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My Style and Practice Clarified


Future Del Mar Times Article

My Prescription for a Healthy Life

By Mark Kalina MD


            As a doctor, the biggest question I have for my patients is “what does it mean for you to be well?” It is not just the absence of disease that makes a person qualify as well. There is a different sense of being well for every person. It often has very little or nothing to do with the state of our physical being. The biggest impediments to feeling well are the limitations and rules we impose upon ourselves  that take away the joy of living. We end up feeling stuck or trapped and this is what keeps us from being truly well.

            When people come to see me for individual or group consultation, I ask them a few questions. Do you like yourself? Do you like your life? Are you “there” for yourself when things go awry? Are you your own best friend? Do you like your relationships? Do you like who you are in your relationships? Are you proud of yourself? How do you handle the wounds of your past history so they do not creep into your daily life?

The answers to these questions tell me much about your true health. Why? Because this tells me how connected you are to yourself, and that reflects how connected you are to your world. And why is connection important to me? Your connection to yourself and others nourishes the core of your being; it is the cornerstone of wellness and basis of life itself. Like it or not, we are all one. If we feel at odds with or estranged from our bodies, minds or support system, we will be unable to tap into joy, love and fun and are more likely to seek refuge in numbing compulsive behaviors. On the other hand, connecting to our life, body, health and mind creates an internal feeling (connection) that creates freedom, energy and general well-being.

So, my 8 recommendations for being well and returning to health and vibrancy are:

(1)                   Wellness is an individual journey with a personal destination and should not be globally defined.  Ask yourself what you need and want.
(2)                   Realize that sometimes “well” may not feel great in the beginning; getting well is a journey that may include crying or yelling or feeling angry or sad as we start out on the adventure of learning to care for ourselves.
(3)                   Well is feeling free as opposed to stuck which is limiting, rigid and mechanical. Let yourself out of the box instead of being contained.
(4)                   Be who you are; speak your truth; don’t censor your words to please other people.
(5)                   Love with all your heart – starting with yourself.
(6)                   Find what makes you happy and joyful and do it regularly forever.
(7)                   Use your body to get out of your thinking mind and into the joy of living
(8)                    Live like you might die tomorrow and don’t have any regrets.

This prescription is intentionally NOT very “medical”. Modern medicine is good for acute injuries and illnesses but it does not make us well. We make ourselves well by the way we live and what we believe and the focus of our attention. We have the power to set ourselves free to live fully regardless of our age, medical conditions or circumstances. You can have it all.

** Mark is a board certified internal medicine doctor. He has recently opened a new practice on Cedros in Solana Beach based on the above recommendations to help people feel better and reach their own definition of being well. He can be contacted by calling (858) 876-6360. The practice website is www.PandoHealthGroups.com Individual and group appointments are available daily.

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