By Robert Brooks, PhD

When my boss handed back the draft of an article I had edited, it was covered with blue ink — his many questions, corrections and redirections. Here’s what went through my head…

1. Oh no! I must stink as an editor. I should quit.
2. If he’d stop being so darn fussy, my job would be so much easier.
3. Still, I’m not really surprised. He often has lots of comments.
4. Let me see where I went wrong so I don’t make the same mistakes again. If I can’t figure it out, I’ll ask him to explain.
5. Anyway, I shouldn’t feel bad — he praised the article I edited yesterday. And, overall, I love my job.
6. What the heck, I’ll have some fun by using this anecdote in the article I just started working on — which, appropriately enough, is about resilience.

In those few moments, my mind touched on several of the main points that Harvard Medical School psychologist Robert Brooks, PhD, covers in his book The Power of Resilience. Since my first thoughts had been decidedly nonresilient (though I came around in the end), I was glad for the opportunity to discuss the topic with Dr. Brooks.

“A resilient person has a mind-set — assumptions or expectations about herself — that allows her to bounce back after encountering obstacles. She adopts a problem-solving approach instead of languishing in feelings of helplessness and hopelessness,” Dr. Brooks explained. “Even if you don’t have a resilient mind-set now, you can develop one, because mind-sets are not chiseled in stone. There are guideposts you can follow and activities you can engage in that strengthen a resilient mind-set and lead to a more fulfilling life.” What to do…

Tell yourself that adversity is an expected part of life — a challenge to face and grow from, not evidence that you are a failure. When you do catch yourself getting into a negative mind-set (I’m stupid, this task is impossible), making a list of your strengths or thinking about a time you were successful dealing with a difficult situation can help adjust your attitude.

Learn from your mistakes — and successes. Here’s an exercise to practice at any time but especially when you have just experienced a setback and feel defeated. Think about a situation in which you made an error. Write down what you could have done differently to get a better outcome… and what you will do next time a similar situation arises. Now remember a time when you faced a tough situation and handled it well. Make a list of the coping strategies you used… and consider how to apply those strategies to a current challenge.

Focus your efforts on factors over which you have personal control — instead of feeling powerless and resentful over things you cannot control (such as another person’s behavior). Example: Suppose you feel unfulfilled at work. If you sit around waiting for your boss to offer more interesting assignments or stewing about the lousy economy that prevents you from getting a better job, you will fall prey to a “victim’s mentality” and not develop a resilient mind-set… and your situation won’t improve. Instead, figure out what you can control and work on that — for instance, by sending out your resume or telling the boss, “I’m excited about Project X, and here’s how I could contribute to it.” Although your boss may not agree, at least you are taking a more active approach and will have a better idea of how receptive your boss will be to your ideas.

Ask for help… and give help, too. Resilience does not mean toughing it out alone. Look for resources that will help bring about a desired change, and willingly accept assistance when it’s offered. Also remember to display compassion and support for others. This creates a “helper’s high” that connects you with others… and reinforces the belief that you can make a positive difference in the world, which is a key component of a resilient mind-set.

Source: Robert Brooks, PhD, is an assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School in Boston and a private practitioner in Needham, Massachusetts. He is author or coauthor of 14 books, including The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence, and Personal Strength in Your Life (McGraw-Hill), and winner of the Outstanding Educator Award for Mental Health Education from the New England Educational Institute. http://www.DrRobertBrooks.com

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By Beverly Meyer

A friend of mine recently called and was sharing his new knowledge that — Surprise! Did I know Doctors have NO training in Nutrition?

How is this possible, he asked? How can they attempt to help fix my body when they don’t even understand the difference between calcium carbonate and limestone, know that zinc is necessary for wound healing, or that antibiotics must always be followed with Probiotics?

Another friend, a mid-wife, contacted me recently about her daughter-in-law who refused to give her baby (just home from 7 weeks in the ICU) any probiotics! Why? Because the doctor did not prescribe them! Seven weeks on antibiotics and no one had prescribed probiotics to a new-born!

Doctors have extremely limited exposure to the study of foods, vitamins, enzymes, herbs, minerals and all the wonders that our body can do on its own when helped out a bit. They know the names and some basic functions of vitamins and minerals, but that’s about it…..

Even worse, there is NO medical specialty that trains people in the therapeutic use of food, vitamins, herbs, etc. I am a CCN – Certified Clinical Nutritionist – and we have to have supplemental training to learn all this, as it is not taught in school. We are then tested and certified by our governing body.

The Nutritionists and Dieticians generally have limited study of this too. They are more oriented towards feeding hospital patients or schools, how to buy and prepare bulk foods for economy, or maybe how to administer IV nutrition to patients who cannot eat.

So what are doctors learning?

Doctors study emergencies and diseases. They learn to name things, and to call this group of symptoms that name. And then what? Well, the pharmaceutical companies have pretty much bought their way into the medical schools, and they teach, either directly by “sponsoring” a professor, or indirectly, by providing textbook funding with their names on it, etc.

When you go to a conference and the bus that picks you up at the hotel looks like “the little purple pill”, you know where the money is for sure.

There are three or four naturopathic medical schools in the United States. Doctors from there are known as Naturopathic Physicians. They are only allowed to practice medicine in a fraction of the US. They take all the normal course work of a regular medical school, plus extensive training in Integrative Medicine.

Unfortunately, Texas will never allow them to practice here. Our ever-powerful TMA (Texas Medical Association) will see to that, so people have to learn on their own how to eat, and how to organize a supplement program that is helpful. And they can find the CCN’s who are scattered all over the US, including Texas.

I have great admiration for the few physicians who spend their “free” time and money seeking answers in the Naturopathic field. They have a difficult path to negotiate, and often are put down by their colleagues.

In any event, everything you do to learn another piece of your health puzzle will pay off for you. Let the learning continue for a lifetime, and pass on your knowledge to others. Including your doctors. The more they hear about vitamin therapies and herbs that help you, the more they get a look into our world! Spread the word!! And always do your own research before and after you see a doctor.

Diet & Health Center has been assisting clients with their health since 1989.
We are located in the Center For Life at 12915 Jones Maltsberger Rd. #600 in San Antonio, Texas, 78247. We are open Tuesday through Friday from 10 to 5:30.
Call us at (210) 826-0034 anytime or visit us at www.dietandhealthcenter.info.

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