Here’s an excellent article on forgiveness, taken from the ChiroMessage™ ezine of 8/22/2007, and originally from the book, Setting Things Straight, by Dr. John Madeira, D.C.

People can become extremely ill when they choose to harbor feelings of bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness.

This is not just a Sunday school lesson; science is proving this to be a fact. When you choose to hold on to symptoms of unforgiveness, such as hatred, resentment, bitterness and regret, these feelings act like a poison that slowly eats away at your body, devouring your health. People who harbor unforgiveness within them often develop ulcers, high blood pressure, cancer, suffer strokes or even have heart attacks.

The good news is that when you choose to forgive someone, you’re not doing it for them; you’re doing it so that YOU can have a healthy life and move on.

Forgiving someone doesn’t mean that what they did was right, nor does it mean that you agree with their actions. Forgiveness means that you recognize that the other person or people have made a mistake and they can’t take it back. Forgiveness means that you love yourself enough to not want to be stuck living every day in that situation—in those feelings—so you forgive the mistake, let go of the situation, and move forward in living your life to the fullest.

Remember, whatever you are not willing to release will stay with you. And negative feelings associated with unforgiveness have the potential to wreak havoc on your health.

Live healthy. Forgive often.