WASHINGTON: The relationship between our minds and health has become the subject of research and science; as many believe this connection will help maximize your body’s disease-fighting powers which can help you live longer.

During Ramadan, or any time, you may feel like the stress in your life is out of your control, but one thing you can control is — the way you respond. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems.

It makes sense that emotions affect our health. When we feel good, or bad, it starts a chain reaction in our body that sparks physical responses in the central nervous system, the immune system and the cardiovascular system.

Medical research has proven that negative emotions affect our health. The body interprets feelings such as anger, guilt, contempt, shame, fear, and sadness as stress.

Chronic stress takes a toll on our bodies, weakening our immune, nervous, digestive, and reproductive systems and even making us more susceptible to viral infections, heart disease and hypertension. There is some speculation that stress may help cancer take root, as certain tumor cell have receptors for stress hormones, which suggests that stress even can encourage cancer cells to grow.

Researchers believe that when examining negative emotions — loneliness and depression are the most damaging. Depression affects cortisol levels and loneliness, some doctors say, is as bad for your health as smoking and high cholesterol levels.

However, just as negative emotions can cause havoc with your health — positive emotions can turn all that around.

Recent studies in the US suggest that feeling upbeat can help fend off cardiovascular disease, lower high blood pressure, diabetes levels and even help fight off infections such as the common cold. Nor does the mind-body connection array of benefits stop there. Doctors believe that positive feelings also help on a psychological and behavioral level. Yet doctors have noted that it’s also important to be “in touch” with your true emotions, and that true happiness and healthfulness comes when we face, rather than flee, our feelings – whatever they may be.

So remember: feelings of contentment during Ramadan (or any time) have been shown to spark a constructive chemical chain reaction from the brain to the body.

Following are several ways recommended to lift your mood and thus help your health:

* Do something for someone else. Studies show that caring for others alleviates stress and — in helping others — makes us feel needed and connected. Visit someone home bound or in hospital. Be generous during Ramadan, it’s a form of zakat.

* Be friendly. Spending times with others, including friends and those in need boosts positive emotions within us.

* Exercise. Moving benefits your mood. And here’s the good news: You don’t have to be an athlete to feel good. Even moderate exercise will release those feel good hormones. Research shows that as little as 30 minutes of exercise three to five times a week can provide significant anxiety relief.

* Get some sleep: Lack of sleep can also cause various hormonal imbalances in the body which can precipitate various stress related disorders, so 6-8 hours of good sleep is beneficial for both physical and mental well being.

* Pray or meditate. Both are health boosters and de-stressors.

* Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet. There is evidence that changing your diet can alter your metabolism and brain chemistry, which affects your energy level and mood. Eat lots of fruits, fibers, green leafy vegetables, whole grains; it keeps your blood glucose and energy level steady.

* Change negative thought patterns. Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated, including inability to accept uncertainty; pessimism; negative self-talk; unrealistic expectations; perfectionism and lack of assertiveness.

In short, Change your outlook. You might be surprised when you realize that how we think affects how we feel.