Why You Should Work With Disease Instead of Fighting Against It
Having just nursed my eldest two children through a nasty stomach bug, I was awakened earlier than usual by sudden severe cramps in my stomach. It seemed that I now had to deal with this bug. As my day progressed, it was interesting to note that many well-intentioned people offered suggestions for all sorts of medications and natural remedies for it. I declined because I had no intention of fighting this bug. I was going to work with it.
I have trouble comprehending the need or obsession of having to use war-mongering terms when it comes to describing the process of regaining health. We think that the only way to get healthy is to “fight for it”. We have to “fight disease or wage war on it”. This also encourages the development of more expensive, high-tech and powerful interventions like drugs or surgery. But the trouble with this war-like approach to health is that our body is the battleground. When you become so focused on killing and fighting disease at any cost and with any weapon, scant attention is placed what the battleground will end up like after the battle is over…and your body is where this supposed battle is meant to take place!
It doesn’t have to be that way. Health doesn’t have to be a fight. There are more gentle and peaceful approaches to regaining health.
Here’s Three Peaceful Ways to Regain Your Health
1. I focused on doing things to improve my health
I didn’t do any particular treatment or remedy to help reduce a certain symptom. I just focused on things that would advance my health, knowing that my body would take care of it. The healthier your body is, the better it will be able to handle and adapt to any form of upset or disruption. So, rather than taking a particular remedy, pill or potion to try to treat the symptom just provide your body with the basics it needs…healthy whole food, rest, water, relaxation, exercise, etc.
2. I showed faith in my body
I believed that if I gave my body the suitable physical, emotional and environmental conditions that my body has a natural ability to heal itself. And that also means not interfering with your body through giving it various pills, potions or rubs designed for symptomatic relief. Don’t underestimate the powerful role your faith /self-belief helps create peace of mind. Peace of mind creates peace of body.
3. I listened to my body
How do you listen to your body?
Over the last 23 years in practice, I often ask people the question,” If this ailment was your body telling you something for your overall good, what would it be telling you?” And in all time, I have only heard 2 particular answers: “I should slow down and rest” or ” I should change my job/relationship/ lifestyle habits”
What was my body telling me?
My body was feeling tired and I had lost my appetite (symptoms that your body gives you to guide you) so, to me that was my body telling me to rest more and not to eat for a while. (It’s not rocket science.) So I canceled my morning run and evening gym. We rescheduled some patients so I could get some extra rest during the day and I didn’t eat and just sipped on water throughout the day and went to bed early.
And 36 hours later, my appetite and energy levels were back to normal. In fact, I had an extra spring in my step.
“If you listen to your body’s whispers, you won’t have to hear it scream.”
Written by Dr. Paul Lanthois
