You Are What You Think:

Health and the Mind Body Connection

Effects of the Mind on the

Body

Effects of StressElderly people &

learningChronic stress &

abnormal body tissuesOptimum level of

stressPain & emotions

Perceived Control Rat studiesDog study

Placebos/Remembered WellnessOriginally thought to be 30%Recently shown to be as high

as70%Regularity of taking “medicine” is

more effective than what kind of medicine

Personality Traits Type A vs Type H

LaughterSome physiological effectsNot a new idea

Effect of the Body on the

Mind

James-Lange Theory:Facial expressions can be

precursors to the emotion

Exercise and Mental HealthReleases endorphins (the body’s

own morphine )lowers depression and anxietyMust be aerobic to get the effectThe more prolonged the program

the better the effect

Neurophysiology of Stress

Effects of Long Term Release of CortisolIncreased blood pressureInhibits growth in childrenInhibits the inflammatory

responseSuppresses the immune

systemDamages brain cells

So What?

MeditationResearch at Harvard Medical

School

Social Support, Intimacy & LoveBreast Cancer Support GroupsGood MarriagesClose Parent/Child Relationships

Spirituality/FaithRelaxation Response PatientsEffects of Religious Beliefs on

Health

The Effect of Prayer on HealthCardiac Patients in the prayer

group required significantly less ventilatory assistance, antibiotics and diuretics

18 Children with leukemia, 10 prayer group, 8 non-prayer group ten months later 7 out of the 10 were still alive while only 2 of the 8 were still alive.

Health CarePatient/Doctor Relationship is

very importantChiropractors are as good as other

more traditional doctors for alleviating back pain but with less medication

Little research of chiropractic and stress but a great deal with regard to alleviating pain

Sympathetic Nervous System

Parasympathetic Nervous System