When Nicolae Ceaușescu came to power, in the mid-nineteen-sixties, Romania saw the proliferation of leagăne—literally, “cradles,” otherwise known as institutional homes for the very young. Ceaușescu wanted to increase Romania’s industrial output, and he thought that...
In this TEDtalk, Lissa Rankin explores the spiritual and scientific implications that the placebo effect has over us. She discusses how our thoughts powerfully affect our physiology when we believe we can get well. The placebo effect is concrete evidence that the body...
Pain is all in your head. But that doesn’t mean it’s not real. We feel pain because our brains tell us to. Sometimes it’s in our best interest – a warning meant to keep us from injuring ourselves further. Other times, as in the case of chronic pain, it doesn’t seem to...
By Ted Swing, Ph.D. Chronic pain can affect people’s lives in many ways. They may stop doing the activities they used to love, spend less time with their friends and family, and experience negative feelings. Unfortunately, these changes can become self-defeating as...
Integrative medicine represents a transformative shift in how we relate to health and illness. The practice of integrative medicine dictates that doctors move away from the traditional approach of addressing illness as one isolated issue, instead looking at the...
Just in time for Halloween. Here is a physiological look into how our bodies respond to a threat such as getting spooked, when we feel frightened, or experiencing a highly stressful situation, etc.
