Can You Mind-Over-Matter Illness?

How to Strengthen Your Mind and Body Before Illness Strikes

The only true cure for anything is prevention. If you want to feel your best, you don’t wait until you’re unwell, you start supporting your health now. The habits you build today can shape how well you handle tomorrow.

When it comes to staying healthy, mindset is just as important as movement and nutrition. Here are simple and powerful ways to strengthen your resilience from the inside out.

Why Mindset Matters More Than You Think

Your thoughts have a direct impact on your body’s chemistry. The stories you repeat in your head become the reality you experience. If you’re constantly focused on fear, worry, or stress, that will influence your physical health.

Try this experiment: go a full day without reading any headlines or news notifications. Then reflect: did anything important happen that you actually needed to know in real time? Probably not. Now try going two days. You may notice a surprising drop in:

• anxiety

• distraction

• negative thinking

Another part of mindset is how you talk to yourself about your daily responsibilities. Think about something on your to-do list today. First, frame it as something you HAVE to do. Notice how that feels. Now reframe it as something you GET to do. For example: “I get to walk the dog today. I’ll get some movement, fresh air, and endorphins. And I’ll be doing something kind for my pet.”

This simple shift boosts your mood and helps prepare you to face challenges with calm and clarity. Practice it regularly so that when life gets messy, you’re already equipped with mental resilience.

Support Your Immune System with Movement

The body was designed to move and when you move, your immune system functions better.

1. Start with Chiropractic Care

When spinal joints aren’t moving well (a condition called subluxation), the nerves that exit those joints can become irritated. This affects how well the corresponding organ, muscle, or tissue functions. Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper joint movement, which supports the nervous system and improves your body’s ability to regulate itself, including your immune function.

2. Then Add Gentle Exercise

You don’t need to be a marathon runner to get started. Movement is medicine, even in small doses.

1. Can you do one kneeling push-up? Great; do it a few times a day.

2. Can you go for a walk? Even better. Go outside and walk at a steady pace, then increase the intensity over time.

Moving outdoors is especially beneficial because your brain responds to the experience of moving forward through space. As you walk and objects pass by in your peripheral vision, your nervous system receives signals that help activate a calmer, more restorative state. This is known as parasympathetic stimulation.

This calming effect improves your stress response and helps your immune system function more efficiently.

Build a Biochemical Foundation for Resilience

Nutrition plays a huge role in preparing your body to handle illness when it arises. Waiting until you feel sick is too late. Instead, build up your defence by supporting your body before you need to rely on it.

Focus on:

• Whole, nutrient-dense foods

• Antioxidants from colorful vegetables and fruits

• Adequate hydration

• Strategic supplementation (ask your chiropractor about options like zinc, vitamin D, and magnesium)

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Small, consistent efforts create a body that’s better prepared for anything. It’s not about avoiding every bug or symptom. It’s about giving your body the resources it needs to recover quickly and effectively.

Get Help If You Don't Know Where To Start

There’s no better time than now to prioritize your health—mentally, physically, and nutritionally. When you build strong habits today, you won’t need to panic tomorrow. Your body is designed to thrive. Support yourself with a team or partner who looks at your health holistically. Dr. Ariel Thorpe, DC, is an expat chiropractor who works with foreigners and locals in Tokyo to help them get out of pain and sickness and create sustainable change. Questions? Contact us directly or book a free online consultation here.