Nothing has changed our perceptions of the body so much as the idea that it is not separate from the mind. It’s a little tough to integrate into your thinking, but it’s an assertion made by some of the most widely recognized scientists in the world, including Candace Pert, PhD., (www.candacepert.com/) who is credited with the discovery of opiate receptors and neuro-peptides, major influences in the body/mind’s chemistry.
When you are sad, your whole body is sad. When you are delighted, your whole body is delighted. It's also true that many, many sources are showing that what you think (and the emotions that follow your thoughts) are keys to healing both illness and injury.
This is not just the old positive thinking ideas being rehashed. It’s hard, in the lab, science that is remapping the terrain of medicine and psychology.