Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) refers to the scientific research revealing the influence of the mind (thoughts and emotions, conscious and unconscious) on the immune system. The following states of consciousness have been shown to weaken the immune system:

• Chronic stress
• Bereavement
• Divorce or separation
• Loneliness and social isolation
• Marital conflict
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Pessimism
• Lack of control
• Low self-esteem
• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness

But don’t worry; the power of your mind can also strengthen your immune system. Medical research has shown that the following states of mind are associated with strong immunity:

• Relaxation
• Meditation
• Humor and laughter
• Social support and relationships
• Optimism
• Expressing emotions
• Increase your self-esteem
• Gain control in your life
• Commit to a challenging goal
• Belief, faith, and spirituality

Immunity was the initial focus of mindbody research, but then medical scientists realized that all aspects of body function are influenced by the mind. Digestion, hormone production, blood clotting, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, reproduction, metabolism, libido, weight control, muscle tension, and more are also controlled to some degree by the mind and behavior.

Mindbody medicine shows you the impact of your mind on your body, helping you to learn from your disease and then to change and help the healing process. The tools of mindbody healing are diverse and often simple. Sometimes awareness is enough. Other tools include behavior change, reading, counseling, communication, emotional release, insight training, psychotherapy, biofeedback, hypnosis, inner child writing, journaling, meditation, relaxation, prayer, spiritual practices, to mention a few.

The wisdom of your mindbody is enormous and you can use this inner guidance in your life for health and healing. When you combine the tools of mindbody medicine with restoration of the body wisdom using nutritional therapies, proper diet, and exercise then you will certainly feel better and mostly likely heal your illness.

Mindbody healing will help everyone who experiences any form of dis-ease, whether it is physical, psychological or social. For physical illness you also need to restore the natural wisdom of the body using nutritional biochemistry, right diet and often exercise of one kind of another.

The following diseases respond well to mindbody healing, often eliminating the need for medications:

• Heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), indigestion
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Sleep disturbance
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Arthritis
• Allergic rhinitis
• Asthma
• Rashes
• High blood pressure
• Headaches
• Diabetes

Cancer is the ultimate message to embark on mindbody healing. There are two tasks that need to be done when a person develops cancer. First, get rid of the cancer using conventional treatments, alternative therapies or some combination of the two. Second, evaluate and change the conditions in the mind and body that allowed the cancer to grow in the first place. Oncologists focus on the first task and neglect the second one, thus increasing the risk of recurrence.

Complementary treatments for cancer focus on the whole person and not just on the disease. For example, when oncologists treat cancer using chemotherapy and/or radiation, they are focusing these powerful treatments on the cancerous tumor, which they consider to be the disease. The pioneering work of the German physician Josef Issels recognized that cancer is a symptom of many other chronically disturbed body systems. Dr. Issels referred to the "internal milieu" of the body with low oxygen levels, poor cellular nutrient intake, impaired repair and regulatory systems, toxin buildup, and gradual immune deterioration as some of the problems that allowed the renegade cancer cell to grow into a lethal tumor. If a treatment reduces the size of a tumor but does not address the many factors that allowed it to grow in the first place, then treatment has been incomplete and recurrence is likely. Dr. Issels' success with cancer patients was far greater than conventional German doctors.

Research has shown that chronic stress and toxins in the body are major factors in the modern epidemic of cancer. Stress not only weakens the immune system but disturbs DNA repair mechanisms. Chemical and heavy metal toxins such as mercury and lead create a daily barrage of mutating damage to our DNA. Mindbody medicine provides the tools to address both of these important issues by:

• Helping people discover the conscious and unconscious factors that contributed to the development of cancer and then change them. Do not expect to be the same person before and after successful cancer therapy. The purpose of cancer is healing, especially at the level of the mind.
• Evaluating the body burden of chemical toxins and heavy metals and then reducing that burden through a variety of detoxification procedures.

In addition, cancer patients need a diet and supplement plan that provides the following:

• optimal nutrition,
• immune support,
• reduced inflammation,
• reduced blood viscosity,
• tissue oxygenation,
• antioxidant protection,
• enhanced detoxification
• and more.

Both CFS and FMS are complex, multi-factorial diseases. In other words, each is a puzzle with many pieces. Some pieces are bigger than others and some pieces are smaller, but all the pieces need to be put together to see the big picture and resolve the problem. Only mindbody healing can put together all the issues involved in these common medical problems.

For details, click here:

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Fibromyalgia

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The first consultation starts with the complaint, or primary medical problem, but then explores all the systems in the body. Mindbody wisdom is an orchestra of wondrously complex systems, including digestion, assimilation, immunity, hormones, brain chemistry, and more. For an orchestra to play properly, all parts must play together.

Medical specialization is good for diagnosis, but it is not good for treatment. Proper digestion is essential for strong immunity, heart function, blood flow and hormone production. All the systems in the body and mind are interdependent and for good results a treatment program should promote health in the entire mindbody.

After considering the imbalances in the body, the next step is to look at the stress patterns in your life. All diseases are stress related and healing depends on improved understanding of the mindbody connection.

Unless you have HMO coverage, most insurance companies will pay for office visits, including the initial consultation. I do not bill insurance companies directly and you are responsible for payment for visits. However, I will provide you with a Health Insurance Claim Form which will enable you to be reimbursed by your insurance company.

Most laboratory tests are covered by insurance. However, nutritional supplements and most intravenous therapies are not.

Lab tests are important to understanding your mindbody. Common lab tests, such as chemistry panels, CBC, thyroid function, and lipids are necessary for many people. However, there are many other lab tests that look into the details of mindbody imbalances and are different for each patient depending on the problem at hand.

You can review the categories of expanded lab testing by clicking Healing – Body – Lab testing.

When you have worry, anxiety, fear, anger, frustration, resentment, or guilt, the sympathetic branch (SNS) of your autonomic nervous system (ANS) prepares your body for “fight or flight”, i.e. physical action for survival, even though there is usually no “action” to take. With prolonged SNS dominance you develop dis-ease in the body, at work, or socially. The parasympathetic branch (PNS) of the ANS balances SNS activity and maintains immunity, digestion, hormone balance and long term healing allowing for better physical, mental and social health.

Everyone has stress and it is different for each person. There has been no way to measure the stress system until Heart Rate Variability testing. Now you can objectify and understand your stress system which is a key feature of healing and long term health.

HRV is an automated, non-invasive, assessment of the Autonomic Nervous System based on computerized heart rate variability analysis. All chronic diseases, behavioral disorders, and aging are associated with changes in HRV.

In addition to measuring the balance between your SNS and PNS, HRV testing determines your level of cardiovascular fitness. Using this information you can monitor your level of fitness over time as well as understand the nature of your powerful stress physiology.

The test does not require physical exercise and takes about 15 minutes to complete.