Wellness Chili for the doctor
Health is a state of complete positive physical, mental, and social well being and is not merely the absence of disease.
-Preamble to the constitution of the World Health Organization, 1946
Most physicians are trained in the disease model of healthcare. Providers care for individuals with acute and chronic conditions with the hope of improving the quality of life for those who suffer from physical and mental conditions. Our model of healthcare is pretty good at taking care of folks with illness and injuries. Usually we can move the wellness meter from a minus 6 to a minus 2 in a short time. But wellness is not merely the absence of disease. What is emotional and physical wellness? What does it feel like and how do I get there?
For me it’s an ongoing process to gain knowledge and awareness of things in my life I can control and practice. At age 54 I run 25 miles a week and go to the gym regularly. I eat right and drink moderately (single malt scotch in case you want to send a gift). Medicine is rewarding, challenging, and I get to help a few people most days of the week. I count my blessings…good friends, wonderful children, and a great place to work, lots of nice stuff, and a golden retriever who adores me. I should get high marks on wellness, right? Actually my wellness wheel is a bit out of balance.
I must admit, when I first explored the possibility of a Live Well blog at Lafayette, there was a selfish motive-I wanted to learn more about how to live a more balanced life and how I could achieve greater happiness. I wanted to move my wellness meter from a plus two to plus eight. Live Well is a vehicle for the community to share ideas about wellness. In my next several blogs I will share some science that provides a valuable blueprint and guidepost for seeking what Aristotle called the “good life” and what Martin Seligman writes about in his book Authentic Happiness.
So, here is my first serving of wellness chili: I love to work out and train. I’ve been a runner since high school and I have competed in three marathons since turning forty. We are genetically blueprinted to have certain physical characteristics that increase the chance of excelling in sports or activities. After that it is all about training. How about training for emotional fitness? Can you train for happiness? Our DNA hardwires our brain to respond emotionally-roughly fifty percent of our personality traits are attributable to our genes. We inherit a certain set point for happiness. Dr.Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania puts this in a mathematical model: H=S+C+V, where H is your enduring happiness, S is your set range, C is the circumstances of your life, and V represents factors under your voluntary control. Hooray for the V…my father was 100% grumpy; my S could stand for “stinks”!
Your brain is similar to your body in many ways. We can train our minds, reconfigure the wiring and transform our neural network to improve our emotional well being. Scientists call the capacity of the brain to change “plasticity”. Just as our muscles remodel and adapt with physical exercise, our emotional fitness can improve with mental exercise. Working out can change our “V”. Learning behaviors which yield positive emotions and practicing them is useful exercise for the brain. In much the same way that a basketball player practices to improve his/her game, happiness can be cultivated and enhanced by training.
I’ll leave you with one example-some spice to my wellness chili. Practice compassion. Research has shown that compassion and caring behavior contribute to better emotional and physical health. Reaching out and helping others can induce a feeling of happiness and can reduce symptoms of depression. In fact, in a study of several thousand people involved in service activities, over 90% reported a kind of “runners high”, a feeling of calmness, and improved self worth. Developing and practicing compassion and altruism takes the focus away from us. Doing regular volunteer work and interacting with others compassionately increases life expectancy and improves vitality. Helping others is one of the best ways to help ourselves!