Author: Marc Cohen

(photo by Alexandru Rotariu on Unsplash)

The mind likes to think. Left alone, our thoughts focus on all sorts of things, like our present situations, past memories, and possible future outcomes. Many of them may also be negative and repetitive. Pay attention to your thoughts. Be an active listener. Give yourself compassion through supportive self-talk.

Because society encourages thinking all of the time, many of us have not yet acquired the skills of moving beyond thinking into other realms of being. For example, if we pay attention to our body, we may find out what it is telling us through our body posture, physical sensations, and energy level.

It can certainly be a challenge to maintain a healthy mindset when in the midst of a challenging and stressful ordeal. I know this first-hand. During my long-term primary caregiver responsibilities with my parents, I had many stressful moments. And I was unable to maintain a healthy mindset, a lot. A lack of sleep, eating unhealthy foods to escape, and continual tasks under stressful situations produced a negative mindset that I was unable to shake. I knew all about the concept of “caring for the caregiver”, yet I was unable to implement these steps until late in the process, when professional caregivers came on the scene. It was a challenge to find a caregiver that was a fit for my mom. And when I did bring in an overnight caregiver for my dad, the caregiver was caught sleeping more than once. So, I continued the primary role.

In the perfect world, it would be ideal to implement healthy mental mindset habits when life is calm, in order to get good at it. Then when the challenges arise, we will be better able to adapt and continue with our self-care needs. Yet, most of us have stressful challenges on a regular basis. So the time to start is now, regardless of our life situation. It is necessary to care for ourselves as best we can when times are rough.

From my caregiver experiences, I have learned some lessons relating to mindset. As many things in life are out of our control, like parental health, I have found it helpful to stop being attached to the outcome. I still want a good outcome, of course. For me, I would like to identify my goals, and then simply focus my attention on the task at hand in front of me right now.

Affirmations work for me too. If a negative thought pops into my head, I try to combat that by consciously stating a positive affirmation over-and-over. I find that this temporarily stops the negative thought, and allows for the positive affirmation to slowly sink into my unconscious mind.

And as our mind and body are connected, exercise, nutrition, and sleep do make a difference in our ability to remain in a positive mindset.

By consciously changing our thoughts, we can over time, shift the energy in our body with beneficial results. Illness is really a sign that we are out of balance in some way and need to address a particular life situation, feeling, or thought. With practice, we can begin to recognize that we have more choices at our disposal about how to live, as opposed to responding to situations strictly due to a long-standing habit or automatic response.

What is one small step that you can implement to improve your mental mindset?

(photo by Kulli Kittus on Unsplash)

We live in a fast-paced environment where our attention gets pulled in different directions. It is no wonder that chronic stress, poor sleep, and nutrition deficiencies affect many of us. There are ways to achieve our own needs through effective healthy habits and changes. The results of these changes may not be noticed immediately. It is a process with ups and downs. In time, your future self will look back to your current self with appreciation. To get started, ask yourself the following questions.

Do I want health now or do I not want health now?

Do I choose health now, or do I not choose health now?

What action do I need to take or not take right now?

Explore daily practices that produce clarity of mind, a fit body, and uplifting spirit. Use food as medicine. Eat a variety of nutrients to help your body thrive, build a strong immune system, and achieve sustained energy. Exercise (approved by your physician), such as walking and yoga, provides cardiovascular health, strength, and flexibility. Also try deep breathing exercises to expand lung capacity and relax the mind. And journal. Write upon waking when the mind is clear, or before bed, as a transition towards sleep. Tap into your unconscious mind by writing without filtering or editing. Let the words flow from pen to paper.

You have a natural power to realize optimal health. Your body and unconscious mind sends signals when something is out of balance and requires attention. Learn how to sense these signals. Explore new ways of being, and create a vision for your optimal future. Begin this journey now by answering the above three questions.

I want health.

I choose health now.

I am taking action now.

(photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash)

As a patient, I have had experiences with both Western (Allopathic) and Eastern  (CAM-Complimentary and Alternative) Medicine. Both practices provide necessary care, yet each approach is different.

Western medicine focuses on diagnosing and treating a disease or illness based on a patient’s symptoms. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Western medicine can be defined as, “A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery.”

“The basic philosophy of Eastern medicine practitioners is to treat the whole person, encouraging a healthy body to prevent illness and speed recovery.” Eastern medicine considers both the patient’s symptoms and an individualized diagnosis of a patient’s ‘Qi’ (or chi). Eastern medicine views the mind and body as one interconnected unit. When we do not feel well (physically, mentally, or emotionally), this is a sign that our body is out of balance in some way. Processes focus on bringing the body back to balance.

Here are some of my own personal experiences with Allopathic medicine.

As a child, I had an accident that required stitches. I was rushed to the hospital, and was quickly taken as an emergency. Stitched up, fixed up, done.

As a teenager, I had too many teeth in my mouth. If I did nothing, I may have had challenges as an adult. An oral surgeon pulled several teeth out (not all at once, haha). I’ll never forget the smell of peppermint gas that knocked me out causing some crazy dreams during the surgeries.

And, I had two experiences where two different doctors gave me prescription medicine, for sleep and stomach issues. While these medicines are helpful for others, they did not work for me.

Lastly, I contracted Lyme Disease from a tick bite. At the emergency room, I was given antibiotics immediately to begin the process.

The above examples show that my Allopathic experiences were either emergency situations that needed immediate care and attention, surgeries that were deemed necessary to help me later in life, and prescription drugs.

Now here are my Eastern medicine examples:

For Lyme Disease (LD), after seeing my PCP, I met with a Naturopathic Doctor (ND). An ND goes to medical school just like an MD does. However, instead of learning about prescription drugs and surgery, the ND studies nutrition, homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, and counseling.  To combat the LD, I was given homeopathic remedies, supplements, and acupuncture treatments, along with a recommendation to use food as medicine, sticking to an organic, whole-foods diet. The goal was to boost my immune system. A test at the beginning of treatment confirmed that I had one strand (out of four) of LD. At the end of the treatment, test results showed no LD strands present.

I saw an ND for my stomach issues as well. The same protocols were given (acupuncture, diet change, supplements) to build up the immune system. A month or two after this process, my chronic stomach pain was gone, and my energy was up.

One area of my health that I can’t seem to figure out, even with eastern medicine, is sleep. My long-standing sleep issues are still prevalent. However, a few of the times that I had acupuncture specifically for sleep issues, I either fell asleep during the acupuncture session, or fell asleep easily that night. So that’s progress.

Some States allow naturopathic doctors to be primary care physicians. Someday, I’d like to make this switch. However, my State is one that does not yet allow this. But more States are coming on board each year.

Ultimately, a combination of Western and Eastern medicine is best. Find the best combination for you. Many individuals try alternative medicine to alleviate chronic ailments when Western protocols are not successful. If you are open to Eastern medicine, give it a try. Explore an alternative medicine treatment  in conjunction with your allopathic methods, and get the best of both worlds.

What is one small step you can do for your own health now?