Re: No apologies necessary

As all of you seem to acknowledge, there is a definite and now scientifically validated link between emotional states and immune system efficacy. That said, I think this overemphasis on the role of emotions in health is rooted in fear. People like to think that whatever health maladies that could befall them can be prevented in some way, be it through good diet, exercise, and most recently, the healthy and balanced emotional state. I noticed this phenomenon most recently at work. A colleague at work died recently (she was 57) and it is interesting to listen to everyone around her age looking for reasons as to why she got cancer (ie-she used too many pain medications, she's always had health problems, she was overweight, she did not express her emotions adequately, etc.) Upon listening to them, I realized that they weren't trying to convince me that these were the likely causes, they were really trying to convince themselves to alleviate their own anxiety. (Obviously, I just listened and kept my mouth shut). We as humans like to think we have more control and power over our life circumstances than we do. Like the previous poster pointed out, animals as basic as frogs get nasty fungal infections that are probably not related to their emotional baggage. Infants born with childhood diseases are another example. Sometimes things just happen and the cause lies outside of ourselves. That is life and it is our job to accept reality as it is-leading us again to that sought after balanced and healthy emotional state.
Queta