By Sarah A LoBisco, ND

Last week, I discussed the new pervasive mind-disease that is pervading our society and robbing our ability to balance our health- fear.

Scare tactics and disease marketing tricks are fueling our stress response, trumping our brain biochemistry, and halting our healing.

It’s now more accepted (in all fields of medicine) that a chronic release of emotionally charged mediators, which results from the stress response, causes imbalances in the body. This is because these mediators are linked to chronic deregulation of: hormones, blood sugar balance, inflammation, immune response, digestive health, and more.

One of my passions, that I aim to project here, is to assist my readers to break free from the overwhelm, fear, and medical jargon that encourages a separation between their own bodies’ rational (inner guidance) response for wellness. I feel more hopeful information is needed, because this societal fear is catchy. Yet, it is rarely found.

Instead, what is headlining the airwaves is bad news putting people in fear of disease with their only attack weapon the cutting off of various body parts in an aim of prevention.

But, is the body the problem or is this disease manifestation a result of our disordered thinking patterns on health?

According to Dr. Mercola:

Depressive Thinking Can Go Viral

In related research published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, researchers suggest that certain types of depressive thinking can “go viral,” spreading to others living in close proximity. As reported in Time Magazine:⁶

“Although many people see depression as a chemical imbalance in the brain, scientists say social context and the way you see yourself and the world can be critical in causing and sustaining the illness… ‘Thinking styles are a really important factor in risk for depression,’ says the study’s lead author Gerald Haeffel, associate professor of clinical psychology at Notre Dame University. ‘How one thinks about life stress and negative moods is one of the best predictors that we have of future depression.’”…

.. “Interestingly, depression symptoms themselves were not contagious: simply having a roommate with symptoms of the disorder did not increase risk of developing the mental illness. But those who picked up a ruminative style of thinking from their roommates during the first three months of school had more than double the number of depressive symptoms of those who either weren’t exposed to this perspective or didn’t adopt the rumination three months later. And the risk was magnified if they experienced high levels of stress,” Time reports (emphasis mine).

We can use any information to keep us stuck and spread fear, or consider a change in perspective. What if all of us calmed our brains and opened our eyes to other options?

Can you think of the implications of spreading empowering thoughts on what can be done to mitigate disease and  support healing vs. fear our bodies and ignite attack on them?

What isn’t reported often enough, yet is a scientific fact, is that the resultant biochemical effects of calming the brain is well founded to trump the stress effects and allow for healing as the nervous system relaxes. (Ever heard of the placebo effect?)

It’s time to ignite a new spark toward viral-healing that we can catch and ruminate on!

How do we take scary information and spin it to empowerment?

An example based on our toxic world is given below.

Fear of Our Toxic World

How do we stay “positive” in a “negative world of toxins?”

After all, environmental reporting continues to be themed as a dooms day event to our health and planet, and they claim that these effects are hitting our children the most!

In fact, according to Alternet.org:

Over 5000 children’s products contain toxic chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption and reproductive problems, including the toxic metals, cadmium, mercury and antimony, as well as phthalates and solvents. A new report by the Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer States reveals the results of manufacturer reporting to the Washington State Department of Ecology. 

Over 5000 children’s products contain toxic chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption and reproductive problems, including the toxic metals, cadmium, mercury and antimony, as well as phthalates and solvents. A new report by the Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer States reveals the results of manufacturer reporting to the Washington State Department of Ecology. 

Makers of kids’ products reported using 41 of the 66 chemicals identified by WA Ecology as a concern for children’s health (bold emphasis mine).

In this example, we can use this information to make more positive choices on what to buy to support our bodies and what tools to use if we are exposed to toxins. In other words, we can read these reports as a call to actions of awareness, rather than reaction from our emotional brain center.

The above article continues (emphasis mine):

The chemical reports are required under Washington State’s Children’s Safe Products Act of 2008. A searchable database of chemical use reports filed with the Washington State Department of Ecology is available at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/cspa/search.html.

Like Washington, the Minnesota Department of Health has published a list or priority chemicals in children’s products. Eight of the nine chemicals on this list are also on the Washington list. The nine priority chemicals are lead, cadmium, bisphenol A, formaldehyde, two brominated flame retardants and three phthalates. …

In the above example, this information was used to spark a priority list of change! Coolness! 🙂

Another example of how scary information can produce positive change is reported in a recent article by Dr. Mercola:

• Three recent studies confirm that pollution from traffic increases your risk of heart disease, atherosclerosis and heart attack
• Chemicals found in personal care products such as deodorants, lotions and conditioners, are detectable in Chicago’s air at “alarming” levels. The chemicals in question, cyclic siloxanes, are known to be toxic to aquatic life
• A recent analysis found nine toxic metals in 32 lipsticks and lip glosses tested, including: lead, cadmium, chromium and aluminum. According to the researchers, some metals were detected at high enough levels to “raise potential health concerns,” and although no name brands were identified, they advised the public to “treat these results as applicable to all lipsticks”
• Health and environmental groups are launching a national campaign aimed at 10 major retailers, urging them to discontinue the sale of products containing potentially toxic materials and develop a plan to phase out the use of the listed chemicals within the next 12 months
• A typical American comes in regular contact with some 6,000 chemicals and an untold number of potentially toxic substances on a less frequent basis. Many of them have never been fully tested for safety. To protect your health, it’s important to take steps toward decreasing your chemical exposure (bold emphasis mine).

Now What?

Any information of fear of our habitat needs to be kept in perspective, or our relationships and societal health can be impacted as we seclude ourselves for fear of exposure.

(Of course, I am aware that those suffering from multiple chemical sensitivity disorder will need to be more aware and seclude a bit as their body heals and recovers detoxification capacity. Click here for my article on this disorder.)

I feel my part in healing this mind disease is educating others on the science behind stress effects on the body. It can’t stop here, though.

I purpose that we add to our list of  jobs (including mine) to pause before we speak, eat, and move and ask, “Will this thought, food, decision bring me toward more mental, emotional, physical, and relationship health to me and to society as a whole?

Through your feed backs and support, it is my hope that this blog will continue to be a landing spot for health seekers. This will be done by providing scientific, integrative, and holistic resources that aim to empower people on how to allow wellness and cast light on this dark, pervasive, societal mind disease. (I am currently in the midst of revamping this site within the next few months and I hope you will see how this focus will be highlighted even more!)

Help me by participating in more awareness.

Notes:

Be sure to read more about the effects of trauma on the child’s brain on my upcoming Saratoga.com blog: Prenatal Development, Parenting Style & Early Trauma Effects on the Mental Health of Our Children: Part II

The information is intended to empower positive, impacting changes in health, well-being, and quality of life only, not diagnosis, treat, prescribe, or scare.

(Note: biochemical support through nutrition and lifestyle may be one action step to break these negative scare patterns to lead to more impact!)

Sources:

Robin S. Rosenberg. Abnormal Is the New Normal: Why will half of the U.S. population have a diagnosable mental disorder? Slate: Medical Examiner. April 12, 2013. http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2013/04/diagnostic_and_statistical_manual_fifth_edition_why_will_half_the_u_s_population.html

Dr. Northrup. Yikes! I’m Becoming My Mother. Flourish. hayhouseradio.com. (Streaming Radio) May 1, 2013.

Mate’, Gabor. Addiction: Childhood Trauma, Stress and the Biology of Addiction. Apr 29, 2013. Journal of Restorative Medicine.

Schlur, K. Over 5,000 Children’s Products Contain Toxic Chemicals Linked to Cancer and Hormone Disruption. Alternet.org.: Personal Health. May 5, 2013. http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/over-5000-childrens-products-contain-toxic-chemicals-linked-cancer-and-hormone. Institute for Trade and Agricultural Policy (IATP). 2013.

Mercola, J. Top Three Sources of Toxic Exposures: Traffic, Personal Care and Plastic Products. Mercola.com. May 15, 2013. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/15/toxic-chemical-

Amen, D. Amen Clinic’s. The Science: Violence Research. Amen Clinics. 2013 copyrighted. http://www.amenclinics.com/amen-home/25-the-science/research-tables/57-violence-research

Hyman, M. Why Friendship Can Save Your Life. Drhyman.com. May 2, 2013. http://drhyman.com/blog/2013/05/03/why-friendship-can-save-your-life/#close

Wikepedia. Placebo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo