Contradictions in the Media

Recently, these three articles appeared in the media:nn* Healthy Lifestyle Will Boost Your Immune System Better Than A Handful of Supplements - EMaxHealthnn* Happy Thoughts Help People Cope with Fear of Dying - MedIndiann* Exercise and Psychological Counseling Could Ease Cancer-Related Fatigue - Science DailynnLook at these articles from the day before:nn* Emotions Not Factor in Cancer Survival - WFTV, Channel 9, Orlando FLnn* Emotional Wellbeing Has No Effect On Cancer Survival, New Study - Medical News Todaynn* Emotions do not affect cancer survival: Study - Reutersnn* Emotions do not affect cancer survival - MSNBCnnMainstream media was especially quick to pick up on the negative study and display the bad news as fact. I can personally attest to how outcome is affected by attitude - for myself and as a witness to others' struggles. From my own experience, this study is absurd.nnWhat the "debunkers" of the role that the placebo effect and emotions play on healing do not seem to realize is that these things can serve as catalysts in sick people to spark them to find the treatments that do work for them specifically and to take charge of their own health. Without hope, people have nothing. In clinical trials, people passively take whatever the doctor - or researcher - prescribes for them. They are not learning to listen to their bodies and to see what is having an effect and what isn't . They are giving up their own power to a trial.nnI once attended The College of Integrative Medicine here in Tucson and was asked to participate in a feedback session. It turned out to be a very informative session - not because I learned anything in particular about how effective the program was. It was fascinating to hear other people's impressions of their treatments. At the college, you're given a proposal of treatments to try - I was given an outline including everything from acupuncture to journaling to Watsu (a physical therapy form of swimming and muscle manipulation). Every recommendation is personalized.nnPeople were at this feedback session who had different results with their treatment programs.nnSome thought it was working wonders while others thought that there was absolutely no effect. One hundred percent of the people (based upon my subjective and admittedly unscientific observation) who said they were getting better were taking charge of their own health and well being and doing what they felt worked for them, while all of the people who attested to no improvement or to getting worse were taking what I like to call the "fix me" approach to wellness. They were taking a very passive approach and were extremely negative in the way they spoke - many of them spoke about monetary issues or some other excuse which was preventing them from healing. They would never know why they weren't getting better. They simply weren't. Very often, they were too depressed to try anything to heal. When I was getting well, I remember walking back and forth in my home and touching each door - front and back - fifty to one hundred times each day. This cost me nothing but provided my legs with much needed exercise and support. I had hope and the belief and determination that I would get better. Without that, I never would have gotten myself out of bed each day to perform these exercises or any of the other things I tried on my journey to recovery. I never would have gotten out of bed.nnI can personally attest to witnessing people not recovering from a chronic or debilitating illness. They all had one thing in common. They entrusted someone else with their own health and "knew" in their hearts that they were either dying or getting worse. When I've seen allopathic (Western) medicine working, it's when the "patient" is certain of his or her eventual recovery from whatever the doctors did in response to whatever was ailing them. They were all told that the prognosis for their recovery was excellent if they followed a certain protocol. In other words, it was ultimately up to them to get better. They seemed to know it and did something about it.nnMy single mother had hip replacement surgery which I was unable to attend or to help her in person. She chose a recovery facility which doubled as a nursing home. For days, she was doing poorly. I even received a letter from the facility talking about payment for her permanent relocation there.nnI received another letter from an aunt telling me to come home. My mother was only taking three steps and was failing. I called her on the phone, explaining to her that she was in a nursing home (she hadn't realized this fully before) and that she was going to stay there without ever seeing her home again unless she worked like crazy to recover and get out of there. The next day, she took thirty steps. Eventually, she did get out of there and returned to her home where she lives to this day.nnThe point to this story is that I have seen the power of the "placebo" effect in action, and it isn't only in the miraculous power found in the belief of a sugar pill. It lies in its power to make us work - and work hard - to improve. To need to get better. What scientists and researchers seem to equate to a sugar pill is the craziest form of hubris, akin to an obese person watching an exercise program from the comfort of her couch in the belief that she will lose weight. Do I believe in the power of the mind to heal? Do I believe the mind can make a difference in our wellness and healing? Absolutely. This is what I always say: Thought minus action equals nothing. But thought plus action equals the world. Excuse me, I have some more healing to do.