Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Think Yourself Healthy

woman-showing-muscle

Hot mind-body trick

From Health magazine
Your powers of make-believe can help you control cravings, get motivated to work out, and even improve your vision, according to several recent studies.

"If you imagine an experience, the brain stimulates itself in the same way as if you were doing it," says Joachim Vosgerau, co-director of the Center for Behavioral Decision Research at Carnegie Mellon University. Try these techniques to harness your mind’s superpowers. 

 business-woman-daydreaming

To curb cravings

Distract yourself

In one study, volunteers were able to reduce food hankerings by imagining a rainbow or the smell of eucalyptus.


woman-and-trainer

To get to the gym

Envision your workout

Taking a few minutes to conjure up what your sweat session will feel like (pounding heart and all) may make you more likely to get off the couch. 


tall-woman-standing

To boost confidence

Stand like a rock star

Researchers found that striking a confident stance actually stimulates a hormonal response that can make you feel more self-assured in minutes. 

woman-adjusting-glasses

To improve your eyesight

Pretend you’ve got 20/20 vision

Study participants who took on roles associated with perfect eyesight, such as a pilot, showed marked improvement in vision tests compared to those who didn’t.

Who knew pretending could be so powerful?