HOLISTIC HEALING: TREATING THE WHOLE PERSON :By Sarilu Kemp, R.N., M.S.N.  

The Rice Paper: Healing Stories; Fall 1995; Editor: Luz Rodriguez Arpan

The ". . . art of (traditional) healing could be summed up in the formula: Find the microbe and kill it."  G.B. Shaw

Traditional Western medicine looks for a specific treatment for a specific disease, while holistic healing seeks to treat the whole person, not the disease. It is concerned with the whole person and encourages individuals to be responsible for their health and well-being. Holistic health then encompasses the total person - mind, body, spirit and environment.

I learned the healing powers of this comprehensive approach when, in 1980, I was diagnosed with cancer. I underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, but made no attempt to change my approach to life. It wasn't until 1984, when the cancer we thought had been destroyed came back to jolt me, that I realized I was a "tumor-maker" and had to make major changes if I wanted to survive.

Like many cancer patients, I found great wisdom in a book by the Simonton’s titled, Getting Well Again. The first step in regaining the motivation to conquer cancer, the authors emphasize, is to set goals. But these goals must be realistic and specific and expressed positively. Set a deadline. Seek goals that you can attain on your own. Finally, write your goals so you can focus clearly on them. Chart your progress. You will be amazed at your success.

In addition to the importance of setting goals, I learned to accept and appreciate how psychological stress influences the brain and diminishes our immune system. These destructive changes, along with genetic factors and nutritional deficiencies, often lead to illnesses whose sudden emergence then baffles us.

In order to reverse disease we must drop old habits and learn new healthy ones. I discovered that I had to reduce stress. Some approaches that worked for me include visualization and imagery, massage, progressive relaxation, humor, a macrobiotic diet, and exercise.

I would strongly recommend two relaxation techniques that have helped me: Progressive Relaxation and the Relaxation Response. The first technique involves tensing and relaxing the muscles. Lie on your back with arms at your side, palms up. Breathe deeply, hold, then exhale while thinking of the word, "relax." Then tighten muscles in the face, hold for five seconds, and relax. Progressively move to other muscle groups, tightening and relaxing them. End with your toes. Then lie still, breathe slowly and imagine a peaceful scene.

The Relaxation Response technique was developed by Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School. Sit in a comfortable position with eyes closed and relax all muscles. Breathe through your nose while repeating a word that does not stimulate other thoughts, such as the word, "one." Sit in this way for about 20 minutes while keeping out all extraneous thoughts.

I usually relax while also listening to one of the audiotapes by Dr. Emmett Miller. I use tapes, too, when doing Yoga, another great way to reduce muscle tension and increase flexibility. I use a tape by Ruth Bender.

Massage is also a wonderful way to relieve stress. The pressure-point technique (Shiatsu) was a lifesaver for me. Also, since I retain a lot of tension in the neck and shoulders, I practice self-massage there. Simply grasp the opposite shoulder with your fingers, pressing as you progress to the neck. When you feel a tender spot, press hard until the pain diminishes.

Imagery and visualization are two relaxation techniques that are of confused. Imagery uses any of the five senses - for example, thinking of a lemon and being able to imagine the taste is usually accompanied by increased salivation. Visualization involves the use of mental pictures, which are visual only. I often take "trips" to the lake where I sit on the dock and relax for ten minutes .

Humor and a macrobiotic diet are also crucial assets. Norman Cousins has written eloquently of his use of humor in recovering from collagen disease and a heart attack. Both Anatomy of an Illness and The Healing Heart have become classic.

I began eating macrobiotically on December 26, 1984 and later took  cooking lessons from Marcia Halpern. Six months later I saw Marcia for a  consultation. She fine-tuned my diet to address any specific needs. On my own I was eating too much animal protein and not enough whole grains. If I had to do it over, my first step would be to get a consultation.

Even so, my chest x-rays and blood work have been negative since 1990.The changes I have made have become a part of me. Every day I the God for good health and for the people who helped me along the way.

A life-threatening illness can serve a useful purpose. Be glad you have, an illness. It can energize you to make healthy changes in your life that enrich you beyond belief. Set goals, learn to relax, change your eating habits and then live, love, enjoy!

Sarilu Kemp retired in June of 1988 from the S.C. Department of Mental Health. She is teaching nursing part-time at Midlands Technical College She received her nursing diploma from the S.C. Baptist Hospital, bachelor degree from the USC College of Nursing and her master's from the Medical College of Georgia with a major in psychiatric/mental health nursing. Sarilu and her husband, Henry, have four children and six grandchildren.