FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

I once read this inspiring story by Dr. Bernie Siegel in his book Love, Medicine, and Miracles. It was about a group of people who were told they were receiving chemotherapy. Some got the treatment; some did not. Of those who didn't, some lost their hair. They believed they would And they did. What powerful minds they had.

If thoughts are powerful enough to make people sick -- or cause spontaneous hair loss -- then they surely can make us well. That's the whole basis of Siegel's book, that cancer patients with positive thoughts can outlive even the lowest of expectations.

Yep, thoughts can heal.

"The body responds to mental input as if it were physically real," explains Larry Dossey, a physician and advocate for mind-body study since the 1980s. Under clinical hypnosis, for example, someone who is told he is being touched by a red-hot object will often get a burn blister, even though the object was no warmer than room temperature.

What we imagine in our minds really can affect outcomes. You may know this phenomenon as the "placebo effect." When a patient believes something will relieve pain, the body actually releases endorphins that relieve pain. Medical research suggests that 30 to 70 percent of successful treatments may be a result of the patient's belief that the treatment will work.

Now that we've established that good thoughts and feelings can mend our broken parts, here's a few ideas for getting into the right frame of mind.

Take a deep breath. Hold it, exhale, then repeat for 10 minutes. Take a walk, preferably in nature. Breathe in the fresh air.

Laugh. You'll pump more oxygen into your lungs, improve blood flow, and boost your immune system.

Keep a journal. Writing about emotionally charged events helps us deal with them mentally and physically.

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FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

Let's talk sanity. I'm not talking legal sanity here. I'm talking peace of mind, emotional balance, a general state of mental wellness. It's not so hard to attain, you know. Here's how.

• Say it like it is. Expressing your feelings appropriately is key. Let people close to you know when something is bothering you, when you're angry, when you're sad. Keeping feelings bottled up takes extra energy, can weigh on your mind, and can cause problems in your relationships and at work or school.

• Think it out. Since emotions can be powerful, give yourself some time to think before you say or do something you might regret. Allow yourself a cool-down period if anger takes you over. Let your tears dry a bit before you begin talking about your sadness. Give yourself the gift of a right frame of mind.

• Balance it out. Make time for things you enjoy, focus on the positive things in your life, pamper yourself, and see how the stresses in your schedule don't seem so bad.

• Take care of you. Physical health can affect emotional health -- so take care of your body by exercising regularly, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep. Don't abuse drugs or alcohol either.

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Jittery feelings are not uncommon among many people. In fact, 40 million other folks suffer from anxiety disorders too. But even if you aren't diagnosed with something like that, curbing the jitters is always helpful for stress management. We are a pretty medicated society, but here are five things you can do to lose those overwhelming feelings.

First, admit that you are having these anxiety feelings to begin with. Be nervous! Don't try and force yourself to calm down, because that will only make things worse. Instead, look at your problem square in the face and try to handle it head on. This leads to the second tip: Don't try and be perfect.

Perfection is something we all strive for, but it can cause more anxiety than needed. Striving for flawless performance is great for goal setting. But don't let yourself get panicked because you couldn't be perfect every time. Another great tip involves other people, and how you treat them. Is someone else causing you to feel jittery or high strung? Stop being so nice. If you're being overly agreeable when you should be standing up for yourself, then try acting on those feelings and get what you deserve! These are just a few tips, so check out the full article for more information.

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FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

I'm a fan of talking. I'm not someone who'd ever be labeled a "talker," and by this I mean I don't talk for the sake of talking. I don't hold people captive with endless chit-chat, and I don't need to hear myself speak. I'm as much a fan of silence, really, as I am of talking. Still, when I've got something to say, I say it, especially when not speaking up keeps my feelings and emotions hidden.

In one 10-year study cited in the January 2008 issue of Reader's Digest, about one in four women and one in three men said they held back during a spat. That's what I don't do, can't do, never do. Holding my peace makes me feel sick. According to this same study, this is a natural reaction to suppressing strong emotions. And it's exactly why women who didn't fess up to their feelings in the study were four times as likely to die during the study period. Health wasn't measurably affected for the men in the study.

As we head into a brand new year, with the hope of brand new health, why not resolve to talk more. It might save your relationships -- and your life too.

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Imagine being able to feel sounds on your skin. Maybe it's the cringing feeling you get from a horror flick, except it happens when you listen to a radio announcer's voice. Or perhaps your skin would tingle at the sound of train rails. This is exactly what happened to one woman after experiencing a stroke caused by a decongestant that would later be taken off the market.

Sherrilyn Roush had a lesion in her mid-brain, which triggered the left side of her body to respond to noises. It's called synesthesia -- her brain has reorganized itself to accommodate cross-connections with certain senses. In her case, it was feeling and sound redirected toward her left thigh, arm, head and shoulder. However the condition is not all cringes and wincing.

"Round" sounds like water bubbling actually feel good to her! In fact, Dr. Roush has learned to play the string bass in order to literally massage her skin with senses. The brain is amazing thing, something we may never fully understand. But a case like this one really makes you wonder about the untapped power of the human mind!

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You've probably heard that the brain consists of two distinct lobes -- the right and the left. The right is responsible for imagination, feelings and creativity, while the left is responsible for logic, details and facts. Want to know which lobe is dominant for you? Go to this link, look at the picture of the dancer and focus on which way she is turning. Is it clockwise? Or counter-clockwise?

If clockwise is your answer, you use your right brain more often. If you saw her moving in the other direction, you use your left. If you look really hard and focus on the dancer, you can see that she changes direction.

For me, she was turning counter-clockwise, which means my left lobe is more dominant -- therefore I'm more logical. What about you?

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It can be hard to pull yourself out of a negative rut, but here's some good news: it seems negative feelings and emotional pains can be helped by simply putting them into words. When study participants were shown angry faces their brains triggered a "danger" response, but when they called the face what it was -- "angry" -- a different area of the brain became active. Talking with somebody, journaling, or any other way you can use to "label" the emotion triggers brain responses that are designed to manage emotions and essentially "put the brakes" on bad feelings.

I think most people agree that talking things out with somebody or writing in a journal can help a lot with emotions of all kinds, but who knew it had such a scientific basis? Does it work for you?

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Feeling great and being in a good mood is a very complicated process made up of numerous pieces and processes. If you're having trouble with your exercise and fitness goals you should consider carefully why that might be. Although there are any number of reasons you may be lacking motivation, like whether or not you're doing something you love for exercise (don't try to make yourself jog every day if you hate running!), it's worth considering other sneakier causes. The science of feeling great is a complicated one!

One aspect of making sure you're "in the mood" to exercise is making sure you give your brain what it needs to be positive and happy. Brain chemistry is a delicate balance of many things, including your metabolism (no, it's not just about energy and calorie burning, but mood too!) and neurotransmitters like seratonin -- which is responsible for feelings of happiness, calm, relaxation, confidence, concentration, and personal well-being. A lack of seratonin can lead to depression, as it does all too frequently for many people in this country.

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The mind is a powerful thing, and that is true even when it comes to working to improve the physical condition of your body. In a recent study that compared participants who had been told they were out of shape to those who had been told they were in good shape (by a believable source after testing had been done), those who were told they were in worse shape reported feeling more fatigued than the other group -- which not only reported feeling less tired, but also had better over-all feelings of well-being. So people who believe they are healthier and making progress have more positive energy and more often ignore feelings of fatigue -- which of course means they're more likely to stick to their workouts.

Sounds like there's a case to be made for "believe it, and it will happen."

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The "power of positive thinking" has become such a common idea that it's almost cliche. But does it really work?

A recent study says yes, finding that people with generally positive personalities are more resistant to colds than those aren't as upbeat. By frequently experiencing positive emotions -- regardless of how often you experience negative emotions -- stimulate substances in your body that fight cold symptoms.

However it's not the emotions themselves, but the underlying personality traits of a person that regularly experiences those emotions, that's likely to trigger these symptom-fighting substances. Therefore, if you're someone that has high self-esteem, is extroverted and optimistic, or feels in control of your life, you're subsequently less likely to get sick.

So think positive, and maybe you can avoid the sniffles this winter!

(Thanks to Boing Boing for the link!)

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