"Do you love yourself?" Cathy was startled. The question was directed at her. That it came from the physician who, only two weeks earlier had told her that she had terminal cancer was what made it unusual.

Defiantly, she sat in a chair facing his desk, smoke coming from the cigarette that dangled from her fingers. Her eyes dropped as she thought about what he had asked her. She look up at him now, the cigarette forgotten.

"Yes I do," she replied, " I just don't like myself." "Is there any particular reason that you don't like yourself?" was the next question. It was the one that caused Cathy to break down and cry.

Scientific studies have shown that once we are capable of expressing love for ourselves, the ability to love life enables us to improve the quality of that life, thereby cutting down on sickness and disease. These same studies show that by not being able to acknowledge rage, hatred or resentment, what we may harbor inside of us can and will depress our immune response which is needed to fight against sickness or disease.

Cathy came to realize and to understand that love is more potent than any medication. With the help of a patient doctor and understanding family members, her cancer went into remission. She learned that when some measure of hope is instilled by a doctor, nurse or anyone else sometimes healing begins immediately.

Lest we misunderstand, healing can take many forms, instant as in a miracle or administered over a time thru the proper medications prescribed by your doctor. The knowledge that doctors and scientists have come to be in possession of comes from the same source as your miracles.

In a study of people living near Three Mile Island, Dr. Andrew Baum found that those who acknowledged their rage and fear suffered far less stress and psychological problems than those who took a "rational" approach.

The vital link that biblical scholars have long recognized between the mind and the body is finally being recognized by scientists from around the world.

In our childhood, we were taught to control our emotions and rightly so, for temperance is stressed biblically. But, the way we have been controlling is not always healthy for our bodies. To deny the feelings is to bottle them up. Getting rid of them can clear the way for us to reach out and show our love. Like a boomerang it will return to you. A hug, a kiss or even a smile can be a powerful antidote for sickness.

'Love conquers all', a catchy phrase that I'm sure we all have heard at one time or another in our lives, but did we ever know the meaning behind it? Like it or not, whether we love ourselves or not is clearly evidenced in the type of food we eat, whether we get enough sleep, smoke, exercise or even buckle up our seat belt. It is our way of consciously stating that I love this body and I will do what I can to take care of it.

Anger, rage, hatred, resentment must first be let go before we can experience any kind of healing. How do we do that?

Men get sick soon after losing a job or retiring, because they had traditionally identified more strongly with their work than women have. Many people don't make full use of their force until a near fatal illness goads them into a "change of mind." The mind's power is available to us all the time and it has more room to maneuver before disaster strikes.

The ability to love oneself, combined with the ability to love life, fully accepting that it won't last forever, enables one to improve the quality of life. Men are generally able to express anger better while women tend to hold it in. Anger, resentment, hatred and fear should not be held in, find some way of getting it out of your system.

Biblically speaking, by walking in the love of God, your feelings won't get hurt. These emotions are signs that we care when our lives are threatened. But, we must not allow these emotions to take control, that is where self-control comes in.

By acknowledging the fact that we have these emotions is the first step. Self-control is what we must practice while we are weeding them out of our lives. And yes, sometimes it is a process before we can say with certainty that, we are in control of our lives. Who is the we? That inner man that lives on the inside of us. Your conscience.

Scientifically it has been established, according to Dr. Bernie Siegall, founder of ECAP, that if we love enough it acts as a catalyst against disease and sickness.

Biblically, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap. If you sow seeds of love, in time you will see the fruits of it. So, while you are waiting to see the fruits, continue to sow. To love means letting go of resentment, fears, suspicion, mistrust and hate. Only then will the door open for the goodness of love to come in. Sickness and disease come about mostly from fear. Fear of poverty, not enough love.

Yes, we do all want to be loved, preferably by a mate. The average person will say, "I just want to be loved. I want to build a relationship with someone with whom I can share my life, someone who understands me. Someone to be close to, to confide in, to reveal myself to without fear of being hurt". The nature of the human mind is such that it demands a relationship with other human minds and we want to be happy.

Improving our quality of life involves some physical work also. Changing our lifestyles, diets and oftentimes our relationships all must be undertaken. This is when you are required to come before whatever higher power that you believe in and after being assured that you are acting in accordance with that divine power, combating the problem with a positive frame of mind. At these times the improvement is slow and gradual, but it will come.

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About the Author
Ruby Boyd is the owner of www.a1-natural-health- and-beauty.com/a Natural Health and Beauty, website that offers information on how to achieve health and beauty fitness goals naturally.