It is mentioned in the Bible and by the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)textbooks. Yoga traditions use the term samskara which means the “subtle impressions of our past actions” and describe how this can impact your physical health.

And now finally, modern science is discovering how certain emotions can have a direct effect on disease and healing.

What Science Says about the emotions

The profound effect that emotions have on health and lifespan was discussed in a groundbreaking series of 10-year-long studies published in the British journal Psychology and Psychotherapy in 1988. The study concluded that “emotional stress was more predictive of death from cancer or cardiovascular disease than from smoking.” It also found that individuals who were the most affected by stress had an overall death rate that was 40% higher than non-stressed participants. Unbelievable, isn’t it?

So just how can emotions have such an effect on our bodies?

Doctors have been using the term psychosomatic for a long time to describe imaginary illnesses-no evident physical cause is found but the patient is exhibiting a series of symptoms. In fact, the term simply relates to the physiological connections between mind and body. In modern scientific terms, this connection happens through tiny molecular structures called peptides.

Peptides are tiny bits of protein that are produced throughout the body. They are found in hormones such as endorphins, serotonin, and insulin, for example, and are key elements for life.

 Peptides make the connection between the brain-emotions and the body. When a thought triggers an emotion, peptides transmit those feelings through neuropathways and extracellular fluid. And it’s that simple for your anger or stress to transform into a stomach ache or breathing problems.

When a thought triggers an emotion, peptides transmit those feelings through neuropathways and extracellular fluid.

How Your Emotions Affect Your Body

Here are just a few ways in which specific emotions affect specific bodily functions:

• A University of Arizona study found that expressing affectionate feelings towards your loved ones can lower cholesterol;
• A study published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology discovered that when subjects simply recalled the situation that had been the initial cause of stress, their blood pressure rates raised significantly.
• A study at Loma Linda University in California found that when individuals laughed at a funny movie, the levels of beta-endorphins, responsible for mood elevation, rose as well. In addition, Human Growth Hormone, which aids in sleep and contributes to cellular repair, rose by 87%.

Balance emotions for Better Health

Learning how to manage emotions and dealing with the stress go hand in hand. Before you can handle emotions, you must learn how to manage stress in order get cortisol levels down. Remember, there is a direct and proven correlation between chronically high cortisol levels (i.e. chronic stress) and many illnesses.

Here is a picture that make it easy to understand how cortisol impacts our body and how a prolonged high level of cortisol can destabilize this delicate balance.

Here are 4 basic ideas about how to manage stress, lower cortisol levels, and clear stressful emotions so that true healing can occur:

1. Find out what keeps you stressed in your life and DECIDE to make a change. Divorce, the death of a loved one, finances, even happy occasions like getting married can add to the stress factor. Which one is yours? On a scale from one to ten, how would you rate this stress? Then make a commitment to yourself and your health and lower that score.
2. Try EFT tapping, acupuncture, tai chi, massage, chiropractic care, meditation, prayer, journaling, exercise, and eating healthier. These are all things able to lower stress responses and add a little more self-care to your life. And you don’t have to do them all. Simply choose one or two modalities, then try it. Even taking 10 minutes each day can sometimes do the trick.
3. Let others help you or support you. Study after study has shown that those who have the support of a caring group of loved ones have a better chance of coming out of a cancer diagnosis than those who do it on their own. So, whether it is a church group, a cancer support group, or a group of loving friends, let them be part of your healing journey.
4. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge your emotions. It is natural for deeper issues, memories, or events to rise to the surface once the initial shock is gone. Practice sitting with emotions as they rise to the surface and always remember that no matter how bad you may feel, these emotions are coming up to be released.

In our culture, we often feel as if we have to “do” something about it. Feelings, however, sometimes just need to be “felt.”

All the above suggestions would apply to any illness or stress but perhaps people diagnosed with cancer are the ones who need it the most.

Being told you have cancer is one the most stressful events you and your family can go through.

During a study of over 20,000 cancer patients, Dr. R.G. Hamer saw a direct link between psychological stress, no matter the cause, and how it can directly lead to DNA damage.

That means the anxiety and depression you may be feeling from a cancer diagnosis  or any other illness can affect how well your body functions on a genetic level.

No one wants to have this happen to them but if it does happen, know that you still have the power to affect your outcome!

To your health,

Dana Neacsu, MD

REFERENCES

http://www.newmedicine.ca/excerpt.php

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK4011/

http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/many-women-have-ptsd-symptoms-after-dx

She practices acupuncture and I invite you to read more about her and Chinese medicine here: www.dogwoodhealingarts.com

For some women and couples in vitro fertilization (IVF) is the answer to their dream of having a child.  Numerous studies have demonstrated that acupuncture improves IVF success rate.  One large study found a 50% increase in success rate when acupuncture is done alongside IVF.  IVF can take a significant emotional and financial toll so why not do everything possible to increase the chances of success?

Ideally I like to start treating women at least three months prior to starting IVF in order to regulate their hormones and address any underlying issues that are contributing to the infertility.  It is not uncommon for women to become pregnant naturally during this time.  If IVF is being done solely due to male fertility factors then one month of acupuncture prior to IVF would be ideal.

During the stimulation phase of IVF I like to see women twice a week.  Acupuncture works by increasing the blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, reducing stress and anxiety (which can impact fertility) and addressing any side effects of the medications.  Following stimulation, one acupuncture treatment prior to egg retrieval and one between retrieval and transfer is the standard of care.

Acupuncture before and after transfer of the embryo is essential.  Acupuncture can take place 24-48 hours before and after transfer.  Pre and post transfer acupuncture works to relax the uterus and calm any uterine spasms from the transfer process as well as reduce anxiety and calm stress.  An acupuncture treatment one week following transfer supports implantation.  In cases of sub-fertility it is ideal to continue with acupuncture once a week for the first trimester to protect the pregnancy.

Many women undergo IUI prior to IVF and acupuncture works in a similar fashion to improve the chances of success.  I generally see women once a week throughout the IUI process.

Know someone considering IVF?  Please share this information with them!

To your health,

Dana Neacsu, MD

Unfortunately in today’s culture, we are inundated by the media and advertising worlds with images of pharmaceutical panaceas and quick-fix solutions. The message given is one of low effort and high reward; for example, we can be led to believe that by taking one pill a day we will be healed. However, this type of treatment is not likely going to be a successful course of action for you.

At Medical Creations Integrative Medicine, we offer another path, take the first step towards a healthier you now!

The first appointment with a Functional Medicine physician must be done in-person at MCIM office in Atlanta. During an initial session with a patient, we cover everything from an extensive health background, to innovative lab testing and nutrition consultations and together, we create a plan.

Follow-up appointments may take place in person or remotely via phone.

Here is a list with some of the conditions treated at our clinic:

• Arthritis
• Athletic performance
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Adrenal and thyroid support
• Brain health (focus, cognition, memory)
• Cancer Prevention and support
• Chronic Fatigue
• Depression and Anxiety
• Detoxification and Healing (chemical sensitivities, history of toxin exposure)
• Digestive Disorders (IBD, IBS, GERD/Reflux)
• Eczema/Psoriasis
• Environmental and Food Allergies or Asthma
• Female Disorders (PMS, Menopause, Infertility, PCOS)
• Fibromyalgia
• Healthy Aging and Weight
• Heart Health and cholesterol
• Hormonal imbalances
• Metabolic Syndrome, Pre-Diabetes, Diabetes, Insulin Resistance
• Migraines and Headaches
• Obesity
• Sleep/insomnia

Here are the steps we usually follow:

1. Find the right diet for you
2. Remove food allergens or sensitivities
3. Fix the gut
4. Optimize nutrient status
5. Balance hormones
6. Support energy metabolism and mitochondria
7. Enhance detoxification
8. Mind-body techniques and balance neurotransmitters
9. Look for hidden infections

Some of our signature programs:

Adrenal support based on Kalish Method validated by Mayo Clinic

Enhance your health using our Biohacking Lab

Brain health program based on Amen Clinic  and Dale Bredesen curriculum

Medical weight loss program

Fifteen years into her medical career, Dana Neacsu, M.D., had become frustrated with the way she and colleagues were treating patients.

“I started noticing how certain patients kept coming back,” she says. “You give them medications and the medications work for a while, but they still have the same problem down the road or sometime it’s even worse because they are having reactions to the medicines.”

Concerned that conventional medicine often had to do more with treating symptoms than getting to the root of the illness or teaching patients how to care for themselves, she decided to try a new approach. She left her position at one of Atlanta’s most prestigious hospitals for a fellowship with Dr. Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona. The Harvard-trained Dr. Weil is widely considered the father of integrative medicine – a field that combines complementary and alternative therapies with conventional medicine.