Give Yourself The Gift of Integrative Health

Written by: Nina Cashman

Learnings from M.A. in Happiness Studies (Article # 5)

December 17, 2023

In the U.S., we spend nearly 20% of our Gross Domestic Product on healthcare. At the same time, our healthcare outcomes are worse than those of other developed countries. According to Integrative Health pioneer Andrew Weil, as of 2017, “the World Health Organization ranked the United States 37th in health outcomes” (Weil, 2017). Weil goes on to make a very interesting point –

“I would argue that we don’t have a healthcare system in America. We have a disease management system that’s functioning very imperfectly and getting worse by the day. The sad fact is that the diseases we are trying to manage are mostly diseases rooted in lifestyle choices. They have to do with how people are eating, their lack of physical activity, how they handle stress or don’t handle it. All these factors are really apart from looking at the physical body.”

In our Happiness Studies Master’s Program, we have learned about many different methodologies that support the principles of integrative medicine, which Dr. Weil sees as a solution to broaden our healthcare system and strengthen its outcomes. Before I give my thoughts on an integrative health system that could better serve individuals and society, let me briefly summarize the five basic principles of integrative healthcare identified by Dr. Weil himself: *

1)      Focus on health, wellness and healing.

2)      Look beyond physical bodies and consider other dimensions of health, such as mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational attributes.

3)      Emphasize lifestyle medicine for preventative care, such as nutrition, sleep, breathing, rest, and exercise.

4)      Emphasis on highly connected patient/practitioner relationships.

5)      Open to all therapeutic methods with reasonable evidence for efficacy.

The lead professor and creator of our Happiness Studies Master’s Program, Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, has created a model that perfectly blends with Dr. Weil’s definition of integrative healthcare. So, rather than reinvent the wheel, I am going to lean on Dr. Ben-Shahar’s S.P.I.R.E. Model, described in his article “Small Change, Big Difference” as “an accessible roadmap for understanding, pursuing, and attaining happiness” (Ben-Shahar, 2021, p.6).

INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE PLAN USING S.P.I.R.E. MODEL:

Actions and interventions we can take in our daily lives to cultivate whole wellbeing. ** 

Spiritual Wellbeing: “About purpose and presence, about finding meaning and being mindful.” (Ben-Shahar, 2021, p.12)

•  Journal: Respond in writing to the questions:

  • “What do I find meaningful in what I am already doing?

  • “What are my strengths? In other words, identify what you are good at.” Then, “What gives me strength? What is it you are passionate about.” Identify the overlap between these two responses.

•  Mindfulness Meditation & Breathing: Breathe mindfully for anywhere from 1 minute or longer. Ensure breaths are focused and deep, breathing in through your nose and out through the mouth.

  • You may also want to check out Wim Hof’s Mini Class on Breathing, where he explains and demonstrates his breathing technique, which he says “can regulate your body chemistry” (Hof, 2020)

  • Dr. Weil’s favorite technique is the “4-7-8 Breath,” demonstrated at the end of this video. It takes 30 seconds, and he recommends doing it at least twice daily to reduce stress. He notes, “The stress hormone cortisol is directly toxic to the part of the brain that preserves memory and emotion” (Weil, 2014).

  • Also, check out these many other breathing techniques put out by “Scientific American,” that “influence both physiological factors (by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system) and psychological factors (by diverting attention from thoughts)” (Andre, 2019).

• Informal Meditation: Throughout the day, remind yourself to return your focus to one thing and concentrate singularly on the task you find in front of you.

Physical Wellbeing: “About the mind-body connection, about the importance of nutrition, exercise, sleep and touch on our psychological and physiological health.” (Ben-Shahar, 2021, p.17).

• Regular Exercise: Dr. Weil suggests 20-minute sessions at least 3 to 4 times a week. He explains, “Human bodies are designed for regular physical activity. The sedentary nature of much modern life probably plays a significant role in the epidemic incidence of depression today” (Weil, 2020).

• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) Bursts: Engage in a quick, vigorous exercise that increases the heart rate for 20-40 seconds every hour or two.

  • This “New York Times” article also suggests many great ideas to get “2-Minute Exercise Bursts” (Blum, 2020).

  • Here are also some tremendous 7-Minute HITT Routines created by “Insider Tech” (Insider Tech, 2016).

• Sleep: In his TED Talk, “Sleep is Your Superpower,” Mathew Walker talks about how sleep impacts the reproductive system, cardiovascular system, and the body's ability to produce "natural killer cells," which drops by 70% with lack of sleep. These cells eliminate dangerous unwanted cells in the body, like cancer cells. Sleep also leads to a healthier immune system and reduces inflammation (Walker, 2019).

• Stretching: Stretch a particular muscle for 60-90 seconds every minute or two.

• Cold Shower: End your showers with at least 30 seconds under ice-cold water (gradually increasing duration over time). This is good for the immune, cardiovascular, circulatory, and lymphatic systems.

  • Check out the Wim Hof Method on cold showers and ice baths. Hof says that “cold is our teacher because it is a stressful environment that gets the mindset to work” (Hof, 2020), and it helps us to breathe deeply, which changes our body chemistry.

• Nutrition: Make one change to your diet that could benefit your health.

  • In particular, consider Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet, which you can learn more about here. “It consists of fruits and vegetables, fatty cold-water fish, healthy whole grains, olive oil, and other foods that have been shown to help keep inflammation in check” (Weil, 2020). Weil’s research shows that inflammation plays a causative role in many diseases, such as Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases.

• Take Fish Oil and Vitamin D. that, according to Dr. Weil, are “strongly tied to emotional health” (Weil, 2020).

• Take Depression-specific herbs, “specifically for those with mild to moderate depression” (Weil, 2020), such as St. John’s Wort, SAMe, and Rhodiola.

Intellectual Wellbeing: “About being curious, about asking questions and being open to experiences. It is also about learning, through books, art and nature” (Ben-Shahar, 2021, p.22).

• Quote Reflection: Identify quotes you love, print them, and hang them around you. Spend several minutes re-reading and reflecting on them.

• Appreciative Questions: Spend time generating questions focusing on what works for you personally, interpersonally, and professionally.

•  Journaling:

  • Spend 2 minutes free writing about anything bothering you or weighing you down. Spend another 2 minutes writing about your positive life experiences (no need to be concerned about grammar or form – express whatever is in your heart and mind).

•  Curiosity: Spend at least one minute each day asking a question of someone or online that might teach you something new.

Relational Wellbeing: “About our deep-seated need for social interactions. The number one predictor of happiness is spending quality time with people we care about and who care about us” (Ben-Shahar, 2021).

• Relationship Boosters: Actively look for positive things to say about the people you care about and who care about you. Give them a genuine compliment!

• Hugs: Relax into more hugs with the people you love and care about. University of Miami’s professor Tiffany Field has conducted years of research showing that “touch is critical for children’s growth, development, and health, as well as for adult’s physical and mental well-being” (Ben-Shahar, 2021, p.28).

• Acts of Kindness: Implement five or more extra acts of kindness into your week. Think about how you can help others spontaneously or premeditatively, and remember to treat yourself with kindness, too!

• Listening: Commit to deeper listening in your conversations with others. Spend less time talking and more time hearing what is on your friends and colleagues' minds. Do this by spending at least one more minute than normal listening versus talking in your conversations.

  • Make Sure Your Doctor is a Good Listener: When it comes to your and your family's health, Dr. Weil points out how critical it is for a physician/health practitioner to listen and understand their patient’s stories to elicit a healing response. Weil claims that one of the great tragedies of our healthcare system “is that medicine has become incorporated in the for-profit systems, the time allotted for physician/patient interactions has diminished” (Weil, 2017).

Emotional Wellbeing: “About learning to deal with painful emotions—such as anger, anxiety, sadness, and envy—and cultivating pleasurable emotions such as joy, love, gratitude, and excitement” (Ben-Shahar, 2021, p.32).

•  Accepting Emotions: Spend a minute or two each day observing any emotions in your mind and body, and unconditionally accept that emotion with a friendly curiosity and a sense of non-judgment.

• Changing Perspectives: Find time to reframe a situation that you find challenging or threatening into an opportunity or lesson.

• Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): “Helps patients overcome habitual negative views of the world and themselves, and has been shown to be among [1]the most effective psychological interventions for anxiety and depression” (Weil, 2020).

• Expressing Gratitude: One of my favorite gratitude exercises is the “Top 3 Things Tool” from iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching). After about an hour of waking up each morning, jot down three things you are grateful for in your day. As other things pop up throughout the day, you can replace the 3rd item with the new appreciation and move the other two up. Continue this as many times as you wish, but no less than three times per day (iPEC, 1993).

  • In his article “10 Ways To A Happier Life,” Dr. Weil explains, “Learning to feel and express gratitude may be the most important [practice] in achieving and maintaining a happy life” (Weil, 2020).

• Pleasure Boosters: Add bite-sized activities that elevate your mood to days, weeks, and months. Identify a list of these activities and then incorporate them into your schedule. Activities could range from walking and reading to drawing, exercising, or getting a massage!

  • Laugh and smile more often: “Smiling and, especially, laughing, are potent mood boosters” (Weil, 2020).

  • Forgive: “Modern research confirms that those who can quickly and easily forgive when appropriate enjoy better emotional health” (Weil, 2020).

  • Limit Media Exposure: Expand “real-life, connected, human experiences” (Weil, 2020).

References

André, Christophe. “Proper Breathing Brings Better Health.” Scientific American, 15 Jan. 2019, www.scientificamerican.com/article/proper-breathing-brings-better-health/.

Ben-Shahar, Dr. Tal. Small Change Big Difference: Minimum Viable Interventions for a Happier and Healthier Life. 2021, p. P.p. 1 -- 44.

Blum, Dani. “2-Minute Bursts of Movement Can Have Big Health Benefits.” The New York Times, 8 Dec. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/12/08/well/move/exercise-bursts-benefits.html.

Hof, Wim, and Wim Hof Method. “Learn the Wim Hof Method | Free 3-Part Mini Class.” Www.wimhofmethod.com, 2020, www.wimhofmethod.com/free-mini-class. Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.

Insider Tech. “7-Minute Workout Routine.” Www.youtube.com, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKJstVC2mF4. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

iPEC. “Top 3 Things Tool.” Https://Www.ipeccoaching.com/, Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC), 1999.

Walker, Mathew, and TED. “Sleep Is Your Superpower | Matt Walker.” YouTube, 3 June 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MuIMqhT8DM.

Weil, M.D., Andrew. “10 Ways to Have a Happier Life | Andrew Weil M.D.” DrWeil.com, 2 Aug. 2019, www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/mental-health/have-a-happier-life/.

---. “Why Your Health Matters | Andrew Weil, M.D.” Www.youtube.com, 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBsVjouAOqE.

Weil, Andrew, and World Governments Summit. “WGS17 Sessions: Ancient Healing for Modern Disease.” Www.youtube.com, 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_efi8jZ5iGw.

* [1] See Weil, 2014 or Weil, 2017 for a more extensive explanation of Dr. Andrew Weil’s 5 Principles of Integrative Medicine.

** [2] Many of the ideas listed in this plan are taken from Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar’s article, “Small Change Big Difference: Minimum Viable Interventions for a Happier and Healthier Life” (2021, P.p. – 1 – 44), unless indicated by another source.