Power of the Mind

When I stopped eating virtually everything and dropping weight substantially I felt helpless to do anything about it. Everything tasted terrible, seemed unappetizing to me, and the pounds shed and shed.

One day I stepped on the scale and my weight dropped below 190-pounds and I got upset with myself. I've always prided myself on my strength. How could I be letting this weight loss happen to me?

I vowed to myself right then that I was going to change this pattern. I took myself out back and gave myself a good talking too.

It worked. The mind is an incredible thing.

Really I can't name any other reason for my turn around, except possibly prayer.

First my brain convinced the rest of my body that we were going to eat - like it or not. The food was on its way, at least three times a day, and the body better be ready for it.

Slowly but surely my body started to accept food more and more. It helped me learn what foods it wanted. It helped me learn what time of day to eat. It helped me learn what drugs, at what concentrations would help.

Secondly my brain made food and eating appetizing again. I had always loved to cook and eat. My brain taught me how to bring the joy in food back again. Filet with my red wine pan sauce, crab cakes, a cheese steak - I was learning appetite and taste virtually from scratch again.

It all changed that one day that I "had a talking to with myself." Once my brain was convinced that the gameplan was necessary it showed my body the way. The power of the mind, in attitude and perspective and thought, is so important to any cancer patient. But understanding the mind and its workings can be a lot easier said than done.