Theron Hutton MD
During my medical training I recall being surprised to learn that over half of patients admitted to the hospital for gastrointestinal disease also received a diagnosis of anxiety disorder. In my own practice, I’ve become acutely aware of the connection between a person’s emotional state and how they feel physically. . The impact of a person’t current state of mind is a strong predictor of his state of physical health. Simply stated; when a person is in a state of emotional turmoil his health suffers.
Numerous studies have shown that practicing gratitude through activities like journaling or mindfulness exercises can have a profound impact on not only mental health but physical health and overall well-being. Grateful individuals tend to experience reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety and improved sleep quality. Blood tests done on patients who have a grateful outlook consistently show lower levels of chemicals in the body associated with pain, inflammation and depression. Grateful people tend to feel better.
Read more about this in November's issue of Plain Values magazine.