Introduction to mind/body medicine:

MIND/BODY MEDICINE ATTEMPTS TO HELP PEOPLE achieve an improvement in understanding so that they may be able to influence and control their physical reactions. Mind/body medicine explores the dynamic connections that link the body and the mind. The exploration of each individual's unique circuitry evidences the mind/body connection while providing improved mental and physical health. Western science has long viewed the mind and the body separately. There is however, a new resurgence in acknowledging the mind's powerful role in healing. A mind which can create and influence illness can also influence its progression and/or change the course entirely. The common goal of mind/body medicine practitiioners is to teach people how to influence the physical reactions of their bodies.

Throughout history we have learned that man would not have survived as a viable species if we did not have a built-in mechanism known as the flight/fright response. When we encounter danger the body reacts. The body releases chemicals which result in increased heart rate, elevation of blood pressure and muscle tension. This is the body's reaction to stressful situations and it is easy rationalize that chronic stress would do damge to the body. Chronic stress suppresses immune system activity and encourages disease. The antidote to stress overload is relaxation but sadly personal relaxation is a valuable commodity for most of us. Mind/body medicine intends that the patient strengthen the body through relaxation while providing us with techniques that have been individualized according to results of the patient's personal responses in various series of tests conducted by a body/mind practitioner.

Studies have proven that thoughts do actually influence the course of one's health. Interestingly, medical science believes that thoughts do not lend themselves readily to scientific testing methods. Therefore, medical science has not accepted mind/body medicine.

Mind/body therapy recognizes the influence that the mind can have on disease. Illness is regarded as a communication from the body. This is a warning that something needs attention. A heart attack may be a signal for that person to become less hostile and devote more time to the enjoyment of life. In mind/body medicine illness is perceived as a message and not the enemy. Mind/body medicine gives us back our power. It encourages us to lose the victim consciousness by granting permission to play a role in our personal healing. In other words, positive thinking and positive responses can translate into better health and vitality. Louise Hay, perhaps one of the nation's most well known proponents of metaphyscial healing has long taught about the complementary effects of mind/body medicine most notably on AIDS patients. She explains that what a patient believes to be true about an illness, coupled with what they think their Doctor believes, alters the course of the disease. The idea that any medicine can bring relief to a patient has been proven to inspire improvement in the patient. This is also referred to as the "placebo effect"which exemplifies the curative power of the mind assisitng in the healing of the body.

What types of Mind/body medicine are available?

This two-part series will present a brief overview of the types of therapies which are categorized as mind/body medicine. We will address seven (7) of the most popular techniques.

1. Meditation:

There are many ways to meditate. However, this article will introduce the most widely employed categories of meditation, namely, concentrative meditation and mindfulness meditation. In a world that has become exceedingly complicated many people suffer from the effects of stress, anxiety and stress-related illnesses. Surprisingly, many people state that they are unable to meditate because they have so many thoughts being filtered through their minds.

The aim of concentrative meditation is to encourage the focus of attention upon the breath, a sound, or an image. Devotees of concentrative meditation state that this fixed focal point of concentration allows for greater awareness to emerge from the peaceful and relaxed state of concentration. For example, a basic principal of yoga and meditation is the connection between the breath and the one's state of mind. If the choice of concentration was fixed onto breathing then the mind would notice the continuous rhythm of the breath, the levels of inhalation and exhalation. As the breathing becomes slower and deeper the mind becomes quieted and more aware.

Mindfulness meditation focuses the mind upon the continual stream of thoughts, feelings and sensations that bombard the mind on a regular basis. The basic idea is to encourage the meditator to step back away the thoughts and to notice them without becoming involved or reacting to them. The goal is to allow these thoughts, feelings, and sensations to continue while becoming non-reactive to them, maintaining the position of a casual observer to the theatre of the mind.

A regularly practiced routine of meditation can decrease stress and psychological overload. Regular meditation promotes increased peace, relaxation, self awareness and inner calm.

2. Naturopathic Medicine:

Naturopathic medicine is a whole body system of health care based on vis medicatrix naturae- the healing power of nature to evoke a healing response within the body.

In 1902, Benedict Lust founded the American School of Naturopathy in New York State. At that time in America many new therapies and techniques were being experimented with. People flocked to spas and enjoyed hydrotherapy, mineral springs and spas, colonic irrigation and spinal manipulation. Dr. Lust's interest in promoting natural remedies to assist the body developed into a standard of practice which encouraged the utilization and promotion of most of the alternative therapies and theories to be facilitated by a physician licensed and trained in these disciplines.

A naturopathic doctor, or ND, is concerned with the physical, emotional and spiritual health of the patient. There are seven basic principals of naturopathic healing: (1) Help nature heal. (2) Do no harm. (3) Find the underlying cause. (4) Treat the whole person. (5) Encourage prevention. (6) Recognize wellness. (7) Act as a teacher.

Alternative therapies and such as herbal formulations, botanical remedies, and homeopathy are utilized as well as portions of Chinese medicine. Naturopathic medicine is a well-rounded program which takes lifestyle into consideration. The naturopathic physician can advise treatment programs which encompass changes in nutrition, vitamin and mineral therapies, accupuncture, accupressure, or spiritual counseling as well as implementation of changes for dietary concerns and exercise programs.

The emphasis of naturopathy is on wellness. The naturpathic physician can employ many areas of natural healing within the framework of a pre-determined personalized program for individual needs. For further information about naturopathic healing it is suggested that you contact theAmerican Association of Naturopathic Physicians 2366 Eastlake Avenue East, Suite 322, Seattle, WA 98102. The telephone number is (206) 323-7610. A comprehensive listing of licensed naturopathic physicians can be obtained by the association.

3. Yoga:

Do you have a desire to spend time with yourself to achieve balance, peace and concentration? Are you seeking clarity and insight in your daily life? Perhaps you should consider taking a Yoga class. Yoga is known as "the poetry of the body." This ancient system of philosophy and practice can promote emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. The benefits of Yoga can assist you in your own process of self-discovery and awareness. The benefits of stretching coupled with enhanced breathing techniques teach you to relax your mind and keep your body supple. The principals of Yoga extend to mind/body medicine as an accepted mind/body technique because it incorporates meditation with a series of poses called "asanas," coupled with breathing exercises known as "pranayama." The greatest advantage of Yoga is that it teaches us to relax physically. The aim of Yoga is to achieve a sense of balance and harmony between the body and the mind.

There are six major branches of yoga. They are: Hatha Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Tantra Yoga and Raja Yoga. All of these systems of yoga are based on similar principals but place different emphasis on postures, breathing techniques and meditation. These differences comprise the many variations in Yoga styles.

Yoga therapy is relatively new and yet it has been used successfully in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. Most notable are the amazing benefits to the elderly who practice a regular routine of daily Yoga. Yoga's natural ability to strengthen the muscoloskeletal system with its variety of postures have improved the condition of the elderly who suffer with backache, rheumatism and arthritis It is also suggested that a regular routine of Yoga can normalize high blood pressure, which helps to banish anxiety.

4. Color Therapy:

Have you ever been "green" with envy? Do you ever feel "blue?" Have you ever been "red" with anger? Then perhaps you might wonder about how phrase associations to color have become infused into our awareness. Color therapists feel that on both a physical level and psychic level, colors can be used to rebalance the body. The therory is that as light is absorbed through the skin, it works on the nervous system to change the chemical balance of the body. as well as create an effect upon your environment. Certain colors are believed to effect moods and behavior. It is thought we all have a certain sensitivity to colors. It also theorized that certain colors can be used to assit the body in healing by wearing certain colors and by calling certain colors of light upon yourself in meditations. These colored light rays as visualized can be sent to different parts of your body as healing light.

This is a brief overview of the colors and their alleged effects upon the body. Whether you are physically wearing these colors as clothing or mediatating upon these colors for healing purposes, color therapy practitioners believe that various balances and/or effects occur mainly because of the vibrational qualities of the specific color.

At the end of the spectrum is Red considered to be the most dominant color. Red is thought to destry bacteria and raise body temperature. Red is also thought to create warmth, hence aiding circulation and raising body temperature. Orange is the symbol of the feminine aspect containing the energy of creation. Orange is believed to combat depression and transmute negative into positive. It is also believed that the color orange can effect mental, emotional and physical properties. Yellow repairs and heals, particularly beneficial for skin problems. Yellow is believed to improve judgment and stimulates mental processing abilities. Green is a cool neutral color. It helps balance and restore clarity of focus. Green is useful for conditions which surface from stress and tension, such as migraine headaches. Blue strengthens the immune defense system as it calms the body and calms irritations and inflammations. Many healers claim that blue is the most beneficial color of all for those with pain. Indigo is the soothing color that plays upon the mental and emotional bodies. Indigo restores free-flow and movement making it particulalry helpful for cysts and tinnitus. Violet is the color of spiritual energy. Notice the color of vestments worn by Priests during high holy days. Violet strengthens spritual awareness and heightens insight.

Do the colors that we wear affect us? Do certain colors trigger unpleasant memories? Does color evoke responses and feelings that effect us in our daily lives? Color therapy is not a new field. because research holds that its roots are steeped in ancient tradition and ceremony. Color therapy draws on the way colors affect our moods and behaviors and surroundings. It tunes us into our individual likes and dislikes since the colors we choose can be an indication of the state of ourselves within our world. Experiment with colors. Perhaps you will notice your own individual response to the vibrational fields of various colors with a more heightened sense of awareness of how color effects you everyday.

5. Biofeedback:

ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION? Are you experiencing a lot of stress? Do you suffer from PMS? Do you become extremely nervous in social situations? Are you anxious? Do you suffer from panic attacks? Have migraine headaches become part of your life? Biofeedback might be the answer to help you to learn methods to treat these difficulties by using the power of your mind.

The principles of biofeedback date back to more than half a century when psychophysiological research began to examine the relationship between emotional states and physiological states. Biofeedback can be visual, auditory or tactile, but most importantly it is a training technique that teaches people to improve their health and performance by using signals from their own body. Biofeedback is biological information which is returned to the source that created it so that the source will be able to have control over the information received. Biofeedback employs electric and electromechanical instruments that receive electrical signals and impulses from the muscle and the brain. These signals are interpreted by a computer and are "fed back" to a patient. The patient receives information about their neuromuscular and autonomic activity showing normal and abnormal values. With information gained about their behavioral responses a patient is able to learn to exercise conscious control over what were presumed to be unconscious bodily processes. Studies conducted with animals have shown that physiological variables that were originally thought to be involuntary can be controlled. Feedback is a form of reward or punishment that provides motivation for the desired behavior.

Biofeedback utilizes electric and electromechanical instruments. The main approaches to biofeedback include skin temperature methods and skin electrical activity methods that measure the amount of electricity conducted between two electrodes on the skin. Another method, called the muscle electrical activity, method measures the electrical activity of muscles under the surface of the skin. This method is used to measure the tension of these muscles. When muscles become tense the electrical signals from the muscles are translated into a form that can be detected. Various machines used in biofeedback can detect a person's internal body functions with great sensitivity.

Biofeedback has gone mainstream. Many insurance companies reimburse patients for biofeedback training. The Dallas Cowboys of the NFL use it for stress management and to maintain peak performance. Biofeedback studies conducted on children with sleep difficulties show a 90 percent rate of effectiveness. Biofeedback has been found to be helpful for victims of neuromuscular disorders and spinal cord injuries. Sufferers of panic and anxiety disorders have learned the ability to control these states so that they can function on a daily basis. Being taught biofeedback as a primary treatment has assisted persons with urinary incontinence. The American Association of Headaches and the American Medical Association consider biofeedback an acceptable treatment method for certain types of headaches. Biofeedback has been used for the treatment of ADD and ADHD, Raynaud's disease and TMJ.

6. Guided Imagery:

Since mind/body medicine encourages the mind to heal the body it is logical that guided imagery would be part of this effective self-care. Guided imagery has three main characteristics that have profound effects on human physiology. It provides a new perspective and new insights into personal health and it is connected with emotions, which are often associated with common health conditions.

The imagination evidences itself in our everyday framework, oftentimes without our conscious awareness. Can the mere thought of a particular occurrence conjure up sensations that are evidenced by a physical response within the body? Take the example of the idea of fingernails scratching against a blackboard. Does this make you cringe? How about being told a very scary story? Do you get goosebumps on your arms? Can you become physically aroused by a sexual fantasy? When you are anxious about something can you feel the "butterflies" in your stomach? If you have experienced even one of these effects of the imagination on the body then you may be an excellent candidate for guided imagery.

What we refer to as imagery is really the free flow of thoughts that involve the basic sensory perceptions of hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch in one's imagination. Imagery manifests itself using the six senses. It is a natural process that evidences the dialog between the mind and the body. Focused imagery in a relaxed state of mind can elicit a physiological response. Let's give it a try. After you have read this paragraph, take a deep breath and r-e-l-a-x. I would like you to imagine in your mind's eye a round, red, shiny apple. Pick up this apple and notice its weight as you hold it in the palm of your hand. Now, put the apple on a plate and cut it in half. Notice the juicy burst of white inside the apple. Now bring the apple slice to your mouth and as you do this you notice its fragrance. Imagine biting into this apple and feeling the explosion of sweet juices in your mouth. Did this imagery evoke a response? Did you salivate? Were you able to picture the shiny, red apple? Did you imagine its taste? If you answered yes, then you have proven to yourself the effectiveness of guided imagery and what is more, you have probably just found a form of self-healing tool that can become very valuable to you.

As in biofeedback, imagery effects heart rate, blood pressure, sexual arousal and immune system healing function among other body functions. Guided imagery is a program that can be maintained with self-care and is an excellent adjunct treatment for those with chronic diseases. Imagery offers significant benefits within a few months of treatment. Guided imagery is probably most notable in assisting a patient to developing insight and self-awareness sufficient to deal with life threatening illness in constructive ways. Through imagery a patient can access emotions that affect physiology and are evidenced by many physical ailments. Imagery is a quick and direct way of becoming aware of emotions. It is a way of treating a whole person rather than their symptoms or disease. Guided imagery can accelerate healing and minimize discomfort. It is useful for patients suffering with cancer, back pain, gastrointestinal distresses and excessive uterine bleeding. It is thought that guided imagery can assist immune system function.

In 1971 Dr. O. Carl Simonton, M.D., a radiation oncologist, utilized guided imagery as a tool in cancer therapy. Dr. Simonton asked his patients to imagine their cancer cells as something that could be broken down by the body. He suggested that each patient view their white cells as powerful and eager warriors ready to do battle with the cancer cells. One of Dr. Simonton's patients had been diagnosed with terminal throat cancer at the age of 61. Dr. Simonton was concerned that radiation treatments would further deteriorate this man's fragile state.

Dr. Simonton instructed his patient to devote 5-15 minutes three times a day for a program of relaxation and imagery. The patient's imagery exercise was to imagine the radiation treatments as "bullets of energy" striking his cells, healthy and cancerous alike, with the healthy cells remaining healthy and the cancer cells dying off. The patient was instructed to visualize the cancer cells breaking apart and his state of health returning to normal. Dr. Simonton's program resulted in the man receiving radiation treatments with minimal discomfort. Halfway through this treatment the man began to eat solid foods again. Within two months, the man's cancer disappeared.

There are many groups and classes that teach Guided Imagery. I have listed a few because of their fine reputation. These organizations also direct you to practitioners in your state. Perhaps the best known is the Academy for Guided Imagery, located at P.O. Box 2070, Mill Valley California 94942. Telephone number is 1-(800)-726-2070. The Academy for Guided Imagery trains health professionals to use interactive guided imagery. The academy publishes a directory of practitioners as well instructional self-care tapes, which individuals can use. Dr. Bernie Siegel has a referral list of professionals who work with imagery for cancer patients. The organization is Exceptional Cancer Patients, 1302 Chapel Street, New Haven, Conn. 06511. 1-(203) 865-8392. Dr. O. Carl Simonton, mentioned in this article, also has an organization of trained professionals utilizing his methods. You can write to the Simonton Cancer Center, P.O. Box 890, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. His telephone number is 1- (310) 459-4434.

7. Hypnotherapy:

No article about hypnotherapy would be complete without reference to the man considered to be the "father of hypnosis," Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer (1733-1815). Mesmer was an Austrian physician who created a method of hypnotism, which he referred to as "animal magnetism." In 1784, Mesmer's claims about animal magnetism were discredited. Although critics of Mesmer's day were harsh, studies concerning what is now referred to as hypnotherapy have withheld the scrutiny of his opponents for over than 200 years. (See more complete references to Mesmer's scientific studies in previous issue of PLANETLightworker in the Health and Healing section's article entitled Magnetic Healing.) Mesmer's research about the altered state have contributed the term 'animal magnetism" as well as the word "mesmerize" which relates to one being enthralled, entranced or hypnotized. For the purposes of this article, the remark of a pupil of Mesmer's, Charles d'Eslon, best conveys the ideas upon which we will expand as relates to mind/body medicine. d'Eslon said . . . "If the medicine of imagination is the best then why should we not practice the medicine of the imagination?" Does this quote sound familiar? Throughout this journey into mind/body medicine we have referenced the incredible power that we human beings have as our inherent birthright - the power of the imagination as it relates to the power of the mind to heal the body.

Hundreds of years ago, physicians would induce a patient into an altered state through the use of hypnotherapy to demonstrate the power of the mind. It was not uncommon for the physician to perform operations upon the patient without anesthesia while the patient remained in the altered state induced by hypnosis. The power of hypnosis is great. Modern-day physicians such as Dr. Andrew Weil have endorsed hypnosis for his patients. Patients are advised that only the services of a licensed hypnotherapist should be employed.

Hypnosis allows for exploration into the deepest levels of an individual's mind to effect positive changes. The hypnotherapist is a facilitator while it is the patient who enters into hypnotic states by following the suggestions of the hypnotherapist. The hypnotic state is attained through relaxation techniques. The patient's attention is shifted from their external environment to ideas suggested by the hypnotherapist.

The superficial hypnotic state is when the patient accepts suggestions but does not usually carry them out. Patients who are able to enter into the deepest state of hypnotherapy also called the somnambulistic state of hypnotherapy, are those who benefit the most. It is in this state that the post-hypnotic suggestions of the hypnotherapist are most successful. Post-hypnotic suggestions are those that take effect after the patient awakens from the trance. The unconscious mind is not critical. It accepts what is said without criticism and therefore post hypnotic suggestions have a better chance of being effective then they would if given during a normal waking state.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that 90% of the general population can be hypnotized with 20-30% having enough susceptibility to enter the somnambulistic state which makes them highly receptive to treatment. The WHO does caution that persons with anti-social personality disorders and psychosis should not explore hypnosis. Hypnosis is extremely powerful and must not be abused.

More information about hypnosis can be found at The American Institute of Hyypnotherapy, 1805 East Garry Avenue, Santa Ana, California 92705 (714) 261-6400. This is the only institute in the United States that grants doctorate degrees in hypnosis after a term of study. They can provide books and tapes and referrals to licensed practitioners in your area.