"Illness is an Illusion: Negative thoughts and feelings trigger a stress response in the body. When you worry about your health, your brain can perceive this as a threat. The amygdala signals "Threat! Threat!" which in turn activates the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. This activation leads to the release of stress hormones like cortisol. When this stress response is frequently triggered by worry, the body remains in a state of "fight or flee".

This chronic stress response hinders the body's ability to heal itself. The body is too busy dealing with the perceived threat to focus on repair and maintenance.

Studies have shown that on average, people experience more than 50 stress responses per day, and this number can double for those who are lonely, depressed, pessimi ...