When I was a young teen in the late 80’s, I found an old book in my grandparents’ storage. It was called, “As a Man Thinketh in His Heart, So Is He,” by James Allen. It was the first time I remember my mind being exposed to the idea that our thought-life has much to do with our physical wellbeing. A statement from that book that stood out to me was…

“Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts and cultivating toward perfection and flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts.”  ~ James Allen

Although I kept the book for years, I wish I had been more attentive to the content at that early time in my life.

The truth is, we can put all sorts of wonderful organic, nutritious, whole-foods in our bodies, and do yearly or even monthly cleanses to purge ourselves of many impurities (and this is all very good), but what we put in our minds is there to stay. The things we dwell on affect us more than we think. Science is showing this to be absolutely true.

• “All illness comes from lack of energy, and the greatest energy drainer is mental and emotional stress, which I believe to be the root cause of all illness.” ~ Dr. Leonard Coldwell
• “75% to 95% of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about affects us physically and emotionally. It’s an epidemic of toxic emotions.” ~ Dr. Caroline Leaf (communication pathologist and clinical neuroscientist specializing in psychoneurobiology)
• “75% to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians result from stress-related disorders.” ~ Dr. Paul Rosch M.D. (President of the American Institute of Stress)

Sickness of the mind prevails everywhere! No doubt, dis-ease is many times the result of our minds allowed to run wild.

“Man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weeds-seeds will fall therein and will continue to produce their kind.” ~ James Allen

I won’t sugar-coat it. It takes a lot of intentional discipline to re-train the mind, but it is possible!!! Our brains are malleable! And if you haven’t seen a faster turn-around in your health, this may be an area that you are neglecting. Working on this area has made an amazing difference in many lives. Here are a few things that can make a huge difference in your health…

• On an index card, make a list of 3-5 meaningful things you are grateful for. Do this every day. Take this list wherever you go and take a moment to read it throughout the day. Not just when you are feeling low. This is important. Even reading it out loud when you are able; putting emotion into your voice and letting it really sink in. For an extra boost, add a positive, inspiring quote/biblical passage/etc. that impacts you. Lay it by your bedside when you go to bed and if you wake in the night with ruminating thoughts, take it and read it several times. A grateful heart will do more to promote healing than anything else!
• Binding negative thoughts with their counterpart. For example: when you catch yourself worrying, stop and choose to trust. You can say something like: “Worry is blind and cannot discern the future.” Make up your mind to bind the thoughts that are taking your life.
• Silently stepping away from toxic conversations or politely changing the conversation if you are able.
• Strength training. Crossfit is excellent! It does wonders for the mind!
• Fasting one day a week (check out The Miracle Of Fasting by the Bragg Family) (paste amazon link here).
• Focusing on others and their needs.

To get more out of everything in life, more out of everything that you EAT, a grateful attitude is key. Your body will get more out of the food that you eat, and your digestion will be better. So, the only thing that can make Simple Kneads better, is a happier you! It’s an experiential reality.

Sandy K Workman
SK Director of Brand Development