November 16, 2012
Steve Salt is a syndicated health blogger and a Christian Science teacher and practitioner. This post was originally published on the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Follow him on twitter @saltseasoned.
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Season of kindness
Encouragement and kindheartedness foster well being not only in recipients, but in contributors as well!
What are your health prospects?
Forget Murphy's Law and give your consent to living a life grounded by spiritual, guiding principles. Doing so can help supersede health uncertainties.
Can we do better than be happy?
Feeling happy is generally a good thing! But what really underlies much of the quest for happiness is an intrinsic desire for recognition of our worth. The happiness crave cannot be satiated without a reasonable understanding of one's own value and the worth of others.
It's as plain as the nose on your face
Or is it? It can be problematic to maintain health when our focus is directed toward all the maladies we are told we are susceptible to. The normal expectations of wellness are lowered dramatically by visions of sickness that we unwittingly reinforce in our thoughts and conversations.
Working for or against your health?
We don't need to get mired in the repetitive cycles of doubt and negativity that promote unhealthy conditions. Be your own health activist!
Health by the numbers
It has been said that numbers don’t lie. But they certainly don’t give the whole picture when it comes to our quintessence. In fact, non-physical descriptors have a real impact on health.
Age no reason for self-image to suffer
Self-image and health go hand-in-hand. So if low self esteem is troubling you, don't let it continue. Stir things up and allow for a transformative change of perspective.
Nudgin curmudgeon attitudes toward better health
Does it matter how you think of yourself? A study by the American Psychological Association reports positive self-perceptions can prolong life-expectancy.
Health is more than meets the eye
Retired surgeon and author, Mike Denny advocates “that all medical research and practice should include not only quantity but also quality, not only the objective but also the subjective, not only fragmentation but also wholeness, not only matter but also spirit.”
Rethinking today's medicine...are doctors ready?
Growing numbers of medical doctors are speaking out on the spiritual aspect of health that they were never taught in medical school. "The human body is something more than anatomy and physiology;" writes Dr. Mike Denny in his book, "Nobody's Boy, An Old Doctor and a New Science."
Reclaim your happiness
"Clear and compelling evidence" exists, according to Science Daily, "that – all else being equal – happy people tend to live longer and experience better health than their unhappy peers."
A Positive Attitude is a Healthy Choice
How are you today? Good, I hope. Studies continue to show that maintaining a positive attitude influences our health and increases our longevity.
Gratitude helps healthy living
Counting our blessings instead of inventorying our troubles is sage advice that promotes added benefits.
Being healthy linked to Golden Rule
Does living by the Golden Rule have a beneficial effect? As it turns out, in addition to the societal benefits of loving and trusting your neighbor, this respect has a bearing on one’s own physical and mental health.
Being healthy… even if you are Methuselah
October 1, marks the commemoration of International Day of Older Persons! So what does the previous generation have to say about personal health? "Research suggests that spirituality is important to a large percentage of the older adult population and serves as a promoter of healthy aging," writes Lydia K. Manning, Associate Professor of Gerontology at Concordia University Chicago.
Can modern medicine evolve beyond materialism?
Does there appear to be a crack opening in the philosophy that everything relating to health rests on the back of physicality? A more well-rounded approach that doesn't overlook the spiritual dimension of health is gaining ground.
When life needs a kick start
September is 'Healthy Aging Month'! A good time to remember that an upbeat attitude, spirituality and positive expectation are proven contributors to good health. Studies over the past decade show a correlation between sound, productive thinking and reduced risk of stroke, disability and mobility problems.
The need to “ease your pain” takes on new urgency
Finding solutions to pain is taking on fresh dimensions with less focus on drugs. Many pain sufferers are turning to a mind/body/spirit approach to find relief for all types of problems, including back, neck and joint pain.
Ready to rumble? Try being humble.
Evaluating our attitudes can be helpful when considering healthy bodies and minds. Studies seem to be advancing the notion that sustained mental negativity is the enemy of well-being. "Humility is strong—not bold; quiet—not speechless; sure—not arrogant," wrote Estelle Smith.
Is spirituality good for your health?
Is there a connection between health and spirituality? A majority of recent research indicates a clear relationship between the two.
Healthy aging ...what it takes
"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age." Sophia Loren once said that and it makes sense.
Integrative medicine: recognizing our innate capacity to heal
“Complementary” and “alternative” medicine (CAM) has been part of the health lexicon for a generation or more. The terms have been used to describe those therapies considered outside the traditional scope of medicine or at least beyond the doctor’s comfort zone. That is changing.
Nocebos: The Murphy's Law of Medicine
According to recent scientific research, focusing thought and conversation on negative health expectations is not such a keen idea. It's called the "nocebo effect" and doctors are increasingly recognizing its negative impact on health. When worry, dread, and apprehension are troubling you - forget Murphy's old adage and avoid expecting the worse!
Smile...you could live longer and smarter
What kind of mood are you in today? It seems a common – almost rote – question. But, it turns out that the answer to that question is very important. Maintaining a positive attitude and an individual’s spirituality play big roles in longevity and resiliency in later life. Separate studies confirm these findings.
Patient-centered care in an IPatient world
With the ever-increasing reliance on technology, does a doctor's tone of voice and bedside manner really matter? Apparently so. The intangibles of being, things like love, compassion, confidence, hope and other qualities point to the multi-dimensional facets of the individual, aspects that cannot be ignored in securing healthy outcomes and furthering long lives.
Health care reform could use a good laugh
Humor and other "mindfulness" methods to health – everything from relaxation techniques to prayer - are gaining wider acceptance. Laughter's "outside the Jack-in-the box" approach to healing is one of those surprising treasures putting smiles on many faces. All of April is National Humor Month, so make the most of it. Laugh a little!
Healthy, Wealthy & Wise
Integrative medicine is a whole-person approach to health, treating the person, not just the disease and it is quickly receiving the attention of consumers, hospitals, and medical schools. It's a form of care that puts the patient at the center and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person's health.
More Americans electing new strategies to health care
Patients and health professionals continue to talk about "patient-centered care" and endorse an expansion of practices beyond "conventional" medical models.