Do you rely just on your doctor’s opinions and recommendations or do you seek out alternative methods to assist in your healthcare decisions? Since you are reading this blog post, I assume that you are open to hearing other ways available to help in the healing process besides just prescriptions and doctor visits. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of wisdom you can get from seeing a doctor and many healing benefits in prescription medicine too. From my experience, I think it’s best to have a blend of both traditional and alternative methods to address your healthcare needs. Today, I am sharing different ways to participate in your own healing and healthcare as discussed in the NIWH course presented by Dr. Bernie Siegel. There is so much more to healing than just taking medicine. See if you can find these steps helpful in your own situation.
Action Steps Towards Healing
- Be a responsive participant
- Ask a lot of questions of your healthcare team
- Refuse being a victim
- Change your attitude or change the situation
- Develop good coping skills
- Have a good sense of humor
- Decide to be happy
- Connect to plants, animals and people
- Allow for intimate relationships
- Increase your oxytocin (happy hormone) with hugs
- Increase your immune function with laughter
- Express your anger appropriately
- Learn to say no
- Learn to nourish yourself on all levels
- Lose track of time- play!
- Speak up for yourself appropriately
- Remember life is a series of new beginnings
Siegel, B. Living With NIWH media course. Retrieved from http://ww.classroom.wholepersonhealthcare.org
There are many ways that you can participate in your own health care and healing. It is important to clear up any negative thought patterns, be grateful every day for what you have and surround yourself with caring people and loving pets. Know that you have control of your lifestyle habits and have the ability to change them for the better.
Be proactive with your doctors and be informed of all possible treatments both from the medical and alternative care fields. Loving yourself and others is a weapon and will protect you from chronic disease. Don’t take yourself too seriously, laugh every day, and be young at heart. Expressing your feelings has a major impact on your health.
Holding anger or fear in your body will affect your immune system and prevent it from functioning at its best. Participate in social events and have a network of positive caring people in your life who support you. Eat a healthy diet the majority of the time. Do what makes you happy and live your own life without having to please others. Allow other people to love you for who you are. Engage in activities that make you feel young and do those things with people you respect, love
Liza Brackbill
So important to remember that in the end YOU are the only one who can truly heal yourself completely. If you’re not on board, the help of others won’t even matter. Thanks for sharing:)
master_admin_
Thank you 🙂
Lora
These are all great tips! Our health is more reliant of our mental well-being.
master_admin_
So true if we can just control our emotional health we can be so much better off 🙂
Holly Bird
Awesome and inspiring advice! We all forget to take care of ourselves when it counts the most..when there is a lot of stress! Thank you for the great reminder!
master_admin_
Thanks! We all forget to take care of ourselves at times so that’s why there is a need for coaches like us to remind them 🙂
Kristen Usrey
I have had to learn to let go of anger and I have to agree that it affects your immune system.
master_admin_
That is not an easy thing to do at all but it helps to let go of all of that baggage 🙂
Haley Kelley
These points you have made are so important to share because healing really is a long, exhausting process.
master_admin_
Yes, healing is definitely a process and can be so tiring at times. 🙂
Tiffany
Many great tips – always important to focus on yourself first.
master_admin_
Thanks! Self-care is so important 🙂
Brianna
I love how you portray the connection of mind, body, and spirit in this post. Thank you for this.
master_admin_
Thanks! It’s all connected and have an impact on each other 🙂
Caitlin Gibson
Growing up you are always taught how its important to surrender yourself to the people that are taking care of you: doctors, nurses etc. How great would it be if we taught children they could take ownership in their own healing?! Awesome post!
master_admin_
Yes, this is a great lesson for kids too!
Jen
Awesome post. Change your attitude or change your situation… love it
master_admin_
Thanks!
Tricia Snow
These are great tips for healing. I agree that the mind plays a big part.
master_admin_
Thanks so much 🙂 Our mind can control so much more than we think!
Karen
I am thankful for my nurse practitioner who really listens to me. We come up with solutions together. Don’t ever feel like I have to do anything because she says so.
master_admin_
That’s great Karen! I don’t go to any doctors anymore who don’t listen to me or won’t be mindful of my feedback.
Lisa Manderino
Great advice, I agree that it takes a little of both.
master_admin_
Thanks Lisa!
Suzan
Alternative Mama all the way here. Great tips and suggestions you offer!
master_admin_
Thank you!
Eva
As a former military family, having lots of plants was impractical. Now that he’s retired from active duty and we aren’t moving all the time, I told my husband two days ago we need to get some plants for this house. They’re so good for us and I miss having them around. Love the ideas listed in here and employ nearly all of them in my life regularly.
Tiffany
Such good reminders to take care of ourselves as a whole person, not just when illness strikes.
Lisa
Excellent tips! Our health is so important.
Sonia Munro-Peebles
This is great advice. I was always a person who just relied on Western medicine. However, after having my second daughter I was refered to a Naturopath who put me on a whole bunch of vitamins to replenish what was lost from pregnancy and childbirth. What an epiphany it was…I instantly felt amazing. I’m definitely open to alternative medicine now
master_admin_
That is great that you found a good one. I love Naturopaths!
Tracy
So important to remember that it is ok to focus on you, especially when you are healing. Thanks!
master_admin_
Always need to remind ourselves 🙂
Lisa
Great post! I agree you have to decide to be happy!
master_admin_
Thanks Lisa!
judean
I have to work on not holding in anger – that is something I tend to do, especially depending on the circumstances.
master_admin_
It is so hard to let go of anger. Takes a lot of practice 🙂
Cindy
These are great suggestions! I didn’t get healthy until I took responsibility for my own health and wellbeing and began to think outside the box!
master_admin_
Good for you Cindy! We all need to think outside the box when it comes to our healthcare 🙂
Karla Petersen
yep, yep, yep! I focus on positive attitudes… my kids of trauma tread an uphill path on this and will often question ‘faking happy.’ But we keep working on gratitude and that seems to boost positive. It’s a journey!
master_admin_
Yes, it is definitely a journey and having a gratitude practice works for me 🙂
Pauline
These are great tips. I believe strongly that there is a time and place for modern medicine, but natural remedies are what I turn to first.
master_admin_
I agree with you Pauline! We still need both for sure 🙂