By: Crystal Rodriguez, Katie McNabb, Katie Scanlan, Chelsea, Rashanda, Brittany,

Transcription

1 By: Crystal Rodriguez, Katie McNabb, Katie Scanlan, Chelsea, Rashanda, Brittany,

2 Our Thoughts Effect Our Health Research has shown that are thoughts are interconnected with our emotions and health. As much of 87% of illnesses is a direct result of our thought life. In other words, what we think about affects our physical and emotional health. The average person has over 30,000 thoughts a day. Each thought triggers a chemical response and activates more than 30 different hormones. When we do not control our thought life and allow such things as bitterness, and un-forgiveness in our life, we make ourselves sick! (Leaf, Caroline)

3 Can We Change Our Brains? According to leading biochemist Dr. Caroline Leaf, we can change our brains by controlling toxic thoughts and emotions. Change in your thinking is essential to detoxifying the brain. Toxic thoughts cause emotions that release destructive chemicals that damage us over time. For example: when you have thoughts of anger it causes your body to release chemicals that are harmful. This is not to say that anger is bad, but it must be dealt with in a positive way. (Leaf, Caroline)

4 How Can We Change Our Brains? Dr. Caroline Leaf says that the first step to understanding how to control your emotions is understanding what a thought actually is, how it grows, stores memories and ultimately how it affects your health. She says that during an MRI, thoughts look like trees with branches. These tree branches appear either as dark and inflamed areas (toxic thoughts) or as healthy, flourishing branches (positive healthy thoughts). Consciously controlling your thought life means not letting thoughts rampage through your mind. It means learning to engage interactively with every single thought that you have, and to analyze it before you decide either to accept or reject it (Dr, Leaf). (Leaf, Caroline)

5 How Can We Change Our Brains Continued Scientific research has shown that in order to change your brain, you have 10 minutes to deal with the negative thoughts before it goes into your subconscious; when you don t deal with these negative thoughts it will lead to a build up of negative emotions toward yourself or others. However there is hope! In order to change your brain it is vitally essential to reject toxic thoughts within the first 10 minutes; when you do this it will literally dissipate damaging thoughts! (Leaf, Caroline)

6 How Can We Change Our Brains Continued Research also has shown that in order to change destructive patterns of thinking, you have to completely reject the toxic thought or behavior at least seven different times in three weeks, in order to break the stronghold in your mind. The amazing news is that each time you reject the toxic thought, it literally will melt the toxic thoughts and emotions that cause you to behave and feel negatively; the ones that you say it just won t go away! about. We never have to feel like we can t help what we think. We can take control over are thoughts, and can think whatever we want to, positive or negative! (Leaf, Caroline)

7 How Stress Affects the Body 43% of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress. The human body is designed to experience stress and to react to it. Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. Distress -the negative stress reaction, can lead to physical symptoms: headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain and trouble sleeping. Chronic stress depletes the number of white blood cells in your body, specifically the number of natural killer cells, which attack cancer cells with infections. When your body is stressed, the increase in stress hormones can throw off your equilibrium and you can experience all sorts of changes, such as weight gain, increased blood pressure and worsened acne. (WebMD - Better Information)

8 Positive and Negative Stress Positive Stress Benefits: the ability to realize when things are wrong and need to be fixed. Negative Stress Benefits: Helps by providing survival instincts in times of danger. ("Positive And Negative Stress.")

9 Men vs. Women One of the most important reasons why men and women react differently to stress is hormones. Three play a crucial role: cortisol, epinephrine, and oxytocin. It really all comes down to the hormone called oxytocin. In women, when cortisol and epinephrine rush through the bloodstream in a stressful situation, oxytocin comes into play. It is released from the brain, countering the production of cortisol and epinephrine, and promoting nurturing and relaxing emotions. While men also secrete the hormone oxytocin when they're stressed, it's in much smaller amounts, leaving them on the short end of the stick when it comes to stress and hormones. ("How Men and Women Deal With Stress Differently. )

10 Stress Management Exercise not only promotes physical well being but also help remove ones self temporarily from a stressful situation and also increases ones ability to deal with upcoming stress that arises. Relaxation and meditation helps one control their stress. From music to fitness classes. Imagery is another good way to manage stress. Visualizing soothing images can put one in a state of deep relaxtion. Progressive muscle relaxtion tightening and relaxing ones muscles is supposedly suppose to help ones mental state. ("Techniques, Exercises and Therapies for Relieving Stress.")

11 Bibliography "How Men and Women Deal With Stress Differently." Women's Health Center: Information on Women's Wellness, Nutrition, Fitness, Intimate Questions, and Weight Loss. Web. 23 Oct < Leaf, Caroline. Who Switched off My Brain?: Controlling Toxic Thoughts and Emotions. Rivonia, South Africa: Switch On Your Brain, Print "Positive And Negative Stress." Stress Remedy and Stress Management Technique for Stress Causes. Web. 20 Oct < "Techniques, Exercises and Therapies for Relieving Stress." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. Web. 25 Oct < WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. Web. 27 Oct <