On Saturday, March 04, 2017, at a public library in Bridgeport, Connecticut, I gave a fifteen-minute talk on how the way people think influences their health.
'The World's Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets, bottom line edition,' was my reference book. Standing an inch behind a propped-up microphone, I began.
Two healing tools are widely recognized.
Drugs are the most popular tool which physicians and clinicians use to treat illnesses. Drugs continue to save lives every day. There are many illnesses in which the use of drugs is indispensable. However, drugs are not cheap, and tend to be continual quick fixes. Several drugs have many harmful side effects.
The other tool, which is readily available, less expensive, longer lasting and free from side effects, is the use of the brain's healing power. Yes, our brain does have healing capabilities.
Techniques to enhance the brain's healing power include, but are by no means limited to, the following:
A. Positive thinking
Positive thinkers see circumstances and situations from a hopeful viewpoint. They are never bogged down by problems. No matter what comes their way, they get up and continue forging ahead. Such a courageous spirit enhances the body's immune or surveillance system and leads to a healthier body, where diseases are in check.
Practice the use of positive thinking by pivoting back to memories of your individual and family strengths, blessings and skills. Learn not to dwell on negativities, losses and disappointment. Make a conscious effort to turn your mind from thinking about your failures to thinking about your wins.
B. Laughter
A good hearty laugh shakes the body with the same strength as a quick walking exercise. Like in positive thinking, laughter also has a way of reducing life stress while boosting body immunity.
C. Sensory stimulus
Through the external senses of touch, hearing, vision and taste we can lower our blood pressure, reduce our anxiety and boost our immune systems.
An example of effective touch therapy: Place your hands over your eyes, after warming them up by rubbing all ten fingers together. (A woman in the audience tried the tried the technique as I talked.)
If you can afford an aquarium, or have access to one, did you know that watching fish in an aquarium for 20 minutes can lower the blood pressure?
Music, when you want it, is relaxing and therapeutic. Learning to sing or play musical instruments will also result in reduced anxiety and aid your immune system.
D. Helping others
The majority of people who help others feel a pleasurable sense of satisfaction, a feeling known as 'helper's high.'
'Thank you, Carol Dana,' I said in the middle of my talk, 'for inviting me to take part in this community event.' As I smiled, the listeners were smiling as well. In that moment my body was wrapped in euphoria which continued many days after the event, triggering me to share my experience.
Mental image and real event
For the next segment of my talk, I flipped to the other side of my presentation board.
The human brain does not distinguish between a real event and a mental event. In other words, the brain reacts to an imaginary event as it were really happening. For example, in the reference book mentioned earlier, people who watched a movie set in a desert became thirsty and drank more fluids, as if they had physically been in the desert.
Our emotion matters while stressing over family troubles, work issues or money problems. The result, whether real or imagined, leads the brain to produce stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, both of which can result in high blood pressure, nervousness, depression and abnormal heartbeats.
Relaxation techniques: a better way to deal with stress and stressful situations
Learning how to cope with a stressful situation is lifesaving. One technique is to seek out a safe, quiet place and a comfortable chair, where you can sit, close your eyes for 10 to 20 minutes, and breathe slowly and quietly while your mind repeats a captivating phrase, such as 'I love you, Jesus.'
Though the audience was made up of regular men and women, some youngsters too, they were very engaged in the talk. Questions came afterwards.
'How did you know about the powerful healing of the brain and the mind whereas other doctors don't talk about it?' asked the guest who had played a drum, welcoming the others.
My response: 'Doctors tend to teach what they have learned. Holistic practice is not the realm of most practitioners.'
'How many times should I meditate in a day? How many times do you meditate?' asked a young woman in a front row seat.
I told her that we can meditate as many times as we like. Life is a journey, and everybody is at a different point on the journey. I meditate on the go as needed, and more at night before I go to bed. For early risers, early morning is a good time to meditate - before the kids wake up and the day's craziness starts.
If you enjoyed reading this article, please donate a small sum to a nonprofit organization that helps elders in my hometown (Akokwa, Nigeria) live out their lives in dignity. Website: http://www.eldershelpinghands.org
By Anselm Anyoha
Article Source: Helping Others and the Healing Power of the Brain
'The World's Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets, bottom line edition,' was my reference book. Standing an inch behind a propped-up microphone, I began.
Two healing tools are widely recognized.
Drugs are the most popular tool which physicians and clinicians use to treat illnesses. Drugs continue to save lives every day. There are many illnesses in which the use of drugs is indispensable. However, drugs are not cheap, and tend to be continual quick fixes. Several drugs have many harmful side effects.
The other tool, which is readily available, less expensive, longer lasting and free from side effects, is the use of the brain's healing power. Yes, our brain does have healing capabilities.
Techniques to enhance the brain's healing power include, but are by no means limited to, the following:
A. Positive thinking
Positive thinkers see circumstances and situations from a hopeful viewpoint. They are never bogged down by problems. No matter what comes their way, they get up and continue forging ahead. Such a courageous spirit enhances the body's immune or surveillance system and leads to a healthier body, where diseases are in check.
Practice the use of positive thinking by pivoting back to memories of your individual and family strengths, blessings and skills. Learn not to dwell on negativities, losses and disappointment. Make a conscious effort to turn your mind from thinking about your failures to thinking about your wins.
B. Laughter
A good hearty laugh shakes the body with the same strength as a quick walking exercise. Like in positive thinking, laughter also has a way of reducing life stress while boosting body immunity.
C. Sensory stimulus
Through the external senses of touch, hearing, vision and taste we can lower our blood pressure, reduce our anxiety and boost our immune systems.
An example of effective touch therapy: Place your hands over your eyes, after warming them up by rubbing all ten fingers together. (A woman in the audience tried the tried the technique as I talked.)
If you can afford an aquarium, or have access to one, did you know that watching fish in an aquarium for 20 minutes can lower the blood pressure?
Music, when you want it, is relaxing and therapeutic. Learning to sing or play musical instruments will also result in reduced anxiety and aid your immune system.
D. Helping others
The majority of people who help others feel a pleasurable sense of satisfaction, a feeling known as 'helper's high.'
'Thank you, Carol Dana,' I said in the middle of my talk, 'for inviting me to take part in this community event.' As I smiled, the listeners were smiling as well. In that moment my body was wrapped in euphoria which continued many days after the event, triggering me to share my experience.
Mental image and real event
For the next segment of my talk, I flipped to the other side of my presentation board.
The human brain does not distinguish between a real event and a mental event. In other words, the brain reacts to an imaginary event as it were really happening. For example, in the reference book mentioned earlier, people who watched a movie set in a desert became thirsty and drank more fluids, as if they had physically been in the desert.
Our emotion matters while stressing over family troubles, work issues or money problems. The result, whether real or imagined, leads the brain to produce stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, both of which can result in high blood pressure, nervousness, depression and abnormal heartbeats.
Relaxation techniques: a better way to deal with stress and stressful situations
Learning how to cope with a stressful situation is lifesaving. One technique is to seek out a safe, quiet place and a comfortable chair, where you can sit, close your eyes for 10 to 20 minutes, and breathe slowly and quietly while your mind repeats a captivating phrase, such as 'I love you, Jesus.'
Though the audience was made up of regular men and women, some youngsters too, they were very engaged in the talk. Questions came afterwards.
'How did you know about the powerful healing of the brain and the mind whereas other doctors don't talk about it?' asked the guest who had played a drum, welcoming the others.
My response: 'Doctors tend to teach what they have learned. Holistic practice is not the realm of most practitioners.'
'How many times should I meditate in a day? How many times do you meditate?' asked a young woman in a front row seat.
I told her that we can meditate as many times as we like. Life is a journey, and everybody is at a different point on the journey. I meditate on the go as needed, and more at night before I go to bed. For early risers, early morning is a good time to meditate - before the kids wake up and the day's craziness starts.
If you enjoyed reading this article, please donate a small sum to a nonprofit organization that helps elders in my hometown (Akokwa, Nigeria) live out their lives in dignity. Website: http://www.eldershelpinghands.org
By Anselm Anyoha
Article Source: Helping Others and the Healing Power of the Brain