Mindset Matters

Mindset Matters

December 4, 2023

Joy Stepinski, MSN, RN-BC

Recently I attended a couple of classes, in which both speakers discussed relevant expectations about health. I will share some key takeaways with added commentary. As we wrap up 2023, I hope these insights prompt you to consider health goals for the upcoming year.

Mindset truly matters! Expectations, beliefs, education, and upbringing can shape the course of our health and dictate one’s life journey. Often by refocusing our outlook, attitudes and awareness, we can change our health direction if we so desire.

Our current healthcare system, which is frequently known as sick-care, causes many people to be fixated on disease. In fact, 50% of Americans are faced with a chronic disease, of which 85% of American healthcare costs are spent [1]! The doctor is trained to seek solutions usually by offering a medication. Although these treatments may work, they are also often filled with side effects and adverse reactions. Patients become accustomed to expecting a medication to address their symptoms. Yet many times, the root of the problem is overlooked.

Beliefs about the body start from a young age, which often forms our mindset. For example, we are taught that we need specific foods in our diet, we should take certain supplements, and we require particular nutrients (like protein) to gain health. One example is dairy. As part of a marketing ploy, advertisements tell us that “milk does the body good” and builds strong bones. Yet, research concludes that dairy causes cancer, worsens bone health, plays a role in asthma, produces acne, leads to autoimmune disease, and more [4].

Perhaps views on aging impact mindset most profoundly. Many assume that growing old gracefully is an impossibility. Our society indicates that aging is synonymous with ill health and pills. Author David Robson states that “people who associate aging with some positive attributes – so greater wisdom, better decision making, they see old age almost as an opportunity – they tend to live a lot longer than people who associate aging with disability and dependence and decline [5].” Attitude can be everything.

When faced with a disease, symptoms surface. These signs are often an indicator that the balance our body requires is off-kilter. In many instances, chronic disease is caused by lifestyle choices and can be preventable, treatable, and reversible. How can this be? Again, the frame of mind may play a role. Frequently, we are told that we can expect a certain disease if our parents, aunt or uncle, grandparents, or siblings suffered with it. Our mother experienced a heart attack and we expect that someday we, too, will have one. Yet genetics actually accounts for a very small percentage of illness. This is echoed throughout health literature. For example, one study showed that of 55,685 participants with a high genetic risk, lifestyle was still associated with a reduction of coronary artery disease [2].  This is good news! We can control the trajectory of our health - more than we may think.

One enormous influence that contributes to well-being is the nourishment of the body. Americans consume roughly one ton of food annually [3]. Food is vital for life because it gives instructions to our genes [4]. Genes are a part of the DNA that provides information for molecules in our body to perform a certain function. If the body harbors the right environment, those genes will become expressed (i.e., obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.). Because many adopt the diet and lifestyle choices of our families, this gives the body a similar environment in which we see common patterns of disease. This is key. Many times, people are actually not consuming real food. Our bodies literally hunger for whole food (i.e., fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains) and when we consistently eat highly processed products and large amounts of animal food (including dairy), chronic inflammation and signs of dis-ease occur (i.e., high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, pain).

What are some solutions?

1.     Focus on health and not disease. How often do we really think about our bodies from a health perspective instead of a disease perspective? When we visit the doctor, he spends time trying to figure out if our cholesterol is too high, if our blood pressure is outside of a normal range, or if we have any depressed thoughts. How often does he ask for a record of food consumed over the past week, or inquire about an exact exercise regimen, stress level, or daily sunlight exposure? These factors are imperative for optimal health, and yet they often go unrecognized or not placed as a priority.

2. Consider yourself as a whole connected being (physical, emotional, and spiritual). We are an interdependent being, acting as a whole unit. For example, back pain is not simply a physical pain in the back. There may be an emotional cause. Health is not all or nothing. Instead, health is a continuous journey towards wholeness, regardless of age. Our body is powerful and can heal when provided with the right circumstances.

3. Recognize that the responsibility for your health belongs to you and you have control over your choices. Health is not a cure for disease or even a band-aid. Consider:

• What food do I consistently feed my body? Is 90% from whole foods (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains)? Do I hydrate my body with at least 64 oz. of water daily?

• Do I move enough during the day? Do I consistently exercise?

• How is my mindset? What is my expectation for aging? Am I merely focused on preventing and treating disease – or am I promoting health by living better physically, emotionally, and spiritually?

References:

1.       Holman, H. R. (2020). The relation of the chronic disease epidemic to the health care crisis. ACR Open Rheumatology, 2(3), 167 – 173. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr2.11114

2.       Khera, A. V., Emdin, C. A., Drake, I., Natarajan, P., Bick, A. G., Cook, N. R., ... & Kathiresan, S. (2016). Genetic risk, adherence to a healthy lifestyle, and coronary disease. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(24), 2349-2358.

3.       Aubrey, A. (2011). The average American ate (literally) a ton this year. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2011/12/31/144478009/the-average-american-ate-literally-a-ton-this-year

4.       Campbell., T. C., & Campbell, T. M. (2006). The China study: Startling implications for diet, weight loss, and long-term health. Benbella Books.

5.       Salaman, R. (2023). The Expectation Effect.  Mind Tools. https://www.mindtools.com/a9zxkvl/the-expectation-effect