Mindsets: how beliefs transform health

The beliefs we hold about different aspects of life directly influence our health and performance. Mindsets, defined as basic assumptions about specific categories, guide our expectations, explanations, and motivations. Understanding this phenomenon reveals how we can transform our relationship with stress, nutrition, and exercise.

Definition and function of mindsets

Mindsets represent fundamental beliefs that simplify our understanding of complex reality. These assumptions operate as filters that determine how we interpret and respond to different situations.

Types of studied mindsets

Research has explored mindsets in multiple domains:

Intelligence: belief that it is malleable versus fixed
Stress: perception as enhancer versus debilitator
Nutrition: view of healthy food as delicious versus depressing
Exercise: recognition of physical activity versus exhausting work
Illness: management versus inevitable catastrophe

The power of beliefs: the milkshake study

An innovative experiment demonstrated how expectations alter the body's physiological response. Participants consumed the same milkshake on two occasions, but with different information about its calorie content.

Study results

When participants believed they were consuming an indulgent milkshake (620 calories), their ghrelin hormone decreased three times faster than when they thought they were ingesting a healthy version (low in calories). This means the body responded as if it had consumed more nutrients, even when the actual composition was identical.

Implications for nutrition

This finding suggests that believing we eat indulgently can generate greater satiety and a more efficient metabolism. Counter to intuition, perceiving food as "sufficient" is more beneficial than labeling it as "healthy" but insufficient.

Placebo and nocebo effects in health

Positive beliefs generate placebo effects, while negative ones produce nocebo. Studies show that informing about possible side effects significantly increases their incidence.

Applications in different contexts

Pain: beliefs about intensity affect pain perception
Exercise: perception of activity as exercise improves cardiovascular health
Stress: enhancing mindset reduces negative physical symptoms

Study of hotel housekeepers

A group of hotel housekeepers performed physical activity equivalent to the surgeon general's requirements (30 minutes of moderate daily activity), but many did not recognize it as exercise.

Intervention and results

By informing them about the health benefits of their work, they experienced:

Average weight loss
10-point reduction in systolic blood pressure
Improved perception of their work activity

This study reveals that recognizing physical activity as beneficial generates real physiological changes, even without modifying behavior.

Mindsets about stress

Stress represents one of the most studied mindsets with the greatest impact on health. It is traditionally perceived as harmful, but research shows it can be enhancing.

The stress paradox

Stress is not always destructive. It can:

Focus attention and accelerate information processing
Generate "physiological hardening" by activating anabolic hormones
Facilitate post-traumatic growth

Debilitating versus enhancing mindset

Debilitating mindset:

Motivation: eliminate stress or avoid it
Response: panic or denial
Effects: greater anxiety and poorer performance

Enhancing mindset:

Motivation: use stress to grow
Response: goal-oriented action
Effects: greater wellbeing and better management

How to change mindsets

Developing more adaptive mindsets requires a conscious three-step process:

1. Recognize stress

Admitting the presence of stress represents the first step toward constructive management.

2. Welcome stress

Understanding that stress arises from things we value provides a positive perspective.

3. Use stress

Focus on how stress can contribute to growth and achievement of objectives.

Scientific evidence of enhancing mindsets

Controlled studies demonstrate that brief interventions can change mindsets and generate measurable benefits:

UBS study: 9-minute videos about enhancing stress reduced physical symptoms and improved work performance
Hormonal response: enhancing mindsets generate more moderate cortisol responses and higher DHEA levels
Long-term effects: positive stress mindsets correlate with better health and greater wellbeing

Practical applications in daily life

Mindsets operate as default brain settings that influence subconscious processes. Changing these settings requires:

Implementation strategies

Personal assessment:

Identify current mindsets about different domains
Recognize which are useful versus limiting

Conscious experimentation:

Test different perspectives on recurring situations
Observe changes in emotional and physiological responses

Gradual reinforcement:

Start with less threatening domains
Build personal evidence of effectiveness

Integration of mindsets in comprehensive health

Mindsets represent a bridge between conscious and subconscious processes. This connection explains how beliefs can influence hormones, cognitive performance, and physical health.

Considerations for different populations

Athletes: mindsets about physical capacity affect performance and recovery.

Patients: beliefs about treatments influence real effectiveness.

Professionals: mindsets about stress determine productivity and job satisfaction.

Conclusion: the transformative power of beliefs

Mindsets represent not just positive thoughts, but scientific tools to optimize health and performance. By recognizing their influence, we can use them to transform our relationship with stress, nutrition, and exercise.

Practical tips:

Evaluate your mindsets about stress and physical activity
Experiment with enhancing perspectives
Recognize that stress arises from things you value
Use stress responses to achieve meaningful objectives

This scientific understanding of mindsets opens new possibilities to improve mental and physical health through the power of beliefs.

Question for reflection: Which mindset about your health or performance could you start questioning today?