Interview with Dr. John & Elizabeth McIntosh: 'It all starts with the man in the mirror - YOU!'

Doctor H. John McIntosh is known as the “Medical Guru” through his columns and media presence.  He was educated as a medical doctor in Scotland. He received a general medical degree from Dundee University Medical School in 1984 and moved to Australia in 1993. He received his Specialist Physician qualification in 1988 from the Royal College of Physicians (UK) and specialist Family Physician qualifications in 1990 from the Royal College of General Practitioners. Other certifications include: Approved Trainer of medical students, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners; James Cook University Medical School, Central Queensland University; Trainer of Cognitive Institute programs, Cognitive Institute of Australia; Approved Trainer of sports medicine first aid courses, Sports Medicine, Australia; and Approved Allergan Cosmetic Injector training and trainer of injectors (doctors and nurses). Dr. McIntosh was the driving force in the building of the Mackay GP Superclinic. In 2013, his medical clinics were awarded the national AGPAL Community Engagement Award for outstanding level of commitment and involvement of the community and won a finalist award in the 2014 Telstra Australian Business Awards.

Rev. Elizabeth McIntosh is known as the “Positivity Expert” from her life’s work and research in the field. She trained as a life and wellness coach; certified personal fitness trainer under Ken Ware, Mr. Universe of 1994; counselor, hypnotherapist, meditation and yoga teacher; and spa trainer. She is a Reiki master Levels 1, 2 and 3, and a Reiki Master Trainer. She holds a BMSc in Metaphysics from the University of Sedona and the University of Metaphysics, and is an ordained minister through the University of Metaphysics. She runs retreats at her resort in Bali and has produced a series of CDs on health, relaxation, and success, and a TV documentary series, as well as being a magazine columnist and radio talkback presenter.

Their latest book is the nonfiction/self-help, Mastering Negative Impulsive Thoughts.

Visit the authors’ website at www.positivityexpert.com. 

About the Book:

Doctor John McIntosh and Rev. Elizabeth McIntosh, authors of an important new book, MASTERING NEGATIVE IMPULSIVE THOUGHTS, use “nits” as both an acronym for their book’s title and as an analogy for the clearly unhealthy effects of negative thinking.

“Negative thoughts occur impulsively, so that is why they are Negative Impulsive Thoughts, or NITs, for short,” the authors say. “The nice analogy is that nits are also head lice and both (nits and NITs) are irritating, contagious, hard to recognize, hard to eliminate, breed fast, and spread like an epidemic.”

Unlike other, similar books that claim to have a magic route to happiness and health, MASTERING NEGATIVE IMPULSIVE THOUGHTS is based on solid clinical research, say the authors, who together have extensive experience in general medicine, medical research, and holistic health/wellness practices.

For More Information

• Mastering Negative Impulse Thoughts is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning?  Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?

From our clinical practices, we separately realized the need for a book of this nature to be available to the public. 70% of presentations to the doctor arise as a result of some negative attitude. We both, for may years have known the close relationship between negative attitude and physical poor health, and that bad attitude leads to bad health.  We conducted our own research and drew on ground- breaking findings from the latest data while compiling this book.  We wanted to come up with an easy analogy to define negative thoughts so anytime someone had a negative thought or said something negative, it could be described easily – so Negative Impulsive Thoughts, or NITs, was borne.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

Our advice to anyone setting out to write a book is to follow your passion, keep your dream in front of you, focus on your areas of expertise and let your imagination fly!  You do need to persist and persist – don’t ever stop half way….

For us this was not a difficult book to write, as this is our area of expertise and a passion. We implemented these no-NIT principles in our own large businesses and our staff follow with ernest as they know how well this concept works, we have the happiest, positive, drama free work place one could wish for. 

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

We chose to self publish as we didn’t want to compromise our concept in anyway  and we wanted to have control while we were still finding our way through the interesting world of publishing .

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

Yes many things as one would expect, it is like learning a new language and what is the common understanding in general about this industry is much more complex than people tend to think . From our experience there are many budding authors out there, they write their book but then don’t know where to turn. For us we have had a very exciting journey and writing the book together truly an was amazing experience.

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?

We are currently writing a follow up to Mastering Negative Impulsive Thoughts( NITs) inspirational  real life stories of people overcoming NITs. We have gathered some great stories so far, very motivating and inspirational to read what people have overcome and triumphed. We also plan to write a books focused on NITs for Children, in the workplace and in relationships – it is such a huge area! 

Another book we have started stems from my experience as a fitness and yoga teacher and Johns expertise in sports medicine.   The common response I hear about exercising is that people these days are time poor.  Our new book increases your activity level as if you were exercising for another hour a day.   Even if you are at home or on holiday’s,  you just simply follow my suggested program for every day living.  The beauty of this new approach to exercise, is you won’t even notice you have done it.  It is about exercising smarter with the correct and safe techniques while you go about your daily life.  You will even be able to rehabilitate muscles that have been weak or inactive too long, there is now no excuse.  I already have a list of peoples names that want to by a copy of the book.  We are hoping to have it finished next year. 

 

Q: What’s your favorite place to hang out online?

Our face book page or our Website positivityexpert.com  connecting with people that share the same passion. Also there is so much research going on that reinforces what we have experienced and the new research about “neuroplasticity” that shows that the brain is much more flexible, powerful and we have to learn how to harness these powers…

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?

Our message is firstly about making people aware of the negative thoughts that they have in their internal dialog or mind chatter.  Research shows that our negative thoughts lead to many health issues like cancer, heart disease, depression, insomnia, infections and even a measurable fall in anti-oxidant levels. ON top of that you live 9 years less with a negative attitude! Clearly if we have negative thoughts and bad attitude, it leads to bad health! 

Mastering Negative Impulsive Thoughts (NITs) has made it easy because we have defined what negative thoughts are in a way people can relate to, and use the analogy to nits or head lice in the same way.  Whenever someones thoughts or behavior are negative they can be simply defined as NITs.  Then we have simple processes to break the habit if NITs, replace them with positive alternative and you will get the benefits.

In the book we have chapters on using these principles in the book for the ultimate relationship, positive work place  environment , no more dramas, raising positive children and exciting life stories about overcoming  NITs for a wonderful positive life.

Q: Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?

This is really a philosophy to live by that will improve your life.  What we really want is for the NIT understanding to be taken up around the world so that the positive life approach that each individual takes, will spread like ripples to their children, families, relationships, workplaces and then outwards around the globe.  These ripples of positivity have the potential to make the world a better place and the sort of place we would want for our children and grandchildren to inherit! It all starts with the “Man in the Mirror” – YOU!