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How We Heal Best
Physical healing is affected by many things: the extent of the injury, whether it is ongoing, what part of the body was injured, what the health of the person was like before the injury, and so on. We must remember that many factors play a role in physical healing; it is not just a matter of doing one or two simple things. Furthermore, the recovery process will occur whether you help it or not. In other words, even if you don't follow the advice provided here, your body will work to heal itself. So, why read this article? In short, healing and healing optimally are not necessarily the same. To heal optimally, you need to practice what I call "intentional healing"-helping your body out, so that it can recover as much as possible. I want this article to enable readers like you, who are either currently going through cancer treatment or have completed it, to heal as well as they can. In pursuing this goal, I am going to artificially divide those things that help people physically heal into two categories. The first category includes the three most important ways you can help yourself to heal:
1. Exercising regularly in a manner that builds strength and endurance
2. Eating a healthy diet that promotes healing
3. Obtaining proper rest during the day (by pacing yourself) and at night (by sleeping well)
Simple concepts
It is essential to have a clear understanding of what it really means to eat, exercise, and rest properly. Of course these are critical issues in every illness and injury, but this article focuses on the aspects of these subjects that are particularly important to cancer survivors. There are other factors, too, that influence physical healing. While not essential, like the three I just listed, these are nevertheless very important in recovery:
- Relieving pain
- Avoiding prolonged anxiety or depression
- Considering how spirituality affects health and healing
- Remaining connected to the world and your loved ones
- Being able to adjust to having a setback
- Maintaining hope for the future
After a cancer diagnosis it is not uncommon to feel that our illness is in control of our lives.
But there is still hope.
Working toward physical recovery is an important goal that can help take you from powerlessness to empowerment.This article is designed to give you the information you need to heal well, but please understand that you don't have to do everything perfectly (for example, eat an ideal diet all the time, adhere to a strict exercise regimen and never miss a workout). I think of this as the Bill Clinton "one wrong move" rule (it has nothing to do with Monica Lewinsky). I made up this rule after the March 14, 1997, incident when then President Clinton arrived at Hobe Sound for a golf excursion. While attempting to go to his guest cottage, he descended a flight of stairs and his heel caught on a step. He stumbled, and as he fell his leg snapped so loudly that others could hear it. The Bill Clinton "one wrong move" rule does not apply to physically healing from cancer and its treatment.
Making one wrong move or taking one wrong step won't cause a major problem. If you fail to exercise regularly, or if you have a period of depression, or if you like to eat dessert, or if you decide that you don't want to tap into your spiritual reservoirs, you will still be able to heal. Rather think of them as just that-guidelines to help you take the necessary steps to heal as best you can. One of my colleagues, Dr. Brian Foley, who was diagnosed with tongue cancer when he was 34 years old, gave this advice by way of example: "I would cultivate the garden of me. I would focus not exclusively on the weeds (tumor), but on nourishing and supporting the garden. I would think, connect, meditate, pray, and would renew myself. Reform my being so that I would be nourished and ready to heal." Now is the time to make your garden flourish.