By Judd Matsunaga, Esq.
Here’s a nostalgic blast from the past — do you remember watching Art Linkletter’s “Kids Say the Darndest Things”? Every weekday afternoon from 1952 to 1970, millions of Americans tuned in to CBS for Art Linkletter’s “House Party.” Linkletter would begin a conversation by posing a question about life topics to a child, who usually responds with their own innocent, often comedic perspectives on the various topics.
For example, in one old, black-and-white episode, Linkletter asked a little boy, “By the way, who’s the boss of your house — your mother or your dad?” Without hesitation, the little boy said with a grin, “Both of them.” Linkletter smiled and said, “Hey, you’re a diplomat.” Again, without missing a beat, the little boy responded, “No, I’m a Catholic-Baptist.”
In like manner, the job search company Indeed is currently running a clever TV commercial called “A Kid’s Daily Grind.” In it, a little girl says, “Truth is, my schedule is pretty jam-packed these days. I’ve got school Monday through Friday, jujitsu on Thursday, and library books I’ve got to get back by Friday. And my weekend? I’ve got two, no, three birthday parties on Saturday. And Sunday — that’s my ‘me time.’ I am not willing to give that up.”
It’s brilliant!!! A little kid, who knows nothing about going to work, raising a family, or paying the bills, is teaching us adults the secret to successful aging, i.e., self-care. For many of us, we are so engaged in the delicate juggling act of simultaneously managing the competing needs of our jobs, our families, and our many other daily responsibilities, that our needs take a back seat to the demands of others.
Sadly, many of us get so wrapped up by our careers or family obligations that we don’t pay enough attention to the essentials of self-care: eating right, exercising, getting proper rest, or doing any of the other things that foster our overall well-being. A healthy diet and exercise often become afterthoughts. We miss doctor appointments and let our stress build to dangerous levels. We need to follow the timeless advice of flight attendants, “Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.”
So, if you’re one of the 4 in 10 adults who isn’t making any resolutions this year, (Source: www.statista.com), I’ve got a good New Year’s resolution for you — create more “me time.” Why not learn a lesson from the little girl on the Indeed TV commercial and protect your “me time” this coming year? You will be better off — both physically and mentally — if you learn how to practice self-care.
You might be wondering, “Self-care??? What does that even mean?” Quite often, self-care has narrow connotations, referring to things you do to pamper yourself, such as treating yourself to a manicure, a facial, or a rich dessert. But, in the truest sense of the term, self-care is not about temporary pick-me-ups. Rather, it is a holistic approach to better overall health that focuses on the body, mind, and spirit — a much broader range of practices that will serve you well over the long run.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t enjoy life’s smaller pleasures as they come along; savoring the good things that happen to you is an important ingredient of happiness. The point is simply that a more comprehensive approach to self-care will do much more for your well-being in the long run.
Self-care is based on lifestyle medicine — an evidence-based approach to disease prevention and treatment that focuses on adopting healthy habits. It doesn’t replace traditional medicine, but it is a powerful complement to it.
This article is the first of a four-part series on the “Pillars of Self-Care,” from Harvard Medical School’s Special Health Report titled “Self-Care: A Step-by-step Wellness Plan for Body, Mind, and Spirit.” The remainder of this article will finish the “Introduction.” The second article will cover “The Body: Nutrition, Physical activity, and Sleep.” The third article will cover “The Mind: Attitude, Resilience, and Time-out.” Lastly, the fourth article will cover “The Spirit: Energy, Social Connection, and Purpose.”
Americans are far less healthy than they could be. According to the CDC, 6 out of every 10 adults live with at least one chronic disease, and 4 in 10 people have two or more conditions. Chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes take a tremendous toll on our collective health and productivity. These diseases are responsible for 7 out of every 10 deaths in the U.S. and cost nearly $4 trillion annually in health care and lost productivity.
The irony is that many of these chronic diseases are largely preventable. In 2018, researchers from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from the CDC and two long-term population studies — the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Their findings revealed that people who practiced five specific lifestyle habits dramatically reduced their risks of heart disease and cancer, compared to those who did none of these things. The healthy participants:
(1) Ate a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fatty acids, and low in red and processed meats, sugary drinks, trans fats, and sodium;
(2) Did not smoke;
(3) Got at least three-and-a-half hours of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each week;
(4) Drank only moderate amounts of alcohol (no more than one drink per day for women, and two drinks or less per day for men); and
(5) Maintained a healthy body mass index (BMI) in the range of 18.5 to 24.9.
How effective were these measures? The researchers found that practicing all five habits from age 50 onward extended life expectancy by more than a decade compared to practicing none of them. Women who didn’t adopt any of these habits lived, on average, to age 79, while those who did all five lived to age 93. Similarly, men who did not practice these five habits lived to an average age of 75, while those who did lived to nearly 88 years.
When it comes to self-care, habits that foster a healthy body are a good place to start. But one thing scientists have learned over time is that the mind and body are inextricably linked. Thoughts and emotions can significantly influence physical health in many ways. For example, stressful events can cause your blood pressure to spike. Depression can lower your tolerance for pain, making pain feel worse. And loneliness now appears to be a cause of premature death. These are just three examples among many.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in the spring of 2020, the financial, social, and health-related stresses that the pandemic brought stretched an already strained population to the breaking point. Many of us have all heard someone say, “I think I’m having a nervous breakdown,” and you may have even said this yourself. A “nervous breakdown” can be a serious health issue, particularly if you can’t perform everyday activities because of your stress and struggle to cope.
Of course, each person is unique, with their own “set point” for experiencing a breakdown. There’s no limit to the possible causes or combination of causes that might lead to a “nervous breakdown” or mental health crisis. Everyone handles stress differently. Some people are better able to cope with stress than others. However, when you can no longer do everyday tasks — like getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, or going to work — it’s time to seek professional help.
According to the Cleveland Clinic (www.clevelandclinic.org), if you know someone who might be experiencing a nervous breakdown, there are ways to help:
- Listen to your loved one. This is one of the most important things you can do.
- Empathize with what their feeling. “You really have a lot of items on your to-do list.”
- Don’t offer your advice. Instead ask what you can do to help.
- Gently encourage professional help. Perhaps say that you’re worried about them and ask for their thoughts about talking with a doctor. Don’t argue or force the issue.
- Consider contacting professional help if your loved one talks about self-harm. If you think your loved one may harm themselves or has talked about suicide, contact their doctor or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). If you think the danger of self-harm is serious and imminent, call 911.
In conclusion, Dr. Beth Frates, medical editor of this self-care guide and president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, has spent the better part of three decades studying wellness and the habits that promote it. Dr. Frates says, “I found that helping my patients required a multifaceted approach — one that encompassed not only basics like nutrition, sleep, and exercise, but also less obvious things like attitude change, a sense of purpose, and meaningful social connections.”
Of course, making changes in so many areas of your life is not an overnight process. And there will be obstacles in your way — work and family commitments, time and money constraints. But instead than feeling overwhelmed, start with small, manageable steps. Many of the best self-help tips involve lifestyle changes. Although these suggestions may not entirely prevent episodes of uncontrollable stress, anxiety or depression, they may reduce the intensity and frequency of these episodes.
In the following three articles, we will cover Harvard Medical School’s nine-part wellness plan meant to improve the health of your body, mind, and spirit. We will learn why all of these components are essential to good health, and you will find practical tips to help you improve in all of these areas. It is far more than a simplistic “eat better and exercise more” approach.
According to Dr. Frates, “If you follow each of its tenets, you will likely find that you are not only healthier, but also happier and more in touch with the world around you. This work is fun! You will see.”
Judd Matsunaga, Esq., is the founding partner of the Law Offices of Matsunaga & Associates, specializing in estate/Medi-Cal planning, probate, personal injury and real estate law. With offices in Torrance, Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Pasadena and Fountain Valley, he can be reached at (800) 411-0546. Opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.