DR. Gary Zukav explains in ?The Heart of the Soul? how emotions?from happiness to sadness, ecstasy to depression, anger to joy?affect the body in ways that are both destructive and constructive.

When you experience an emotion, an organ in the body is directly affected. Examples: A student cramming for examinations has an increase of adrenaline; the same happens to a sales executive before a marketing presentation, or an athlete during competition. The areas affected are the brain, nervous systems, stomach, muscles, etc.

A woman who receives flowers and gifts from her lover experiences a flood of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which relaxes the body. Physiologists have observed that lovers, in general, are ?chemically united.? And while serotonin does not cause people to fall in love, it is a biochemical basis for the pleasant sensations automatically triggered by the state of being in love.

Dr. Deepak Chopra in ?Ageless Body, Timeless Mind? reveals that Harvard physiologist David C. McClelland studies the physiology of love. A group of subjects viewed a film on Mother Teresa caring for the sick in Calcutta. It displayed her selfless love for the abandoned.

After the film showing, it was discovered that the audience showed an increase in salivary immunoglobulin antigen which indicates a high immune response. This condition lasted for an hour or two, proving that those with the highest rating connected with their own experiences of being loved.

Curiously, an elevated immune response is characteristic of people who have recently fallen in love.

Exercise

Because the brain/mind is strongly connected to the heart, here are things you can do to increase the sense of love in your life?with partner or without.

1. Think about love itself. Your first lesson in love comes from your parents. Read up on scriptures of love in The New Testament.

2. Seek out love in your life. You may have intimacy with your partner, demonstrate an act of love by helping the poor, or simply show your gratitude and appreciation toward someone. All these will allow others to feel appreciated which, in turn, will be mirrored in your health profile.

3. Talk about love as often as you can. If you cannot verbalize it, write a letter. And you don?t have to send it to the person, though its effects are better if it?s sent.

4. Encourage love in others. Teach others, especially yourself, to be openly affectionate and loving. You can also give people permission to love you as some may be intimidated or fearful of rejection.

Love bath

In a hot tub, mix red rose petals and five drops of rose, lavender, ylang-ylang essential oils. Soak for seven minutes. Rinse then spray your body liberally with Cocozen Virgin Coco Oil Rose Mist (call 7233878).

Affirm: ?I am love.?

Love and light!

Free one-on-one lifestyle counseling at World of Wellness, Virra Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center. Call 09228820575 for appointment.