Farm Life, Positive Thoughts and a Healthy Body

Optimists really do enjoy healthier lives Article contributed by Kevin Joe, D.C., Fullerton, CA

Here is the story of two neighboring farmers. One farmer thought positively; the other thought negatively. When the rains came, the positive thinking farmer looked up and said, “Hooray! This rain is go-ing to help the roots grow deeper and keep the leaves green. It is going to be a great harvest this year.” The negative thinking farmer thought differently: “Oh no. This rain is going to rot the roots. This is not going to be a good year.” Later, sweating in the hot sun, the positive thinking farmer looked up and said, “Wow, this sun is going to help the plants grow healthy and tall.” Meanwhile, the negative thinking farmer thought, “Oh no. This sun is going to dry out the ground and kill the sensitive roots.” Guess which farmer had the better harvest!

How you think about your health and life affects your neurology. Negative thoughts can interfere with the communication in your mind-body connection, compromising your overall health and well being. On the other hand, positive thinking will nurture your body, helping to remove the interference and restore your body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Martin Seligman, researcher and director of clinical training at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and author of Learned Optimism says that optimists are more resistant to infectious illness and are better at fending off chronic diseases of middle age. In one study of 96 men who had a first heart attack, 15 of the 16 most pessimistic men died of a second heart attack within eight years while only 5 of the 16 most optimistic men died during the same time period.

In a separate study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health followed 1,306 Boston area men for an average of 10 years. At the beginning of the study in 1986, the volunteers completed a questionnaire that judged whether they were optimistic or pessimistic. At the time, they were all healthy with no known chronic medical conditions. By the end of the study, participants with the highest levels of optimism accounted for less than half the number of cases of angina, nonfatal and fatal heart attacks compared to pessimistic men.

Are you fertilizing your health with good thoughts to go along with a nutritious diet, exercise, rest, laughter and chiropractic care? If YES, then stay the course and sow the seeds of good health by sharing this article with your friends. If NO, then find inspiration in someone who is living a wellness lifestyle and join us for the farm-fresh, healthy benefits of chiropractic. After all, the positive impact of an “attitude adjustment”, along with your spinal adjustments, will help keep you and your family healthy.