the immune system. Feelings of anger or resentment, if suppressed, lead to a massive disturbance of our mind-body network.
Obviously most of us don’t go around consciously thinking happy thoughts. However we can make an effort to be aware of what we are thinking and try and see the positive in negative situations. This of course, may not always be realistic especially if we have had a really difficult day. There are however, positives to be found in every day and it’s a good practice to think of them before you go to bed. Giving gratitude for the good things leaves your mind and emotions in a beneficial state before you go to sleep.
Another important thing to remember is to look at emotions such as anger or resentment and ask yourself, what triggers these emotions in you. Why has a person or situation upset you so much? What really lies behind your feelings? Is it fear or does it trigger some old memory? We need to recognise such emotions and not suppress them. Practising forgiveness, though often difficult, lessens the attachment to the emotion and helps you to heal. This does not mean that you should blame yourself for having a particular illness or condone someone if they have hurt you. Forgiveness means you are letting go of the past and forgiving yourself as well in the process. If you are struggling with this, you might like to look up the ancient Hawaiian practice of forgiveness, called Ho’oponopono. It is deceptively simple but very powerful.
Those who practice metaphysics always look at the emotion behind a symptom or illness. For example, a backache can mean you are feeling unsupported, overwhelmed or under too much pressure, neck problems may indicate feeling stuck, inflexible or holding onto unresolved issues and sinusitis may mean frustration, insecurity or carrying deep guilt or sadness from the past. Whether you buy into this or not, virtually every thought we think carries an emotion with it.
Our subconscious carries many memories from our past and the way we react to situations is often the default behaviour that we have learnt as children. However as adults, we have the ability to change our thoughts, let go of our resentments and look at behaviours that don’t work for us anymore. Our emotions are there because they make us human but they can also be a powerful tool in helping us to heal!
With love,
Judy
References: Molecules of Emotion by Dr Candice Pert, Biology of Belief by Dr Bruce Lipton, www.articles.mercola.com/stress-linked-to-cancer, www.liveto110.com/the-emotional-cause-of-cancer, The Secret Language of your Body by Inna Segal.
Disclaimer: Please note that all information in this article is the opinion of the author and obtained through her research and knowledge and the above references. It is not meant to replace medical advice and a medical opinion should always be obtained for any health condition.