Guest Columnist
Using the Power of the Mind to Heal
By
Aug 25, 2010 - 2:52:44 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Ninety percent of the game is half mental - Yogi Berra Achieving a healthier body from within Yogi Berra was referring to sports when he mentioned the “game”, but the same is also true for the game of life. One popular saying goes: “my mind can be my best friend or my worst enemy”. We also often hear sayings like “it’s all in the mind”, “just believe and it will happen”, or “once I make up my mind, it is done”.

These expressions refer to our
confidence and our drive. However, scientists have become increasingly
convinced that the mind has far superior powers than providing humans with
the power to think and make rational decisions. So, can we heal ourselves if
we “believe” it? This is a complex question which requires an equally
complex answer. Although an infinitely desirable possibility, if in reality
we could simply never get sick just by thinking that particular thought, we
wouldn’t have need for hospitals and medical staff, would we? However, it
has been widely demonstrated and debated that a highly positive outlook, in
conjunction with proper treatment and a healthy diet, has also been linked
to a healthier body, as well as the partial or full reversal of some
conditions in specific cases. There is a certain mind-body connection, where
the two work together within us to foster good physical and mental health.
Modern techniques, such as visualization and hypnosis, are employed by
professionals in order to achieve such state of healing, with a rate of
success that cannot be ignored.
Facts and figures
Let’s talk about hypnosis for a while, considering that this is a discipline
which deals mostly with the brain. The American Medical Association (AMA),
for example, has officially recognized hypnosis as a valuable and beneficial
treatment as applied and used since 1958. In “Psychotherapy” magazine
(Volume 7, Number 1), various types of techniques were listed and profiled
in a review of relevant literature by Alfred A. Barrios, PhD. In the above
quoted text, the techniques that proved to generate the greatest success in
providing lasting change were hypnosis, behavior therapy and psychotherapy.
Hypnosis was said to achieve 93% recovery after 6 sessions, definitely the
fastest of the three, preceding the 72% average success rate for six months
of behavior therapy and the 38% average success rate reported after five
years for psychotherapy. Going into the individual merits of these three
different types of therapy is beyond the scope of this article. However,
there is a common element that links all three. All these therapies deal
with the mind and hypnosis, especially, has been used to target the mind
directly to control physical symptoms such as pain and addiction cravings,
as well as mental and emotional conditions, such as anxiety, grief and
stress. It has also been used successfully before, during and after surgery
and child birth, and people who have undergone hypnosis sessions
post-surgery have achieved faster recovery on average. One example would be
the use of mental therapy techniques such as hypnosis after weight loss
surgery, where the patient as a result can be in a position reach their
weight goal in a more focused and effective way.
A reason for the madness
So the question that begs answering is – how does this work? How can so much
as a thought affect the health of the body? In the end, it all boils down to
a discussion of the conscious and subconscious mind. These two parts of the
brain play different roles. The conscious mind is designed to house our
critical thinking. This part of our mind stands on guard, protecting our
subconscious mind from negative or painful input (both emotional and
physical pain). Think of the conscious mind as a filtering tool that filters
out things that we don't need or want in our lives. Millions upon millions
of pieces of information come into our mind via our five senses – vision,
hearing, smell, touch and taste – 24 hours/7 days a week. Without the
conscious mind’s filtering system, we would become overloaded with too much
data, which fact may result in a nervous break down.

The subconscious mind, on the other hand, is the part of our mind that
allows us to store new data (i.e., learning) via the five senses – such as
how to ride a bike, swim, learn a new language, play a game, etc. This part
of our mind thinks literally. So whatever we put in it, we will get back in
return. If we put positive data inside of it, we will have positive thoughts
and feelings. If, conversely, we put negative data in it, we will feel the
effects of this negativity.

Therefore, when we perform, for example, a visualization technique (which
means inputting positive data into our subconscious mind for a particular
goal)—for example, telling oneself that “I will become a better athlete” or
“I will stop feeling this pain now”—we will get positive output from the
literal subconscious mind through these messages. This output translates
into well-being and better health for our psyche and ultimately, for our
body.




In 1987, Dr. Roberto Beraja joined his family in establishing the Beraja
Medical Institute. Before long, the Beraja family had expanded the practice
to include its own Laser and Surgery Center. Today it is considered to be
the largest independent surgery center in all of Miami-Dade.
In his 20 years of practicing ophthalmology, Dr. Roberto Beraja has
performed over 12,000 ocular microsurgeries and more than 8,000 laser eye
surgeries. The accomplished surgeon was one of the first in South Florida to
perform LASIK and the first to perform CLEAR surgery.
His many years of dedication have led to several significant advances in his
field. Early on, Dr. Roberto Beraja replaced conventional cataract surgery
with the modern aspiration method, completely free of stitches. He also
introduced the concept of cataract surgery without injections, replacing
local anesthetics with topical anesthetic drops.
More recently, Dr. Beraja began using multifocal implants, the most advanced
technology available to treat presbyopia or long-arm vision and cataracts.
The Beraja Medical Institue became one of the first in the nation to offer
these implants. In 2001, he was recognized by Allergan as one of the
surgeons who has helped the largest number of patients to see all three
distances with multifocal implants in the United States and the number one
in Miami-Dade county.
In an attempt to spread his knowledge, Dr. Beraja initiated a teaching
program for graduate ophthalmic technicians. Two years later, he helped to
launch two post-graduate training programs at the Beraja Medical Institute
for Ophthalmologists graduated from the United States, Canada and Latin
America; one in Oculoplastics Surgery and the other in Anterior Segment and
Refractive Surgery. The curriculum now includes special training on the use
of multifocal implants, a subject on which Dr. Beraja has established
widespread recognition and expertise.
Aside from his medical achievements and contributions, Dr. Beraja has taken
on a proactive role in his community of Miami. In an effort to inform the
public about eye disease and the importance of early detection, he has
appeared on live Spanish radio and television programs such as Sábado
Gigante and Primer Impacto. His campaign has also been featured in
newspapers including The Miami Herald, Business Monday and others.
MEDICAL TRAINING
McGill University in Montreal, Canada, 1987 University of Miami/Jackson
Memorial Hospital, 1983 CERTIFICATIONS The Board of Ophthalmology since 1988
The Board of Internal Medicine since 1983
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Ophthalmology Association (AAO) since 1987 PUBLICATIONS
1998: Beraja, R, MD, Use of plate lenses in the sulcus. Eye World
1997: Beraja, R, MD, 13 steps to a successful LASIK. Eye World
1997: LASIK video. Eye World
1986: Canadian Ophthalmology Society: Treatment of Conjunctival Papillomas
with C02 Laser
1985: Jackson, BW, Beraja, R, Codere, F, Treatment of Conjunctival
Papillomas with C02 Laser, a new form of Therapy, Canadian Journal of
Ophthalmology

Subscribe to our FREE Ezine and receive current Health News, be eligible for discounted products/services and coupons related to your Health. We publish 24/7.
HealthNewsDigest.com

For advertising/promotion, email: tvmike13@healthnewsdigest.com Or call toll free: 877- 634-9180

© Copyright by HealthNewsDigest.com