DISCOVERY #8
A 10-minute conversation increases mental acuity.**發現八：十分鐘的對話就能提升心智能力。**
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The Mind’s Power over the Body
**心靈對身體的力量**
Our minds also have a tremendous impact on our physical well-being.
**我們的心靈同樣會大幅影響身體健康。**
Stress, anxiety, and fear can aggravate a variety of physical illnesses, including asthma, heart disease, ulcerative colitis, and hypertension.
**壓力、焦慮與恐懼會加重各種身體疾病，包括氣喘、心臟病、潰瘍性結腸炎與高血壓。**
One example of the mind’s power over the body is when someone’s face turns red from feelings of embarrassment or anger.
**心靈影響身體的一個例子，是一個人在尷尬或憤怒時臉會漲紅。**
Our emotional states lead to a cascade of chemical reactions in our bodies.
**情緒狀態會在體內引發一連串化學反應。**
Acute or chronic stress causes the adrenal glands to secrete stress hormones like cortisol, which can harm the heart, stomach, and brain.
**急性或慢性壓力會促使腎上腺分泌像皮質醇這類壓力荷爾蒙，而它會傷害心臟、胃以及大腦。**
Chronic elevations in cortisol impair cognition and actually shrink some of the brain’s important memory centers.
**長期皮質醇偏高會損害認知功能，甚至會讓大腦中一些重要的記憶中樞萎縮。**
People prone to stress have a greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common result of brain aging.
**容易承受壓力的人，罹患阿茲海默症的風險較高，而阿茲海默症是最常見的大腦老化結果。**
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DISCOVERY #9
Reducing chronic stress improves brain function.
**發現九：降低慢性壓力可以改善大腦功能。**
Fortunately, positive emotions can protect our brain’s neural circuitry.
**所幸，正向情緒能保護大腦的神經迴路。**
Good feelings—including love, excitement, and joy—can bring about chemical changes that strengthen physical health.
**良好的感受——包括愛、興奮與喜悅——會引發有利於身體健康的化學變化。**
Numerous studies have linked positive emotional states to lower rates of physical illness and symptoms, as well as a higher tolerance of pain.
**許多研究都發現，正向情緒與較低的身體疾病及症狀發生率有關，並且使人對疼痛的耐受度更高。**
Happiness and pleasure can increase the levels of many feel-good neurotransmitters that circulate throughout the brain and the body, such as dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline.
**快樂與愉悅可以提升多種讓人感到舒服的神經傳導物質在全身與大腦中的濃度，例如多巴胺、血清素與腎上腺素。**
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Dr. Helen Fisher and colleagues at Stony Brook University in New York used functional MRI scans to identify the brain regions that get activated when people are in love.
**紐約石溪大學的 Helen Fisher 博士與同事運用功能性 MRI 掃描，找出人在戀愛時會被啟動的大腦區域。**
Her group showed that brain scans of romantic partners light up when they think about each other.
**她的團隊發現，當情侶想到彼此時，他們的大腦掃描會出現明亮的活化區。**
The most active brain regions are those that produce the brain chemicals associated with pleasure.
**最活躍的腦區，就是那些會產生與愉悅感相關化學物質的部位。**
I have seen the powerful effect the mind has on the body and the strong influence the body has on the mind in my own practice.
**在臨床工作中，我親眼見證心靈對身體的強大影響，以及身體對心靈的深刻作用。**
I treated a patient who was an avid swimmer and he began swimming to relieve his lower back pain.
**我曾治療一位熱愛游泳的病人，他一開始是為了舒緩下背痛而游泳。**
Over the years, not only did his daily swim help control his back pain, but also he came to believe he needed it to maintain his energy level and positive frame of mind—he craved the endorphin mood-lift of his water workouts.
**多年下來，每日游泳不但幫助他控制背痛，他也逐漸相信自己需要游泳來維持精力與正向心情——他渴望水中運動帶來的腦內啡愉悅感。**
When he later reinjured his back, his orthopedist ordered strict bed rest.
**後來他再次傷到背部，骨科醫師要求他嚴格臥床休息。**
After two weeks of lying around, his back pain did gradually improve, but he became depressed.
**兩週幾乎都躺在床上後，他的背痛確實逐漸好轉，但情緒卻陷入憂鬱。**
When he was finally able to swim again, his depression lifted almost immediately.
**當他終於能再度下水游泳時，憂鬱感幾乎立刻消失。**
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DISCOVERY #10
A healthy body boosts brainpower.
**發現十：健康的身體能提升大腦能力。**
Whenever I evaluate a patient for a mental symptom, I first explore any possible physical or medical issues that could be causing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or dementia.
**每當我要評估病人的心理症狀時，第一步總是先檢查是否有可能的身體或醫學問題，會導致憂鬱、焦慮或失智等症狀。**
Sometimes a thyroid imbalance, anemia, heart condition, or even an upper respiratory infection can lead to symptoms of anxiety, depression, or dementia.
**有時候，甲狀腺失衡、貧血、心臟疾病，甚至只是上呼吸道感染，都可能引發焦慮、憂鬱或類似失智的症狀。**
These kinds of mind and body interactions are not only essential to consider for an accurate diagnosis, but they play an important role in shaping practical strategies for improving and maintaining brain health.
**這類身心互動不僅是做出正確診斷時必須考量的關鍵，也對制定改善與維持大腦健康的實際策略扮演重要角色。**
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Rewiring Your Brain for Youth
**為大腦重新佈線，喚回年輕狀態**
