Have you ever had the sniffles and grumbled to yourself “I’m about to get a cold!” Sure enough the next day, your sniffles have turned into a full-fledged runny nose, fever, cough and chill. Well it’s not your imagination; new research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is showing that our minds may have the ability to concede to of fend off illness. Positive thoughts and strong social networks have been shown to increase immune functioning and decrease illness. Just as important to note is that while the positive emotions can be a real boon for our physical health, perpetual negative thoughts and a glum outlook can make us more susceptible to illness and other negative health outcomes.
 
Of course we will all have the occasional crummy day, or have trouble bouncing back from bad news, but trying to forge a positive and optimistic outlook for the long haul can help improve your quality of life and health. It is important to keep in mind that this topic of PNI is only one piece of our total health. Exercise, lifestyle change, diet and mental and spiritual health are all extremely important contributors to fending off disease, but PNI is a new and exciting field that we should all consider when looking at our total health.