Maximum Health
What is MAXIMUM HEALTH?
The body’s normal operation depends on the vital processes of breathing, heart function, blood pressure, blood oxygen, and temperature. All these must be within normal range for the body to be healthy. We know that SELF-REFERRAL constantly operates to maintain ideal constant internal conditions in a constantly changing external environment.
We know that STRESS is the enemy of SELF-REFERRAL – and thus the enemy of MAXIMUM HEALTH. The impact of Stress in modern life is stronger than any time in history. How do external events in our lives interfere with SELF-REFERRAL and cause disease?
Some scientists studied the effect of stress on the immune system. They divided laboratory mice into two groups. The first group was picked up and petted in a friendly fashion. The second group was placed for the same length of time in a special cage. The cage had wires so thin they confined the mice but could not be readily seen. They put a cat in front of the mice for the same length of time as the petting sessions for the other group. The mice were doubtless terrorized by the cat as they had nowhere to hide and feared for their lives. What did the scientists discover?
They found the cat-terrorized mice had major depression of their immune system. When both groups of mice were exposed to bacteria they had previously been immunized against, the cat-terrorized mice were quite likely to get sick while the petted mice continued to be immune to the bacteria – and stayed healthy.
This is how Stress affects all living things – and people are no exception. Today’s modern world is packed from dawn to dusk with more Stress per unit time than any previous historical period. This is caused by the onslaught of technology and the rapid pace of modern life. Sleep used to help a lot; today’s daily Stress is more than sleep alone can remedy. This is a true ADAPTATION CRISIS – and it is ruining everybody’s health.
STRESS erodes SELF-REFERRAL, making MAXIMUM HEALTH difficult to achieve.
If you doubt this, consider that someone living in the 1800s would use a horse and buggy to cross a large city. The pace was leisurely and the horse made most of the decisions – while the driver relaxed and enjoyed the trip.
Anyone driving in a city today has more pressure coping with traffic and quick decision making than someone from the 1800s would have had in most of their lives.
With 24/7 availability of streaming music and video, irregular hours are the rule rather than the exception – disturbing the sleep cycle. Constantly working on a deadline driven by computers and the Internet add more layers of Stress. Manufacturing workers struggle to keep up with assembly line machines, office workers work with complex computer programs, and everyone copes with cell phones. Interruptions of thinking and doing are constant. In fact, modern life seems designed to add Stress to human life.
We must find better ways to cope with Stress to achieve MAXIMUM HEALTH – but it is quite difficult to do so. We can do all the lifestyle changes we want, but if we fail to counteract the challenge of Stress we can only make a small amount of improvement. With all that understood, how do we work toward MAXIMUM HEALTH? What steps must we take?
MAXIMUM HEALTH depends on how well
SELF-REFERRAL is working.
MAXIMUM HEALTH is the best health that we can achieve. When we have no health challenges, we have a real advantage achieving MAXIMUM HEALTH. Few people have that good fortune. Most people have one or more health challenges – including excess weight, sedentary lifestyle, poor sleeping habits, poor nutrition, and less than ideal lifestyle – including bad habits like consumption of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. How do we work with all this to move toward MAXIMUM HEALTH?
We must begin by making a clear and accurate determination of our HEALTH STATUS. Everyone has strengths and weakness in their health; by starting there can we see where we must begin. From there we can map out where we need to go to move toward MAXIMUM HEALTH.
How do we know our HEALTH STATUS?
Once You Know Your HEALTH STATUS . . .
When you have completed all that is needed to know your current HEALTH STATUS, you can start your journey toward MAXIMUM HEALTH in earnest.
The first order of business is to identify all current health challenges. These may include high blood pressure, diabetes, overweight, thyroid problems, need for exercise, skin conditions, high cholesterol, or any other health problem. The objective at that point is to specifically identify each health challenge and make a specific plan to effectively deal with each one. Many health challenges such as hypertension, overweight, need for exercise, and other problems respond quite well to effective lifestyle changes and medication.
The important point is to NEVER simply identify a health challenge and ignore it. You must work with your healthcare provider to create an effective action plan to reverse health challenges and move toward MAXIMUM HEALTH.
Periodic follow-up appointments are critical to move toward MAXIMUM HEALTH. Many common health challenges require periodic monitoring of blood testing or examination findings. Examples of disorders that fall into this category are high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart conditions, digestive disorders, and urinary problems. Periodic follow-up with your health professional is advised every ninety days to monitor progress and maintain accountability.
NEVER simply identify a health challenge and ignore it. You must create an action plan to reverse all health challenges to move toward MAXIMUM HEALTH.
If you have One or More Health Challenges . . .
The Journey to MAXIMUM HEALTH
Requires Action from YOU . . .
Moving Toward MAXIMUM HEALTH Requires Your Action to Achieve Your Goal
When we talk about moving toward MAXIMUM HEALTH, we do not mean waving a magic wand over you and proclaiming you healthy. The first step in moving toward MAXIMUM HEALTH is listing what conventional health challenges we face. Continuing with the lipid disorder example, we initially know what the number is on your lipid levels. Your healthcare professional will explain where you stand in comparison to the recommended level. At that point, you and your healthcare professional need to make clear plans to return your high lipids to the recommended range.
In the case of high lipids, diet advice will include necessity of avoiding fatty foods that by their nature elevate your lipids. That includes greasy fried foods, red meat, cheese, and similar foods. Once you know what diet changes you need to make, you need to put that knowledge to work immediately. Many people have good success lowering lipids with simply changing their diet to one that favors low lipids
Change Your Habits for MAXIMUM HEALTH !
You will doubtless discuss exercise as a way to improve high lipids. You may already be participating in some exercise program like walking, running, or use of gym facilities. Many people today are following an indoors and very sedentary lifestyle. Your health professional will see that you have adequate testing of heart, blood pressure and related factors to determine your ability to exercise. Never start any exercise program without consulting with your healthcare provider to avoid causing yourself harm. There is nothing more unwise than causing yourself injury trying to get healthy.
Your health professional is likely to advise taking dietary supplements to lower your lipids. A complete multiple vitamin is a good start. Other additions might include fish oil capsules and niacin, both known to help lower lipids. Some people do need to take lipid lowering medications. Your health professional will help you determine your needs.
Taming Health Challenges Prepares You to Move Toward MAXIMUM HEALTH !
The combination of improved diet, supplements, exercise, and indicated prescription medication is likely to help you move from high lipids to fall into the normal range. Once you are in the normal range, you will need to maintain the discipline and medication to stay out of trouble. Remember, high lipids are a major Risk Factor. If you maintain the lifestyle changes that keep your numbers where they should be, you have essentially removed a major risk factor for a healthier future life.
The first step toward MAXIMUM HEALTH thus is effectively dealing with any health challenges identified in your HEALTH STATUS evaluation. You must do your part by identifying these challenges. You also must work with your health professional with a followup program to monitor your health, usually every 90 days. Initially, this will be to get things under control – but you need to maintain accountability and the 90 day checkup helps you stay on course. This is critical when you have chronic conditions that will worsen again if you backslide through negligence.
Always Get Approval
from your Health Professional
When you have identified one or more health challenge, you will have to make some changes in your lifestyle and habits. At the end of your Health Status determination, list your health professional’s advised changes. You may need to work with other health professionals to get the help you need. That might include a dietitian for meal planning, a fitness professional to advise you on exercise, or specific patient education on managing conditions like diabetes and gout.
You must coordinate with your primary care provider for regular monitoring and follow-up on all health challenges. The important consideration is that you discuss your plans with your health professional and make sure your plans are medically sound. You must avoid making changes that are too radical because that could endanger your health instead of helping you.
Taming Health Challenges
Prepares You for MAXIMUM HEALTH !
The combination of improved diet, supplements, exercise, and indicated prescription medication is likely to help you move from high lipids to fall into the normal range. Once you are in the normal range, you will need to maintain the discipline and medication to stay out of trouble. Remember, high lipids are a major Risk Factor. If you maintain the lifestyle changes that keep your numbers where they should be, you have essentially removed a major risk factor for a healthier future life.
The first step toward MAXIMUM HEALTH thus is effectively dealing with any health challenges identified in your HEALTH STATUS evaluation. You must do your part by identifying these challenges. You also must work with your health professional with a follow-up program to monitor your health, usually every 90 days. Initially, this will be to get things under control – but you need to maintain accountability and the 90 day checkup helps you stay on course. This is critical when you have chronic conditions that will worsen again if you backslide through negligence.
The Next Step Toward
MAXIMUM HEALTH is to Defeat Stress.
TM Reduces High Blood Pressure.
It is clear that the Stress of modern life drives most – if not all – disease. One of the most common stress-related diseases is high blood pressure. Hypertension is one of the top risk factors in predicting future catastrophic health events like heart attack, stroke, and sudden death. In an analysis of many different research studies, Transcendental Meditation was proven to lower high blood pressure. These positive effects were seen as unique to TM when compared to the effects of copycat meditation techniques like mindfulness.
Hypertension results from the the Stress of modern life. Uncontrolled high blood pressure underlies nearly all major cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke.
TM Reduces Anxiety.
Anxiety is a common problem and is clearly driven by the Stress of modern life. A study that examined multiple research findings clearly showed that Transcendental Meditation was highly effective in reducing anxiety. The study also made it clear that TM improved anxiety far more effectively than other meditation techniques like concentration or mindfulness.
Mental health problems are driven by the Stress of modern life. The Covid pandemic lockdowns brought these challenges into clear focus. Because of extended time of restricted movement away from home many people – both children and adults – report mental health problems even when they have never had them before. This is a crisis that was unforeseen as we have never experienced the kind of pandemic lockdowns that occurred in recent history.
TM will provide a great deal of relief for all those recovering from the pandemic lockdowns. Stress caused by unemployment, social isolation, family and marriage strain, and other sources of pressure all amplify Stress. This additional Stress causes severe erosion of SELF-REFERRAL – making mental health problems and all other disease processes worse. TM restores SELF-REFERRAL lost to Stress.
TM Improves Mental Health - Including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Many of the mental health problems brought on by the pandemic lockdowns are quite similar to those found in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is common in combat veterans, people who have experienced severe violent trauma, or anyone who has been through intensely stressful experiences.
A research study compared a group of military veterans with PTSD who were taught TM with a matched group of PTSD veterans treated with psychotherapy alone. The veterans taught TM showed major improvement in alcohol problems, insomnia, and depression. The veterans treated with psychotherapy posted no improvements.
We know that TM improves the brain’s coordination with itself. This is brainwave coherence. This begins immediately after instruction and continues to improve as TM practice continues.
TM Reduces Medical Costs
Since TM progressively restores SELF-REFERRAL in the brain, the brain becomes more able to manage the body more effectively. Since the effects of the Stress of modern life are effectively reversed, the expected deterioration in health over time is far less likely to occur. If true, we would expect to see improved health in TM meditators. That in turn should lead to lower healthcare costs.
Research proves that this is so. A group ot TM meditators over the age of 65 was studied and healthcare costs monitored. They were matched with a non-meditating group of patients over 65 years of age. What did they find in the study period?
The TM group had a decrease in healthcare costs – while the non-meditators had an increase at twice that rate. This is quite striking, as the expected pattern in people 65 years of age or older is that healthcare costs are expected to increase, not decrease.
Going Beyond Health . . . to MAXIMUM HEALTH !
When we talk about health, we usually mean a lack of disease. It is just great to know that you went to the doctor, got checked out, and nothing was wrong. But what about creating health?
Before Transcendental Meditation and the scientific research that studied it, we knew of no way to actively promote health. We now know that the body operates on the basis of SELF-REFERRAL between brain and body. SELF-REFERRAL naturally creates health. TM naturally creates progressively more brainwave coherence in the brain, optimizing the brain’s SELF-REFERRAL – creating more and more health.
Now you know the relationship between SELF-REFERRAL and MAXIMUM HEALTH. You can think of TM as a major booster pack to move you forward on the journey to MAXIMUM HEALTH.
In the past, all you could do to become more healthy was eliminate bad habits like smoking, tailor your diet to optimize weight and help with any disease processes and get a good exercise program going. All of that STILL must be dealt with. You don’t just start TM and ignore everything else you should be doing.
Bringing TM into your life makes everything else fall into place. The Stress of modern life is driving the vast majority of health challenges we all face. Practicing TM effectively normalizes body operations to reverse the effects of the Stress of modern life. This is why TM is such a huge help in moving toward MAXIMUM HEALTH.
Many health professionals providing Primary Care are not familiar with the ideas of SELF-REFERRAL/MAXIMUM HEALTH. This is easy to remedy. You will need effective Health Coach interaction to coordinate the many facets of moving from health challenges to MAXIMUM HEALTH. Contact Dr. Michael Borger if you want help in moving toward MAXIMUM HEALTH! Remember – Hold Fast, Stand Firm, and Persevere !
