Can You Think Your Way Out Of A Cold?

The dreaded cold...giving us increased nasal congestion, less sleep, sore throat, cough and more. People usually get a cold when the virus enters their body either through the nose, mouth or eyes.  However, the virus doesn't always infect a person with a cold.  Sometimes a person's immunity is strong enough to repel the virus.  We are exposed to many viruses and germs on a daily basis, and many of them are unable to make us sick.  Illness usually comes when we are weak and have lowered immune function.

Generally, we think of good health requiring a nutritious diet, exercise and sleep, and this usually is the case.  However, a recent study found that how one views their health also affects the ability of the body to fight off a cold virus.  If someone rates the state of their health as excellent or very good, they were fifty percent less likely to get a cold when swabbed with a cold virus than a person who rates their health as good or fair.  Obviously, you can't just say the rating without really meaning the rating. It is fascinating, however, that feeling good about the state of your health is enough to think your way out of a cold.

In Ayurveda, good health includes both the mind and body.  The lifestyle recommendations will strengthen the physical and spiritual aspects of your self.  The idea of total health is a relationship between these two parts of a person, requiring the action and the subsequent belief and state that follows.  In other words, you have to put in effort to really believe that you are in very good health and to get the result of less colds.  This is true for health but it is also true for the other accomplishments and goals we strive for.  We need to believe in the things we do for them to matter and to exist.

If a strong self perception can fight off a cold virus, imagine the other negatives in our life that can be resisted with a strong self perception.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa