This is from The Anatomy of an Illness by Norman Cousins.
In the 1970s, Norman was diagnosed with the debilitating disease ankylosing spondylitis, which causes inflammation in the spine so severe that it often confines patients to their beds. On top of this diagnosis, doctors told him he had a severe connective tissue disorder, sometimes referred to as collagen disease. He identified a pattern: the onset seemed to follow exposure to toxic fumes and adrenal exhaustion. He had been stressed from a business trip gone wrong, which weakened his nervous and immune system defenses—and coincidentally, he had multiple exposures to exhaust fumes at the airport. He was given a 1 in 500 chance of recovery.
So he checks into the hospital and immediately says: this isn’t going to work. Why?
He realized that healing is closely tied to the environment. The hospital was full of germs and both mental and physical stressors. The food was low-quality and highly processed. There were no conditions for adequate sleep or social connection. There was little to no exposure to fresh air or sunlight. In short, it was an environment designed to induce negative emotion and prevent restoration—when what you need is the exact opposite. He decided to check out and book a hotel room instead.
He created a regimen of intravenous vitamin C to support his adrenal system. After starting that, his sedimentation rate—a measure of inflammation—began decreasing every day. He gave up all pharmaceuticals and painkillers. He also watched a funny movie daily. He noted that 10 minutes of belly laughter gave him two hours of pain-free sleep. It was a natural anesthetic. Astonishingly, he healed.
He showed that good rest, nutrition, positive emotion, and—ultimately—the patient taking ownership in collaboration with the treatment provider is the path to recovery.
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