Your thoughts can affect the health of your cells

Did you know, your thoughts can affect the health of your cells in your body?

Now you might be thinking, I've completely lost it. But bear with me. I've been doing some research on the links between mindset, thoughts and motions and the part it plays with our physical health. As you my know, my my role is being a women's mindset mentor. But I look at my work in a holistic approach. Meaning, I know that the changes you can make in vour mindset are not just about vour mind, they extend into vour body and vour health too. That's why I know, the work I do is so darn important.

Last week, I was sharing about the brain not knowing the difference between what's real and what's imagined. If you listened to last week's podcast episode too, you'll have picked up some techniques for how to interrupt and instead capitalise on this brain super power. I'm going to take this a step further, to explain more about how your mind thoughts. feelings and emotions is linked to your overall health of your body.

Have you ever thought you were bound to get ill, and then you did?

Well, this could be due to being exposed to the virus or bacteria etc. However, it could also be down to your thoughts alone. You sec, when you think you're going to get something, you're much more likely to start developing those symptoms. In fact, research has shown that when doctors explain someone might feel nauseous after a treatment, they frequently found many of those patients got nausea just on the way to that appointment, even before the treatment.

In this scenario, they brain is expecting to feel a certain way, so it starts to send messages to the body to actually feel that way. Crazy isn't it? Maybe you can think of a certain situation, similar to this in your own life.

Ever thought above the placebo effect?

Another example of this, is when studies are done with medication and they use a placebo pill. There was a study completed on patients with Parkinson's disease. Some patients were given a placebo (sugar pill) but were told that they'd see huge benefits to their condition from taking this pill. Many of the patients saw considerable differences in their health condition and symptoms of the disease, whist taking the placebo pill. Which can only mean, their body was able to create it's own

pharmacy of sorts, to control the dopamine deficiency (which is the cause of the symptoms in Parkinson's). How incredible is that?

By thought alone, these patients were able to create the chemicals they needed in their body, to see a change in their condition. Which you'd think was impossible. But the studies show, that when a patient is giving hope (an emotional feeling) when given a placebo, they can, by thought alone change the cells in their body and therefore change their health.

If a placebo can make changes to your health, imagine what changes you could make by changing your mindset?

If we go through life believing in the thoughts and fears that swirl around in our brain, it will come down into the body. Stop thinking that your brain is one part of you and vour body separate. They are intrinsically linked. What your brain experiences, goes into your body and what your body experiences, is processed and shared with the brain. Meaning that, long-term stress, poor mental health or overwhelm will lead to poor health in your body and cells.

Instead of taking your thoughts as fact, can you question their motive? I bet 99% of the time your thoughts are just trying to keep you safe. When you track them back, they likely come from a memory of the past that has taught you to stay small and not to do something that could be risky. You

brain is basically a risk assessment centre after all.

Questioning your risk assessment centre

For now, I leave you with just one thought to take into your week. Next time vou feel a mindset arise that vou don't want. Maybe it's a fear, criticism of something you're doing or not doing, procrastination or imposter syndrome, I want you to ask ourself the following questions:

What is my brain trying to keep me safe from?

What are the risks?

Are the risks fact or fiction?

Do I want to change this mindset with a new belief?

What is that new belief?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and results of this activity, tap reply now to share your experience of this. And if you fancy taking this a little further, join me over on the NEW! Unleashed POWER podcast, where I have a brand new episode. It's a bit of a different one, as I'll be taking you through a guided visualisation, to help support you with dreaming into a new reality. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Anchor now. Just search for 'Unleashed POWR' or tap the link below to listen on Anchor now.