There is no doubt that attitude can affect health.  Study after study has shown that optimistic people are not only happier, but healthier.

Positive thinking and a positive attitude may indeed have power. The belief has long been conjecture, but in recent years scientists studying the mind-body connection are finding that an optimistic outlook can improve more than just mental health. There is a science that is beginning to emerge that says a positive attitude isn’t just a state of mind. It also points to linkages on what’s going on in the brain and in the body.

Research has shown that individuals with higher levels of well-being have lower cardiovascular risk, lower levels of stress hormones and low levels of inflammation, which serves as a marker of the immune system.

It is clear that stressful situations produce abnormal changes in the immune system. It has also been clearly documented that chronic stress and psychological stress can impede wounds from healing, may impair the effectiveness of vaccines, and can weaken the immune system of caregivers.

Mind-body medicine is now scientifically proven and there are thousands of articles on how the mind and brain affect the body. When a person can focus on something other than illness, it allows the body to take advantage of our own healing capacity.