Okay, so you made the decision to improve your health. Youre taking your vitamins, youve given up smoking and junk food, and youve decided to buy a juicer to take advantage of the health benefits of juicing. All good things. And, according to the latest studies, all things that may help in cancer treatment and prevention, as well as the treatment and prevention of a host of other ailments, including heart disease, asthma, allergies and high blood pressure. But, dont overlook one important element in helping your body stay healthy.

Your mind.

Thats right, your mind. Its called the Mind/Body connection. In a nutshell, what you believe in your mind can influence things in your body.

Its known that anxiety can make any illness worse. Anxiety can make pain feel worse, lower defenses that allow a cold virus to take hold, and can aid in raising your blood pressure. Sometimes the simple act of relaxing can do wonders for your health. Thats all part of the mind/body connection.

Youve heard of the placebo effect havent you? Thats when you get better thinking youre taking a certain medication, only to find out you were really taking a sugar pill. In almost all studies of medications, theres a certain percentage of people who improve taking the placebo. Why? Because they thought they were taking the real thing. They expected to feel better and they did.

Now, am I saying you can conquer any illness just by thinking yourself healthy? No. And, if you have any symptoms that concern you, you should see a health-care professional. But, using the power of positive thinking, belief and relaxation techniques in conjunction with healthy eating and modern medicine can certainly help with the treatment of any disease. It can lower anxiety, which can help improve any anxiety-related illness. It can ease nausea in cancer patients, which can help with certain procedures. It can lessen the effects of pain.

One way to increase positive belief is with hypnosis or self-hypnosis. Hypnosis allows you to get to that deep state of relaxation where you bypass the critical beta mind. Once in a relaxed trance state its good to imagine or visualize your body as perfectly healthy, and repeat positive affirmations to yourself about your body being in perfect health.

How does one get into a trance state? One way, of course, is to see a hypnotherapist who will use techniques to hypnotize you. Another way is to hypnotize yourself using self-hypnosis. The simple version is this: Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and begin actively imagining your body relaxing. Take several deep breathes, breathing in relaxation and exhaling any tensions. Start with your feet and imagine them as deeply relaxed. Work your way up your body, imagining that every breath you take brings the relaxation up into the rest of your body. Take your time. Its not a race. When youre through actively imaging your body relaxed, take yourself even deeper and imagine yourself going down an elevator, or a staircase, imagining every step down youre getting even deeper. I use a staircase of 21 stairs and count down. You can use any number you like. When youve reached 0 tell yourself youre in deep sleep, and tell yourself that every time you go down the staircase in your mind you will be deeply relaxed. At this point you imagine your body as healthy, while repeating your affirmations to yourself. Then, when youre through, just count yourself up and out from 0 to five, telling yourself to open your eyes, and that youre wide awake and alert.

Your self-hypnosis session neednt be long - 5 or 10 minutes will do. But, practiced daily will certainly help in relieving tensions and anxiety that can weaken your health.

And, remember, dont throw away the juicer or the vitamins. Juicers and vitamins and walking and eating healthy, as well as regular medical checkups, are all part of staying healthy. Remember, its called the mind/body connection.