How To Strengthen Your Immune System With The Power Of Your Mind

Did you know your thoughts can impact your susceptibility to illnesses?

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Did you know that the most important contribution of a well-functioning immune system is through your mind? The body and mind are a unified team that each respond to each another’s messages and signals. 

Your immune system is a hugely intelligent virus-, bacteria-, and disease-fighting machine that is truly miraculous. So, understanding how to strengthen your immune system through mental fortitude is important.

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Trust in this system can become foggy when shrouded by the constant bombardment of adverts for pills and potions, depreciating the supremacy of your own inner healing powers.

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How often do you connect with your body?

Do you ever ask your body what it needs? Many people are often "in their heads" and forget that the body is a super-intelligent engine programmed unconsciously with their mind.

What you think about sends messages into your body, and your body responds.

If there's a lot of stress, worry, or fear coming from your mind, your body will prepare itself for a battle.

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This can be very counterproductive to health and immunity. This is also why people get sick through burnout or from perpetuating fears and anxieties.

Viewing things from a different perspective can help us understand ourselves more.

There is an effective technique called “perceptual positions,” which allows you to solve a problem or topic from a different angle to your first-person perception.

This technique is the basis of this exercise to help you feel, see, and hear from the disassociated perspective of your mind and your immune system.

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Notice what comes up for you while reading it. The dialogue starts with a letter to your mind from your immune system.

Try writing a letter to yourself like the one below, as though your mind and immune system are having a back-and-forth discussion.

Dear Mind,

Thank you for sharing all your thoughts and memories as you go about your day.

When you have “good feeling” thoughts, I'm strong and able to function in a way that serves us both. I can use all my natural resources to fight off infection and disease and keep you functioning effectively.

Lately, I noticed that you've been absorbed in fear and worry about becoming sick. When you're in fear, I react, propelling my thymus gland to respond to your messages. This causes warlike neurotransmitters to fire out information that prepare me for a battle.

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I throw on my armor and go on standby for an invasion, but then most of the time that invasion never comes, and I get tired and drained, which makes me weaker. As this is happening so frequently, I feel it’s important to remind you that what you think about affects me, too.

I was hoping we could learn to work as a team to keep us both really healthy?

Dear Immune System,

I'm sorry to create such chaos; I had no idea!

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with negativity from the outside world and other people’s fears and opinions. I get triggered emotionally, and sometimes I’m not even aware of it.

I think about the worst possible scenario when I hear stories in the news or read stuff online; these heavy loads of information give me a sense of danger. Because I think so much, I exaggerate and magnify my fears and worries, even when nothing's actually happening.

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When I’m not worrying about being sick, I worry about being hurt and rejected. I hold onto past shame and judge myself. I feel anger at some of the things that happened in the past. It’s like a constant film playing out causing me to re-live those experiences.

I frequently analyze myself, too, and then I can’t sleep!

I need to keep us alive, so it's for a positive reason, I promise! What should I do instead?

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Then, continue onward so they can "work out" the problem together:

Dear Mind,

If we can be in harmony, we can create an amazing environment of health and well-being. I need you to change your thought atmosphere.

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I need good, nutritious food, as I cannot help you if you don’t gift me with the tools I need to work on healing cells and repairing micro-dysfunctions. When you exercise, I love to feel the rush of oxygenated blood running through my system!

I love being able to propel life force through the body because when it's well, my entire system is well. If you could relax a bit and practice mastering your thoughts, that would really help us!

Dear Immune System,

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I can see how making small daily changes will have a huge impact on both of us.

Yes, it's important we work together in harmony, because we both want exactly the same thing: To stay alive and be healthy.

I want to help you do your job properly, so I will make some positive changes starting now!

Then, make a list about what you can do to fight mental negativity and improve your immune system.

Begin with statements like, "I will..."

  • Be more thoughtful about what is influencing my daily thoughts. I realize these stimulants have a big impact on my emotional signals.
  • Focus on healing old memories and feelings in my subconscious, so I'll start channeling positive thoughts instead. If I can’t do this on my own, I'll seek some support to work through my fears and worries.
  • Improve my eating habits. Food and nutrition are significant to functioning properly, and I want to have the tools to keep myself healthy.
  • Move my body often, so my mind and immune system can harmonize in a way that will boost my mood and strengthen me.
  • Spend more time in nature. Clean oxygen is good for my mindset, physical health, and future immunity.
  • Ensure I have a healthy sleeping pattern, so my body can recharge and formulate feel-good hormones like serotonin, which help with my mood regulation.
  • Be more loving to myself by being aware of the chemicals and toxins I consume. These upset the microbiome and good bacteria in my gut.
  • Tell myself regularly that I'm strong in mind, healthy in body, and can trust my own inner healing system.
  • Understand that fear is an illusion and can be thrust upon me unconsciously, so I'll take more time to relax and be in the present.
  • Make a conscious effort to visualize my cells as happy and healthy. I will imagine them all with smiling faces. When I smile, my blood cells smile, too.
  • Understand that I have the greatest power of all, because my mind can guide my immune system. What I think and believe penetrates through my entire body, so I'll seek out positive and uplifting thoughts and communication.

By establishing control over your thoughts, and keeping negativity from impacting you, you'll be able to learn how to strengthen your immune system and improve your mental and physical health!

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Caroline Rushforth is a mind and life coach who wants to offer you support in overcoming stress and anxiety. For more information on how she can help you, or to receive a free 30-minute video consultation, email her here.