Heal Yourself!

Beverly A. Potter, Ph.D.,is an author of numerous self-help books on self motivating, maverick career strategies, mediating conflict, health issues including Overcoming Job Burnout and The Worrywarts Companion. Docpotter earned her doctorate in counseling psychology from Stanford University and her masters in vocational rehabilitation counseling from San Francisco State University. Her offices are in Oakland, CA.Mark J. Estren, Ph.D., is a nationally known science and medical journalist. A contributor to The Washington Post, he lives in Ft Myers, FL.

Why should many people given sugar pills in medical studies do just as well as those given the medicines that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to develop? It happens all the time. The answer is the "Placebo Effect," which has also been called "Remembered Wellness." The body naturally moves towards wellness to correct what is out of balance -- with or without outside intervention. The reverse of this process also occurs: when we believe something bad will happen, it tends to manifest. This "Nocebo" effect can cause someone to believe they've been hexed by a witch and explains why many elderly people die within a few months of losing a long-term partner. Researchers believe that the stress response creates an environment that promotes physiological breakdown, while the relaxation response creates a healing environment. "Heal Yourself Without Drugs" shows how to tap into this mysterious self-healing process to get well and stay well by harnessing the body's natural healing power--the body's memory of wellness. More importantly, "Heal Yourself Without Drugs" offers specific things readers can do today to turn on the body's innate healing mechanisms.

IntroductionPart I1. Introduction: What Is Healing?2. The Power of Placebo3. Beliefs Rule4. Desire To Be Well5. Your Doctor's Attitude6. Your Amazing Brain7. Community of Cells8. How We Stress OurselvesPart II9. Relax10. Breathe11. Meditate12. See Yourself Being Well13. The Healing Power of Dreams14. Sleep Rejuvenates15. Pray16. Forgive17. Appreciate18. Look on the Bright Side19. Laugh Often20 Build Support21. Flow With Music22. Take a Sauna23. Tapping24. Qi Gong