Scientists Find Structure That Connects Body And Mind And Can Heal Us

DUBLIN - Oct. 18, 2013 - PRLog -- Good news! Scientists have discovered positive emotions can heal us.

     They also think to have found the mysterious doorway that allows our brain to rule over our bodies: The Vagus Nerve.

“It’s the structure that unites body and mind” says Thomas Shlapfer, psychiatrist at the Bonn University Hospital in Germany.

     The vagus nerve is one of 12 cranial nerves. It extends from the brain stem to the abdomen, via various organs including the heart, esophagus and lungs. Also known as cranial nerve X, the vagus forms part of the involuntary nervous system and commands unconscious body procedures, such as keeping the heart rate constant, controlling food digestion, and reaching orgasm.

      The vagus nerve also helps us empathise with people, make eye contact, and smile…

     American doctor Bethany Kok has proven the vagus nerve activates with practices such as meditation, yoga, zen… and also with a good chat amongst friends! “People who dwell on positive thoughts improve their Vagus nerve. Love, well being, compassion… these are linked to a longer life”

The Vagus Nerve is the structure that connects body and mind.

     In a study done in the Hospital General of Massachusetts, Boston, 15 patients diagnosed with anxiety disorder used their brain as a healing drug.

     The volunteers took part in a meditation course for 8 weeks. They succeeded at managing their emotions better and had less trouble sleeping. Brain scans proved parts of the prefrontal cortex that regulate emotions appeared more “irrigated”.

     Now even doctors are starting to take the power of positive thinking more seriously. Even more so, when a doctor inspires trust in his patient, this causes a psychological response in the patient that acts as medicine.

    Manfred Schedlowski, psychologist at the Essen University Clinic “it doesn’t matter whether I meditate or whether my doctor awakens expectations of recovery within me. Both produce biochemical alterations that reach my organs via nervous fibers and blood”.

According to evolutionary scientists amazing self-healing abilities are programmed in the Homo Sapiens.

    We’re all born with an inbuilt “first aid kit”. This system heals wounds and generates new tissues, eliminates toxic substances via the liver, launches immune cells against germs… but these actions consume energy and have secondary effects. Our immune system, for example, shuts down a little bit during the winter to save energy. We pay for this with winter colds.

    This control system can give way to unexpected events. A team of Italian doctors saw during an earthquake 14 patients suffering with crippling Parkingson’s disease run looking for help. The seism temporarily blocked the disease.

     We now know that optimism and confidence can influence our organism’s inbuilt pharmacopoeia (drug making)

     But the shamans of Stone Age already felt this was true! They carried out healing practices that had a psychological component, as this allowed the healer to instil confidence in the patient. Dance, drums, herbs, and spells have achieved surprising results throughout history, and for good reason. As our brain has evolved, we’ve developed areas sensitive and receptive to these practices.

      Faith also helps. Do you ever feel ill, but also feel instantly better by the time you see your doctor?

      A study in Duke University, US, of over 4000 elders concludes that people who pray live longer.

    And social ties are also important. Psychologist Julianne Holt-Lyndstand analized data belonging to over 300,000 people. Her conclusion is: people who are well integrated into their communities live longer, and loneliness is as detrimental to health as smoking!

    A clinic in Hamburg has been using Tape Therapy with patients with chronic back problems. A doctor sticks a piece of tape to the patient’s back. The tape is attached to a tube that leads to a drip. The patient’s told the drip contains a very strong analgesic. When the patient report a reduction in pain they’re informed the drip only contains a saline solution and that in fact, it’s their own body who’s released endorphins, an organic opioid that relieves pain.

    According to scientists, negativity, doubt, confusing information, technical jargon, and a suspicious facial expression in a doctor can be as harmful as the infection itself. However, a smile, simple words, and trust can be healing tools.

    Even anesthetists at the University Clinic of Regensburg in Germany appease their patients’ anxiety using these tools. Doctor Ernil Hansen says “when people come to us they’re often in pain and anxious. They’re very sensitive to negative suggestions. What they see in hospital or before an operation can also be unpleasant: tools, strong lights, people wearing masks… here we greet and talk to our patients before we put our masks on. We let them handle their respiratory mask so they become familiar with it, and we’ve posters of holiday destinations on our walls”.

    Other ancient practices such as Transcendental Meditation, Zen, Chi Kung, Hatha Yoga, and Taichi are also thought to help appease anxiety and depression, reduce pain, increase bone density, optimize brain function, and  boost immunity, amongst other health benefits.


More more information contact top Dublin NLP Life Coach Anna Aparicio at http://www.dublinnlplifecoach.com