Congratulations Genevieve. I think 'being here now' is very important. My guess is that our systems just overreact to negative impulses. These negative impulses live in our assessing, nattering minds. Getting away from that is very beneficial.
I certainly feel much more healthy when I'm in 'the now'. Of course, very few people exist in the 'now', healthy or not. Lots of people, most people actually, have a negative mind state and it doesn't bother them physically. My guess is that the sicker you are the less your body can cope with the stress chemicals, etc. released when we're in the grips of these negative mind states.
I certainly feel much more healthy when I'm in 'the now'. Of course, very few people exist in the 'now', healthy or not. Lots of people, most people actually, have a negative mind state and it doesn't bother them physically. My guess is that the sicker you are the less your body can cope with the stress chemicals, etc. released when we're in the grips of these negative mind states.