Harness the Power of your Mind to Banish Pain and Illness

Injured or feeling ill? Before you reach for the drugs, harness the power of your mind to help you recover naturally.

Fed up with getting constant colds and ‘flu? Or perhaps you’re moping around with a painful sports injury or have to manage a chronic health condition? The good news is you can use the power of your mind to reduce the pain and make your experience a more positive one. In her new book The Mindfulness Key, Sarah Silverton reveals how your mental attitude can make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing. Here are some of her tips for controlling your inner strength.

CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE

‘How you think and feel, and what you do about being ill, can make a great difference to the experience,’ says Silverton. ‘Our minds and bodies are so interconnected that one directly affects the other.’

When we’re ill or injured, we often tend to feel anger and resentment, or be anxious and even depressed. ‘Having feelings such as rage and resentment will add a tightness in your body, which fuels your pain or fatigue,’ says Silverton. ‘So try not to worry or get yourself down. Worrying will only make you feel more exhausted and waste the energy you need to recover.’

Do you find that when you’re unwell, your mind starts replaying or analysing the situation, or do you create stories about what might happen if? ‘Forget past experiences,’ says Silverton. ‘Don’t dwell on the last time you had an illness similar to the one you might have now. Don’t over-analyse the situation or wonder what might happen if you did this or that.

Just think about now and accept the situation.’ Imagine you’re a hot air balloon, says Silverton. Think about what experience today is pulling you down and stopping you from taking flight.

THE POWER OF ACCEPTANCE