Let me tell you about the one factor that causes or worsens some 95 percent of all illnesses.

It’s something that, once you get it under control, is more important than cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and any other risk factor in determining whether you will live a long and healthy life.

What is this crucial key to UltraWellness?

It is your attitude, social network, community, and spiritual beliefs.

In fact, one of the biggest predictors of longevity is psychological resiliency -- being able to roll with the punches life throws at you.

It’s true.

The most powerful pharmacy in the world is right between your ears.

Here’s an example.

One of my long-term patients came to see my after his wife died.  He had suddenly developed heart failure.

What had caused this?

Well, his heart was flooded with grief molecules -- hormones like adrenalin, noradrenalin, cortisol, and more.

This is an actual phenomenon.

In fact, the New England Journal of Medicine recently published a study about how grief or emotional trauma can cause heart failure -- literally, a broken heart!

So rather than give my patient drugs for “heart failure” as I was taught, I suggested he receive healing touch, a form of energy and emotional healing.

The result?

He recovered dramatically.  Touch, not medication, healed his heart.

But life is stressful, right?

What can you really do about it?

The answer is, a lot.

You can change your beliefs and attitudes and their effects on your mind and your body.

You may need to learn a few new skills -- essential survival skills that you probably never learned in school or from your family.

But the fact is, you cannot thrive without them!

And that’s not all.

Your mind and brain function are also influenced by what happens in your body.

By addressing all the keys to UltraWellness, so-called “mental” problems can often be cured -- without changing your beliefs.

You see, the effects of beliefs and attitudes are so important, but the effects of your nutritional status, environmental inputs, and problems in your core body systems on your mental state and brain function -- such as your hormones, immune system, gut, detox system, and energy system -- are just as important.

So, take advantage of the mind/body connection.

First, you need to address the causes of problems in the mind by working on all the keys to UltraWellness.

Then you need to learn how to actively relax and exercise.

Plus, you should clean up your diet and supplement it with the vitamins, minerals, and herbs it needs to adapt to stress.

And don’t underestimate the value of your friends, family, and community.  They are your most powerful allies in achieving long-term health.

Give this advice a try and see how a healthier mind affects your body -- and how a healthier body affects your mind.

To your good health,
Mark Hyman, M.D.