How to Think Yourself Well

What if you had the ability to heal your body just by changing how you think and feel? I know itsounds radical, coming from a doctor. When people are doing everything "right"--eating veggies,avoiding red meat and processed foods, exercising, sleeping well and so forth--we should expectthem to live long, prosperous lives and die of old age while peacefully slumbering, right? So why is itthat so many health nuts are sicker than other people who pig out, guzzle beer and park in front ofthe TV?

I consider myself one of those health nuts. I drink my green juice, take my vitamins, hike andpractice yoga daily, get quality sleep, see a doctor and avoid harmful toxins. And yet I have come tobelieve that the purely physical realm of illness--the part you can diagnose with laboratory tests--isonly part of the equation. It's a big part, mind you, but not the whole shebang. My experience withpatients (as well as my personal background) has led me to the conclusion that whether they becomesick or stay healthy, as well as whether they remain ill or manage to heal themselves, might havemore to do with everything else that's going on in their lives than with any specific health standardthey abide by.

When Healthy Habits Aren't Enough

Five years ago, I started working in an integrative medicine practice. My new patients were some ofthe most health-conscious people I've ever had the privilege to serve. Many of them ate a vegan diet,worked out, slept soundly each night and took vitamins every morning. But some of them were alsomysteriously sick, complaining of fatigue, aches, gastrointestinal disturbances and other symptoms. Iwas baffled! I ran batteries of tests, and occasionally I would pick up something that eventuallyresulted in the complete resolution of a patient's symptoms. But more often than not, I would findnothing.

27 Mistakes Healthy People Make

I was really motivated to solve the puzzle of why these "healthy" patients were so sick. Instead offocusing exclusively on physician-recommended behaviors, medical history and other traditionalfactors, I dug deep into their personal lives. I asked them questions: "What do you love help withsleep about yourself? What's missing from your life? What do you appreciate about your life? Are youin a romantic relationship? If so, are you happy? If not, do you wish you were? Are you fulfilled at

work? Do you feel like you're in touch with your life's purpose? Do you feel sexually satisfied? Do youexpress yourself creatively? Do you feel financially stable, or are you stressed about money? If yourfairy godmother could change one thing about your life, what would you wish for?"

My patients' answers often gave me more insight into why they might be sick than any lab test orexam could. They were unhealthy not because of bad genes or poor habits or rotten luck, butbecause they were lonely or miserable in their relationships, stressed about work, freaked out abouttheir finances or profoundly depressed.

On the flip side, I had other patients who ate junk, forgot to take their supplements, rarely exercisedand enjoyed seemingly http://www.rd.com/sleep/ perfect health. Their responses revealed that theirlives were filled with love, fun, meaningful work, creative expression, spiritual connection and othertraits that differentiated them from the sick health enthusiasts.

Are Your Bad Habits As Bad As You Think?

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/story?id=19224954