The biggest myth of the century is that you and me – indeed all individuals are made up of mind, a body and a soul. In other words, we are a sum of three distinct parts. This myth is most evident in the way we treat our illness.
When it comes to health and healing, the modern approach has always been to treat ailments in isolation. The emphasis on treating illness in a purely physical or mechanistic way continues even as new research gives overwhelming evidence of the connection between our psychological aspects and our physical health.
Granted, there is lot of talk about the mind-body-soul connection and most modern physicians understand the psychotic conditions like stress play a role in aggravating certain symptoms. Yet, a few physicians offer life style changes as a first course treatment, proving that they pay only a lip service to the idea of what we call complete wellbeing.
For example, did you know that depression might be linked to nutrition? Recent researches suggest that depression may be caused by inflammation in the brain as a direct result of an imbalanced diet! In fact some psychiatrists are treating depression successfully by getting their patients to increase their intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Yet, anti-depressant pills are prescribed by many doctors at the drop of the hat.
Take another example- of skin care. Skin care is considered to be purely a physical phenomenon. Skin problems are also usually dealt with either physical or physiologically. The idea that our psychology might affect the health of our skin is not so popular. But psycho-dermatology is an established field of medicine that is based on the evidence that our emotional states affect our skin directly. So, does this mean that your stubborn acne might be better managed by altering your emotions? Yet it does! And why just your skin? Evidence are springing up about how emotions are responsible for healing or preventing even critical illnesses such as coronary heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
The incontrovertible truth is that we are not sum of parts. You and me are not a Mind + a Body + a Soul. We are an integrated whole. This mind, body and the soul are terms that only describe the various dimensions of an individual and his/her life and experience.
What does that mean? It means that what we feel, what we think, and what we do make up what we are in totality. It means that being fit and healthy is not just about maintaining a good diet, exercising regularly, and staying in a hygienic environment. To be sure, these are necessary conditions. But by no means they are sufficient. Emotional health, mental health or physical health are misnomers. Health is singular. An illness, whether emotional or physiological is an illness and must not be treated uni-dimensionally.
Based on these evidences modern science is now considering that every disease is psycho – somatic.
Therefore the first step towards achieving complete well being is to break the notion that we are sum of parts. Purge this myth from your life and acknowledge your instincts of being a living, breathing miracle that medical science is only beginning to understand, but which you have known all long. Then only true wellness can be attained.
When it comes to health and healing, the modern approach has always been to treat ailments in isolation. The emphasis on treating illness in a purely physical or mechanistic way continues even as new research gives overwhelming evidence of the connection between our psychological aspects and our physical health.
Granted, there is lot of talk about the mind-body-soul connection and most modern physicians understand the psychotic conditions like stress play a role in aggravating certain symptoms. Yet, a few physicians offer life style changes as a first course treatment, proving that they pay only a lip service to the idea of what we call complete wellbeing.
For example, did you know that depression might be linked to nutrition? Recent researches suggest that depression may be caused by inflammation in the brain as a direct result of an imbalanced diet! In fact some psychiatrists are treating depression successfully by getting their patients to increase their intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Yet, anti-depressant pills are prescribed by many doctors at the drop of the hat.
Take another example- of skin care. Skin care is considered to be purely a physical phenomenon. Skin problems are also usually dealt with either physical or physiologically. The idea that our psychology might affect the health of our skin is not so popular. But psycho-dermatology is an established field of medicine that is based on the evidence that our emotional states affect our skin directly. So, does this mean that your stubborn acne might be better managed by altering your emotions? Yet it does! And why just your skin? Evidence are springing up about how emotions are responsible for healing or preventing even critical illnesses such as coronary heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
The incontrovertible truth is that we are not sum of parts. You and me are not a Mind + a Body + a Soul. We are an integrated whole. This mind, body and the soul are terms that only describe the various dimensions of an individual and his/her life and experience.
What does that mean? It means that what we feel, what we think, and what we do make up what we are in totality. It means that being fit and healthy is not just about maintaining a good diet, exercising regularly, and staying in a hygienic environment. To be sure, these are necessary conditions. But by no means they are sufficient. Emotional health, mental health or physical health are misnomers. Health is singular. An illness, whether emotional or physiological is an illness and must not be treated uni-dimensionally.
Based on these evidences modern science is now considering that every disease is psycho – somatic.
Therefore the first step towards achieving complete well being is to break the notion that we are sum of parts. Purge this myth from your life and acknowledge your instincts of being a living, breathing miracle that medical science is only beginning to understand, but which you have known all long. Then only true wellness can be attained.
