By Vicki Rackner, M.D.

Health is like the wind.

The feel of the wind on your face and skin can be very soothing, especially on hot summer days. But just as quickly the wind can disappear, leaving you sweating in the sweltering heat. The effects of wind are often visible. You can look out the window and see leaves waving on the trees or floating off wildly in all directions. When a tree falls on a power line and you have a home-camping adventure, you know the wind has been there.

The effects of good health can be visible too. For instance, someone in good health often has a healthy glow about them. They may have more energy, may be more productive, and may have a “spring in their step.”

Sometimes, the wind is subdued. You would not notice it unless you looked for subtle clues, like dandelion parachutes strewn on the lawn. Health is often subdued as well. You may not pay attention to your health until you get sick. Yet, your day-to-day choices shape your health picture. Your health is also shaped by the way in which you respond to the events in your life. Sometimes the wind is very rough. Your health may go through rough patches as well. The wind eventually will calm down. Your health usually does as well.

Choosing Health

The word patient comes from the Latin root pati, which means “to suffer.” Patients bring their suffering to their doctors to obtain healing; to obtain “health.”

But health is more than the absence of suffering.  It is an attitude, a quality of life.  It’s a sense of being whole.

Bill, one of my patients, has had rheumatoid arthritis since he was a child. From an early age, Bill was determined to do everything the other kids could do.  Bill loves the outdoors. When his degenerating hip joints prevented him from going on a hiking trip, he went kayaking. He has a full life, complete with meaningful work, a loving family and active participation in his spiritual community. 

Bill and his rheumatologist confer on a regular basis to make sure that he is taking the proper medications.  Bill has pain every day of his life.  Sometimes he talks with great sadness about his limitations.  Most days, however, Bill looks at all of the great things he can accomplish.

Bill has a chronic disease, yet, we could say that Bill is healthy since he leads a full life.

At Home with Health

Good health is your home base. Even in sickness, your body is drawn to healing as effortlessly as water runs downhill. After an operation, incisions knit together. You do not necessarily have to do anything special to make a minor cut or scrape get better. You do not have to look at a minor wound every two hours and say, “Heal.” Your body knows how to heal itself (usually).

You can, however, speed up healing by keeping the wound clean and covered, eating a nutritious diet, and getting enough rest. You can also slow down the healing process by doing such things as smoking cigarettes, abusing drugs and alcohol, and not getting enough sleep. But even if you do nothing, minor wounds will most likely heal on their own. Note: Be sure to contact a healthcare professional if you or your loved one has an open wound that appears deep or larger than a thumbprint.

Some people say that your immune system is directly impacted by your mind. This is known as “psycho-neuro-immunology,” and it is an ever-evolving field. Those that believe in the immune system/mind connection believe that stress can cause headaches, acid reflux, and increaseyour risk of getting a cold. Reducing stress, taking time off when you can, getting enough sleep, and trying to exercise a bit each day can all have direct health benefits. You might feel better emotionally and physically.

Even if you do everything right, you will occasionally get sick. There are always factors you cannot control such as genetics, environmental factors, and plain old bad luck. Your body is designed to support you as you bounce back to your state of optimal health. By taking care of yourself, and developing a good relationship with your doctor or other healthcare professional, you can get better quicker…and help prevent illness in the future.

So spread your health wings, and let the winds of health carry you and your loved ones to a healthy and happy lifestyle.