The Effect of Thought On the Body's Health
The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the mind’s commands, whether they do it consciously or unconsciously. At the bidding of lower level, stressful thoughts, the body sinks rapidly into disease and decay. With beautiful thoughts, the body maintains youth, strength and beauty.
Disease and health, like circumstances, are shaped by our thoughts. Negative and anxious thoughts will manifest as a sickly body. Fearful thoughts can kill a man as quickly as a bullet. Thousands of people are being killed by fear, though not as quickly. The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. Fear and anxiety opens up the body to decay and all manner of disease. Impure thoughts, even if not physically acted upon, will soon shatter the nervous system.
Research has verified how thoughts and emotions affect the physical body. For example, anger and hostility can result in hypertension and coronary heart disease. Resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness and, self-hatred, often result in autoimmune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.
Anxiety sometimes results in irritable bowel syndrome, panic attacks, mitral valve prolapse and, heart palpitations, along with tension and migraine headaches, chronic back pain, TMJ, and fibromyalgia brought on by repressed anger.
Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up strength in the body. The body is a delicate and responds easily to thoughts which are impressed upon it. Thoughts you focus on will produce their own effects, good or bad. Remember, what you focus on expands.
Men will continue to have impure and poisoned blood, so long as they propagate unclean thoughts. Out of a clean heart comes a clean life and a clean body. A defiled mind manifests a defiled life and a corrupt body. From thought flows action, life, and manifestation. Your whole life will be pure if your thoughts are pure.
Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts. When a man makes his thoughts pure, he no longer desires impure food.
Clean thoughts make clean habits. Remember the old proverb, ‘cleanliness is next to Godliness”. The so-called saint who does not wash his body is not a saint. She who has purified who has strengthened and purified her thoughts doesn’t need to fear unhealthy microbes. If you would protect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify and purify your mind.
Thoughts of doing harm, envy, disappointment, and dejection, rob the body of its health and grace. A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour thoughts. Wrinkles that mark the face are drawn by foolishness, and pride. These negative thoughts often lead to stress. The first signs of stress in the body are often tension headaches, digestive problems, and skin eruptions.
I know a woman of ninety-six who has the bright, innocent face of a young woman. I know a man well under middle age whose face has aged beyond his years. The one is the result of a sweet and sunny disposition; the other is the outcome of worry and discontent.
You cannot have a sweet and wholesome home unless you keep the air clean. In the same way, strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from dwelling on thoughts of joy, goodwill and serenity.
Christian Doctor, Dr. Don Colbert, in his book "Deadly Emotions" says that "stress is the body and mind's response to any pressure that disrupts their normal balance." He also said that "no person experiences emotion just in his 'heart' or in his 'mind'. Rather a person experiences emotions in the form of chemical reactions in the body and brain." These chemical reactions can lead to effects on the body.
Dr. Colbert says “Researchers have directly and scientifically linked emotions to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diseases related to the immune system. Studies have also highly correlated emotions with infections, allergies, and autoimmune diseases” These emotions are caused by our thoughts. Thoughts can create emotions.
On the faces of the aged there are wrinkles made by sympathy, others by strong and pure thought, and others are carved by passion: who cannot distinguish them? With those who have lived righteously, growing older is calm, peaceful, and gentle, like the setting sun.
I have recently seen a philosopher on his deathbed. He was not old except in years. He died as sweetly and peacefully as he had lived. Psalm 29:11 tells us "the Lord blesses His people with peace." Yet, the peace He gives isn't something we should only pray for. According to Psalm 34:14, you should seek peace and pursue it. James Allen said that "With those who have lived righteously, age is calm and peaceful." The total message of Psalm 34:14 is "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."
There is no physician like cheerful thoughts for healing the body’s sicknesses. There is nothing that eliminates grief and sorrow more than goodwill towards others. To continually live in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison-hole. But to cheerfully think well of everyone, to patiently learn to find the good in all, to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward everyone will bring a life of peace.
Thoughts of ill will, will always lead to stress. In turn, stress will lead to disease. Research has shown stress to be a major contributor to heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. The Apostle Paul recognized the effects of good thoughts as they pertain to peace. He wrote; "…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice."
The key thing here is the reason Paul said for you to put it into practice. "And the God of peace will be with you." Of all the attributes God has, here Paul emphasized God's peace. You'll never have peace from thoughts of cynicism, hatred, ill will, or revenge. These will only lead to stress, anxiety, and bodily diseases. But, the good thoughts Paul addresses here, will always lead to peace, because the God of peace will be with you.
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