"Thriving by Loving"
Part 1 of a series on THRIVING
One of the keys to robust health is summed up by the Beatles (granted, not my most credible source). They sang: “All You Need is Love.” In fact, receiving and giving love seems to be one thing everyone can agree promotes better health. “Everyone” includes alternative practitioners, conventional oncologists, researchers at prestigious universities, writers of the Old Testament, Buddha, The Dalai Lama, and Jesus. The latter four do not have specific statements on cancer but do offer wisdom for staying healthy in general. The collective conclusion is that we can improve our physical health by addressing mental, emotional and spiritual issues.
To state that the mind is connected to the body certainly doesn’t sound like a news flash, but in practice, much of the medical field treats it like an innovative idea. Until recently, most physicians concerned themselves only with the ills of the body. However, now that researchers are discovering the reasons behind ancient truths, there is more attention paid to the mind-body connection. For the patient, it is empowering to realize they are, to some extent, in control of their own health. I want to be clear that mental shifts are not cures, but they may be beneficial in reducing the risks of cancer or other diseases. If incorporating certain practices into your life provides you with a health benefit, they are worth knowing and applying.
The Dalai Lama in the book, The Art of Happiness explains the very real value of compassion to avoid stress-related physical disorders. Also, the Dalai Lama makes the case that being a loving, caring person is closely linked to one’s personal happiness. Buddha counsels: “If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.” Jesus famously states: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31) In order to receive blessings, the Old Testament also advocates being loving. “…Show mercy and compassion to one another.” (Zechariah 7:9) To date, there is an abundance of evidence that developing compassion has a significant impact on not only our emotional health but our physical health as well.
If scientific evidence is required to support conventional wisdom, we now have it, courtesy of Harvard University among others. A psychologist at Harvard, David McClelland, showed students a movie about Mother Teresa working to help Calcutta’s sick. Students verified the movie stimulated feelings of compassion. Then their saliva was analyzed and found to have an increase in an antibody that can help fight infections (immunoglobulin A). Also at Harvard, George Vaillant conducted a 30-year study demonstrating that having an altruistic lifestyle is critical for good mental health. Volunteers routinely report they experience a “helper’s calm” which was linked to relief from many stress-related physical disorders. Other universities have done research in the area of compassion and have the same findings—positive states of mind can improve our physical health and contribute to good emotional health. At the University of Michigan Research Center, studies confirmed that participating in regular volunteer work and interacting with others in a warm, caring way dramatically increased life expectancy and overall vitality. Thus, the relatively new field of mind-body medicine documents the link between compassionate states of mind and improved physical health.
Specifically addressing cancer, Dr. Kelly Turner in her book, Radical Remission, lists “increasing positive emotions” as one of the factors common to cancer patients who have experienced remission. Another key factor she found among survivors was they “embraced social support.” Both those categories basically translate into loving and being loved. As a cancer patient, I appreciate having a sense of control over my health which will improve my quality of life and may, in itself, positively affect my outcomes. This control begins with my mind and heart. Maya Angelou phrased it this way: “If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.”
Reflection:
1. How could you strengthen or expand your friendships?
2. Is there a local group of positive people who could enrich your life—maybe a class or a book club?
3. Where could you volunteer to help others?