Healthy Minds, Healthy
Bodies
Lifestyles impact on one's health. This concept is now
universally accepted; it is common today for one's doctor
to dispense lifestyle advice along with exams, lab tests
and prescriptions. A woman's exercise habits, diet, use
of tobacco, drugs and alcohol are all factors in her
overall physical health. But one concept that still tends
to be overlooked is the
Our feelings are linked to the immune system and can affect our ability to fight disease. But the holistic, mind-body concept goes well beyond this line of thought, to tap into the individual's inner healing power - and responsibility - in maintaining or restoring good health. It's about self-awareness and one's own participation in, and responsibility for, attaining a positive health level. The good news is that a healthy mind-body relationship is available to anyone, anytime.
Attitudes, emotional state of mind, stress level, beliefs and faith, and self-image have all been studied to evaluate their impact on disease and healing. It's no surprise that these attitudes showed a correlation between a positive outlook on life and better disease recovery rates. What may surprise is the degree of the impact. In Getting Well Again, O. Carl Simonton, M.D., Stephanie Matthews-Simonton and James L. Creighton, by showing how positive expectations, self-awareness and self-care play a major role in surviving serious illness, establish a scientific basis for the 'will to live'.
The keywords are participation and responsibility. Studies have shown that those who feel helpless and powerless to contribute to their own well-being, are most likely to succumb to illness in a stressful situation. The same stressful situation that causes one woman to become ill may result very differently for the woman who views that situation as an opportunity to take charge of her health.
Use of techniques that enable one to use mind-body communication - including visualization, mental imagery, relaxation and goal-setting - can empower us and result in not only defeating illness, but in achieving overall good health.
Minding the Body, Mending the Mind, by Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., is another book that shows successful exercises, both mental and physical, that will aid both in overcoming numerous ailments, and in achieving an overall positive health outlook.
Here are some mind-body techniques that can help you utilize your own inner healing powers:
Set goals for your healthy-living plan, and monitor it regularly. Use of a written goal list and chart can help you pinpoint areas of success and where you need to concentrate your efforts. (Some online sites are dedicated to aiding goal-setting; look for links on this page.)
Exercise consistently, at least three times a week. Whatever form of exercise you choose, begin slowly and build up gradually and consistently. Overdoing at the start is a sure-fire way to kill any exercise plan.
Eat a healthy diet. You'll feel better and overall health will improve noticeably. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limit sugar, caffeine and fat as much as possible.
Set aside a time each day for meditation and reflection. Even a 5-minute 'quiet time' will be tremendously helpful in coping with stress and staying focused. This is also a good time to begin a program of passive exercise, like yoga.
Make a conscious effort to see stress, fear and anxiety as a challenge, not a threat. Try to see these emotions as obstacles to be overcome (even for short periods at first), rather than feelings over which you have no control. Although you do not have control over every circumstance, you do control the way you respond to them.
Be always conscious of your self-image, how you view yourself. Seeing yourself as a healthy person will go a long way toward making you a healthy person!
Equally important, always be aware of your attitudes and outlook on life. Remember how powerful your state of mind is, and when you find yourself thinking negatively, develop a strategy for systemically changing your outlook.
Some
of this material, and much inspiration, drawn from:
Getting Well Again (O. Carl Simonton, M.D.,
Stephanie Matthews-Simonton and James L. Creighton)
Minding the Body, Mending the Mind (Joan
Borysenko, Ph.D.)
(FastFind either book at Barnes & Noble by clicking on the book covers below for further reading on this topic.)
Further Reading on Featured Topic
