Are Your Thoughts Making You Sick
- Mar 22, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 28, 2022
Written by: Guest Writer Annie Baxter - Mindset & Success Coach
Have you ever considered that your thinking may be making you sick? It is an interesting question and deserves some consideration. There is a lot of research that talks about how the brain is closely connected to the body, and our thoughts often can create physical changes in our body. This influences the way we feel and behave. Experts estimate we have approximately 60,000 – 70,000 thoughts a day, many repeated and caught up in a continuous mind loop. Some thoughts are useless, some purposeful and others pass through the mind with huge speed.
The stress response alone can be turned on by our thoughts. Research shows that extended periods of stress, cause the release of cortisol and other stress hormones, which can disrupt many body processes. This includes turning on and off certain genes, like a light switch. Each strand of DNA has a protective cap at the end, known as telomeres. Their job is to help protect the DNA strand from getting shorter during cell division. As we age these telomeres shorten, due to the wear and tear on our cells. In times of chronic stress resulting in cortisol exposure, telomeres diminish. This sets the ageing process in motion, and with this comes an increase in health risks, and illness.
When we experience thoughts of chronic negativity, the stress response can remain turned on, which causes chemicals/stress hormones to be released into the body. Over time this impacts on a person’s mental and physical health. Also as is evidenced most clearly in the placebo effect, actual physiological alterations can occur if a person believes a drug or treatment will harm them, and despite receiving a placebo their health can get worse. Our beliefs and consequent thoughts have an impact on us.
I liken thoughts to bullets. Some whiz by, others can tear you open and leave you in pieces, and of course let’s not forget all the beautiful positive thoughts we experience. If your thoughts can impact your physiological balance and make you sick, they are worth your attention. In fact, there is evidence that you are more likely to suffer from degenerative brain diseases, cardiovascular/blood pressure problems, digestive issues, fatigue and the immune response can be affected.
The good news is you can choose to create a change and be what I like to call the “Captain of your thoughts”.
Here are some tips to help.
Become aware and recognize your thoughts and patterns.
Acknowledge your thoughts with curiosity, maybe give them a name “The Voice”
Recognize your thoughts are not fact, and often habitual.
Notice if your thoughts are triggered by certain events or experiences.
Tune in to how your body is feeling, (Note: breathing techniques/meditation can calm you and assist you to focus in the now).
Distract your thoughts for a break with music, walking, catch up with a friend.
Reflect on Why these thoughts are occurring.
Negativity is contagious, review who uplifts you.
Experiencing negative thoughts is inevitable; our brains are wired that way. Being kind, and patient with yourself takes priority as changing habitual thoughts takes commitment. I believe you know yourself better than anyone and therefore you will know what resources you need.
Just ask your brain that question? Connecting with a Coach or health professional for faster more sustainable results is a great option.
Finally, I leave you with Benjamin Franklin’s advice, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. So, climb aboard your train of thoughts, and work out which carriage needs to slow down or get off the track. Be intentional and deliberate with recognizing your thought patterns, to support wellness over illness.
Annie Baxter, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine
Annie B (Baxter) is a certified Life Coach and Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) with Hypnosis qualifications. Annie offers individual personal development, coaching programs - one to one and in group settings. Annie shared “Like most people I have experienced many of life’s challenges, in my personal life and career pathways”. My motto is “You are stronger than your strongest Fear” and having a magical mindset is without a doubt essential for success and happiness.
She is a Registered Nurse with General, Midwifery and Child Health Qualifications. Using many different coaching modalities, Annie empowers her clients, to gain awareness and acknowledge their beliefs, which impact on their thoughts, their behaviour’s and their current life results. She describes her coaching as a collaborative process, where she focuses on giving her clients the insights, to gain clarity about how to achieve what they want in life. Her unique coaching style is not about telling people what they should think, do or feel? It’s about them discovering these answers for themselves; accompanied by great coaching questions. Annie incorporates a variety of coaching models, and tools, including NLP powerful communication models, timeline therapy, anchoring, breathing techniques and hypnosis.
Her Business page link on facebook is -https://www.facebook.com/annieblifecoach
Her Facebook Community Group is specifically for women who want to have a mindset and belief system that oozes confidence so they can pursue their goals and achieve their
definition of success: https://www.facebook.com/groups/believebreatheandbeyou/?ref=share
She also can be found on Linked in as Ann Baxter, supporting teams/workplaces/ individuals with stress management via her programme – “Confess your Stress”.
