Change Your Mind, Change Your Body

“Treating the body really is about treating the mind. It is all psychosomatic - every bit of it. No exceptions.” - Abraham-Hicks According to Harvard psychologist, Dr. Ellen Langer, “wherever you put the mind, the body will follow.” Every thought you think causes a reaction in your body. Think about a lemon. Imagine biting into a juicy lemon wedge right now. Can you taste the sour, tangy juice? Do you notice the saliva forming in your mouth? It’s a psychosomatic response. Your body is reacting to your thoughts. The following two studies by Dr. Langer are fascinating and support her thesis that wherever you put the mind the body will follow. *In 1979, Dr. Langer took several elderly men to an environment which simulated their world of 1959, where they acted as if they were actually in that time period of 20 years prior. After one week, these men who had previously appeared to be on their last legs, experienced improved vision, hearing and cognitive functions. They looked visibly younger, their joints were more flexible, their posture straightened; and, by the end of the week, Dr. Langer was even playing football with them. In one week? How is this possible? Simply from a change in mindset, says Dr. Langer. *In the second study, 84 female hotel chambermaids, who believed they weren’t getting any exercise, were taught to view their work as exercise that satisfies the Surgeon General’s recommendations for an active lifestyle. One month later, without making any other changes in diet or exercise, the participants exhibited a decrease in weight, blood pressure, body fat, and body mass index. Because they now perceived themselves to be getting significantly more exercise than before, their bodies responded accordingly. Wherever you put the mind, the body will follow. Every cell in your body is affected by your thoughts. Twenty-four hundred years ago, Plato asserted, “If you want to heal the body, you must first heal the mind.” Let’s think about that. *Your body reacts to the thoughts you think. *And you get to choose the thoughts you think. *Changing your body is, therefore, a matter of changing your mind. So what does this all mean to you? How do you want to direct the power of your thoughts to create the body you desire? *Do you want to lose weight? *Do you want to look and feel younger? *Do you want to enjoy more energy and vitality? *Do you want to experience improved health and Well-Being? *All of the above? Your body is a direct reflection of your thoughts. The inner world of your mind creates the outer world of your body. Therefore, if you want to change your body, a good place to start is by changing your thoughts. Your thoughts created the body you now have. Your thoughts can create the body you would like to have.