Like Bernie Siegel M.D., Candace Pert Ph.D. is a medical professional who has gone against the grain of traditional science to explore – and ultimately prove – the connection between the mind and the body. Dedicating her life to researching the molecular interconnectedness between our brains and the rest of our body, Ms. Pert is widely respected for her meticulous research and uncovering the truth.
In her book, “Molecules of Emotion,” Ms. Pert has proved that the body is not a mindless machine; the body and mind are one. According to Deepak Chopra:
“Candace provides us with a vivid scientific picture of these truths. She shows us that our biochemical messengers act with intelligence by communicating information, orchestrating a vast complex of conscious and unconscious activities at any one moment. There is a revolution taking form that is significantly influencing how the Western medical community views health and disease.“
The book reads like a detective novel, following Candace through every turn during her career and the challenges she overcame. It starts off with a very good description of the basic biology of these “molecules of emotion,” demonstrating that the surface of each molecule has a series of receptor sites that accept proteins, or methods of communication – and, like a key that fits squarely in lock, opens the door and changes the cell. Happening both within the body and brain, our cells are constantly talking to each other back and forth, and our feelings and emotions literally leave physical imprints of this detailed and complex inner communication.
Pert believes that the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems are interlocked in a body-wide system where each part can communicate with every other part. This concept challenges the prevailing idea that the mind has power over the body. Instead, according to Pert, bodily emotions are the key. “Emotions are the nexus between mind and matter, going back and forth between the two and influencing both.”
She spends the majority of the latter part of the book explaining how we can proactively use this information for the sake of our own health. It is Candace’s position that letting ourselves express our emotions – both positive and negative – is tantamount to health. Thoughts have energy that literally change our bodies.
Dr. Candace Pert is an internationally recognized pharmacologist who has published over 250 scientific articles on peptides and their receptors and the role of these neuropeptides in the immune system. Dr. Candace Pert received her Ph.D. in pharmacology from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, served as Chief of the Section on Brain Biochemistry of the Clinical Neuroscience Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), held a Research Professorship in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and is currently the Scientific Director of RAPID Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
If not obvious throughout the post, I highly suggest to pick up this book and educate yourself regarding your own body. Knowledge is power!
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