While seeing a new breast cancer patient, I always ask myself what would I do in this situation. If this was my wife, what would I suggest? Similarly, I often ask myself on a larger scale how I would treat society if she was my patient. Better yet, how would I best advise society to avoid being my patient. How would I assess her health? How would I advise her to improve it? What would I tell her to avoid and what would I tell her to maximize? How would I directly and transparently advise her?
I would make many recommendations, and some of these would be easy to follow, while others would clash head on with the societal train chugging down the tracks. For instance, in a society addicted to checking the box, speech over action, and non-finishers, the first thing I would push my patient to do is to follow through and be a finisher. If you can’t focus, concentrate, and follow through, any effort or tangible change will be dead in the water. Without effort, health is impossible. We are a society ailed by individuals who do not finish, and I strongly believe this cultural degradation is largely responsible for the degradation of our health. You may be thinking this recommendation is obvious; the most simple and direct recommendations are often the best.
Part of the cause of this inability to finish is the immense amount of distraction around us, pulling us from what is important in life (just ask the woman pushing her stroller across the street in busy traffic while texting on her cell phone). Social media and device addiction rarely improve our health through their propensity to spew filth and promote anxiety and envy, yet keep pulling us in for more. They inaccurately show us how great the life of everyone else is and how much better ours would be if we simply had what they had. Consuming envy on a daily basis is a poor health strategy (though good for companies that want you to buy their products to supposedly improve your life).
Would I strongly recommend for my patient to stay away from these addictions by all means? Of course. I would stress avoiding the news and other sources of anxiety and shock factor porn. Much like with addictive foods, I would avoid anything that promotes over-consumption (spoiler alert: that’s the rub with social media—it is funded by companies who want you to over-consume). Along those lines, I would strongly suggest complete and utter avoidance of the common current addiction to outrage. I would also stress that how we respond to things is within our control, not others, so stop wasting your time getting offended over such trivialities.
I would advise her to respect her body, treat it as a gift, and take the utmost care of it. I would tell her to treat her body like a fine statue carved from Carrara marble by Michelangelo, and consume those vitamin- and nutrient-dense foods that optimally fuel it while keeping off excessive and unwanted amounts of adipose tissue. And while I am at it, I would tell her to follow Michelangelo’s no-nonsense personality when it comes to this aspect of her health, as it is non-negotiable. I would also, of course, tell her to lift heavy weights to stimulate muscle hypertrophy and all the metabolic benefits that accompany resistance training while keeping her moving well and feeling and looking great. Oh, and don’t forget to resiliency train too, as this will also come in handy as we age. I would tell her to move a lot and often, walk a lot, and stand a lot, and rest and recharge with quiet-time, contemplation, and long nights of quality sleep.
Effort is rewarding, recovery is vital. Grow a garden and engage in mindful and thoughtful activities. Stay away from the addictive stuff that pulls her away from the tangible. I would tell her to get adequate, high-quality sleep, avoid the squirrels and those trying to sabotage her efforts, and live an intentional lifestyle, embrace discomfort, and also embrace silence. I would remind her that we require a community of friends and family around us, and this is nonnegotiable.
In my lifetime, I have seen thousands of patients. Most have already been struck with cancer and many want to do whatever they can to beat it, improve their health, and ensure it never recurs. Many have regrets about not taking their health more seriously in the past. Some come to see me in hopes to avoid ever getting cancer, particularly if they have a strong family history. The above recommendations come strongly and transparently from my experience in life. It is never too late to take control of one’s health, and it is never too late for society as a whole.
So if I would recommend the above to my patient, shouldn’t I follow the same advice?
Shouldn’t you?
Shouldn’t your children?
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