Andrew Cort, D.C.

Some thoughts for a Happy, Healthy, Wonderful New Year. After many years as a health provider (and plenty of issues of my own), I’ve learned that (1) the real ‘healer’ is You (and you must never give that power away if you want to heal), and (2) the possibility of improved health and well-being is always there the big issue turns out to be how we block it: through tension, stress, fear, worry, and all that physical and emotional negativity. Anything works better medicinal... drugs, herbs, acupuncture, Anything if we relax and Let it. I’m also endlessly astonished when I hear someone ridicule the Placebo Effect: when actually, this power of the human mind and imagination to affect the material world, is arguably the most powerful force in the universe. Anyway, I would recommend these things: (1) every day, find a few minutes to sit or lie down quietly and go consciously through your body letting every single muscle Relax - and imagine in your mind’s eye that once you are totally relaxed, healing light pours into your body (the body doesn’t respond to verbal commands like Heal!, but it Does respond to positive Emotions and Vivid Imagery salespeople and athletes have long known this). (2) Try to let go of the anger, fear, and frustration a little each day, as best you can it won’t just stop and that’s OK, but just try to find some slightly more soothing and positive thoughts, and just try to move in a more positive direction in your mind, even for just a few moments, even just a tiny bit (every little bit helps, and small changes - like changing the direction of an ocean liner by just a degree - can lead to huge differences before you know it). (3) Seek out friends or movies or shows that make you laugh uproariously as often as you can. (4) Do this exercise daily: sitting quietly, watch your breathing, slow and easy, and imagine in your mind’s eye that you are breathing in and out through your heart filling the heart, emptying the heart, re-filling the heart, etc. Then, while continuing this heart breathing, go into your memories and find a moment, person, time or event (it could be from years ago or could be this morning), when you were really, really Happy. As you continue to breathe through your heart, try to let yourself FEEL that joyful emotion once again. Don’t just think about it, really FEEL it. Let yourself Bask in it. (5) Finally, try to take to heart these words from the famous Oncologist, Dr. Bernie Siegel: I am convinced that unconditional love is the most powerful known stimulant of the immune system. If I told patients to raise their blood levels of immune globulins or killer T cells, no one would know how. But if I can teach them to love themselves and others fully, the same changes occur automatically. The truth is: Love heals. See more