Life Is Like That!

Mindfulness and Healthcare

Aanal Mehta Daftary

January 18, 2020

In 2018, I was interning as a communications specialist at the Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science (CHIIS), IU School of Medicine. That year, I was fortunate to have attended the Healthcare Thinkathon’ event hosted by them at the Hilton in downtown Indianapolis. The theme of the conference centered around transforming the current health care system through ‘Agile Implementation’. There were many inspiring keynote speakers who shared their stories with the attendees that day. One of the talks that caught my attention was by Greg Burdulis. Greg, a former monk, who is the creator of ‘The Power of Presence’ on ‘Mindfulness and Meditation’.

We all know that stress and burnout has reached epidemic levels in the healthcare industry. The consequences are detrimental and include negative effects on patient care, professionalism, and professionals’ own care and safety. Mindfulness is, therefore, an effective intervention to prevent and reduce burnout that brings presence, focus, and joy to the practice. It is especially suited to healthcare professionals because it can help counteract the worrying, perfectionism and self-judgment that are so common among them. Mindfulness can help professionals listen more carefully to their patients, show more compassion, and approach problems in a fresh, open-minded way. When practiced consistently, the results of mindfulness are real and very far-reaching. In the largest sense, mindfulness allows you to live in harmony with the realities of the world. It helps you to embrace life’s ever-changing impermanence, to live in peace with the inevitable ups and downs of being human, and to feel deeply connected to the whole of life.

So, what is mindfulness? To be mindful is to be fully aware of the here and now. Mindfulness is the art of being in the moment. This practice is focused primarily on attention to or being aware of your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations as they are happening without being swept away by them. Training mindfulness is a pathway to creating more intensity and awareness in life. The greater your ability to direct your attention, the better you will get at distancing yourself from distracting thoughts that keep recirculating in your head. You will find it easier to concentrate and easier to relax. Your mind will calm down. In short, mindful training is brain training.

How do we benefit? Mindfulness doesn’t change what happens to us; it changes the way we choose to react to it. By practicing mindfulness, you will learn to make conscious choices. This will allow you to nip stress triggers and change how you deal with unhelpful thought patterns. It will create a higher state of awareness and better enable you to guard your boundaries.

Studies have shown that mindfulness increases the quality of life. It brings about positive change in our cognitive and neurobiological dynamics. Mindfulness also transforms the way in which someone views themselves and the world, and how they respond to their surroundings. This kind of wide-ranging efficacy is what makes mindfulness such a valuable practice for so many people.

Some of the effects of mindfulness training include:

• Greater awareness of and insight into thought patterns, responses, actions, emotions, and moods (and the ability to handle things differently when you need to)
• Ability to step back from your problems
• Life becomes easier and you experience things more consciously and intensely
• Energy-resources become more readily available

Mindfulness training often also produces the following effects:

• Better ability to deal with stressful events, thereby reducing stress symptoms such as high blood pressure, tiredness, sleeplessness
• Better ability to focus
• Better ability to set boundaries (greater awareness)
• Reduction in depression and anxiety
• Reduction in chronic pain
• Reduction in the mental fallout of serious illness and setbacks

Mindfulness is a skill that everyone can practice and home. Yes, it may be a challenge at first to set aside time, but it is doable and has the potential to transform the lives of healthcare professionals and those around them.

Citations

Burdulis, G. (2018). The Power of Presence. Retrieved from https://thepowerofpresence.net

CVM (n.d). What is Mindfulness? Retrieved from https://centrumvoormindfulness.nl/en/mindfulness-courses/what-is-mindfulness

Hutchinson, T. A., & Dobkin, P. L. (2009). Mindful medical practice: just another fad?Canadian Family Physician, 55(8), 778–779.

West, Dyrbye, Erwin, & Shanafelt. (2016). Interventions to prevent and reduce physician burnout: A systematic review and meta-analysis.The Lancet, 388(10057), 2272-2281.

Mysterious Science of Hiccups

Aanal Mehta Daftary

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January 18, 2020

They are annoying, appear unannounced with no explanation or warning, and usually leave only after a great deal of effort. No, I am not talking about in-laws! I am actually talking about hiccups.

I was at the grocery store the other day when I felt a sudden need to have water, as my throat was parched. So, I took out my water bottle from my handbag and ended up drinking too much water too soon. And then it started- a sudden hiccup that startled me with its arrival- …hick… the weird sound came out in a short, loud burst. I looked around. Luckily, there was no one in my aisle! Now I had to plan my next move, as I was unsure when my second hiccup… hick… oops! Much as I tried to control them, the hiccups played hooky on me.

Then a lady who saw me hiccup, suddenly smiled knowingly, probably looking at my startled expression. I walked the aisles shopping between hicks that were unrhythmic. This was indeed embarrassing. Later, when I got home, I decided to google as to why do we get these hiccups and how does one stop them.

It was interesting to learn that doctors call hiccups ‘ singultus’ or synchronous diaphragmatic flutter. According to University Health News Daily (2017), “A hiccup is an involuntary reflex that occurs when the diaphragm gets irritated. This forces you to suddenly swallow air that hits your vocal cords. The space in the throat near the vocal cords known as the epiglottis snaps shut as a result”.

Irritation of the diaphragm could be caused by:
• Carbonated beverages
• Too much alcohol
• Too much spicy food
• Stress
• Sudden excitement
• Sudden changes in temperature
• Swallowing air while chewing gum
• Gastritis
• Laryngitis

People with persistent hiccups that last longer than two days need to seek medical attention. This can be a sign of a serious health condition such as nerve damage, central nervous system disorder, kidney failure, diabetes, or a reaction caused by various drugs. It is said that also undergoing general anesthesia during surgery is known to cause hiccups.

According to Guinness Book of World Records, a U.S. farmer from Iowa by the name of Charles Osborne, had hiccups for 68 straight years. It is said that he was weighing a hog for butchering when it fell on him, which ended up busting a blood vessel in his brain. Although he was able to have a healthy life, some people with intractable hiccups tend to experience insomnia, drastic weight loss, and exhaustion.

GETTING RID OF HICCUPS

Hiccups usually go away on their own within a few minutes. However, if they don’t, doctors may recommend:

• Holding your breath.
• Breathing into a paper bag.
• Gargling with iced water.
• Bringing your knees to your chest and hugging them for 2 minutes.
• Holding the end of your tongue with your fingers and tugging.
• Gently pressing each side of your nose while swallowing.

However, there is no guarantee that all of them will work on everyone. Then there are also some folklore remedies that you may want to try. But again, these are not medically proven.

These are:

• Counting backward from 100
• Sticking your fingers in your ears
• Drinking milk and eating some peanut butter
• Biting on a lemon
• Eating a spoonful of mustard
• Dissolving a spoonful of sugar under your tongue
• Doing anything that will make you sneeze, such as pulling out a nose hair.

Despite all these possibilities on how to cure these hiccups, the medical literature usually stops with just a case study of one or two patients, which doesn’t say much. To know if something actually works, doctors need to perform a controlled medical trial. However, hiccups just haven’t been a hot area for such experiments, which can also be relatively expensive to do.

Regardless, my conclusion is that the distraction of focusing one’s mind on something other than having the hiccups is what finally gets rid of them. Any thoughts?

Citations

Greene-Johnson, C. (2017). Hiccups what causes them and How to Get Rid of Them. UHN Daily. Retrieved fromhttps://universityhealthnews.com/daily/digestive-health/hiccups-causes-get-rid/

Hunter, AI. (2016). Charlie Osborne and Hiccups. The Weekly View. Retrieved from http://weeklyview.net/2016/02/11/charlie-osborne-and-the-hiccup/

Overcoming Fear

Aanal Mehta Daftary

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October 24, 2019

How many times have we let our own fears from childhood, or from past experiences or incidences we may have faced, crippled us from doing anything? It could be driving, swimming, applying for a job, pursuing a degree, or stepping on stage to deliver a speech? Too often, we hold back and play it safe, to avoid feeling embarrassed, appearing silly, being hurt, being ridiculed, being rejected, or even possible failure. However, it does not have to be that way. We can all overcome our fears. If you want to know happiness and realize your dreams, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone despite being afraid.

It was the year 2006. I had got an interview call for a position that I had applied for in downtown Cincinnati. Being new to the city at the time, and not having the best road sense, I thought of leaving early. As I parked my car in a garage, which happened to be on a one-way street, I saw a man in a hood lurking around. He appeared very worried. As he saw me get out of my car, he nervously approached me. He smiled and asked me if I could be kind enough to tell him what the time was. He said that he had been waiting for his friend to give him a ride to reach Cincinnati Children’s Hospital as his child was admitted there. Being the compassionate person that I am, I felt sorry for him. As I looked down towards my watch to tell him the time, I suddenly found myself being struck three or more times on the side of my face and head and being pushed into my car. It happened all so fast. I tried to scream for help, but he punched my mouth hard and pointed a gun to my stomach. “If you scream one more time, I will shoot. Do as I say, and you wont be hurt. Give me all you have got!” he barked. I did as he said for the fear of losing my life. He took full control of my car. The only thing I could do was pray for a miracle. He ended up taking a 10 dollar bill from my glove compartment, my wedding band and my diamond earrings. Surprisingly he was not interested in my Nokia cell phone. As the car neared a bus stop, he suddenly stopped and jumped out, running towards an approaching bus and fled away.

Now, why am I sharing this with you? It is not to get sympathy or for you to feel sorry for me. Things happen in life. The point I am trying to make here is that my fear of driving since then made me lose out on many golden opportunities that came my way. I stopped driving for almost 8 months. My fears made me so handicapped, that I would not even step out of my home. This incident had disseminated my faith in humanity.

So how can we overcome fears? There are a variety of ways one can do that. Different things will work for different people, but here are a few suggestions based on what worked for me to overcome my fear of driving again.

Be truthful to yourself and ask what you are afraid of and why?

Are you terrified of public speaking, or a afraid of being laughed or ridiculed at? In my case, I was scared of getting back on the wheels due to the fear of getting lost and being mugged again. So I decided to seek help. I joined a self-defense workshop and, most importantly, took a couple of counseling sessions on how to overcome fear. My husband also invested in an iPhone and installed a MapQuest app on it.

Get comfortable with fear.

When you fear something, move towards it. Feel it, and breathe through it. The action builds courage. Tell yourself, “This too will pass.” Your world expands as your courage expands. I slowly started driving short distances- first to the bank, the post office, the mall, grocery shopping, rebuilding my confidence. Then I started driving longer distances, and soon enough was back to driving again.

Make your dominant thoughts positive.

Fearful thoughts attract more fear. Positive thoughts attract success. Instead of expecting the worst, train your mind to expect the best. I did this by starting to think of happy thoughts. I remembered all the things I have been successful in growing up. After all, I did survive my first day in school, my first dental visit , my first job interview, so I could do this!

Don’t give time, attention, or energy to fear.

Focus on solutions. Be innovative, take the initiative, and go the extra mile. If you don’t take action despite your fear, an opportunity will pass you by. In my case, it was finding solutions such as taking on a self-defense class, embracing yoga to control my mind from any negative thoughts, and then taking up a small part time job as a sales associate with Body Shop. I purposely volunteered to work some evening shifts to overcome any underlying anxieties and fear of driving and parking at night. It also trained my mind to be more vigilant of my surroundings.

Never dwell on scarcity.

Learn to think, speak, and live as a whole person. Celebrate what you have. Focus your attention on being ready, willing, and prepared for good fortune, and favorable circumstances that are yours if you are eager to work and be open to it. I was thankful to God that I survived this horrific incident. It could have been much worse. The minute I gained my independence back, opportunities came knocking at my door. I landed my first job as a graphic designer while working part-time as a sales associate with Body Shop. A marketing professor at Northern Kentucky University had started his own book publication house and was looking for a full-time graphic communications artist and a chief editor for his books and we got talking. He had come to Body Shop to buy a hand lotion for his wife. I guess I must have impressed him, because he gave me his business card and asked me to contact him. That’s how I landed my first job in my field. If I had not started driving and taken that job at Body Shop, I would not have got my first break.

Revisit your victories.

Strengthen your belief in yourself by reflecting on the last few years of your life and every success you’ve experienced. Close your eyes and feel the emotion of celebration on each one. Bring the same drive, persistence, and talent into the now and allow it to inspire and motivate you.

Ask you family and friends for encouragement

I have been blessed with a family who loves me and supports me. They can see my strength when I get disillusioned or forget that I have it. At my request, they don’t hesitate to remind me of all the trials and triumphs we have come through together as a family. They’re generous with praise and encouragement. So ask your loved ones to do the same for you.

Ultimately, you have the power to break through obstacles that stand in the way of yourself, your dreams, and your happiness. Don’t let your fears control you. Instead learn to take control of your fears. As a famous journalist Dorothy Thompson once said- “Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live” and she is so spot on!

It’s Okay To Laugh!

Aanal Mehta Daftary

no comments

October 24, 2019

A few days ago as I was boiling a kettle of spiced chai and waiting for the water to heat up, it reminded me of stress. Sometimes it is the little things that add up to a boil! The misplaced keys in the morning, your internet not working, your mail being delivered to a wrong address, etc. These small things pile together and cause a slow boil. We have all been there! As individuals, we tend to allow things to build up until we cannot see what’s in front of us. As I pondered about this, my thoughts went back to Nakeisha Tolbert’s talk on ‘Laughter Yoga’ at the 2019 Annual ‘Healthcare Thinkathon’ event that I had attended. This gala affair hosted by the Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science (CHIIS) at the Regions Tower in downtown Indianapolis, was a gathering of highly charged, passionate and driven professionals from various industries, committed to leading and sustaining change in the healthcare system.

Tolbert pointed out that “self-care is a necessity and a priority.” Everyone wants good health and happiness in his or her life. Sadly though, stress, depression, and unhappiness are on the rise all over the world. It was shocking to learn that kids laugh 300 times/day on average and adults only 20!

Being happy is not about your mood, but it’s also medicine to cure most diseases. In fact, the most natural, fastest, and effective stress reliever in the world is through the practice of laughter yoga.

Laughter Yoga is a revolutionary idea, an exercise routine that is sweeping the world and is a complete well-being workout. The concept of laughter yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits. Developed by an Indian physician Madan Kataria, laughter yoga is based on laughing without any particular reason. While doing laughter yoga, you make eye contact with other people in a group and recreate the things we come across in daily life. The laughter starts as something fake turns into real laughter just after 45 seconds.

As I heard Tolbert talk about laughter yoga, my memories took me back in time. As a young girl, I recall having attended one such laughter session with my father at a park in Bombay in 1995. At the time, I was puzzled and amused by a large gathering of people at the park clapping rhythmically and chanting “Ho, ho, ha, ha, ha” several times. The next thing I saw was people taking a series of deep breaths, filling their lungs with air and releasing with a big laugh. Next came the laughter exercises. I suddenly found myself surrounded by people running in a circle and greeting one another with laughter. I could not help but feel a little ridiculous, laughing my way around a room full of strangers without any reason. As each person gazed into the other person’s eyes, I wondered if they were really laughing or, like me, trying hard to fake it. I think I even caught an are-we-really-doing-this glance from one person beside me. Soon enough however, many of the participants seemed to be genuinely laughing. One woman was practically rolling on the floor during some of the exercises, her body convulsed with laughter. Honestly, it seemed like I was in a circus full of clowns!

Today I understand that laughter is actually the best medicine, and Nakeisha’s talk only reinforced that. The benefits of having a good laugh are wide-ranging. Ten minutes of laughter yoga daily can make miraculous changes to your body and mind. For instance, the body starts to release the “happiness” hormone when you start laughing, and your mood elevates in seconds. You feel more energetic, and you can channel that energy in your personal and professional life.

Laughter decreases stress hormones that your body releases every day. Laughter yoga drops your blood pressure and is suitable for the cardiovascular system. It also helps fight anxiety and depression. Further, as you get more oxygen to your body and brain while doing laughter yoga, it helps you to focus more on daily tasks.

So the bottom line is that – IT’s OKAY TO LAUGH!