July 2011 Healthletter
healthletter july 2011 |
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Welcome!For those of you who are fans of Oprah Winfrey, you know that she has often urged her viewers to live their best lives. What does this mean? The answer, of course, varies depending upon who you are, what you do, and what you want out of life. The answer can be as big as quitting your job and finding your life’s purpose, or as small as saying “thank you” to the attendant who pumps your gas. As the sun becomes a more constant companion here in Portland, OR, the physicians of Bambú Clinic encourage you to consider mindful living. |
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John Kabat-Zinn is a famous teacher of mindfulness meditation and the founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Mindfulness involves paying attention “on purpose,” consciously directing our awareness to our moment-to-moment experiences. Let’s take eating, for example. When we pay attention to our eating patterns, consciously aware of the process, we might notice the sensations and textures in our mouths. We might savor every flavor and chew thoroughly. By slowing down our experience with food, we would not only appreciate the act of eating, but also our responses to that activity. By this approach, we might observe the mind wandering, and purposefully bring it back to the task at hand. |
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But usually, when eating, instead of concentrating on all of this, we are thinking about a hundred and one other things we have to do. We may also be watching TV, talking, or reading! So a very small part of our entire awareness is devoted to the act of eating. And, we may be only barely aware of the physical sensations, not to mention our associated thoughts and emotions. Becoming and remaining aware of our actions and thoughts in present time allows our consciousness to recognize and change patterns that may not be in our best interests. A local Zen center offers great Mindful Eating Retreats. Check them out here. |
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Do you multi-task? We do! Is it the best for our health? Probably not! A study from Stanford University showed that those who multi-task have poorer attention and memory than those who complete one task at a time. Our brains were not meant to complete multiple complex tasks at once. If we do this too often, we find that we become forgetful, confused, and fatigued. While email, cell phones, and televisions can all be used within reason, using them at the same time is not advised. By doing less, you will actually accomplish more! |
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Bonnie Ware, a hospice nurse, recently wrote about lessons learned from her dying patients. The following is taken from her website Inspiration and Chi. We look forward to her book, which should be published this year. 1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it. 2.I wish I didn’t work so hard. This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence. By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle. 3.I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result. We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win. 4.I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying. It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip, but it all comes down to love and relationships in the end. 5.I wish that I had let myself be happier. This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying. Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness. |
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We hope you found this information helpful. We strive to help our patients find a healthy way in the world. If you have topics you’d like us to address in future issues please let us know. We are always available for questions and comments. Warm Regards, The Physicians of Bambú Clinic
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