The Science of Mindset with Dr. Josh Axe
We could talk about SO MUCH but I wanted to have Dr. Josh Axe on Midlife Conversations today to talk about the theme of his new book, Think This Not That, because it ties into everything I teach about mindset. Listen – mindset is THE missing link to success in life. I have worked with over 250,000 women in transforming their lives, body, and minds and it all comes down to Decision, Vision (the mindset piece), and Action. The gap in what is missing from what we have NOW and getting where we WANT to be, is our mindset and our beliefs around what is possible for us. If you ask anyone that has had a transformation working with me, the common denominator will be that they DECIDED and got VERY clear on what it is they want for themselves – and believed that they could!
About a year and a half ago Dr. Josh Axe had an injury that led to a spinal infection that prevented him from walking for a year. He was told he could be permanently disabled. However, he was able to fully regain his health using a combo of therapies and mindset medicine. In addition to healing himself, he has also recognized that his patients healed better when they had the right mindset! His new book,Think This Not That, really hits this nail on the head and he was a perfect fit to dive deeper on overcoming limiting beliefs.
The Placebo Effect in Healing
The placebo effect in simple terms is essentially something working to your benefit because you think it will…not because it is proven to or designed to… but because you believe it will do something. A really popular example of this that actually kicked off the following double blind placebo clinical studies was during WWII. During WWII there was actually a really popular phenomenon that took place in regard to pain management where soldiers were losing their limbs, in excruciating amounts of pain…but the physician ran out of morphine to give them! Instead, he gave them sugar pills (also known as placebos) that clearly didn’t have any physical or chemical pain relieving properties BUT because the soldiers believed they were getting pain killers, around 30-40% of the soldiers getting those sugar pills has the exact same level of pain reduction as those getting the morphine!
If you BELIEVE you are going to heal, your brain starts using neuroplasticity in order to heal itself. Because the placebo effect is SO powerful, it’s really really important that you have it working FOR you – not against you! It’s SO important to have your mindset right.
The Nocebo Effect in Healing
The opposite of the placebo effect is the nocebo effect. The nocebo effect is where a negative outcome occurs due to a belief that it is so. There was a man who was diagnosed with liver cancer and was told he had three months to live. He died around three months later. However, in the autopsy, it was discovered that he actually did NOT have liver cancer, they had misdiagnosed him, and it was a benign tumor – he could have lived another 30-40 years!
This is yet another example of why and how the BELIEF in your reality is SO important!
How to Amplify the Placebo Effect in Healing
- Get a very clear picture of where it is you WANT to be
- Tie an emotion to that vision that is positive. When you see it, feel excited/happy/etc.
- Have a plan and believe you CAN. Take the time to make a plan of what you are going to do to get to your vision
This and SO MUCH more on this episode!
I highly recommend checking out Dr. Axe’s new book, Think This Not That, HERE. You can currently score a free gift with your order!
About Dr. Josh Axe
Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS, is a doctor of chiropractic, certified doctor of natural medicine and clinical nutritionist with a passion to help people eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. In 2008, he started a functional medicine center in Nashville, which grew to become one of the most renowned clinics in the world.
Dr. Axe founded the website DrAxe.com, which is one the top natural health websites in the world today. Its main topics include nutrition, natural medicine, fitness, healthy recipes, home DIY remedies and trending health news. His website includes a group of credentialed editors, writers and a Medical Review Board.
He has also been a resource for many professional athletes. In 2009, he began working with the Wellness Advisory Council and Professional Swim Teams. He worked with professional swimmers, providing nutritional advice and performing musculoskeletal work on the athletes to increase their performance. He also traveled to the 2012 Games in London to work with USA athletes.
In this episode, you will learn:
- The importance of mindset in healing
- What is the placebo and Nocebo effect?
- Discussion on ADHD and learning ‘disabilities’
- Impact of both Positive and Negative Beliefs
