Mind-Body Connection: How Your Emotions
Affect Your Health

The mind-body connection is undeniably strong. Research conducted by Ronald Glaser, director of Ohio State University’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research in the US and his wife Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, a clinical psychologist, shows that both chronic and psychological stress can hinder the healing of wounds, impair the effectiveness of vaccines and weaken the immune system.

But, just as a pessimistic view on life can impede the healing process, and optimistic outlook helps boost it, explains Professor Madelon Peters from Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Recently, researchers analyzed health data from more than 97,000 women who were older than 50 years; they followed their well-being over a period of eight years. There was a group of women which less developed heart disease (up to 30 percent) than others. These subjects were not necessarily fitter or thinner, they did not eat better and were not smoking less. They mainly differed in one feature compared with their fellow women: They looked very optimistic into the future.

So next time you’re feeling ill, try to change your mindset, recommends Peters.