© Glow Images: model used for illustrative purposes only.

Self-help is big business. And if self-help is empowering people, then it’s also common sense that health professionals are prescribing more than conventional medicine to their patients being treated for various psychological problems.

On one level, self-help could be something like surrounding ourselves with things that lift our thoughts – photos of family and friends, art, flowers, etcetera. Things that remind us of the good, and can make us forget mundane problems, or at least to put them in perspective. And on another level, other than enjoyment, we could read books in the hope of escaping or healing our issues.

Some of my favourite “spirit-lifters” come from my local $2 shop. That’s not its official name but you probably know those well stocked variety stores. I found a large, glass diamond that catches the light, perched on my windowsill.  It reminds me of the many facets to my life: I’m a businesswoman, a wife, an active participant in my church, and a volunteer.

Five pebbles adorn my desk etched with: Love. Faith. Hope. Peace. Trust. I’ve found they can be as powerful as the Bible story where the shepherd boy David slew the armour-clad giant with a stone aimed just right. My pebbles have been very handy for days when work stress seems all-consuming. Not for throwing at the wall (or a colleague!), but for exercising my mind with the spiritual qualities associated with each, to obliterate the fear or anxiety that would hold me back from progress.

Have you heard of bibliotherapy? Some recent local and world news headlines are hailing: “Don’t pop a pill, read a book”(1); “The medicinal power of literature: Books on prescription” (2); “GPs to prescribe library books to combat anxiety, depression…”(3); “GPs to prescribe self-help books for mental health problems” (4).

Several NSW libraries are participating in a pilot program due to launch in May 2013 called “Books on Prescription”. GPs and other health professionals are invited to partake by recommending self-help books to patients being treated for psychological issues.

Though the “self-help” concept isn’t new, it is a positive development for patients to be encouraged and reminded today, that there is ‘mind medicine’ as well as prescription medicine.

A book helped me to heal my life and get back on track. My husband’s work demanded that we relocate often, which meant we were never in one place long enough for me to build meaningful networks. After several years of this peripatetic lifestyle we landed up in the Isle of Man. Though it’s a beautiful island, the cold, grey days made me very depressed. Having no family nearby, and very few belongings, added to a terrible feeling of hopelessness.

Feeling at the end of my rope, I picked up a book(5) given to me years ago, and it became my lifeline. The last chapter titled, “Fruitage” contains 100 pages of people’s testimonials about both mental and physical regeneration just through the ideas in the book. Reading these helped clear my mind until I felt buoyant enough for us to work on a plan for the future. Our next move turned out to be the country that would become our home – Australia – though I’d never been before, it beckoned like a promised land! This experience was a turning point for my mental wellbeing and for our marriage.

The glass diamond and the pebbles on my desk are mere reminders of unlimited spiritual qualities – the mental strength any of us can draw on in times of need. It’s good to know that no matter how big the “giant” problem is, it could only take one well-aimed stone to treat (destroy) it.

Self-help is just that. Tools that empower us to change our lives by first changing our thinking. What inspires you to lift your thoughts out of mental strife?

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References:
(1) Sydney Morning Herald
(2) Independent UK
(3) Telegraph UK
(4) Guardian UK
(5) Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

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Published on NewsLocal publications: Hills Shire Times. Parramatta Advertiser. Rouse Hill Times.

Got to love Australia Day! Of course one of the highlights is the ‘Australians of the Year Awards’. Nominations include exemplary Aussies from a variety of walks of life, among whom are avid health academics and advocates.

Ita Buttrose is our ‘Australian of the Year’. Besides her historical and impressive media career, she champions social and health issues, and is currently the national president of Alzheimer’s Australia. 

According to reports in November 2012 more than 300,000 Australians have dementia, and by 2050 this figure could triple. The illness has been delegated as “Australia’s ninth National Health Priority Area”.

Love and laughter are intrinsic qualities for wellbeing. More and more people are recognising the mental nature of health and the benefits of spirituality on wellbeing.

A SMILE study was conducted in 2011 at the University of NSW’s School of Psychiatry: Dr Lee-Fay Low, a Research Fellow said, “I think in some facilities they are very task focused and think, ‘we have to do baths, showers, food and cleaning’ and because they are so busy looking after the clinical and physical needs of the residents they sometimes forget to look after the emotional needs so the lightheartedness (in the study) is part of that.”

Research at Southern Cross University, looked at whether stand-up comedy has therapeutic effects on dementia patients. Associate Professor John Stevens said, “… what was striking, individuals were starting to remember lines and routines from week to week. This is not expected from people with dementia. One woman, in particular, with severe short term memory problems, hadn’t spoken in two years. But relatives were gobsmacked when they came to the final performance concert to see her up on the stage performing and laughing.”

Along with laughter, love is essential for mental and physical well-being. Patients and their relatives, friends, health carers and practitioners find much needed support and a sense of connectedness from each other. For many there is also the need to feel connected to a higher being than themselves, a higher source of love.

People like author and physician Larry Dossey MD, for one, has seen over decades results in patients who used prayer as part of their therapy. In one account he says: “One patient I encountered during my first year in medical practice had terminal lung cancer for which no treatment was given; members of his church prayed nonstop for him and the cancer totally disappeared. I did not take these cases seriously, however, until the mid-80s, when I discovered the existence of scientific studies, dealing with humans and animals, showing the effects of prayer. After years spent researching this evidence, I became convinced that it is one of the best-kept secrets in medicine.”

A recent, small experience comes to mind. For the holidays we’d locked up the house and I hid my car keys because we were travelling in my husband’s car. When we returned I couldn’t remember where the heck I’d hidden them. I was frustrated and chastised myself for being so stupid, and after a few days of this began to panic. I needed more than just the car key on that key-ring! Because I’ve relied on prayer for many years to calm myself and change my unhelpful thinking, I knew that I could appeal to a divine order and thereby remember where to look. A few hours later I found them in a place where I didn’t remember hiding them. Though I’m not comparing my lack of mindfulness with dementia, I know that prayer works, and that the same principle can be applied to virtually any situation.

Wishing us all love, laughter, and good health for the Australia Day celebrations, and indeed for the New Year. A hearty congratulations to all those nominated as Australians of the Year – and best wishes for champions of causes that raise the standard of thinking and living for mankind.

© GLOW IMAGES model for illustrative purposes

Holidays usually invoke happy thoughts. But for some it is a dreaded time bringing sadness more than joy. Thoughts of not being appreciated or loved, missing a loved one through loss, loneliness (even in a crowd), disappointment and stress can be repetitive negative thoughts – like mental bullies. There’s truth in, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7).

A 19th Century pioneer in mind-body health, Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.”  

Research shows that methods like meditation and prayer help counteract negative thoughts. Author of ‘The Superstress Solution’ Dr Roberta Lee, says that people who use their spirituality to cope with life heal faster from illness, and they experience increased benefits to their health and well-being.

Peace is a big theme around best wishes for Christmas. Religious or not, we all need peace of mind. Scientists are proving, beyond positive thinking, that spiritual qualities such as compassion, forgiveness, gratitude and love heal the mind and body. And long before science as we know it, words (thoughts) from ancient healers also make sense today: “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24).

The word “holiday” partly stems from “holy day”. Wikipedia states, “the word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation”. It is possible for each day to be a blessed day – a “holy day”.

For healthy holidays, refuse would-be bully thoughts. A change of thought can bring peace of mind.

Some tips from the Harvard Medical School newsletter (Nov 2011) include:

• Pray. People who are religious can use prayer to cultivate gratitude.
• Meditate. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. Although people often focus on a word or phrase (such as “peace”), it is also possible to focus on what you’re grateful for (the warmth of the sun, a pleasant sound, etc.).
• Count your blessings. Pick a time every week to sit down and write about your blessings — reflecting on what went right or what you are grateful for.
• Thank someone mentally. No time to write? It may help just to think about someone who has done something nice for you, and mentally thank the individual.

© GLOW IMAGES. Model used for illustrative purposes.

Published on NewsLocal: Hills Shire Times; Parramatta Advertiser; Blacktown Advertiser; Rouse Hill Times.

From early on most of us learn that giving is better than receiving.

However, my dear aunty was in for a bit of a shock when she presented me with a beautifully wrapped gift in the shape of a tennis racquet for my twelfth birthday. I already had a racquet, so I refused to open the package, bawling that no one understood what it was like to be the only kid in the world who got presents only once a year. And furthermore, that it wasn’t my fault that I was born on Christmas day!

And embarrassingly, more recently I was feeling pretty sorry for myself that a present from close friends was chosen for a needy person in Africa instead. The colourful card told me “my gift” was going elsewhere! What do you give a gal who has everything, right? No, seriously, I am delighted that a destitute person was helped in this way.

May we never lose our child-like spirit. I, for one, can’t help getting caught up in the excitement watching children give gifts. While Christmas shopping in my local shopping centre I watched kids and grown-ups place their gifts for the needy around a Christmas Wishing Tree. The tree was festively decorated and also covered in lovely gift tags for messages.

As I stood there, I saw a parallel between the tree with its loving messages and people buoyant with good thoughts, each expressing qualities like those described in Galatians in the Bible: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

I thought of the tree as bearing fruit, each branch laden with beautiful qualities. When we embody these qualities it keeps us healthy and happy. Scientific research finds that thinking of others has a salutary effect on one’s wellbeing.

Preventative medicine professor Stephen G. Post says that chronic illness sufferers have shown increased health benefits as a result of giving to others. His study article in the International Journal of Behavioural Medicine, titled “Altruism, Happiness and Health” talks about research data on altruism: that “a strong correlation exists between the well-being, happiness, health, and longevity of people who are emotionally and behaviorally compassionate, so long as they are not overwhelmed by helping tasks.”

Working fulltime for a children’s charity in the UK some years ago, I learned a lot about the sad term “compassion fatigue”. Children’s orphanages and hospitals in war-torn countries desperately needed aid, and we were leaning on our faithful donors again and again.

We all receive charity fundraising appeals throughout the year and especially around Christmas. It seems every time I open a magazine or newspaper an envelope falls out. It’s tempting to dismiss all the “junk mail” and to feel “compassion fatigue” particularly when we want to help those in need but can only stretch our dollar so far.

It helps me to think of compassion as a spiritual quality which isn’t limited by one’s bank account or time available to help. Compassion as a quality can never be depleted because it has a higher source.

So how do we find the perfect gift for giving?

Love should be the ultimate motivator, eliminating the mental and physical anxiety that comes from shopping till we drop. When we think more about giving than receiving during this holiday season we will be expressing the “fruits of the Spirit”.

What a good lesson from the Christmas Wishing Tree!

© GLOW IMAGES: model used for illustrative purposes only

Published on-line North Shore Times (NewsLocal)

It can be confusing, disempowering and frightening trying to find the right healthcare solutions, especially if we’re not feeling up to the task. We may even feel that health is a gamble and that we’re lucky or unlucky according to the genes we’ve inherited.

Reports of conflicting research findings, warnings from media outlets and a myriad of advice from professionals and sufferers alike about healthcare choices and medicines can send us into a tailspin.

One recent example is that of the benefits and dangers of cancer screening – breast and prostate – which have come under scrutiny by health professionals world-wide.

H. Gilbert Welch, a professor of medicine at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (co-author of “Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health) says, “There is no single right answer. Screening is like gambling: there are winners and there are losers. And while the few winners win big, there are a lot more losers.”

Honestly, who really wants to gamble on their health?

Speaking of gambling, Tuesday 6th November saw Australia’s biggest day of the year for gambling – Melbourne Cup Day. By sheer coincidence the $111 Million Oz Lotto jackpot was drawn too. I learnt that there’s a two-week cooling off period for the four major prize-winners prior to receiving their cash. According to some financial advisers and psychologists, this is an important time to think about the magnitude of such an event, and all of its ramifications. Some winners in the past have lost their family, friends and all their money in a matter of months. Perhaps they were so overwhelmed by the news which then trickled into bad choices.

Similarly – on the thinking front – if you were confronted with news of a health issue, it would be important to stop and think for yourself.

Is it possible for patients to change from being passive recipients to active participants in making healthcare choices?

It’s true that there are lots of options, from e-health research to second (or more) opinions from medicos; organisations like Gambling Anonymous for mental health; self-help meditation and prayer; and plenty of online forums with people discussing personal experiences first hand. All the more reason to think and weigh what options are best for oneself.

I came across one woman’s story on health news @newsreview.com. Susan Stillwell had endured medical treatment for several issues and was eventually diagnosed with untreatable stomach cancer. After surviving a suicide attempt, she thought very deeply about using prayer for her treatment. In the interview she speaks about many instances she found in the Bible, where individuals were healed through prayer. She decided that she too could be helped, and was healed through prayer alone. That was 23 years ago.

Following the races on Tuesday, ABC local radio invited listeners to share their winning stories. One memorable account was given by a man who spoke from the heart saying, “I was able to stop myself from punting.” He told the radio host that he’d made a conscious decision to change his behaviour for good. I was so glad his call got through to the show.

We needn’t gamble with something as important as our health and wellbeing. Actively participating in our individual healthcare decisions is often found to be the wisest course. “Seek and ye shall find” it says in the Bible (Luke 11). Now that’s something to think about.

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Published on NewsLocal publications.

October was chock-full with several good health causes like Nutrition Week and Ocscober (abstinence from drink for the month), and Droptober (encouraging all of us to drop 2 kilos). Now we’re at the close of the month, one wonders how those who partook are faring – indeed it’s not just about a particular month.

These might be worthwhile initiatives to kick-start us into better lifestyle practices, but advice from experts can seem as volatile as the weather.

Michael Jarosky, founder of Droptober says, “the event is all about getting rid of the bad and developing the good.” Isn’t that the point of most self-help theories?

As a result of numerous studies about our society suffering from binge drinking and obesity, we’re now being urged not only to watch our intake habits, but our thoughts about our bodies.

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology recently published a study in the Journal of Obesity, in which they found that healthy teenage girls who mistakenly believe they are fat, are twice as likely to become overweight when they mature.

Last year, results of a study were released by the Australian Institute of Family Studies ‘Growing up in Australia’. They found that boys are as worried about their body image as girls and half of Australia’s tweenagers (in this case 10-11 year olds) are dieting. Surprisingly they discovered that boys are more likely than girls to diet and exercise to lose weight.

Though the mind-body connection is widely recognised today, scientists are striving to understand how this connection affects our overall health and wellbeing. In my experience, I’ve found spirituality particularly helpful in shifting my thought from how the body looks to how I can ‘embody’ better qualities of thought, which produce healthier outcomes.

In my early 20′s I had a profound turnaround in how I thought about body image, diet and exercise. I think of it as a time when “I swapped quantity for quality.”

I’d studied ballet and contemporary dance, joined a dance company for a few months and went on to teach a variety of fitness classes. I liked the discipline of being strict with my training regime and with healthy eating, in retrospect a little too much. Though I’d never dieted I came across an article about a new food fad that promised to make me feel even healthier. I assumed it had to be bona fide because the teachers had lots of qualifications and they sure looked good!

A few months passed and I’d been feeling wonderful on my new diet. However, one night I awoke saturated in sweat, suffering excruciating back pain around my kidneys and discovered blood in my urine. For several years I’d studied the Bible, and used prayer for healing with good results, so I knew I could get over this and not be afraid. It then dawned on me that I’d been placing so much emphasis on my physical looks that I’d forgotten about balance. I felt a need to learn more about and lean on my spiritual qualities, like grace and joy and inner beauty.

The painful condition cleared up in a few days and never returned. More importantly to me I had a new understanding of my true identity, which changed my view of body image, exercise and diet. And it changed the way I looked at others – especially if they were struggling with their own issues. To this day I continue to enjoy fitness classes and good food but am no longer seduced by passing fads and fashions.

The subject of spirituality and health is reported in The Australian Medical Journal in an article entitled “Prayer as Medicine: How Much Have we Learned?“. The following is an excerpt:

“Many people use prayer, and some studies have shown a positive association between prayer and improved health outcomes. This article explores four possible mechanisms by which prayer may lead to improved health.”

I’d like to share some healthy takeaway foods – for thought:

1. It’s never too late to put away those unhealthy thoughts and exchange them for good ones. Changed thought can change behaviour. For instance, if you are feeling dissatisfied with the way you look, make a list of the qualities you express that you are proud of such as: intelligence, thoughtfulness… you continue the list.
2. Finish each day by being grateful for any good that has come your way, or for any good you have been able to share with someone.
3. Realise that you are in charge of your thoughts and can change them for the better – because you are special and have more substance than just a physical body.

RELATED READING:

• Get Fit - recommended by a Reader who contacted me after reading this piece – thanks, Kate, it’s spot on!

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First published on NewsLocal publications.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”* – is often easier said than done.

In ancient times if your behaviour was considered outside of the “norm” you’d have been labelled “mad”.  And if you were unfortunate enough to have been afflicted by a disease people might have accused you of being cursed by God. One wonders if attitudes towards such things have really changed all that much today.

Last week NSW mental health minister Kevin Humphries launched Mental Health Week as part of the October mental health month. Speaking at a small meeting of general public members and representatives of mental health programs, he revealed that the number one mental health issue for our youth today is anxiety; even more so than depression and schizophrenia. And the issue of ‘stigma’ he explained loomed very large and worrisome.

A dictionary defines ‘stigma’ as “a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one’s reputation.” For me the word conjures up images of people walking around with labels affixed to their foreheads that say, “I am different. Stay away.”

Unfortunately we tend to attach labels to people, unfairly, in many cases. I noticed that I was sometimes judging youngsters who wore hoodies to be troublemakers. Recent news reports told of men in hoodies stealing from shops and involved in crime. So without thinking I just associated one with the other. Certainly a very unkind thing to do!

A mother in south-west Sydney is doing her part in combating the stigma attached to mental illness. When her teenage son became unwell, and she was unable to find suitable services for him, she set up a charity for mental health recovery. ‘Beautiful Minds’ at Harmony House – named after the film starring Russell Crowe – is assisting people to find their way back into society. One of the clients said the programs helped him to feel normal because he was not judged or labelled.

The stigma attached to mental illness is pervasive in Australia, particularly in the employment sector. Employers want stable and reliable staff, with minimum disruption. And rightly so. Having worked for Mission Australia as well as other not-for-profit organisations, I can vouch that it was indeed a challenge to place the sick and the homeless. No employment means no money for a home, and other necessities, and it’s a vicious cycle.

The Sydney-based Wayside Chapel’s motto is “making community with no ‘Us and Them’“. Ten second messages on their website urge the public not to judge those with mental illness. Wayside’s pastor and CEO Rev. Graham Long, who reads his weekly letter “Dear Inner Circle” to listeners on ABC Radio 702 touches the hearts of the public and addresses their prejudices in the hopes of healing.

And what can we do to be more tolerant towards those with health issues, mental or otherwise? There’s a lot of substance in what Scotsman, Henry Drummond, wrote in his powerful, little book (1890) ‘The Greatest Thing in the World’: “You have life before you … Once only can you live it. What is the noblest object of desire, the supreme gift to covet?”. His unequivocal answer is Love, and that includes love for one another.

The Mental Health Council predicts that one in five Australians will experience mental illness this year. Let’s work together to erase the stigma.

*NIV Bible

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First published on NewsLocal publications.

For some parents back-to-school day is a nightmare. Particularly if their children don’t want to go.

Bullying, including cyber-bullying, fear of not being accepted, body image issues – and the list goes on – are very real concerns for the mental health and wellbeing of our youth today.

Though we’ve progressed from 15th Century thinking, where “children are seen and not heard”, today’s technology allows them to be seen and heard, often to their detriment.

According to kidspot.com.au: “One student in every four in Australian schools is affected by bullying (recent research commissioned by the Federal Government); bullying is the fourth most common reason young people seek help from children’s help services.”

Research on body image issues can be a real eye opener. One of our Sydney papers reported a story regarding a Facebook fan site for “human dolls.” A teenage girl, 158cm tall and weighing about 40 kgs, talks about considering plastic surgery so she can resemble her cartoon idol. And the reader is referred to a Youtube site that gives instructions on how to create ones doll-like looks.

Issues such as childhood obesity are brought to our attention via government bodies and campaigns. Yet according to sociologist Deborah Lupton, at Sydney University, some campaigns are not fixing the problem because they aren’t addressing deeper societal issues.

Lydia Jade Turner, a Sydney dietician, commented that a recent national obesity campaign fell short because it focussed on the superficial rather than going to the root causes of childhood eating disorders.

While campaigns definitely create awareness and give us information, can we do something to help our children, right where charity should begin – at home?

“Children are more tractable than adults, and learn more readily to love the simple verities that will make them happy and good.” – Mary Baker Eddy. And the time-honoured Proverb, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”.

This may take extra effort on the part of families, carers and teachers. It could be a case of re-evaluating our grown-up selves to be good examples to our children – helping them understand their innate spiritual qualities as paramount, and in turn seeing those qualities in their friends, enemies and even frenemies!

Ultimately, what does a child need, whether they’re a perpetrator or a victim of bullying; whether they’re over- or under-weight? I think we’d all agree that it’s primarily to feel loved; to feel beautiful, worthy, intelligent, safe and unafraid. This boils down to qualities such as self-esteem, courage, respect, moderation, and all the etceteras linked to that quality of qualities, LOVE.

I found in a collection of children’s articles and poems a child’s account of how prayer helped him deal with a bully. An older boy would hide behind a tree at the end of school and chase him on his way home. He’d learnt a poem about Love’s presence no matter where he was. Each day, even though he felt anxious at home time, he’d say the poem as his prayer walking past the tree. Soon he overcame his fear and the older boy stopped his threatening actions completely. Walking home was fun again.

Back-to-school day can and should be filled with anticipation and joy — for both parents and children. Surely helping children to understand their spiritual identity – their true substance – is preventive medicine towards a healthy, happy life?

Related reading:
Bullying facts: Sifting through the hype for a clear picture

I giggled when I found a weather forecast website that included something called the “frizz factor”. If you’re bald or gifted with hair that does what you want it to do, then you probably don’t care about this statistic. The same might be true for the pollen count. If you, or your friends and family don’t suffer from allergies then the pollen count holds no dread for you. And if you live in a non-fire-prone zone, you most likely don’t worry too much about bushfire danger.

I grew up in the dry Highveld of South Africa, but since living in Sydney my hair has taken on a life of its own. I could be a medusa comic with the “frizz factor”!  I also happen to live on the edge of the Lane Cove National Park, where my garden is thickset with gumtrees that stretch as far as the eye can see. Do I worry about bushfire warnings? Well, I certainly don’t ignore them but I’ve had to learn how to handle my fear.

It’s sad to think that some people dread the spring and summer due to some of the fears already mentioned, when these seasons should evoke thoughts of beauty, freshness, newness, joy and anticipation. A Google search for NSW reveals that the topic of “weather” comes in at number eight of the top ten searches online, preceded by ‘eBay’ and superseded by ‘news’. It obviously plays a major role in our lives. But we need to take control of our thoughts regarding weather so that we are not slaves to its vagaries.

On the one hand the thought of spring means rebirth, yet from 1st September our TV screens are suddenly filled with images of red nosed people sneezing and wheezing with hay fever. It’s worth noting that there are studies that show that the power of graphic images can influence our health, sometimes to our detriment.

Why live with fear or dread when we can take charge of our thinking by replacing unhealthy thoughts with productive, good thoughts?

“Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort.” ~ Mary Baker Eddy. “Error” could be any fear.

I found several stories of people overcoming allergies through prayer, and found this one the most inspiring to me.

A woman growing up on her family ranch suffered severe allergies and asthma. She’d react to animal hair in particular and this was most distressing because she loved all the ranch animals. A specialist gave her medications but there was no change, and her only hope was to leave ranch-life altogether. Then she met the man of her dreams – a rancher – and she was desperate for help to get rid of her allergies. Her uncle was studying how prayer heals and shared what he was learning with her. In a nutshell, she embraced the idea of changing her thought from fear to confidence through a different system of healthcare, and was completely healed of the ailments, and didn’t have to flee ranch-life.

Each of us wants to feel in control of our health and wellbeing, and to make healthcare choices that are right for us. In a troubled world of over-diagnosis and over-medication with attendant side effects, people are searching for new solutions. As with the aforementioned example some use prayer or meditation, others keep trying varieties of medicines – some work, some don’t – and others grin and bear temporary relief and persistent illness.

When we think of springtime we could take a spiritual view ie., translate things into thoughts. For instance, a potential spring “to do list” may consist of things I’d like to change to improve the quality of my life, and that of my family. Here’s a start to my list with correlative spiritual qualities:

• Overdue office filing = discipline, intelligence, order.
• Outdated, unused clothing off to charity = cleanliness, order.
• Eat treats every other day = grace, satisfaction and discipline.
• Appreciate my hair and think of true beauty = gratitude, wisdom.
• Keep up exercise during the school holidays (even though the Council’s excellent gym-without-walls is on holiday) = gratitude, grace, strength, joy, discipline.
• Clean up gutters and garden waste and share flowers with friends = order, gratitude and joy.

We know that fear is a state of mind, but there is help to counteract and solve problems. Whether it’s our body or environment that’s troubling us, identifying the issue is a good start. Reading and seeing good experiences, instead of images of sickness and destruction, helps one realise there is so much good going on and we are free to choose what we think.

Flickr photo: by Magnus A

Published in News Local publications

Medical mysteries that require massive amounts of money for research are dampening people’s patience, faith, and hope. World Alzheimer’s Day and Dementia Awareness Week knock at the door of thought regarding such mysteries.

How often do we hear these sorts of remarks after being forgetful, “argh, I’m having a senior moment!”?  We laugh and sometimes nod in agreement as if to say that we have these moments too. But why do we have to accept forgetfulness as part and parcel of growing older?

It’s such an unfair, indiscriminate sentence, just when folks of riper years are looking forward to enjoying life to the full. No-one wants to lose their happy memories and their independence. And they don’t have to.

Protection and prevention require action. Experts say that prevention is the most powerful medicine in the fight against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Those challenged with the onset of this illness could be tempted to lose hope altogether if they relied on reports that drugs being trialled have not yet been able to change the course of the disease. Some folks are so frightened of being given false hope that they just give up the fight.

“Prevention is very important, more than any drugs we have or plan to develop,” said Serge Gauthier, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Unit at McGill University in Canada.

It’s encouraging to hear of successful drug-free therapies, in light of the findings that drug dependency and side effects can cause great harm.

According to a report on Alzheimer’s Research UK’s website, researchers at a German university have found that, “Drug-free therapy staves off cognitive decline in dementia: … practice in ‘daily living activities’ such as gardening, cognitive stimulation exercises and a ‘spiritual element’ such as a group song or a discussion about a topic such as happiness.”

The spiritual element associated with healing should not be overlooked. Hope takes on a whole new dimension when we think of ourselves as more than brain and physicality. Or when we look to a higher power to give us optimism.

Some sufferers find spiritual therapies such as meditation and prayer to be highly effective for healing.

Doctors like Larry Dossey MD, for one, has seen results in patients who used prayer as part of their therapy.

Eric Karran, research director at Alzheimer’s Research UK says, “Finding a medicine for a chronic disease is far, far more complicated than, say, putting a man on the Moon.”

Perhaps that’s all the more reason we should look beyond the material universe for answers.

Unfortunately, the current best hope from our over-worked, under-funded and ailing health system is no cure for Alzheimer’s for some years to come. No-one wants to be a sitting duck.

Thankfully, spiritual qualities such as patience, faith and hope inherent in all of us, can never be depleted and should be recognised and strengthened. Health workers, friends and family of sufferers should take heart and keep hoping for inspiration and healing. Healthy thoughts have been found to speed the process.

As a great 19th century thinker Mary Baker Eddy said in her primary work ‘Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures’, “Stand porter at the door of thought.”