Читать книгу The Mind-Body Cure - Bal Pawa - Страница 18

As a physician, I have learned to recognize the qualities that are a common denominator for health when assessing patients. Individuals with a health mindset see health obstacles as challenges and learn how to navigate them by asking questions and staying open, curious, and informed. They are compassionate and kind toward themselves. They work harder and smarter than other patients because they know they are worth it and are confident about being in charge of their health.

They show their vulnerability and ask for help when needed. They display a can-do attitude. They step outside their comfort zone to get the health outcomes they need and want. They see a future for themselves and have cultivated family or friend support systems. They have purpose and want to live better. Those with a health mindset are more likely to see diagnosis of an illness as a challenge to overcome and seek opportunities to improve their coping skills and enhance their knowledge. They often reframe their adverse experience as a “gift” rather than a curse. It helps if they are lighthearted and possess humor. The ability to laugh at themselves or at life and realize being healthy doesn’t have to be a serious business goes a long way.

In my practice, I recall a patient who had a terrible car accident, an athletic student who suffered multiple injuries including damage to the spinal cord. Doctors said he would never walk again. He took this as a challenge and proved them wrong. He was walking in less than a year; through sheer grit and determination, he achieved what doctors considered medically impossible. There are hundreds of cases where patients have gone against the odds to prove the medical establishment wrong for boxing them in. If we examined their pre-sickness personality, we would find they had a health mindset before they became ill. They had a permanent belief, an inner wisdom, an ability to trust that they had options, and their ability to respond was “unlimited” even if their circumstances were limited. To cultivate healing, I urge my patients to be active participants in their healing and hold on to their power by being responsible and accountable for their choices. It’s a lesson I had to learn firsthand.