The United States has 5% of the world’s population yet consumes 75% of the world’s prescription drugs. Researchers are perplexed by recent studies that have placebos performing very well compared to new and experimental pharmaceuticals. Meanwhile the emerging science of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is telling us that we have untold powers to heal ourselves. It is becoming increasingly imperative that we explore health and well-being beyond taking pills.
If the placebo effect continues on its current trajectory, American pharmaceutical companies may find it increasingly difficult to get consumers to buy new drugs.” -Carolyn Gregoire, Huffington Post
The ‘Sugar Pill’ is Working!
For some reason the placebo effect is exploding in the United States but nowhere else. Carolyn Gregoire put a spotlight on this finding in, Placebo Effect Puzzle Has Scientists Scratching Their Heads.
“The analysis revealed that in U.S. trials conducted in 1993, pain medications were rated to be an average of 27% more effective than placebo pills. In the 2013 trials, however, the pain medication was only 9 percent more effective than the placebo. The difference wasn’t attributed to decreased effectiveness of the medication, but instead to a greater response to the placebo. In other words, the sugar pill has become nearly as effective as medication in alleviating pain.” – Carolyn Gregoire in Placebo Effect Puzzle Has Scientists Scratching Their Heads.
The above study focused on pain-killers but similar results have been observed for antidepressants. More than one in five Americans take mental health drugs. Likewise the number of people seeking alternatives and preventative measures continues to grow.
Although placebo may not be a viable treatment option, there are other treatments that on average work as well as antidepressants, [such as] physical exercise and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. As far as we know, these alternatives don’t make people worse. – Irving Kirsch, Time Magazine
Lifestyle and Health
Today people have begun seeking alternatives to the traditional pharmaceutical approach to health, turning instead to lifestyle changes. This shift reflects a growing awareness that true health extends beyond treating symptoms to addressing the root causes of illness.
Health is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, mental attitude, yoga, and meditation—are increasingly recognized as essential elements of a balanced, healthy life. These practices not only improve physical health but also promote mental clarity, emotional stability, and a deeper connection to oneself.
Yoga and meditation are becoming popular for their ability to reduce stress, improve flexibility, and enhance overall mental well-being. By combining physical movement with mindful breathing we foster strength and balance in both body and mind.
Meditation, on the other hand, trains the brain to focus. This helps reduce overwhelm, anxiety, while cultivating a sense of inner peace. Studies have shown that regular yoga and meditation have numerous positive affects on health including:
- Lower cortisol levels
- Improve immune system
- Rewire neural pathways
- Prevention and management of chronic conditions like hypertension, anxiety, and depression.
- Elevated mood
- Stronger connection between mind, body and spirit
A positive mental attitude is a critical component of a healthy lifestyle. Optimism and gratitude have been linked to lower levels of stress and inflammation. Happy people with low levels of stress generally have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Activities like social bonding, laughter, playing, dancing and making art are great for our health. Best of all they are inexpensive and don’t need a prescription!
Diet and exercise are also at the foundation of a holistic approach to wellness. A nutrient-dense diet rich in organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins will make a huge difference. Quality food fuels the body allowing it to function optimally.
Meanwhile regular physical activity strengthens the heart, muscles, and immune system. Exercise also stimulates the release of endorphins, natural mood elevators that combat stress and depression. These lifestyle elements create a synergistic effect. Incorporating them into your life will allow you to take an active role in your health. In doing so you will reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals.
Tuning Into Trauma
All of this points to the innate ability our bodies have to self-regulate, seek balance (homeostasis), and heal. We should be eager to listen to our bodies when they speak to us through symptoms. Yet we usually do the exact opposite by numbing the pain or ignoring what we feel.
Peter Levine is author of Waking the Tiger. He is also an expert in trauma resolution and a lead voice in field of Somatic Experiencing. This modality encourages us to tune in to our bodies as well as our emotions to reclaim our health.
Through hundreds of hours of client sessions, Levine began to witness how clients’ bodies told their stories of trauma. Even if the clients had no conscious memories of the traumatic event. Once Levine guided them into the sensations within their trauma, the body then took over and finished what was unprocessed. This work allows clients to experienced increased body awareness. This stronger connection to self and shift in deep-seated patterns, allows for a more regulated nervous system.
Why do humans need to be guided at all? The biggest obstacle is how inattentive and unfamiliar we are with our physical sensations. Our big, sophisticated brains constantly out-think and override our bodily needs. We are trained to ignore signs of hunger, pain, discomfort, injury, danger, as well as pleasure, saturation, and fulfillment. What’s astonishing is how forgiving and responsive the body is. As soon as we tune into it, shifts begin to happen. – Peter Levine
Prescription of the Future
The mind, our beliefs, emotions, and lifestyle play a much larger role in our well-being than we recognize. Researchers are wondering how to avoid the dreaded monkey-wrench of the placebo effect in testing new drugs. Meanwhile people are recognizing that health doesn’t always start with a call to the doctor or a new prescription.
By learning the bodymind language of symptoms and illness you can learn what is being repressed or ignored in your psyche and emotions and the affect this is having on your physical body. – Deb Shapiro, author of Your Body Speaks Your Mind
Popular books like Your Body Speaks Your Mind are good indicators that a new paradigm in health is upon us. Science needs to continue exploring the benefits of a lifestyle. A balanced and holistic approach is a prescription for wellbeing.
Keep your doctors number close by but also take the power of your health into your own hands. Your body will thank you for listening to it. Your emotional blockages will release freely when they feel welcomed and your quality of life will increase. Placebos may not be the miracle cure but they are showing us that we already have untold powers for self-healing.
