In Part 1 Hypnotherapist and Trainer Simon Pimenta discussed the limitations of the medical model of health and how it can influence our beliefs about our health and wellbeing. (You can read Part 1 here)
In Part 2 he explored the flaws of the Medical Model and how this may be relevant to people with ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia. (You can read Part 2 here)
In Part 3 he explores the Holistic model of health, and the implications for health and healing.
The Holistic Model
The Holistic Model is based on the theory that there are many factors influencing health. These factors can be grouped into the following 4 categories:
Heredity: Our genes
Environment: Exposure to bacteria, viruses, pollutants, etc. For instance, a person’s resistance to illness may be lowered if they are exposed to agricultural chemicals that have polluted the air or water.
Medical Treatment: Certain drugs, for instance antibiotics may weaken our immunity if taken repeatedly. Antibiotics, which means ‘Against Life’, kill off the healthy bacteria in our gut, as well as the bacteria that is causing health issues. In some countries, Doctors prescribe a course of probiotics to replace the healthy bacteria. You can buy these from a health food shop.
Lifestyle: Diet, work/life balance, exercise, relationships to others and our relationship to ourselves, our mindset, the amount of stress we are experiencing and other factors can undermine or enhance our health and wellbeing.
This approach moves away from the idea that there is always one single cause of illness, and instead considers the possibility that a number of factors may contribute to health and sickness. This was explored in part 2 (you can read it here), exploring why some people got sick when the water was polluted in Bergen, Norway, whilst others didn’t get ill.
This approach explores the question ‘Can I influence my health and wellbeing?’ A reasonable response might be “Well maybe there are some things that I can do, but there are some things that I have no control over. For instance, I have no control over what genes I have; I can’t just change my genes.” Actually Lisa Rankin MD says that we have some influence over which genes are expressed. Michael Meaney from McGill University, Montreal, has carried out some interesting research that challenges the idea that our genes are the strongest factor that determines aspects of our lives. There is a school of thought that suggests that a robust, healthy happy person is less likely to develop an illness, than someone who is for instance highly stressed, and has poor nutritional status. Even if our genes present limitations, is it not a good strategy to look at what we can do?
Some people find this concept that lifestyle factors, including our mindset; the way we think and our attitude, can influence our body difficult to grasp. However, there is evidence that people with low self esteem experience more stress, and are therefore more prone to illness.
This concept is tough for some people to take on board as they think in the following way:
- If my lifestyle as well as those other factors (genes, environment, medical intervention), can influence my health, then I’m in part to blame if I get ill.
- If I’m to blame, I now feel cross because you’re saying its my fault OR
- I now feel bad because I’m beating myself up, because I’m blaming myself.
One strategy for avoiding these uncomfortable feelings is to totally dismiss this approach, deciding that it’s a load of rubbish and reverting back to the medical model (see part 1).
The problem with this is that your health and wellbeing can become your Doctors responsibility. You may choose this path, but you may be overlooking an important opportunity to take steps that could be beneficial for your health. This can be scary for some people, as they start to feel fear; they say to themselves- sometimes not even consciously, “What if I take steps/make changes/spend money and I get no change?’ Fear of failure is a real issue for some people, and can stop them from trying a different approach. It is totally understandable, but is something we must deal with if we are to embrace the holistic model. One of the first things I do when I have a (free) consultation with a new client is to see if this issue is getting in the way of them trying a new approach.
However, by being open to the holistic model, you are taking the first step forward in changing your life. There is another way of approaching the idea that the mind can influence the body, that is more useful. You could say to yourself “This idea makes me feel uncomfortable. I wonder why that is? Maybe its because I’m telling myself that I’m to blame, and so I feel bad. Actually that’s not very helpful. I’m human, I’m doing my best”.
The reality is that most people on the planet experience stress and challenges. Professor Robert Sapolsky, of Stanford University, has written a book called ‘Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers’ which is all about how stress affects humans. Any ideas why zebras don’t get ulcers? You can read more about this in my free report ‘ME/CFS Essential Information’, which you can download on my homepage.
Strategies For Embracing the Holistic Model.
1. Be Compassionate
Recognise that you are not to blame for having ME/CFS/FM.
2. Be Open
Consider the idea that you are more powerful than you may know. If you have assumed that you can’t do anything to improve your health, think again. You can take some simple, yet I believe, important steps to influencing your health and wellbeing. I share some of these in the post ‘ME/CFS: Dealing With A Relapse’. You can read this post here
3. Take Positive Steps
Start to consider positive steps you can realistically take, no matter how small, that may have a positive impact on your health. It may be taking small steps to improve your diet. In a recent interview talking about her battle with ME, Martine McCutcheon said that cutting out diet drinks resulted in an improvement in leg pain symptoms.
4. Stop Beating Yourself Up
Any time you start feeling bad, just take a deep calming breath, and remind yourself that you are human, that its ok to not be perfect, and that you are open to seeing things in different ways.
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SIMON PIMENTA is a hypnotherapist, coach and trainer working with people to boost resilience and performance, and minimise stress. After working in a demanding job as the Director of a Housing Trust, he went off sick and remained unable to work for the next 8 years. He discovered a pioneering approach to resolving health issues and quickly got back his health, and now trains others using these same techniques, to help them become happier, healthier and achieve their goals.