**Dr. David Mee-Lee Dual Diagnosis from Dynamic Health: Powerful Strategies for Healthy Living!

David Wright interviewed Dr. David Mee-Lee about dual diagnosis services.  This is treatment for people with co-occurring substance us and mental health problems.  Dr. Mee-Lee consults with Santa Clara County departments of Alcohol and Drugs as well as Mental Health.  As such I have had the opportunity to attend his trainings as well as sit in consultation of cases with him.  He is a pioneer of motivation interviewing, and he works with the call center on being able to figure out what people would like to get from mental health.  “You start at the door they open and where they let you in rather than telling them they have to work on a problem they don’t think they have.  Work on what they’re there for and from that point move to how their substance use and their mental health problems have been shooting themselves in the foot, preventing them from getting what they really want. 

This article is best when it talks about rehabilitation of mental health and substance abuse problems.  “Recover doesn’t necessarily mean they’re cured when you’re talking about a chronic illness—no more than if somebody with diabetes  or hypertension or asthma. … A person suffering from a mental illness as well as a substance problem won’t be able to be cured in the sense that they will never have a mental health problem or substance problem again.  They can recover, meaning they can live beyond just the fact that they have alcoholism or a mental illness.  They can have goals and aspirations and be empowered to have hope to change their life in terms of their relationships, in terms of productivity in the community, and reaching their dreams and aspirations. … Recover really means stabilizing their mental health and substance problem, but then living and growing to have an identity beyond just their illness.”

Dr. Mee-Lee concludes with advice for family and community.  The first is to realize that mental illness is not unusual.  There is “nothing bizarre or weird about…having substance problems or mental health issues.  The second point he makes is that there is help for mental illness.  Getting treatment sooner rather than later leads to a better result. 

**Book Review Dynamic Health: chapter four, Carolyn Finch

This book is a series of interviews with prominent people in the field of health, with the goal of educating us on taking better care of our health.
Carolyn Finch is a specialist in body language.  The greater percentage of our communication is done through body language, rather than written or verbal.  She describes four personality types, analytic, driver, amiable and expressive.  She talks about the left brain and right brain, and using Brain Gym.  She says using brain exercises we can solve many issues, including sight.  She talks about using the whole brain. To be honest, I think this went over my head and I did not get anything practical from it.

**Book Review: Dynamic Health: Powerful Strategies for Healthy Living 3: Dr. Todd E. Curzie, Chiropractic

Dynamic Health, Todd E. Curzie
Dr. Curzi is a doctor of chiropractic.  He offers his ideas of chiropractic, and how it differs from traditional medicine.  Then he talks about things which lead to healthy living.  “Good nutrition if a huge part of healthy living. … Poor nutrition is a toxin we can prevent on a daily basis.”  He also talks about the need for motion.  He also talks about healing from within.  By this he means through our thought process and life styles, rather than through pills.  “About 70 percent of what we see is stress related.  “In order to stay out of doctors’ offices you need to eat healthy and you need to exercise. … You need to eat healthy, decrease stress, and have a positive mental attitude. 

**Book Review: Dynamic Health: Chapter 2: Dr. Norman Rosenthal

Dynamic Health Dr. Norman Rosenthal
Dr. Rosenthal mentions some interesting insights as to what can help an individual have better health.
This is the second interview in the book, Dynamic health with the interviewer David E. Wright.  Dr. Rosenthal is an expert in Seasonal Affective Disorder, and pioneered the use of lamps in its treatment.  He is also a research doctor.  He also pioneered the use of St. John’s Wort for depression.  He contributes these comments with regards to personal health.  “I believe that we need to keep our intellectual mind, our emotional mind, and our body in line.  These are the three domains we need to take care of.  If we take care of all those we have the best chance, not only of leading long lives, but of leading good and healthy ones as well.”  He follows up listing some things he is going to do himself for his health.  These include Yoga which emphasizes relaxation and stretching.  He also talks of emotional peace, and the importance of keeping connected to people who are important to us.  “I think you should ‘mend you fences.’”  “I think it’s so unhealthy to carry anger and negative feelings about with you if you don’t have to.”  He finally adds “love and adventure” as keys to healthy life.  We all need to have goals, and things we are striving for.

**Book review Dynamic Health: Powerful Strategies for Healthy Living: Dr. Jack Singer

Dynamic Health: Powerful Strategies for Healthy Living by Dr. Jack Singer and Bernie Siegel, Insight Publishing, 2006.  This book is a series of interviews conducted by David E. Wright with different people in the health profession; but not always traditional health.  It includes people from other areas including chiropractic and vitamins and mental health.  This is the first section by Jack Springer.  It presents evidence of the effects of our thoughts on health.

I found the content to be compelling and important to share.

Chapter one features Jack Singer as he is interviewed by David E. Wright.  Singer indicates that research shows that two out of every three patients at family practice have symptoms, but do not have a physical organic diseasing causing those symptoms.  Singer studies the effect of our thoughts and our minds on disease, including suppression of the immune system.  He blames our “internal critic” for much of what ails us.  The internal critic is that part of us that tells us something might go wrong, we can’t do it etc.  These negative thoughts impact our immune system.  They spark our internal self preservation measures, including tightening of the muscles, a shot of adrenaline, etc.  These mechanisms, are meant to be used on occasion, instead they are used hundreds of times daily, and this it is breaking our bodies down.  He says children are taught this attitude form the age of six to eighteen when they are subject to 148,000 negative comments by teachers, parents, friends etc as compared to 4,000 positive “you can do it” comments.  As a result our self talk 55,000 words a day, is mostly negative.  He points out that the health of optimists is much better than those with negative attitudes.  Confronting life with the attitude that it will work out in the end, it’s a drawback but not a catastrophe etc., leads to better health.  He also points out other attitudes that effect health.  A sense of humor can be key.  Twenty seconds of hearty laughing can equal three minutes of rowing for the health of the heart.  He points out his secret to better health.  One is to assert yourself.  Another is to forgive others.  Holding on to grudges does not help.  Being spiritual is another.  Having faith is important for health.  Next, to thank a mentor can be a big lift to our health.  This could be a teacher, or someone who had a profound influence on us.  I remember a few years ago my brother Charlie, going to his old football coach, and visiting with him, and making a small book of his memories of his coach.  This kind of thing is a big lift.  Another is to practice random acts of kindness, give up your space in line for someone who is harried, take supper or treats to a neighbor, or a kind word.  You can also volunteer.  Places I have enjoyed volunteers have been Scouts, Special Olympics, Mormon Helping Hands and coaching youth sports and officiating youth sports.  He says the most important key for health is relationships with family and friends.  These people are healthier and recover from disease faster.  Even those who are single can have important relationships with siblings and others.