Dodging Energy Vampires: An Empath’s Guide to Evading Relationships That Drain You and Restoring Your Health and Power

by Christiane Northrup

Because of our natural proclivity to take on others’ energy and mistake it for our own, I often use the word porous to describe empaths.

Many empathic people are also extremely sensitive to smells. They can’t tolerate scents that are made from artificial chemical ingredients, though naturally occurring scents like lilacs are just fine. They can also pick up the scent of something being “off” with food—or even with other people—long before most others notice it.

you’re living on planet Earth there is a 100 percent chance that you will be shamed about something

The overarching belief that runs the system is this: Germs, bad luck, or bad genes are the cause of illness. It has nothing to do with your diet, your relationships, or your life. But don’t worry. There is—or soon will be—a drug that you can take for your condition. The fact that adverse pharmaceutical drug reactions and medical mistakes are the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States isn’t even addressed.

Many people know—in their guts—that the majority of chronic health problems are the end result of emotional and psychological stress in their lives. It’s very easy—and culturally encouraged—to ignore this information given that the health-care system largely dismisses the unity of the mind and body.

your state of health is very intimately connected with your core beliefs.