soursop fruit on a tree

Soursop tree and its fruit

If you want to know more about the soursop tree, the conditions it grows under and some interesting facts about its cultivation and use, read this post.

Origin of Soursop

It said that the soursop tree is said to have originated in South America and the Caribbean islands known as the West Indies.

Uses For Soursop

Among all of the Annona species, soursop is the most tropical.. It is the best choice for preserving and processing activities. The tree also produces the largest fruit. It has low-branches and it is shrubby. It reaches a height of approximately 8 to 10 meters (25 to 30 ft). The seeds found in the pulp of the soursop fruit and the soursop leaves have properties that are toxic to some insects. When crushed, they are are effective against head lice, southern armyworms, and pea aphids. The fruit is also used in fish traps for bait. The soursop wood could also have potential as a source for making paper pulp. It is used to make ox yokes, because it does not cause hair loss on the neck of oxen.

Soursop Cultivation

Here is some data on soursop cultivation:

Elevation: Soursop is grow from sea-level to 1200 meters (3500 ft).

Germination: It can be direct-seeded or soaked for 24 hours. It will  germinate in 15 to 30 days.

Soil: The soursop tree prefers rich, well-drained soil. However it can be grown in acidic and sandy soil.

Temperature: The soursop tree is very cold-sensitive and will suffer injury in a light frost. The tree thrives in tropical climate and temperatures.

Propagation: Soursop is often propagated by seed. It will produce fruit in 3 to 5 years. It requires plenty of sun and cannot withstand strong winds. Soursop trees took a beating in the Virgin Islands when they were hit by hurricanes in 2017.

Grafting: When choosing a grafting strategy, it is best to use soursop seedlings. However, grafting onto custard apple, mountain soursop, or pond apple is known to be successful.

Soursop Harvesting and Seed Production

Soursop tree flowers continuously, but in each growing region, there is one principal harvest period. Soursop fruit is picked when it is fully grown and while it is still firm, but slightly yellow-green. If the fruit is allowed to soften on the tree, it will fall to the ground and be ruined. The soursop bears 12 to 20 units of fruit per tree.

Soursop Susceptibility To Pests and Disease

Soursop tree is attacked by a variety of pests, that vary by region where it grows. Mealybugs may occur enmass on the fruit, while scale and lacewings infest the tree. The fruit is attacked by fruit flies. Red spider mites are a problem in dry climates. Defoliator caterpillars can be a problem on soursop trees. Also be alert for anthracnose disease on the fruit.

Cooking Soursop, and Nutrition

Soursop fruit is classified as sweet, sub-acid, or acid. The fruit is best eaten 5 to 6 days post harvest. Cut the fruit into sections and eat the flesh with a spoon or off the rind. It can be added to fruit salad. It can also be served  with sugar and milk.

The most common use for the fruit in the tropics, however, is as a blended drink.

In Fruits of Warm Climates, byJulia Morton, the following directions can be used to prepare a soursop beverage:

  1. Remove the seeds from the pulp.
  2. Press the seeded pulp in a colander to extract the rich, creamy juice,
  3. Beaten with milk or water.
  4. Sweeten with sugar to tastes.

Here is another preparation:

  1. Remove all seeds before blending the pulp as they are toxic and should not be eaten in any quantity.
  2. Blend the seeded pulp with an equal amount of boiling water.
  3. Strain it.
  4. Sweeten to taste.

A soursop custard is made in the Dominican Republic as follows: Cook soursop pulp in a sugar syrup with cinnamon and lemon peel.

Soursop ice cream is also popular. To create this:

  1. Mash the pulp in water.
  2. Let it stand, then strain to remove fibers and seeds.
  3. Blend the liquid with sweetened condensed milk.
  4. Pour it into ice cube trays.
  5. Stir several times while it freezes.

Immature soursop fruit can also be roasted, fried, cooked as vegetables, or used in soup.

The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs

What a natural medicine expert says about soursop and cancer

If natural medicine Leslie Taylor is right, soursop — or graviola, as some call it — is a miracle herb that all cancer patients should be consuming as part of their plan to get well.

Taylor is a cancer survivor herself, and after beating leukemia in her 20s she set out to study the extensive catalog of plants found in Amazon rain forests to uncover their medicinal uses that have been

In her book The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs she summarizes soursop’s medicinal use as follows:

  • Kills cancer cells
  • Relieves depression
  • Slows tumor growth
  • Reduces spasms
  • Kills bacteria
  • Kills viruses
  • Kills parasites
  • Reduces fever
  • Reduces blood pressure
  • Expels worms
  • Lowers heart rate
  • Stimulates digestion
  • Dilates blood vessels
  • Stops convulsions

Soursop dosage from naturopath Leslie Taylor:

Taylor says that the dosage using soursop leaves for any of the conditions above is as follows:

Infusion (Soursop Tea)

1 cup 3 times daily (see also our free soursop tea guide)

Tincture (Concentrate made from soursop leaves or fruit)

2-4 ml 3 times daily.

Note: A tincture is a liquid extract of an herb that you take by mouth. It is a liquid concentration of the useful chemical constituents and medicinal properties of a plant. The liquid is usually alcohol, vegetable glycerin, or even apple cider vinegar. Learn more about how to make a tincture here.

Capsules (powder in capsule form):

2 grams x 3 times daily


Why you should consume soursop when fighting cancer

In her book and on her web site http://rain-tree.com Taylor wrote:

“Many active compounds and chemicals have been found in graviola, as scientists have been studying its properties since the 1940s.”

The research on soursop/graviola has been focused on a plant chemicals called Annonaceous acetogenins.

These natural compounds can be found in sourop’s leaves and stems. It is also present in its bark, fruit, and seeds.

Taylor, who’s book was published in 2005,  said: “Three separate research groups have confirmed that these chemicals have significant antitumorous properties and selective toxicity against various types of cancer cells (without harming healthy cells) publishing eight clinical studies on their findings.”

These  acetogenins are selectively toxic for tumor cells “at very low dosages —as little as 1 part per million.”

Taylor explained that four studies published in 1998 specified the chemicals and acetogenins in soursop / graviola have the strongest anti-cancerous, anti-tumor and anti-viral capabilities.

She also said: “Mode of action studies in three separate laboratories have recently determined that these acetogenins are superb inhibitors of enzyme processes that are only found in the membranes of cancerous tumor cells.”

This explains why the acetogenins are toxic for cancer cells, but they are not toxic for healthy cells.

If you are familiar with soursop research then you may have heard about a laboratory research study conducted at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana.

A lot of this research was funded by The National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Purdue University and its researchers have filed at least nine U.S. and/or international patents on their work around the anti-tumor and insecticidal properties and the related uses of the acetogenins they studied.

Purdue University revealed that (see this 1997 Purdue announcement) several of the Annonaceous acetogenins were “…not only are effective in killing tumors that have proven resistant to anti-cancer agents, but also seem to have a special affinity for such resistant cells.”

How cancer cells become drug resistant

Here is how that works: Cancer cells that are not killed by chemotherapy drugs can become resistant to the the anti-cancer agent. This process is called multi-drug resistanceCancer cells can create a pump within their walls that pushes anti-cancer drugs out of the cell. They stops them from being killed by these agents.

Only a small percentage of cancer cells in any given individual (approximately 2%)  may develop this defence mechanism. But they can replicate and become multi-drug-resistant tumors.

Research on acetogenins reported that the compounds were able to disable these intercellular pumps. This killed multi-drug-resistant tumors.

How soursop anti-cancer compounds work

The researchers at Purdue researchers said that the acetogenins block the transfer of ATP, which is where a cell gets its energy from. Starve them of an energy source and cancer cells will not grow or reproduce. They cannot run their pumps and defend themselves. Sothe result is that they eventually die.

Normal cells rarely develop this kind of internal pump. They don’t require a lot of energy as a consequence. Therefore they are not impacted by ATP inhibitor compounds. Purdue scientists said that 14 different acetogenins show effective ATP-blocking properties (several of these are found only in soursop).

The scientists also revealed that 13 of the 14 acetogenins tested were more potent against MDR breast cancer cells than all three of the standard drugs (adriamycin, vincristine, and vinblastine) used as controls.

Will extracts from soursop follow the same drug development path as Taxol?

Taylor suggests that research into sourop seems to be following the same path as Taxol, a well known cancer drug. Researchers discovered an anti-tumor capabilities of the bark from the Pacific Yew tree. From that work, Taxol was developed. This process, Taylor wrote, “took 30 years of research by numerous pharmaceutical companies, universities, and government agencies before the first FDA-approved Taxol drug was sold to a cancer patient.”

With graviola, it has taken researchers almost 10 years to successfully synthesize (chemically reproduce) the main antitumorous chemical, annonacin. These acetogenin chemicals have a unique waxy center and other unique molecular energy properties which thwarted earlier attempts, and at least one major pharmaceutical company gave up in the process (despite knowing how active the natural chemical was against tumors). Now that scientists have the ability to recreate this chemical and several other active acetogenins in the laboratory, the next step is to change the chemical just enough (without losing any of the antitumorous actions in the process) to become a novel chemical which can be patented and turned into a new patented cancer drug. (Naturally-occurring plant chemicals cannot be patented.) Thus far, scientists seem to be thwarted again—every time they change the chemical enough to be patentable, they lose much of the antitumorous actions. Like the development of taxol, it may well take government agenies like the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Health to step forward and launch full-scale human cancer research on the synthesized unpatentable natural plant chemical (which will allow any pharmaceutical company to develop a cancer drug utilizing the research as happened with taxol) to be able to make this promising therapy available to cancer patients in a timely fashion.

In the meantime, many cancer patients and health practitioners are not waiting… they are adding the natural leaf and stem of graviola (with over 40 documented naturally-occurring acetogenins including annonacin) as a complementary therapy to their cancer protocols. After all, graviola has a long history of safe use as a herbal remedy for other conditions for many years, and research indicates that the antitumorous acetogenins are selectively toxic to just cancer cells and not healthy cells—and in miniscule amounts. While research confirms that these antitumorous acetogenins also occur in high amounts in the fruit seeds and roots of graviola, different alkaloid chemicals in the seeds and roots have shown some preliminary in vitro neurotoxic effects. Researchers have suggested that these alkaloids might be linked to atypical Parkinson’s disease in countries where the seeds are employed as a common herbal parasite remedy. Therefore, using the seeds and root of graviola is not recommended at this time.

The therapuetic dosage of graviola leaf, (which offers just as high of an amount of acetogenins as the root and almost as much as the seed) is reported to be 2-3 grams taken 3 or 4 times daily. Graviola products (capsules and tinctures) are becoming more widely available in the U.S. market, and now offered under several different manufacturer’s labels in health food stores. As one of graviola’s mechanisms of action is to deplete ATP energy to cancer cells, combining it with other supplements and natural products which increase or enhance cellular ATP may reduce the effect of graviola. The main supplement which increases ATP is a common antioxidant called Coenzyme Q10 and for this reason, it should be avoided when taking graviola.

Graviola is certainly a promising natural remedy and one that again emphasizes the importance of preserving our remaining rainforest ecosystems. Perhaps—if enough people believe that the possible cure for cancer truly is locked away in a rainforest plant—we will take the steps needed to protect our remaining rainforests from destruction. One researcher studying graviola summarized this idea eloquently: “At the time of preparation of this current review, over 350 Annonaceous acetogenins have been isolated from 37 species. Our preliminary efforts show that about 50%, of over 80 Annonaceous species screened, are significantly bioactive and are worthy of fractionation; thus, this class of compounds can be expected to continue to grow at an exponential rate in the future, provided that financial support for such research efforts can be found. With the demise of the world’s tropical rain forests, such work is compelling before the great chemical diversity, contained within these endangered species, is lost.”

Soursop products are available at Walmart

Soursop fruit in Walmart

Soursop fruit and soursop products can be found in a variety of places around the United States, and Walmart is not exception.

Here is a list of various soursop fruit products you may find at your local Walmart store. Regional availability is subject to demand and so your local store will carry a product if the local Walmart customers consume it. That said if the soursop product you are looking for is not available near you at your local store then you can order it online through Walmart.com.

Here is a round-up of the line of products Walmart carries on its website as it pertains to soursop fruit and related soursop products.

Note: In some cases you may see soursop products referred to as graviola. This is common synonym that may appear on packing of some soursop products carried by Walmart. To serve the Spanish-speaking Walmart shoppers you may also see reference to Guanoabana, which is the Spanish word for soursop.

In store shopping at Walmart vs Online at Walmart.com

As you will see via the links below, you can find soursop product at Walmart, however you will need to use the links to see if your local store carries them. Walmart.com does not ship many of them direct to your door unlike this online store which does.

Soursop Fruit Products at Walmart

  • Frozen soursop pulp – Chiquita   This frozen soursop pulp is great way to access soursop fruit however you will have to visit your local Walmart to buy it. Walmart.com will not ship it to you.
  • Frozen soursop pulp – Goya – This frozen soursop pulp is produced by Goya. Walmart will not ship this. You will have to visit your local store.
  • La Fe soursop pulp – This frozen soursop pulp can be found at your local store. Walmart will not ship it via its online store.

Soursop Tea Products at Walmart

Soursop Cold Beverages at Walmart

Soursop Supplements Walmart

Soursop Fresh Soursop Fruit at Walmart

It is unlikely that you would ever commonly find fresh soursop fruit in the fresh fruit section at Walmart. That is because it is highly perishable and will not last long on a store display. Fresh soursop will last for 4-6 days in a refrigerator and 1-2 days unrefrigerated. So to locate fresh soursop fruit you should order it from an online store like http://soursopstore.com.

Search Walmart.com for related products:

Use this search widget to find products you are looking for on Walmart.com.

Soursop (Annona muricata)

15 health benefits of soursop

Soursop, a tropical fruit and the evergreen tree that bears it, is a seemingly magical natural food that has a myriad of health benefits. Here are 15 soursop health benefits you should know about.

Summary:
Health Benefits of Soursop

  1. Cancer and tumor growth suppression
  2. Vision health
  3. Anti-inflammatory compound
  4. Diabetes management and blood sugar stabilization
  5. Kills ticks and may thwart Lyme Disease
  6. Stomach and digestive system health
  7. Eliminates intestinal parasites
  8. Pain relief
  9. Natural sleep aid
  10. Liver health assistance
  11. Depression and anxiety remedy
  12. Stress reduction
  13. Supports healthy cardiovascular function
  14. Respiratory tract ailment relief
  15. Immunity booster

Looking to buy soursop fruit and leaves for tea?
Click here for U.S. store
Click here for Canadian store

Health benefits of soursop fruit and leaves

Cancer and tumor growth suppression

A phytochemical in soursop fruit, bark, and leaves, has been shown to be toxic to cancer cells. The results come from one laboratory study, however many studies since show soursop may be effective in preventing the development of tumors and reducing tumor size. Many people make the claim that soursop is a cure for cancer. Such claims have not been substantiated by research studies on humans. However, the lab studies that have been done do show substantive scientific evidence. These studies are expensive and studying a natural product has no payoff for a funding body, except for the common good. So such a study would need to be backed by a philanthropist or the government. If you have heard that soursop cures cancer, that is because it has been consumed by generations of people who have access to it in tropical regions of the world. ADHD

Vision health

Soursop fruit contains high levels of antioxidants, which help reduce the oxidative load in the body. It contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and natural carotenoid compounds. These preserve the health of your eyes and help ensure healthy vision. This also helps thwart macular degeneration, cataract development, and promote optimal eye function.

Anti-inflammatory compound

Soursop fruit has been used for centuries in traditional African medicine to treat neuralgia, rheumatism, and arthritic pain. In a 2014 study on mice, the active ingredient in soursop showed significant effects on reducing inflammation. Both the soursop fruit and soursop tea leaves contain high antioxidant content, a key for fighting inflammation in the body. As one of the major precursors of many types of disease, one cup of soursop tea is a powerful preventive measure for reducing the inflammation that leads to serious ailments.

Diabetes management and blood sugar stabilization

Research has shown that mice who consumed soursop had significantly lower blood sugar levels than their control group counterparts. This is likely due to an active ingredient in soursop fruit and its tea derivative that stops the dysfunctional breakdown in the body where carbohydrates are converted to glucose. In addition, it’s been shown that soursop tea may reduce the effect of oxidative stress which causes damage to the livers of my diabetes sufferers. For Type l diabetics, soursop may support the pancreas to produce new insulin-producing cells.

Stomach and digestive system health

Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, soursop is wonderful for decreasing oxidative stress and strengthening the mucus linings of internal organs. This helps to decrease inflammation and reduce the effect of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Individuals who suffer from digestive disorders, such as Crohn’s Disease, IBS, or ulcers may benefit greatly from soursop consumption. It has long been used to treat dysentery.

Eliminates intestinal parasites

Soursop has anti-helminthic properties which makes it a potent tool for fighting bacteria, parasites, and worms. It works in a similar way as many anti-parasitic drugs, though it’s 100 per cent natural. More specifically, soursop has been shown to be effective in treating leishmaniasis, a disease that is transmitted to humans from sand fleas. It may also be useful in treating viral and bacterial based infections from chronic cough, the common cold to herpes.

Pain relief

Soursop has shown analgesic, pain-relieving properties, especially when consumed in higher amounts (2-3 cups of tea per day or 1-2 cups of fresh fruit per day). It does this because of an ingredient in the fruit that interacts with the nervous system. It is suggested, however, that when consuming soursop in large quantities, it should be measured against the body’s response. Exceeding more than a therapeutic dose may have adverse effects, like nausea, and ALS like symptoms. Pain relief is also a welcome effect from the anti-inflammatory properties that soursop produces.

Natural sleep aid

One cup of soursop tea before bed can be a potent all-natural remedy for a restful night’s sleep. Many individuals who suffer from sleep challenges such as insomnia, may benefit from soursop tea. It provides a calming, stress-relieving effect to the body.

Stress reduction

If you are stressed or anxious, soursop provides a calming relief to the body. This is one major health benefits of soursop. It does this by counteracting the effects of cortisol, a chemical that is released from the body during high states of stress.

Depression and anxiety remedy

Soursop’s calming and sedative effects can be of great use to those who suffer from anxiety. It is known to lower blood pressure as well. And, it doesn’t have any depressive side effects. Studies show that extracts from soursop fruit and leaves may reduce depression. There are three key types of alkaloids in the plant: asimadoline, annonaine, and nornuciferine. These stimulate serotonin receptors. And serotonin is an essential biochemical found in the brain and gut that promotes feeling good.

Respiratory tract ailment relief

Soursop has anti-microbial properties. So it can be used to cure acute conditions such as sore throat, stuffy nose, or the common cold. Best of all, it can help speed recovery from these ailments. It does this by soothing inflammation and irritation in the throat, as well as, thinning mucus secretions. It also has a high vitamin C content know to boost immunity.

Liver health assistance

Soursop is useful for purifying and cleansing the liver.  This is because it is full of soluble fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and phytochemicals. It may detoxify the liver and support immune function. In addition, it’s been shown that soursop returns bilirubin levels to normal levels when they malfunction. This can help reverse and shield the liver from major health issues. This mighty fruit may also counteract the effects of jaundice that can occur from taking certain medications, a result of bilirubin build up.

Cardiovascular health

Soursop is known to reduce blood pressure naturally, which for cardiovascularly compromised people is ideal. It boosts blood circulation and reduces anxiety. It is also known to lower cholesterol. Read more on how soursop is good for health health

Immunity booster

Packed with vitamins, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, anti-bacterial agents, and phytochemicals, soursop is incredible for strengthening and boosting the immune system. Among the health benefits of soursop is protection against viral infections and may even help the body fight and suppress the HIV virus and herpes viruses.

Kills ticks and may thwart Lyme Disease

Soursop’s anti-helminthic properties make it a powerful fruit for fighting ticks and the nervous system issues they cause. It may be useful in treating illnesses such as Lyme disease, though more research is needed to understand it better.

Your best body is mainly a result of the foods you consume and the environments you frequent. This makes soursop one of the best preventive health measures to take to ensure you avoid the risk of chronic disease. And if you are currently dealing with a health challenge, the health benefits of soursop may be exactly what you need to get better fast and without any harmful chemical effects.

Looking to buy soursop fruit and leaves for tea?
Click here for U.S. store
Click here for Canadian store

ADVISORY: The information on this page does not constitute medical advice and should not be used instead of consulting with your doctor or professional healthcare practitioner.

How to change your mindset to help boost healing

Healing your body and ridding it of a disease, or any life-threatening condition needs to include a healthy mindset. It is critical in a strategy to get well.

If you are battling cancer or are working with a family member or friend to help them fight then you should:

  1. See your doctor or primary care practitioner and access the best expertise to fight your disease with knowledge, science and the latest medicine.
  2. You should change your diet and eat well, consuming only healing, natural foods that support your health and well being.
  3. And then you should get to work on your mindset.

Failure to do #3 is a missed opportunity to use massive and highly effective tool that can be used to fight your disease and heal your body, and cause real measurable healing.

You see, behind everything you do, and everything you are is your beliefs. Your mindset is critical in the healing process. And optimizing it to heal and get well again requires some very specific steps.

So here is how to change your mindset to cure yourself.

How to change your mindset to cure yourself

The New York Times bestselling book Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds, lists nine key factors cancer fighters should take to cure themselves, aside from the traditional methods of Western medicine or after its failed them.

Dr. Kelly Turner, who wrote the book, studied the cases of 1,500 cancer survivors in 10 countries. She discovered that they:

  1. Radically changed their diet.
  2. Took control of their health.
  3. Followed their intuition above all else.
  4. Used herbs and supplements under a doctor’s supervision.
  5. Worked on releasing negative emotions.
  6. Worked on being positive.
  7. Embraced social support.
  8. Deepened their spiritual connection.
  9. Found a strong reason for staying alive.

Only two items on the above list – changing your diet and taking natural supplements – are physical. The rest of the items have to do with emotional support and shifting your mindset.

Why mindset is critical to healing

Thought and action are intimately connected. This is a scientific principle. Have a thought like “I’m hungry” and you will go eat something.

So when you’re sick and your thoughts are positive, and you’re genuinely excited about your future, you will take more positive actions to heal your body. More positive actions will predictably lead to positive health results.

The challenge around changing your mindset is how to do it. It’s less obvious than following a guideline like “embrace social support” or “eat natural unprocessed foods”. Shifting your mindset can be a bit more complex. Here are the most effective ways to release negative emotions and encourage positives feelings.

How to release negative emotions

Have you ever experienced a knot – a painful build-up of lactic acid – in a muscle after physical fitness? Press on that knot, apply heat or cold to it and the tension releases. You feel better. That’s similar to the way negative emotions are stored in the body.

Negative emotions, such as resentment, sadness, anger, jealousy, get held in your nervous system like a knot in the body. This often happens when you don’t process the emotion properly at the time the event occurs. So the emotion gets suppressed and held versus released.

Imagine you’re playing a sport with a team of your peers. You jump, land and injure your ankle. You want to cry it’s so painful but you’re also embarrassed. So you hold back your tears. You laugh instead. This is how emotion is sidestepped and stored versus being naturally felt, processed and moved out of the body.

The first step in releasing any negative emotion is to notice it. The easiest way to figure out what emotions and situations are putting stress on your body is to ask yourself these questions:

  • What haven’t I been able to get over from my past?
  • What is my emotional home and why do I keep going back to it? (Once again it’s likely linked to a painful event in the past)
  • Who haven’t I been able to forgive?

There are many ways to release negative emotions. At the root of all these methods is connecting your body to your mind, bringing yourself to those negative emotions and past events and feel what you felt. The way to emotional freedom is through emotion not around it.

Here are the most effective ways to release negative emotions:

Visualization

Your brain doesn’t know the difference between imagining doing something and actually doing it. The simplest way to release negative emotions is to close your eyes and bring yourself back to past events you haven’t been able to get over. Experience those events as vividly as possible. Feel what you felt.

Then, consider all sides of the event, and from the perspective of other people. Bring loving emotions into the event. Distort the picture in your mind by making it black and white or bringing white light into it.

Do whatever you need to do to see the event in a positive light and with empathy. Visualize all the good things that have come out of that past event even if it was painful.

You may need to do this multiple times. Try to alter the picture in different ways until you find what works for you.

Meditation

Many types of meditation are helpful at healing and relaxing the nervous system. Meditation is specifically powerful for practicing forgiveness.

When meditators being monitored by brainwave machines focused on people they needed to forgive their alpha waves were at their peak.

To release negative feelings towards others and situations, focus on an image of the person or situation and work on bringing in empathy and forgiveness.

It might help you to see the person you’re trying to forgive as a baby. See them growing up and being harmed by the world or other people. See that they may have done something to hurt you but that it was not intentional. It was a result of their conditioning.

Carve out a daily meditation time, 20 minutes a least to work on breathing and quieting your mind and working through your negative emotions.

EFT

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a mind and body therapy that corrects energy flow to the body, which gets disrupted by negative thoughts and emotions.

Using EFT, negative emotions can be processed and released when you do a simple two-step process of 1) mentally tuning into a negative event or feeling and 2) tapping specific meridian points on the body with your fingertips to correct the energy flow.

While it may seem odd, the process is highly scientific. Chinese medicine discovered the meridian system 5,000 years ago. The meridian system is your body’s invisible energy flow.

When you connect to a negative thought and disrupt your body’s energy flow, you can easily correct it by physically touching meridian points on your body to loosen the energy. Think of it like releasing lactic acid and knots when you get a massage.

Story Writing

A simple way to release negative emotions that are connected to past events is to write a story about them. Write out the situation as if you were there. Use emotional language. Get all your negativity out on paper.

Then, read the story out loud. Read it to yourself in a mirror or to someone you trust. Read the story over and over. Eventually, you’ll find that the story becomes just that. A story. It loses its emotional sting. You easily get over the situation and can move forward.

Brainspot Therapy

This is very effective for correcting athletic blocks. For this type of therapy, you’ll need to seek out a brain spot practitioner. They will sit across from you and ask you to talk about a negative event or person. While you do this, they will look at your eyes. They will be able to see your eyes fixate on a specific area. They will have you hold your stare in that area while you continue to talk.

Where your eyes go is directly connected to the area in your brain where the memory tied to that emotion is. When you talk through the situation, you process and release the emotional knot around the stored memory.

How to thinking positively and feel positive emotions

If you want to work on changing your mindset to heal your body, it’s not just about releasing negative emotions, it’s also about growing more positive thought connections. Here are the most effective ways to do that.

Control your focus

What you focus on causes what you feel at any given moment. If you close your eyes and focus on a favorite pastime, food or person, you’ll feel good. If you focus on something you hate, you’ll feel bad.

In both scenarios, you’re either stimulating happy chemical pathways or negative emotional pathways in your brain. So to build a more positive mindset, focus on positive things more.

As soon as you notice you feel bad or you can see you’re focusing on negative things, take control. Close your eyes and focus on as many good things as you can. Get into it. Do this whenever you need to.

You’ll start to train your brain to go to positive thoughts more naturally and easily.

Engage in frivolous fun

When is the last time you had fun for the sake of having fun? Go have fun. Frivolous fun is fun without a purpose. Pastimes and hobbies such as: Gardening, painting, playing sports, laying on a beach, pottery, writing, going on a roller coaster, playing video games, are critical and especially when you are sick.

When you have more fun your brain increases the flow of happy chemicals. Fun will become a routine and feeling good will become your emotional home.

Physically activate your happy chemicals

Frequently engage in physical activities that get your happy brain chemicals flowing. Here are some simple ways to do that:

  1. Gentle aerobic activity such as biking, swimming, dancing, jogging
  2. Yoga
  3. Touch another human. Give some hugs to someone you love or cuddle to release oxytocin in your brain
  4. Hot or cold therapy. Do cryotherapy or go to a sauna. Even just sitting in the sun can be great for altering your mood.

Shift your language

What you say out loud and internally is critical. You can think more positively by choosing new words. For instance, if you say “I’m pissed off”, the emotions tied to the words will cause your anger to increase. Simply expressing yourself with a new choice of words can dampen the emotions around it. Instead, you could try: “I’m not pleased about this”.

Start to monitor your language and make slight changes. This will help you by thinking more positively.

Mindset as a key healing strategy

These methods above have one factor in common: They address the root of the illness equation. When you focus on changing your mindset as part of the healing process, you’ll be amazed at the mental and physical results you’ll produce.

With a healing mindset, you will have some direct outcomes. The following are adapted from an article at SCDlifestyle.com.

You will:

  • have more willpower to follow a prescribed diet
  • experience less anxiety about the process of healing
  • experience more confidence in the healing plan you develop with your medical and health advisors
  • have fewer cravings for food or things you do that hurt or stall your healing
  • enjoy greater feelings of well-being, even if you are still unwell and not yet healed.
  • also experience faster recovery from flares and setbacks

Get serious about your emotional health, and take control of the way you think. Work through your negative emotions and above all else have fun and feel good as much as possible. Now is the time to be with the people you love and do the things you love while you treat your mind and body with kindness. And from that, you will get well.

Kay Walker is the co-owner of AboutSoursop.com, SoursopStore.com and the creator of IamKayWalker.com