A recent study conducted at Harvard gave placebo pills twice a day to patients with irritable bowel syndrome. The unique aspect of this study is that they told the patients they were getting placebo, pills with no active ingredients. They even put placebo on the pill bottle. Despite this, sixty percent improved when compared to thirty-five percent improvement in patients who got nothing.

This study is interesting for a couple of reasons. The fact that just taking something seemed to help patients improve is important. Was it the fact that a doctor gave it to them or just that they were actively doing something that made the difference? We do not know. And, thirty-five percent of patients got better without any treatment. That is also remarkable.

The placebo affect is powerful and is (in my opinion) indicative of the power we each have to improve our own health. In my own practice I see it happening all the time. I do not give my patient’s placebo pills. However, when I give them a medication and they have faith that it will work it almost always does. Conversely, I have some patients who read the side effects on the medication and get every one of them immediately even when they are unlikely to occur within minutes of taking a medication.

I was at a lecture once and the speaker said that every medication is a placebo. At that time I scoffed at the notion. However, the longer I practice the more I understand what he was saying. Our minds are incredibly powerful. We need it to be in sync with the rest of us for healing to happen. The mind, body and spirit are important aspects of each and every one of us. For health and wellness it is crucial that we recognize and attend to all three.