We notice our style of communication about as much as fish notice the water they swim in. The only time communication becomes an issue is when our relationships start to break down or become painful, and even then, we’re fairly sure that if communication is the culprit, it must be someone else’s poor communication that’s to blame!

It’s time to put the spotlight back on how we talk to ourselves, talk to others and relate to the world around us. Communication is our primary tool for creating relationship, our deepest and most profound way to connect to the world.

Healthy communication provides pathways for countless opportunities, growth, love, support, friendship and healing. We know this intuitively, yet somehow it’s easy to forget. And perhaps more unexpectedly, and even alarming: Poor communication is harmful to your health.

When communication breaks down, our heart rate speeds up. Blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels rise. People who feel misunderstood report a higher incidence of depression, which is uncomfortable enough, but to take it one step further, depression leads to a weakened immune system.

Our body’s immune system is our primary defense against disease. Under prolonged stress, we become susceptible to ailments such as headaches, digestive issues, heart disease and cancer.

Yes, it’s true, your ability to communicate effectively is directly and inextricably linked to your likelihood of being sick, or not.

• Do you say yes when you really mean no?
• Do you avoid conflict at all costs?
• Are you waiting for someone in your life to change in order to get what you want?

If so, you’re not alone. Most people will do anything to avoid the unpleasant sensations that accompany having an honest exchange—even if it’s as simple as declining an invitation.

But not speaking directly in the short term results in a much bigger problem long-term: hurt feelings and passive-aggressive patterns that stress us out, keep us up at night, and literally make us sick.

In TalkRx: Five Steps to Honest Conversations that Create Connection, Health and Happiness, Neha Sangwan, M.D., reveals practical yet profound communication tools that will strengthen your relationships, reduce your stress, improve your health and save you time!

Talk Rx will lead you step by step to:

• Make agreements that stick
• Talk to people instead of about them
• Listen to your body’s signals to better manage stress
• Articulate your frustration and disappointment effectively
• Create new outcomes with even the most challenging personalities in your life

Discover Doctor Neha’s five steps to honest conversations that create connection, health and happiness in her book TalkRx.

Order your copy now on Amazon or Barnes & Noble!