|
There are many examples in the Qur'an and Hadith of the
virtues of a positive mental attitude, perseverance and optimism in the
face of adversity. However, did you know that patience and a positive
outlook on life are two of the greatest healing tools that you can use?
The Qur'an (2:155) says, "Give glad tidings to
those who exercise patience when struck with adversity and say, 'Indeed,
we belong to God and to Him is our return.' Such ones receive [the]
blessings and mercy of their Lord, and such are the guided ones."
According to the findings of modern science, it appears that this mercy
may often come in the form of improved health.
Bernard Jensen says, in his book The Science and
Practice of Iridology, "The doctor of the new day will recognize
that a man's most important workshop is not the physical body, but the
mind that controls it." Dr. Ted M. Morter confirms this in his
book, Your Health... Your Choice, when he says that "negative
thoughts are the number one acid producer in the body (and high body
acidity levels are a major cause of disease)… because your body reacts
to negative mental and emotional stress brought about by thought the
same way it reacts to 'real' threats of physical harm."
In fact, hospital studies show that, of all the patients
who consult outpatient clinical facilities in the United States, an
astounding seventy percent are found to have no organic basis for their
complaint. That figure is amazingly high. However, although medically
these patients are not found to have an obvious organic source for their
complaints, there actually is a physical basis for this phenomenon.
Since Freud popularized the idea of psychoanalysis, people have often
focused exclusively on the mental realm to solve certain problems,
forgetting that we cannot separate the physical and mental realms. The
mind is in the brain, and the brain is an organ. Like all other organs,
it feeds from the same pool of nutrients that other body organs feed
from and is susceptible to all of the same problems. Ultimately, the
brain is just a part of our body like all of the other parts and is
completely dependent on the body. It requires sugar to develop energy
unlike other tissues that can develop it from potassium and fats.
Consequently, it is the first organ to suffer from low blood sugar and
it reacts most severely. Freud himself said that psychoanalysis was not
suitable for treating diseases such as schizophrenia, and he postulated
that their causes eventually would be found to be biochemical.
If we keep in mind that the brain is an organ and that
it works in harmony with the other organs and feeds from the same
bloodstream, we can understand how various mental events can affect us
physically. For example, simply using our brains to think and study
burns up nutrients in our system, particularly phosphorus. Heavily
exercising the brain can cause us to suffer from a phosphorus
deficiency. And we find that the reverse is also true in this
relationship. People who have high intellectual capacity usually have
high levels of phosphorus in their system.
There is much wisdom in the Prophet's (SAW) statement
(narrated by Abu Huraira), "The strong [person] is not the one who
overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong [person] is the one
who controls himself while in anger." In fact, staying patient and
calm is key to physical strength.
Phosphorus is not the only nutrient that can be depleted
by mental stress and a lack of spiritual calm. If the thyroid gland, the
primary organ to handle our emotions, works overtime, we can suffer from
a deficiency in iodine. Stress from a demanding job, a divorce or
relocating can cause a loss of potassium and sodium in the body because
it effects the adrenal glands creating more of a need for these
minerals.
Even hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can be caused by
excitement. The prophet (SAW) recommended our taking the more moderate
path in life; however, we often engage in or expose ourselves to intense
excitement by yelling, excessively watching television, and going to the
mall, movies, parties, amusement parks, etc. When we see something
exciting, our adrenal cortex is stimulated and there is an increase in
our blood sugar. This, in turn, stimulates the pancreas to secrete
insulin into the blood to lower the sugar level, causing us to then feel
tired or weak.
It produces calm and health to practice saying, "Alhamdulillah"
for what we have and for what we are faced with. We should try to keep
our home and work environments peaceful and as free from stress as
possible. One way we can counteract the effects of stress are to simply
be aware of the stress we are encountering, and to consume sufficient
nutrients and supplements such as herbs.
For instance, if a person is up late praying or reading
Qur'an during Ramadan, they can eat phosphorus rich foods and those that
will help them maintain their phosphorus intake. If a person is moving,
traveling or making Hajj or Umra, they may want to increase their intake
of foods high in potassium and sodium as well as vitamin B complex.
If we completely ignore the relationship between mental
and physical health, we are missing an important detail in the picture
of personal health. And, as in most health problems, practicing
prevention is superior to finding a cure. Therefore, the best manner to
avoid having negative attitudes and emotions control our bodies is
simply to practice the wisdoms that we have been given throughout the
Qur'an and Hadith. We should say, "Alhamdullilah" for what we
have; "Insha'Allah" for what we intend; and, "Subhana'
Allah" when we see something exciting or amazing. We should
remember to say, Astaghfir'Allah" when we lose our tempers or
become weak, and most importantly, "Allahu Akbar" when we are
faced with the challenges of life. These five phrases, said regularly,
are like taking a multi-vitamin for holistic health.
|
