• posted by Burhani Natural Science
• April 9, 2014

Self-respect or self-esteem refers to a person’s image or belief about oneself. On a deeper level, it is a measure or evaluation of how much a person is able to love and accept himself. Self-love makes the person feel that his/her existence is worthwhile, which brings vitality and a sense of meaning in his/her actions.

Scientists have studied the effect of self-esteem on health and found that a lack of self-respect is a major cause for disease. Low self-esteem creates stress which increases the secretion of the hormone – cortisol in the body. Increased levels of cortisol in the body have been found to cause weight gain (3).

A study done at University of Pittsburgh (1) of girls age 9-10 years found that low levels of self-esteem were associated with a higher rate of obesity. A literature review of self-esteem and obesity related studies was done at University of Minnesota (2). It found that obesity was clearly linked with lower self-esteem in adolescents and children. This means, higher self-esteem leads to a normal body weight and shape. It is well known that obesity leads to chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

Dr. Bernie Siegel, the author of “Love, Medicine & Miracles” put down his experiences with Cancer patients in the book. He describes the typical psychology of a Cancer patient as someone who views himself as stupid, clumsy, weak and inept at social games or sports despite real achievements that are the envy of classmates. Rejection of a person by himself/herself, which is often brought on by others, is a major cause of illnesses.

Autosuggestion is a very simple and powerful technique of bringing positive changes in a person. Autosuggestion means making positive suggestions about yourself to your subconscious mind. One of the simplest ways to do this is to create a positive statement about yourself such as a statement expressing self love or self satisfaction.

The longer you repeat it the better. Do this for at least 10 to 15 minutes everyday. The best times to make auto suggestions are early morning, immediately after waking up or just before going to bed. During these times, your brain is in what is known as the alpha state which is between the waking and dream state. Autosuggestion made during the alpha state bring fast and accurate results. You may start seeing positive results in as little as one week.

A Dutch study done at University of Amsterdam (4) found that people with low self-esteem and feeling of inadequacy who read a positive text about themselves twice daily improved in 3 weeks. The study concluded that people with low self-esteem benefit from positive self-instruction.

References

1. Kimm SY., et al. Self-esteem and adiposity in black and white girls: the NHLBI Growth and Health Study. Annals of Epidemiology. Nov 1997;7(8):550-60.
2. French SA., et al. Self-esteem and obesity in children and adolescents: a literature review. Obesity Research. 1995 Sep;3(5):479-90.
3. Epel ES., et al. Stress and Body Shape: Stress-Induced Cortisol Secretion Is Consistently Greater Among Women With Central Fat. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2000;62:623-632.
4. Lange A., et al. The Effects of Positive Self-Instruction: A Controlled Trial. Cognitive Therapy and Research. June 1998;22:3225-236.

Chamomile. This is an herbal flower and is usually made into a tea. It helps to soothe one’s anxiety. It also helps to make you sleep better which could help with your fatigue problems.

Licorice Root. The licorice plant is native to some parts of Asia as well as Southern Europe. It is said to be fifty time sweeter than sugar and it can help to elevate one’s mood. It can also help in improving the absorption of the hormone serotonin which helps to counter depression.

Herbal remedies and self esteem are also recognized by Ayurvedic medicine. According to Ayurvedic practice, people with low self esteem must stay away from hot, spicy food, red meats, excess alcohol and white sugar. Also, they need to be careful not to get too hot. Drinking plenty of water helps, and having rose tea or drinking rose water mixed with coconut milk can help improve one’s self esteem.