By James Lemire, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

March 05, 2014

For today’s issue of Advanced Natural Wellness, we’re featuring Dr. James Lemire, M.D.

Dr. Lemire has built a reputation for success with problems other doctors often can’t or won’t treat. This includes problems like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and other imbalances. He has helped thousands of “untreatable” patients achieve new levels of health and freedom.

Dr. Lemire’s philosophy is simple. He treats the whole person. All of his tests and treatments are uniquely designed around each patient’s individuality. And he includes natural therapies wherever they can help.

His unique approach will help you live a happier, healthier and longer life.

– Advanced Natural Wellness Editorial Team

• Why optimists live longer than pessimists
• 4 easy ways to reshape your negative thoughts
• NASA technology helps reframe perception

Did you know that people who are happy and have a positive outlook tend to live longer and healthier lives than those who are unhappy?

It’s true. Optimists live longer than pessimists.

And they don’t just live longer. Happier people also have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and disability.

Some experts believe it’s because a positive attitude helps slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure and improve sleep.

I’ll buy that. But I think there’s another factor at play here. There’s something I’ve noticed at my clinic.

When a person is happy and is at peace with life, his or her hormone levels are positively balanced. These hormones work together with the body to ward off negative influences and help maintain a healthy environment.

But what do I see in patients who are unhappy or have a negative outlook?

Hormones that are not balanced – especially an overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol. This can be positively toxic to your health.

When your body starts producing too much cortisol, it makes you crave unhealthy sugary and high-carb foods. So you eat more of them than you should.

Together, these forces place your body in an inflammatory state. And over time this can increase your risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

The good news is you can turn this around. You can shrug off that negative and unhappy outlook so you can live a longer, healthier and happier life. But exactly how do you do that?

Nobody knows whether certain people are born with an unhappy disposition or if it’s something that develops over time. Regardless of the answer, you can change.

It won’t happen overnight. And it will take some participation and effort on your part. But it will be well worth it in the end.

Here are a few things you can start doing today to start reshaping your thought process…

Play like you’re five years old. Do you remember how exciting life seemed when you were a child? You could be anything. You could do anything. Every dream in your head could be turned into reality. And every other kid you met was automatically your new best friend.

Can you do that again? Try this…

Spend a day with your kids or grandkids building an indoor tent and pretending you’re explorers. Take your spouse to an amusement park… and ride the rides! Go to the beach and build a sandcastle. It doesn’t have to be difficult. It just needs to be fun.

Reconnect with nature. I have patients who seldom spend any quality time outdoors. They’ve forgotten about the beauty that surrounds them. So I always make a deal with them…

For at least 15 minutes each day, go outside and forget about everything except nature. Take a walk in the local park, spend time at a lake, river or creek. Enjoy the clouds, the trees, the sunset, the birds or just the breeze on your face.

I guarantee that when you take in the splendor of nature each day, it will improve your mood, spark creativity and lower your anxiety levels.

Say nice things to yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in a negative conversation with yourself. We all do it. When something goes wrong, you spend hours going over and over it in your head to figure out what you did wrong.

In truth, you might not have done anything wrong. So, you can still have that conversation with yourself, but turn it around to something positive.

Here’s a quick example:

Negative: “Oh, I was going to start that diet yesterday and I didn’t do it. I’m such an idiot. All I’m going to do is keep getting bigger and bigger. I’m never going to lose this weight!”

Positive: “Okay. I didn’t start the diet yesterday. But I know I can do it today. Just imagine how great I’ll look when I lose those extra pounds. I’ll bet I can even start turning heads again.”

The important thing is to keep the feedback positive. And don’t forget to give yourself a mental high-five every time you accomplish a goal or take steps in the right direction.

Create a gratitude journal. Some people are great at writing down the things they’re grateful for. Others have to work at it to start with. But once they get used to it, they often find more blessings in their life than they ever dreamed of. Each day just write down everything you can think of that you’re grateful for.

There’s also one more thing you can try. It’s technology from NASA that has been proven to help reframe perception…

I have an unusual form of therapy I use here at my office. It’s called EVOX Perception Reframing Therapy.

It’s an innovative technology that’s used to identify subconscious roadblocks that might be keeping you in a negative state.

EVOX uses something called “voice mapping” to identify your perception (the way you feel and think) about specific topics. These topics can include anything… work, relationships, opportunities or problem areas. When you speak about a topic, your voice will carry the perception you hold about it.

Based on the voice mapping, a series of positive energy signatures are created especially for you. These signatures are then sent back to you, sort of like biofeedback. It also incorporates meditation, music and light to help reinforce new perceptions.

This type of therapy may sound unusual, but it works. You just have to find a clinic in your area that offers the service.

These are only a few tips that can help turn your negative thoughts downside-up. You can also try other things that spark feelings of joy and happiness.

Listen to your favorite music, say a prayer, meditate, enjoy a massage… all of these can support emotional freedom and happiness. Look for all things positive!

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Sources:
Ed Diener, et al. “Happy People Live Longer: Subjective Well-Being Contributes to Health and Longevity.” Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Volume 3, Issue 1, pages 1–43, March 2011.