**Love Yourself: Bernie Siegel: Dynamic Health: Powerful Strategies for Healthy Living

I post my baby picture here for a reason.  Dr. Bernie Siegel tells a story of a phenomena that happens over and over.  He often talks to people, and holds up a baby, and everybody will ooh and aah and say how precious, how adorable.  He will then hold up an audience member, often a high school student, and every one will laugh and make fun, even the person being held up or asked to stand up.  And so the question, what changed in fifteen, sixteen years.  "Why were you a gorgeous baby, and now you're laughing at yourself?"... "So I really do tell people to get out their baby pictures and take a look at them.  I try to communicate to them that they're a child of God--to feel that they are divine rather than to tell them to do this, don't do that, it's not good for you, but to get them to love themselves so they then do what is good for them."
So I have posted my baby picture.  I am a child of God.  I am of divine worth.  I remember a saying our seminary teacher had in his office. "You are a child of God, and God doesn't make no junk."  When I feel down, I hope to see my baby picture, and remember my royal heritage.
Dr Siegel is a surgeon, and practices in the cancer field.  He began to realize hope and a lot to do with survival.  He and his wife established a program called ECaP (Exceptional Cancer Patients).  He talks of the importance of having love.  By this he means to love and be loved.  But he also is talking about having something you love, a passion.  He says it is funny, but now matter how ill you are, when you lose yourself in something you love, it seems to go away, you don't worry about the pain for awhile.  In my case, I don't hear my tinnitus.
Hope is important.  It improves your immune system.  It extends life.

**Book Review: People who need people Are the healthiest People: The Importance of Relationships

This book was co-authored by someone I use to know, Brent Q. Hafen.  He did his graduate studies at SIU when we lived in Carbondale, Ill.  His children were a bit younger than us.  He became a professor in the health field at BYU.  The other author is Kathryn J. Frandsen.  It is published by Behavioral Health Associates, Provo, Utah, 1986.

The idea behind this book is that those who have good relationships are more healthy.  It takes several chapters quoting studies that talk about the health benefits of those who have good relationships, such as marriage, friends and children and grandchildren.   Of course the opposite of having good relationships is loneliness.  It says there are two types of loneliness, predisposing—characteristics of the individual and values—and precipitating—such as loneliness that follows an event. 

“No one is immune from loneliness.  Depending on your needs, your relationships, and your life circumstances at any given time, you may fall victim to feelings of loneliness and abandonment. 

Knowing the issues, and the benefits of good relationships, the book presents several strategies for improving relationships.  This include communication and touching, holding and hugging.  They present an introduction into how to communicate effectively—which includes listening.  They also introduce the topic of touch, and how touch is so important to our human journey. 

The authors also present a good description of a family which is meeting needs for relationships, vs a family which is showing signs of tension. 

This book was written in 1986, but its message is still relevant. 

Documentary Review: Mayo Clinic: Diabetes: What is Integrative Medicine?

These are the notes I took from the first chapter on integrative medicine.  It concludes that many people are frustrated with having diabetes because they fear it may change their quality of life.  The truth is, quality of life could actually improve as you take charge of your health.  It is a daily battle, but one which you can win.  These are the ideas I wrote down from the video

Monitor you blood glucose
Be Active,
Have a healthy diet
Keep your weight under control.
take medication appropriately
Exercise will help you keep your blood sugar under control.  It takes sugar form your blood stream and gets it into your muscles.
annual physical, take care of feet, don't smoke, avoid alcohol, aspirin daily, monitor blood pressure, monitor cholesterol, eye exam yearly,

Integrated view of health, Four parts:
Physical Health: medical issues
Mental Health: 
Emotional Health: stress
Spiritual Health: reason to take care of the other areas
Each part interacts with the other areas. 

**Gratitude and Health

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=1541 

As I have been studying health, it becomes clear that our attitude affects our health.  One of those attitudes is gratitude.  I am taking most of this from an article in Spark People by Ellen G. Goldman.  She describes attitude as a “personality strength.  If you possess a high level of gratitude, you often feel an emotional sense of wonder, thankfulness and appreciation for life itself.”  President Hinckley defines gratitude this way, “When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives”.

Gratitude is good for your health.  Quoting Goldman, “Individuals who exhibit the most gratitude are happier, healthier, and more energetic.  Grateful people report fewer symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, nausea, even acne, and spend more time exercising!  And the more a person is inclined towards gratitude, the less lonely, stressed, anxious and depressed he or she will be.”   

She list for things to help in practicing gratitude: Keep a gratitude journal; Express your gratitude; Look for what is right about a situation; and Practice gratitude with your family and friends.  As I look at these four goals, I see some room for self improvement.  I think the last is the area which would make the most difference in my life.  If I could practice gratitude with my family, I think it would create a much better atmosphere around home.  However, gratitude can be a habit of politeness, rather than an attitude of gratitude.  By this I mean, expressing thanks, without the feeling of gratitude behind it, will not suffice.  I think people can see when you are being false.  So the key is to actually feel grateful. 

My mother use to always quote the hymn, “Count Your Blessings” whenever I was getting down.  Sometimes it pays to stop and count blessings, really enumerate what is right in your life.

**Sleep and Nutrition from Everyday Health

http://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/0211/poor-nutrition-can-bite-into-your-sleep.aspx?pos=1&xid=nl_EverydayHealthDietandNutrition_20140511
This is a link which includes a couple videos, as well as an article on sleep; particularly as it relates to nutrition.
Step 1: Eat no less than 4 hours before going to bed; especially food high in carbohydrates.
Step 2: High protein food late in the day because they contain something that helps you sleep.
Step 3: Include dairy, chick peas nuts, broccoli a few hours  before bed.
Tip: Avoid alcohol and caffeine before going to bed, or entirely as these can interfere with sleep.
Step 4: Salads with fruit, such as apples and pears, which calm the digestive system.
Step 5: Eat comfort foods, like chicken noodle soup, which calm you mind and make you feel good.
Tip: Keep your weight down.
Step 6: Chamomile tea with ginger calms the digestive system.  Warm milk can also serve in this function.
The tip on keeping my weight down would be good for me.  My weight I am sure contributes to sleep apnea.  By losing some weight I maybe could get rid of my CPAP machine.  I never use caffeine, or alcohol.  I do eat too late in the day, but have started taking my evening meal to eat on the train.  The days I remember, it seems to help. 

**Can Lifestyle Change Reverse Heart Disease

http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/dr-dean-ornish-turn-back-clock-heart-disease/?pos=1&xid=nl_EverydayHealthHealthyLiving_20140506
This is a very good article from Everyday Health which presents the work and theories of Dr Dean Ornish on reversing heart disease through lifestyle changes.  He does say his program is not a cure, but it can reverse the normal progression of heart disease getting worse and worse and make it so things actually get better.  These changes include "supervised exercise, stress management through yoga and meditation, emotional support, and nutrition counseling."  He contends to say the "it is all in our genes" is not accurate, because genes give us predispositions only, not a death sentence.  Within that realm of genes, there is much that the individual can do with life choices.  He also talks about the roles of depression and loneliness in health.  His model has a large community oriented component.  He has also written books on these topics, such as "Dr. Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease", "Weigh Less" and "Heart and Survival."
These concepts I find very interesting, and am always interested in how to be healthier.

**Mental Illness and Premature Death

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/07/18/bipolar-disorder-tied-to-risk-disease-early-death/?intcmp=obnetwork
I came across and article on Fox News suggestion that bipolar disorder result in an earlier death rate of about ten years.  This articles contends there are a couple reasons for this.  The suicide rate is high among people with bipolar disorder.  However this is not enough to contend for the entire loss of ten years.  Other contributing factors may be, the nature of the disease, side effects of medications, and lack of health care.
http://www.dsamh.utah.gov/docs/mortality-morbidity_nasmhpd.pdf 
However this earlier study contends that the life expectancy of those with mental illness can be up to 25 years shorter than the average life span.  This points out a much bigger problem.  The increase in morbidity is attributed to several factors:
Preventable risk factors including: smoking, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition and obesity, lack of exercise, "unsafe" sexual behavior, IV drug usage, and exposure to TB in a residential setting.
Vulnerabilities including: Homelessness, victimization, unemployment, poverty, incarceration and social isolation.
Impact of mental health symptoms: impaired reality, disorganized thought processed, impulsivity, paranoia, mood instability, lack of motivation and hopelessness.
Issues as the result of medications: masking physical health symptoms, metabolic syndrome, reduction in pain sensitivity, side effects, weight gain, high tryglicerides, diabetes.
Lack of access to health care.
Lack of coordination between mental health and health care providers.
This article does not indicate if there are underlying physical issues as a result of the mental illness.  However negative effects of a mental illness result in less motivation to engage in needed health care services.
This article proposes a three prong attack to solve the problem.  The first proposal is encouraging families and the community to develop a vision of integrated care.  By integrated care they mean getting physical health care and mental health care in the same place. 
Next to actually achieve integrated physical and behavioral health care through advocacy and education.  And finally to pursue client centered care that is recovery and wellness focused.
This article is a bit dated, and some progress is being made, but very slowly.  There are still mental health clients to lack access to physical health care.  It is also too easy to gain weight on certain medications, and this can lead to other health issues.

**Book Review Dynamic Health: Powerful Strategies for Healthy Living: Chapter 5: Dr. Earl Mindell

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.
Dr. Earl Mindell is a vitamin specialist. He has written many books including "The Vitamin Bible."  I found this interview informative.  I came away from it with a sense of needing to take a daily vitamin, and to do something about my weight.  Nutrition is an area where our knowledge is doubling every couple of years.  You have to stay informed.  He concludes with this simple statement, "If you want to be healthy, you have to put responsibility for your health in your own hands.  It's as simple as that.  If you want to be sick, don't worry about a thing--it's going to happen.

** Eye Health from Vision Service Plan

Who new there was so much to know about your eyes.  I didn't even realize there was such a thing as "Computer Vision Syndrome."  This article is from Vision Service Plan and came to work.  It includes many links for additional reading.  It is interesting how nutrition and exercise play a part even in eye health

Enjoy Your Vision… for a Lifetime
By taking care of your eyes, you can see a lifetime of enjoyment!  Here’s how:
·         Get annual vision exams… starting at six (6) months of age through our Golden Years. ·         Exercise regularly…to help keep your eyes healthy and prevent conditions linked to chronic illnesses. ·         Eat foods rich in antioxidants… to protect your vision over a lifetime and help prevent developing eye conditions. ·         Protect your eyes…by wearing sunglasses or protective eyewear to lower your risk of damage or injury. ·         Give your eyes a break…by following the 20-20-20 rule to prevent “Computer Vision Syndrome”.   The rule is after viewing screen for 20 minutes look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

**Documentary Movie Review: *When the Bough Breaks

http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/about_the_series.php

This documentary explores the relationship between prejudice and racism, and the health of the victim.  When the Bough Breaks is a movie that is part of the series Unnatural Causes which was produced for PBS by California Newsreel.  I understand the series is going to be presented again on PBS.  It originally aired in 2008.  For better or worse this series is part of the policy discussion in health care.
I was at a training yesterday, in which the movie was shown and it has me thinking.  Perhaps my previous blog "Racket Sports Make You Smart" was a sarcastic reaction to this movie.
The movie presents data about low birth weight babies.  The statistics show that African American mothers have twice the chance of having a low-birth weight baby as a whit mother.  It indicates the researchers thought this must have been due to difference in socioeconomic class.  However when they ruled this out, the gap became wider rather than narrower.  The movie presented the story of an African American mother, lawyer and successful in terms of things of the world.  However her baby was born just over two pounds if I remember, and was another statistic in this debate.  It pointed out that upper economic classed African American women have babies with lower birth weight than the babies of White women.
They decided this must be something in their genetic code.  However when they looked at recent immigrants from Africa, their babies had the same weight on average as white babies.  However after being in the United States for a generation, then their statistics reflected the African American population at large.  Consequently they concluded it wasn't genetic factors.
They concluded that the reason for the low-birth weight among babies born to African American woman had to be racism.  That racism, over a life time effects the Black women in such away as to make affect the health of their babies.
The movie points out the infant mortality in the United States is not much to be happy about.  It seems the United States ranks 34 overall in the world.  Even taking away the African American babies we still rank around 23.  So the health and risk of low-weight babies is prevalent amongst our entire population, and more prevalent among the African American population.
In our own family, our little Tony was born with low-birth weight.  He was in the hospital for 10 days.  In his case his birth mother was very young.  I also find that drugs may have something to do with low-birth weight.  It seems doing foster care, most or all of our babies have been exposed to drugs.  I wonder if age of the mother and drugs could be factors? Another factor could be multiple births.
During the past year there have been four low-weight babies born among my extended family.  The wife of my nephew had triplets, all of low-birth weight.  They are all doing fine now.  My niece also had a baby who was born too soon.  Unfortunately she lost her baby when he got an infection in the hospital.
Low-birth weight is not confined to babies of African American women.  I wonder if this issues is more complex than just blaming it on racism.  Are their other factors at play with regards to the make up of the African American family that could play a factor as well?

**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. 

**ADHD: France vs USA: Two different philosophies

Stimulant medication for the treatment of ADHD is prescribed much less often in France than in the United States.  I have seen at least three explanations for this, all of which very likely contain part of the truth.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/suffer-the-children/201203/why-french-kids-dont-have-adhd
This first article from Psychology Today" points out that in the U .S. nine percent of children take stimulant medication.  This compares  to half a percent in France.  This article contends this is due to the different definitions of the disease in the two countries.  In the U.S. it is considered the result of brain function; while in France the focus is on psycho/social dynamics.  This different concept leads to looking for underlying causes for behavioral issues, and the use of therapy to look at and resolve these issues.  The differing result is psychotherapy vs medications as the first treatment choice for this illness.  The article contends the more holistic approach of the French allows for consideration of dietary effects.  Also different approaches to child-rearing may contribute to the difference.
On the other hand, other articles contend the difference is lack of awareness or diagnosis outside of the United States, however, the rate of ADHD seems to be similar to many other countries.  Another idea is that in the U.S. we symptomize behaviors, so as to pass responsibility.
This last article indicates that governmental restrictions around the use of ADHD medication in France might cause much of the difference.  He points out that in France it takes over two years to be diagnosed with ADHD.  Also prescription of stimulant medication has to be started in a hospital setting.  With different regulations, it is evident why there would be a differnce in the prescription rate.
http://pediatrics.about.com/b/2012/03/12/why-french-kids-dont-have-adhd-actually-they-do.htm
I think all of these ideas have some merit.  In working with children, I have seem some who were severely effected by ADHD symptoms, and to deprive them of medication would have been catastrophic.  However, it is important to look at holistic health, and use this concept as a spring board to improve the lives of these children, without neglecting those who are truly in need.  Maybe medication should not always be the first answer.

**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.