Have you heard of Psychoneuroimmunology? PN is the study of interactions of emotions and behaviors and how they affect the endocrine and the immune systems. Research is highly consistent with the idea that there is an inextricable interaction between mind and body at the heart of health and death.  In other words, these systems communicate with each other.  Our psychological state (i.e., the way we choose to respond to stress in our individual lives) creates a central nervous system response (electrical), an endocrine response (hormonal), and a behavior change that may result in an immune system change that causes disease susceptibility.

     Specific patterns of thoughts and behavior are associated with certain diseases. In some types of cancer or PMS can be a specific bitterness. Autoimmune diseases can be associated with self hatred. As we attack ourselves with our own words, thoughts or actions, we see a corresponding autoimmune response resulting in an autoimmune disease. In other words, certain negative emotions cause the body to produce specific autoantibodies that will only attack a specific organ or cell in the body.

     Negative emotions can cause inflammation and disease. "There is excellent evidence that negative emotions such as depression and anxiety enhance the production of proinflammatory cytokines, including interluekin-6." (Dentino 1999, Lugendorf 1999. Proinflammatory cytokines (hormonal components) create inflammation (swelling) in many parts of the body. Inflammation has recently been linked to cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers (including multiple myeloma, non-hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia),  Alzheimer's disease, and periodontal disease." (Cohen 2000).

     W. John Diamond, M.D., coauthor of Definitive Guide to Cancer, observes: "Repressed emotions, if not vented or expressed, will seek physical expression, such as functional bowel disease, fibromyalgia, or even cancer." "Personality factors also have been correlated with specific diseases.  For example, rheumatoid arthritis has been correlated with perfectionism, compliance, subservience, nervousness, restlessness, reserve, and anger. Cardiovascular disease has been associated with the Type A behavior, hostility, and whether or not a person is a "hot reactor."  Cancer has been correlated with non-assertiveness, the inability to express emotion, and hopelessness. Depression is the emotion reputedly linked to cancer incidence...", and such findings have been published in the Journal of American Medical Association." Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer, p. xli.

Nine-Tenths of Diseases Start in the Mind

     I read a very profound thought in Mind, Character, and Personality that said: "Sickness of the mind prevails everywhere. Nine tenths of the diseases from which men suffer have their foundation there." (p. 59). That means nine out of ten diseases are caused by negative attitudes and stress rather than a poor lifestyle. I actually found this hard to believe until I started working with people at BellaVita Lifestyle Center. At BellaVita I learned that many of the diseases that people come with are indeed caused by negative emotional and attitudes state and the body corresponds with disease like a barometer.   

     A special issue of Newsweek featured an article called "The New Science of Mind and Body," it was reported that "experts now believe that 60 to 90 percent of all doctor visits involve stress-related complaints.  Chronic stress can kill you as surely as a high-fat diet. The long-term effects of stress, after years of chronic activation, can wear the body down. Some of the common symptoms include: impaired memory, a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, skin problems, and digestive difficulties." Newsweek, Dec. 27, 2004. The fight or flight response to immediate danger is normal, but when stress is prolonged over long periods of time it can cause disease in the body and weaken specific organs of the body.     

Certain Negative Emotions Affect Specific Organs of the Body    

     Certain negative emotions can affect specific body organs. For example, anger is the negative emotion associated with liver problems, bitterness with the gallbladder, low self esteem and feelings of rejection can weaken the pancreas, a broken heart and grief can affect the heart and lungs, depression, loneliness, and anger all take a toll on your cardiac health, and feelings of abandonment can have a negative effect on the intestines. Have you heard of "anal retention"?  The syndrome is correctly coined because when we get tense and defensive, the negative emotions can trigger irritable bowel syndrome in the large intestine or bowels. Are attitude affects both mind and body. Have you ever read Lamentations 2:11: Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth." Science has found that "the brain and gut communicate through an impressive network of hormones, peptides, and neurotransmitters. When emotional stress disrupts this dialogue, the effects can be seen on a brain scan. An area known as a midcingulate cortex goes into overdrive--and the gut suffers potentially devastating consequences." Ibid. p. 71. 

Emotional Pain

     When you think about a situation where you were hurt or abused, is there emotional pain? Does this pain cause your heart to beat a little faster? It causes stress. Behind that pain is unforgiveness, fear, anxiety, worry, anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, etc. Can our negative thoughts and emotions be classified as sins? (See Galatians 5:19-21: "The works of the flesh" include sinful thoughts and emotions like hatred, envy, etc.).

     When we forgive from our hearts (Matthew 18:35), then the emotional pain is gone. Forgiveness is our armor that prevents or stops a fight-flight response. Stress begins in the mind but ends up in the body. There is no such thing as stress only in the mind (Hart 1986).

"He shall be holden with the cords of his sins." 

     God gave us the flight-fight response to give us more strength and energy in the rare emergency. He did not design our bodies to be in a constant state of flight-fight. But many of us remain in this constant state because of negative emotions that are in our memories, such as fear and anger that are unchecked in our lives. 

     God's plan is for us to forgive others and be freed of the anger, resentment, fear, and bitterness that are stored in our memories and cause a physical response. God's plan for us is to repent so we can be freed of all the shame, regret, sorrow, and guilt in our memories, thus setting ourselves free from the anger and bitterness. Would you like to be set free? "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14, 15. How  do the words rest, peace, and freedom sound to you? Forgiveness is the key!

Forgiveness Heals Us

     "Research suggests that forgiveness works in at least two ways. One is by the reducing stress of the state of unforgiveness, a potent mixture of anger, bitterness, hostility, hatred, resentment and fear (of being hurt or humiliated again). These have specific physiologic consequences-such as increased blood pressure and hormonal changes-linked to cardiovascular disease, immune suppression and possibly, impaired neurological function and memory. One study examined 20 individuals in happy relationships, matched with 20 individuals in troubled relationships. The higher had higher baselines of cortisol, a hormone associated with impaired immune function-which shot up even further when they were asked to think about their relationships. 'It happens down the line, but every time you feel unforgiveness, you are more likely to develop a health problem,' says Everett Worthington, executive director of A Campaign for Forgiveness Research. "The other benefit of forgiveness is more subtle; it relates to research showing that people with strong social networks-of friends, neighbors and family-tend to be healthier than loners." Newsweek, Dec. 27, 2004, p. 52.

     When somebody hurts us, we don't just blank out our hurt feelings. God wants us to deal with our own unforgiveness. We forgive others as an act of obedience to God, and it accrues to our own benefit. The Bible teaches that forgiveness begins with you, and it starts in your heart. Forgiveness does not set the other person free; it sets you free from the bondage of bitterness. Our own healing begins by forgiving others!  We need to let go of our own suffering. I understand the Scripture better now that we are made "perfect through sufferings." Hebrews 2:10. The power of forgiving others for the pain they have caused you is a wonderful healer. We learn to forgive those that have hurt us just like Jesus did. 

My Own Story of Bitterness

     For me, I had bitterness in my heart against my father and others. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that I needed to apologize to my father for the way I had responded to his neglect and lack of apparent love for me. I always wanted him to apologize to me first, because he had never called me once in 35 years and asked how I was doing or to tell me that he loved me. But God told me that I was to apologize to my father, not vice-versa, for my negative attitude to him, and that I had not responded in a Christlike way. Let me tell you that I learned a powerful truth in doing so and that was this: "By love is love awakened." When I forgave my father, he started to cry and said: "I should be apologizing to you." He was a good man and really did love me, but never learned how to express it.

     The last years of his life were our best. He kissed me and told me he loved me every time I went to see him before his death a few months after my mother had died. I realized that he had never heard the words I longed for from his father. I learned my dad was sharing my achievements with his friends, and was telling everyone about my accomplishments and how proud he was of me, but me. 

     In addition to the loss of both my parents, I went through another huge trial a few months later. With the help of John Regier from Biblical Concepts in Counseling in Colorado Springs and a victory prayer he gave me, I gained the victory over my negative emotions of bitterness and anger. I also learned how to forgive everyone who had hurt me. In my workbook from Regier called Biblical Concepts Counseling Workbook, I wrote the names of everyone I could remember that had hurt me, how they hurt me, and the emotional pain I felt from their actions. I would review the list twice a day and pray the victory prayer each time. John Regier assured me that the pain would eventually leave, and I would find peace by forgiving them for the emotional pain they had caused me. On day 45 of the exercise, the pain finally lifted and I was set free for the first time in 50 years. 

The Victory Prayer

      Here is the actual prayer that I prayed twice a day for 45 days:  "Lord,  I choose to forgive ________ for __________ causing me to feel ________. Lord, I am willing to pay for the emotional pain and consequences that ________ has caused me. I ask you, Lord Jesus, to take back the ground that I gave to the enemy through bitterness and I yield that ground to your control. 

     Now let me ask you, "Have you forgiven those that have hurt you?  Are you harboring any bitterness or anger?  How do you feel about yourself right now?  Do you have any self-bitterness or self-hatred in your  heart?  Have you forgiven yourself?" Don't delay. To forgive others who have hurt you may seem hard, but I can assure you that you will be the one who receives the blessing and the healing you may be longing for. May God bless you as you strive to be more Christlike. In going to the person who has hurt you and forgiving them for their actions and the emotional pain they have caused you may be the witness they need to see Christ in you and ultimately find the way of salvation. "Courage, hope, faith, sympathy, love, promote health and prolong life. A contented mind, a cheerful spirit, is health to the body and strength to the soul. Gratitude, rejoicing, benevolence, trust in God's love and care -- these are health's greatest safeguard.  ML 151, p. 5. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:44, 45. 

Your servant in Christ,

Danny Vierra

Modern Manna

BellaVita Lifestyle Center