Can you really rebuild cartilage, and is something medically “irreversible” truly “irreversible”?

Okay, I’ve been reviewing the questions I received from many of you over the past couple weeks, and I’ve decided to begin with both a PDF download which you can download here (right-click and choose “Save Target As”), or you can read the same article below…

I’ve pulled out one question to begin with:

“Can you really rebuild cartilage?”

And I’ve broadened it so I can address principles that can benefit all of you–whether your question is loss of cartilage, or something else that you wonder if it’s possible to change or improve.

So let’s begin with, what does your “diagnosis”, or lab test, or condition really mean?

What if you have something “permanent” or “irreversible”–what does that mean for you?

Let’s start with this key thought that I’ve shared on the blog regarding the difference between the “facts” and the “truth”:

Firstly, whatever your diagnosis, condition, or lab tests show right now–they’re stil just a “signpost” along the way showing you the path you’re on.

Yes, if nothing changes, you may experience all that that signpost is telling you.

But here’s the thing.

Change your patterns, change the direction you’re heading, change the path you’re on, even a little bit, and you can end up with a very different experience.

Your current condition, and any “tests” that are done, merely show a “snapshot” in time of what’s happening at this moment.

Doctors, and patients themselves, often use these tests and diagnoses to “predict” what’s coming down the road, and many times they’re correct if nothing is done to change the direction you’re heading.

But what’s often left out is any hope or belief that you could actually change.

A medical diagnosis and opinion can tell you the best that medicine can predict, or has to offer, but we al know or have read or heard of people who “beat the odds” and did something that was not thought possible.

So you can choose either to live within the limits that your diagnosis and medical prognosis give you and expect to experience just what “everyone” else does, or you can take your diagnosis and condition–such as a loss of cartilage–simply as a starting point, a marker like a street sign or a spot on a map of where you are today…and you don’t have to stay there unless you choose to…

Now I know this question was initially triggered by wondering what to believe with all the marketing that we see around us for special cures and natural therapies.

Are you ready for the answer on that?

The single biggest factor in your healing is YOU…not which special liquid, supplement, medicine, or treatment you take.

Now that might sound strange since I also market a particular line of quality supplements.

And before we go further, here’s two quick keys on anything you decide to “do” or “take”:

#1)  Whatever you do or take, you want something that’s not harmful.

(though if you really want to know, even that’s not absolute–there are cases where a person’s own belief and well-being overcame even toxic exposures to something so that there was no harmful effect.)

#2)  Many substances purified or extracted from nature have been shown to have a consistently beneficial effect on the body and can act as a substrate, or a catalyst, for further healing in your body.

But again, the biggest factor is YOU.

The more you’re feeling good, living in appreciation, learning to love yourself and embrace each new day, and give thanks for the air you breathe, the sunshine, the food and water you eat and drink and enjoy, and any supplements or even medicine that you take, the more you’re “tuned in” to receiving the maximum benefit from whatever you do,and “tuned away” from possible harm.

In fact, the above paragraph is so key, I encourage you to read it again and really ponder it today.  If there was one paragraph from this article that could have the biggest impact on your health and your life, it would be that one.

You become the “magnifier”, if you will, of anything you do.

Let me say that again.

You become the “magnifier” of anything you do.

Why else do you think that virtually every medicine, supplement, or treatment does not have the same beneficial effect in everyone; and that alternatively, “sugar pills” or placebos can have a very real, physical effect in someone who believes they’re getting something that will help them?

So with all this said, some of you may say, “Well then I’m not going to do anything or take anythying that’s supposed to be good for me, because none of it’s real and it’s  all just in my head.”

But hold on a minute.

How does that feel?

If you’re saying that because you feel great, you love life, you love and enjoy the food you eat and the water you drink, then you may be right on track for you, (though I’d still recommend a quality supplement 🙂 unless you’re a super organic eater or have so much enthusiasm and joy in life that virtually every breath nourishes you…)

Otherwise, if you’re saying this because you feel disillusioned or discouraged, then you’re not going to be better off.

In short, pick something you feel good about–because it makes sense to you, it feels right, and then as you give thanks for it and continue to practice being joyful, grateful, and enthusiastic about life (for many of us this does take practice 🙂 ), you’ll magnify the good in whatever you’re taking or doing, and you’ll receive very real and tangible benefit from it!

And yes, there are things in nature and nutrition that do have a definite and measurable effect on the body….

Just like we all need to eat and drink, and we all need to breathe—because no matter how spiritual we are, we all do have a physical experience through our bodies, and that part of us can directly benefit from nutritious food, beneficial supplements, pure air and water, and so on.

But because of the spiritual, or non-physical, side of us, which is potentially much more powerful than our bodies alone—we can magnify or block some or even all of the effects of what we eat, drink, or do by our own beliefs and feelings.

So if you can’t get the purest water right now, your own attitude of gratitude and joy each day will offset many of the effects of the water (study any of Masaru Emoto’s popular books on water for more on this); and conversely, even the purest water will not overcome a sour daily attitude…

So what does this mean for you?

This is why in my Foundational Wellness Program I start off with three very concrete steps:

1)  Color—Eat smaller amounts of food more often, and get as much color—particularly from fruits and vegetables—as you can.

2)  Move—be sure to move at least 10 minutes a day.  Go for a walk, do some jumping jacks, dance to some music, or play tag with your kids.  Once you master this, begin increasing the time or adding multiple times throughout the day.

3)  Get on a quality multivitamin, mineral, and antioxidant supplement and an omega three fish oil supplement to optimize your nutrition.

These steps are simple and very doable, and yet they can have a powerful effect on your health.  When you combine these “physical” steps with practicing a daily attitude of appreciation, joy, and thanksgiving, you’ve got a powerful combination that is much more potent than all the individual “treatments” or “cures” you may try or take.

That said, when a part of you is out of balance and you have a  specific symptom that’s troubling you, there are indeed specific steps that can help “get you back on track” quickly—including many natural “cures” and supplements…

Could you get well without them?

Yes, absolutely!

But could some of these things help boost you on your way to healing even before you discover all the ways to shift your mind-body dynamic?

Again, yes—and therein lies their value to you.

So in answer to the question, “Can you really rebuild cartilage?”, my answer is always, “Anything is possible,” and now that we’ve opened the door of possibility which standard medicine so often tends to close, let’s begin opening doors to new patterns—both within (our attitude and what we think and say to ourselves) and without (what we do or “take”) to catalyze and “trigger” new results.

For more specific recommendations and guidelines for heatlhy eating, water, supplementation, superfoods, and more, watch for further Dr. Ben letters (or review past ones if you’ve been getting these for awhile), or you can jump straight to my Foundational Wellness Program and Your Journey To Wellness.  For more on changing your patterns, you can read the article on the blog here.

Lastly, since I know many of you have personal situations you’d like direct guidance on, I’m about to open up spots for a special “Get Back On Track With Your Health” one-on-one coaching call that’s specially designed to give you results with the Dr. Ben system and that will be very affordable for virtually anyone.

So stay tuned, and let me know your own comments, questions, and feedback below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Dr. Ben

What’s your biggest question?

Today I’ve got one question for you:

If there were one thing you wanted to ask about your health or healing, or about transforming a particular area of your life, what would it be?

Leave your question in the comments below.

I’m looking for better ways to address what you really want to know through the “Dr. Ben” resources, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Dr. Ben

Modeling the Universe

When I wasa at MIT back in the 80’s studying electrical engineering, I discovered the importance of using models.

A model was simply a way of describing something that could give us a useful way of grasping ideas about the universe in which we lived.

And what mattered  most was not so much whether a model was “true”, but whether it was “useful”—in other words, whether the model could be used to make useful decisions and create predictable results.

What does this mean?

Well, if we “pretended” that the universe worked the way a model suggested, and we acted or made decisions based on that model, would we be able to “predict”, based on that model, what would happen next?

For example—no one’s actually seen an electron or electricity, but we have ways of modeling it that give us predictable ways of controlling our experience of light.

Well, in the same way, people have developed models of how the “non-physical”—our own thoughts, beliefs, and emotions and other things we can’t “see”—affect the “physical”—the things we can see and “measure” and experience.

Now some people like to argue over the words someone uses or whether things “really” are the way one model suggests.

I used to do that as well.

But gradually I’ve shifted to looking at whether a given model can give me and others useful and predictable results.

For example, no matter how I may describe gravity, or what “power” I may attribute gravity to, what I would consider a “useful” model would be one that let me know that if I step off a cliff, I’m going to fall, and therefore I can choose ahead of time not to step off that cliff.

Another example might be a model that reliably predicts how I can change my health, or an experience with money, by changing certain recurring beliefs or thought patterns. 

A couple such models that may be “different” than those you grew up with or learned in school are those provided by Robert Anthony and Louise Hay.

Robert Anthony takes quantum physics and applies it to your daily experience of money and of life.  He gives practical “experiments” you can do to “test” the model he gives and experience the results for yourself. 

His home-study course has been a great resource to me and to many, and after tomorrow (Feb. 29th) I’m told it will no longer be available.  But right now you can get it for half price here (and I highly recommend it!).

Louise Hay provides a model of health and of life with specific steps you can apply and “test” for yourself as well.  Her book You Can Heal Your Life (Gift Edition) has many wonderful affirmations and a unique guide linking physical symptoms with common thought patterns, and then new patterns you can anchor to change your experience.  She likens our subconscious mind to a garden and each thought we think to a seed.  What grows or “manifests” in our garden, and ultimately our experience, is determined by the seeds we sow.

Louise is now 80 and has just released You Can Heal Your Life, the Movie.

These are just two examples of “models” that could open doors for you to new experiences of life—particularly in the areas of money and health.

Enjoy, and remember to share your own experiences with using “models” of the universe in the comments below!

Dr. Ben

Are “The Facts” About Your Health True?…and the Power of Changing Your Patterns

Recently while listening to a great mentor to me and to many in life and business, Artemis Limpert, I picked up a key phrase—the difference between “the facts” and “the truth”.

“Aren’t they the same?” you may be asking.

Well, the “facts” describe your circumstances, or your condition.

You may be ill, have a certain diagnosis, or be facing some obstacle such as no money in your bank account and wondering how to buy groceries next week.

But what’s the “truth”?

Is there something that goes beyond your current condition and circumstances?

Are you “connected” to something that goes beyond what you can see?

Whether you take a spiritual/faith approach to this question, or a “scientific”/quantum physics approach, it’s becoming increasingly clear that much of what we see and experience is influenced by what we don’t see–such as our thoughts, attention, and emotions.

I was recently reminded of how much we tend to look at circumstances and conditions…

which are actually a “result” of certain patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting…

and treat them as “defining”

as if that’s who we are and that’s our condition and we have no power to change it.

So what does this mean to you today?

Are you facing a certain condition or diagnosis in your body?

Is there a “result” or circumstance in your life you’re wanting to change?

Instead of seeing your condition or diagnosis as “defining” and taking it on as a part of your identity…

simply see it instead as a “signpost” along the path you’re currently traveling.

Now that you see the direction you’re heading, or the path you’re on, you have the option to change it, because your diagnosis is simply a temporary description of where you are right now.

It’s not an essential part of you, although up ’til now you may have been acting as if it were.

Whether it’s your weight, your blood sugar or cholesterol, or something like asthma or cancer, here’s a thought for you (you can fill in the blank with your diagnosis or condition):

“I’ve developed a pattern of _____ in my body, and now that I’m aware of it, I can change that pattern.”

How does that feel?

This is actually very key, and very possible, even if you don’t have all the answers right now.

Change your patterns, and you change your experience and your results.

How do you change your patterns?

By daily practice.

Daily practice of something new…

a new thought

a new action

a new way of looking at something

asking a different question

putting your attention on a new perspective

Daily practice.

Is there a new thought or step that’s “pinged” you this week—perhaps on this blog or something you read or heard recently?

Are you taking some action on it daily?

Perhaps beginning your day with an empowering question…

Or writing down a thought you want to anchor on a 3×5 card and reading it aloud when you begin and end your day, and throughout your day.

Or listening to or reading something daily that supports the new patterns and results you want to create—a great time is just before you go to sleep, when your subconscious is more “open” to anchoring whatever you put in front of it.
(Therefore choose wisely—TV or the “news” may not be the best choice!)

When I find a great resource, I listen to it over and over again to anchor ideas, stimulate new ones, and establish new patterns in my own thinking.

Your Journey To Wellness lays a powerful foundation for transforming your thinking and your patterns in your health.

 

Remember the difference between “the truth”…

which is bigger than what you see now…

and “the facts”…

which are temporary.

To your bountiful well-being,

Dr. Ben

Natural Health and Healing: Changing Our Patterns

I just spent a few minutes browsing online at Amazon on natural
health and healing books and reading some of the customer reviews.

There’s a wealth of great information, research, and opinions 🙂
and varying life experiences out there…and it can easily become
overwhelming (unless you just love the “browsing” itself).

One of the things I’ve noticed in myself, and in both my business
and wellness coaching clients, is that the (at times compulsive)
desire to read and research for the latest information can easily
outpace actual application…

…actual change in our own health and
our own lives.

So today I want to make a suggestion.

It begins with asking yourself a question.

Before you go to bed tonight, ask yourself, of all the things you
read, learned, and experienced today–whether in health, business,
relationships, or anything else—what’s one thing you can act on in
the next 24 hours?

Let’s go one step further–imagine for a moment, and picture if you
can, exactly what you’ll say or do.

Will you take a few slow, deep breaths and think of 3 things to
appreciate when you first awaken in the morning?

Will you look for more natural “color” in the foods you choose to eat–
and pick an extra vegetable or fruit for a snack “on purpose”?

Will you set aside 20 minutes for a walk, or to read to your kids,
or to look in the eyes of your spouse?

Ask yourself this question.

Be intentional.

Take a step.

It’s these daily, intentional steps that change our patterns…

…and our results.

Let me know your own comments, questions, and feedback in the
comments below.

What step have you taken recently to change a pattern?

I look forward to hearing from you!

Dr. Ben