AS all mothers already know, love heals. Dr. Bernie Siegel, a well-known surgeon, shows in his moving bestseller book “Love, Medicine and Miracles” how love, caring, and the will to get better can actually cure illness. He relates countless stories from his twenty years of experience as a physician where some patients, due to their positive attitude recovered faster than those who lacked such hope and interest in life. He revolutionizes the relationship between the doctor and patient to bring a far better outcome for the patient. Dr. Siegel first defines true healing as achieving a peace of mind and living each day to its fullest. We should not set only a physical goal, but should make peace of mind our ultimate goal. Most patients prefer to fully understand their illness and the recommended treatment from their doctors. Dr. Siegel reported a study of 35 women with metastatic breast cancer. The survivors were those who asked a lot of questions and were allowed to express their emotions freely. In this way, doctors are also teachers who educate us every step of the way. Unfortunately the common practice in most hospitals is that a patient may be kept waiting up to two hours to see her doctor, and then the doctor rushes the patient and may be reluctant to give even five minutes for open discussion. Sometimes the doctor just reads the file and doesn't even address the patient by his/her first name. When Dr. Siegel transformed himself from a mechanical surgeon into a compassionate surgeon and teacher, he was amazed to see how many of his patients got better, even those who were labeled “terminal”. Why are doctors trained to keep a distance and to avoid giving “false hope”? There is nothing wrong with a patient being hopeful. Some patients' illnesses do not conform to the statistics. If nine out of 10 people with a certain disease are expected to die, does that mean you tell each patient that they will die? Or can each patient hang on to the hope that he or she might be the one who survives? Belief and trust in the doctor and treatment will powerfully affect the patient's prognosis. Scientists have verified the placebo effect: one fourth to one third of patients will improve if they merely believe that they are taking an effective medicine, even when the pill given is only a sugar (placebo) pill. Our state of mind has a direct effect on our state of body. Emotions such as grief, fear, and anger cause the adrenal glands to produce hormones that suppress the immune system. Unreleased feelings of anger or despair can lead to physical illness. For instance, Dr. Bernard Fox has found that depressed men are twice as likely to get cancer as non-depressed men. In almost all cases, cancer comes after a tragedy or major crisis in the patient's life. On the other hand, a positive attitude can help you stay healthy. Those who are at peace with themselves and their surroundings have fewer illnesses than those who are not. All patients can harness the power of their mind and spirit to overcome illness. Dr. Siegel trains his patients to view chemotherapy and radiation as golden beams of healing energy so they experience less severe side effects. One of his patients told him she used to throw up after each chemotherapy session. Her husband always had a bag ready for her in the car to throw up in. But one day she opened the bag and found a dozen roses. She never threw up after chemotherapy again. Some patients vomit before receiving chemotherapy because of the negative images they harbor. Patients can take a portable tape recorder to listen to soothing sounds. One cancer patient refused treatment until the treatment room walls were repainted from a miserable grey to a cheerful sky blue. Exceptional physicians see their patients as people, not just a hernia case or a breast cancer case. There is no harm in truly caring about patients. Call them by their first name. Ask them how they are feeling, not physically but emotionally. Hug your patients when a hug is needed. Take the time to explain the surgical procedure in advance. A Harvard study showed that patients who received a visit from their surgeon the night before surgery with explanations and reassurances needed only half as much pain medication as the control group who did not receive such visits. In addition to the standard medical treatments, doctors should prescribe love and laughter. Laughter makes the unbearable bearable. It relaxes the diaphragm, exercises the lungs, increases blood oxygen levels, and tones the cardiovascular system. Laughter also increases the production of endorphins that act as natural pain killers. We all must learn to invite more fun into our lives. Give yourself a break after work to read a good book, watch a funny movie, play games, tell jokes, draw or color. Dr. Siegel's multifaceted approach in treating his patients includes relaxation, meditation, and visualization. The purpose is to quiet the mind and escape the daily pressures of life. As Muslims we can meditate by heightening our spiritual awareness in prayer, supplication, and reading the Holy Qur'an. Meditation lowers blood pressure and the levels of stress hormones. It improves the mood and gives a sense of calmness that helps you cope with stress. Several studies revealed that patients increased their number of white blood cells by visualizing. According to Dr. Siegel, a firm belief in God is always witnessed in patients who recovered when they were expected to die. “When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries, and you rejoice.”
