Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:03 AM February 12, 2019
Taking supplements and other medical interventions is just part of the healing process.
In a speech, Dr. Christopher Rex Gloria noted the importance of mindfulness and of challenging the brain, since it commands the body through chemical signals from the nervous system.
Better habits start by reeducating the brain.
Dr. Gloria cited three proponents of mindfulness whose works have been supported by scientific research.
Dr. Herbert Benson, founder of Harvard’s Body and Mind Institute, coined the term “relaxation response,” the scientific term for meditation.
This is the mind’s ability to persuade the body to discharge chemicals and brain signals that enable the muscles and organs to relax and to boost blood circulation to the brain.
His studies showed that regular meditation reduces stress, blood pressure and heart rate.
“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally,” said Buddhist meditation practitioner and microbiologist Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Psychology and psychiatry professor Richard Davidson pointed out four skills are es sential to well-being: resilience, positive outlook, attention and generosity.
These are connected to nerve circuits. Consistent exercise of these circuits makes them stronger, promotes change and improves well-being.
He claims that by purposely training the mind, the brain can also be retrained.
“They’ve gone far in convincing the medical community that ‘doing nothing’ can induce more healing and why stillness is helpful in most patients’ situations,” Dr. Gloria told Lifestyle. “It’s a reminder of the healing nature of the body through the communication from the mind.”
Walking his talk, Dr. Gloria starts his day with mindfulness and breathing properly before he meets his patients: “We need to practice being in the moment and being nonjudgmental.”
“That’s why you need mindfulness. Our job doesn’t begin with the body’s system and end with a diagnosis. Preventive doctors would need to start their job after the diagnosis has been given. We help the patient not just with the medication but also understanding in depth how their condition happened and how we can prevent it from recurring.” –MARGE C. ENRIQUEZ, CONTRIBUTED