Top of page Silybum marianum S. marianum, more commonly known as St Mary's Thistle or Milk Thistle, is a herbal extract that has been traditionally prescribed for ailments of the liver. The active constituent of S. marianum is silymarin. A number of human clinical trials with S. marianum have shown positive results. The side effects of S. marianum have been reported to include a mild laxative effect and mild gastrointestinal discomfort in some patients. Top of page Psychological Factors Psychological factors have been found to mediate health related outcomes via well-documented physiological pathways.
Optimism is regarded as a stable personal trait that is a buffer against stress and ill health.
Even when it is thought to be a little bit unrealistic, research has found that the optimist is still likely to overcome disabling factors that can debilitate others. It is worth knowing that thing like optimism can be learnt. Self-efficacy is thought to arm individuals with a pervasive sense of personal success in their approach to life. This is thought to provide imaginary videotape in which the individual is likely to cope with disease and have a happy ending. This describes the assumptions that are made about the controlling forces of an individual's life.