One Day at a Time
It’s the beginning of the year and there must be untold columns, blogs, and podcasts preaching some type of resolution. Not me. Not this column.
Resolutions put too much pressure on you. Some people change by taking baby steps and some people change by taking giant leaps…which one are you? As someone more eloquent than I said…change comes from desperation or inspiration which one will persuade you? Unfortunately it’s desperation for most people, a new cancer or heart disease diagnosis CAN be very motivating but even then most people don’t really change their underlying habits.
We doctors suck at motivating people. Even though focusing on diet and exercise, sleep and stress should be the fundamental issues you deal with when you go to the doctor, we usually focus not on the underlying problem but on a medication to treat your symptoms.
Watch the great video by Dr. Michael Gregor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0y-lO2YpuQ. It’s entitled “the actual benefit of diet versus drugs.” It will be an eye opener for you. I shared this video at a Monday meeting we have at the office to review issues with the staff and I hope it will persuade some of my providers to look at your health differently. Sure, it’s very easy for doctors and very easy for patients to just take a pill to cover up the symptoms but the pills usually have very little impact on your health and underlying condition whereas changing your lifestyle can have a very very dramatic effect not only on symptoms but on the underlying disease process. You can take a pill to treat your indigestion or you can embark on the often frustrating mission of figuring out what’s causing the indigestion. Same thing for blood pressure, diabetes, headaches, etc.
So, trying to get you to change via inspiration rather than desperation seems like the better choice. As I said, doctors are not trained to motivate people so you are on your own in this regard but you are not without resources. My most successful patients (and by success I mean in terms of health improvement) motivate themselves DAILY with something they read, or watch. Maybe it’s something inspirational, something informative or something challenging. All these options are available one click away on that device of yours. Of course, you know me, I think the cellphone has been transformative in the way we live and learn and its capacity to help you improve your health is only equaled by the damage it’s doing to us culturally.
Dr. Robert Lustig addresses this beautifully in his book, The Hacking of the American Mind which he summarizes in this lecture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4sRsb0a30Y.
For something more local try Tim Smith of smiletherapy.com based right here in Camillus. He will send you daily emails that inspire, amuse and get you thinking. It makes a great gift for that certain someone in your life…you never know what to get your grandkids anyway…why not try this? 
Personally, I like watching short motivational videos like Arthur’s Inspirational Transformation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448. If that doesn’t get you thinking and moving maybe nothing will.
I hope this year you will find some way to improve your health and I hope it doesn’t stem from desperation. Focus on improving your health day by day now or focus on your illness and disabilities down the road.
Until next month…get well and stay well…JT BARRY MD
