Neuropeptides and our health

Our neuropeptides are our brains chemical messengers to our body. Could it be that the power of positive thinking may well affect our health via our neural pathways in ways that we don't often stop to think about.

Some basic biochemistry 101 can easily illustrate how the power of the mind affects whether our body is going to produce health-enhancing or health-eroding neuropeptides.

Thoughts trigger neuropeptides

According to scientists in the DVD, 'What the Bleep do we know," particular emotions are associated with a particular neuropeptide, so that over time, if we are prone to experiencing a particular emotion, our cellular structure changes to accomodate more the neuropeptide associated with that emotion.

So what happens to our neuropeptides when we live in a constant state of :

* guilt about our less than perfect bodies,
* the myriad of failed diets,
* the nighttime binges,
* the episodes of comfort eating
* the abandoned exercise programs, and

...not to mention the other multitude of things dieters have to feel guilty about.

How could the
Power of Positive Thinking
help?

We have to realize that as our cells change to increase the receptor sites specific to receiving ‘guilt molecules’, there’s a corresponding decrease in the sites for molecules related to receiving neuropeptides that the power of positive thinking could bring us.

As Dr. Hawkins points out in 'Power vs Force': The human central nervous system clearly is exquisitely sensitive when it comes to differentiating between life supportive (health-enhancing) and life-destructive (health-eroding) thoughts.

The power of positive thinking produces health-enhancing chemicals which make the body go strong and release brain endorphins that have a tonic effect on all the organs. On the other hand, guilt emotions which are heath-eroding, release adrenaline which supresses the immune response and causes weakness in specific organs.

So what happens to our health and mortality rates when we are exposed to hateful thoughts about our body or health habits day in and day out and the consequent negative chemicals ?

The Biochemistry of a 'fat' day

She looks at her cupboard and feels despairing -- health-eroding neuropeptides cascade through her body weakening it.

She contemplates undressing for her doctors appointment later in the day and about the inevitable lecture about all the health dangers waiting her if she doesn't lose weight. Stress hormones related to shame and anxiety flood her every cell.

She thinks about her weekly weigh-in that afternoon and her well worn neural pathway triggers off dread and fears of being judged. Her parasympathetic nervous system sets off another chemical siesta.

You see part of the problem is that the brain cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined. So whether this person is physically sitting in front of her doctor or even just playing the scene in her mind - her neuropeptides and body chemistry are triggered regardless.

The entire day, her biochemistry is in overdrive, flooding her system on an ongoing basis with neuropeptides cascading chemically from cell to cell throughout her body. What is happening to her cells? Her organs? How is this impacting on her health?

And if this is how all her days go because she lives in a culture where to be fat is to be judged harshy, ridiculed and rejected constantlly - how do those ongoing chemical fiesta's day in and day out all compound on her health?

You see a pilot can fly off course for a couple of minutes and it won't make much difference, but let him fly off course for a couple of hours and it makes an enormous difference. You can have the odd stressed thought and it won't really impact on your health - but when you're immersed in ongoing stress, that can really put your health off course.

Chronic ongoing stress is like a pilot flying off-course for long periods of time. The body reacts with a "fight-or-flight" response, releasing adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol. That helps you react fast in an emergency, but if the body stays in this high gear too long, those chemicals can wreak physical havoc in numerous systems _ everything from a rise in blood pressure and heart rate to problems with memory, mood, digestion, even the immune system.

The power of positive thinking
on our biochemistry

She looks at her cupboard and even though there's not much selection she reminds herself that she is much more than her body - she's a fabulous Sacred Being.

She thinks about her doctors appointment and imagines him asking respectful questions and listening intently to her answers and giving her encouragement.

A fat culture with normal health

Because... it interests me that the Royal College of Physicians issued a report in 1983 based on research done amongst rural Black South African women. They'd found and interesting anomoly. Here was a group of overweight women who didn't have the blood pressure etc... problems of an equivalent Western population. Researchers were puzzled.

Obviously, their diet high in unrefined foods and their fitness levels (as they walk and do manual labout) plays a big role. But what if, they're also pointing us towards another factor we've maybe never contemplated?

You see to be fat in this cultural group means that you are sought after as sexy and a desirable and fertile wife. It shows you don't have Aids and that you are wealthy enough to eat well. A fat woman in this culture is continually being complimented and pursued by potential partners because of her large body size.

So, unlike her fat counterpart in a thin-obsessed Western Culture, every time someone comments on her body size - the neuropeptides that flood her system are of the health-promoting kind. The power of positive thinking about being large it seems to me may play a far larger role in our health than we currently give it credit for.