Social Environment Impacts Health

Posted by Connie Newbauer Oct 24, 2006

I recently read an article in Suite by Victoria Anisman-Reiner entitled Coyote Wisdom: Stories That Heal . The article has made me think about many things, even though they weren't directly addressed, including:

• The impact of a child's home/social environment on health
• How intensely difficult it is to change the "story" of self to overcome these environmental impacts

My answer to almost any concept I am tossing around is to go to the Internet for information. When I plugged in "environmental impacts on health," you can guess what I came up with - ozone, smoking, asbestos, government regulations about emissions...dull stuff like that. It just wasn't what I was looking for.

Several conversations and readings happened in quick succession last week, leading me to write this bog. While speaking with my niece, I had a conversation regarding psychosomatic illnesses and symptoms - and how they should be treated. She is a proponent of anything natural first. I am as well, but at times lack the commitment to what I know I should do by laziness.

I then read Coyote Wisdom and after a few days, began to think about having childhood asthma. I know, I know, my mind is a maze! The train of thought was this - when I was young and went to the doctor for my asthma (about a hundred years ago), my doctor and also the medical staff at the hospital treated me as if I needed to be admitted to psych. They always asked what was bothering me. At the age of 10, I can tell you, it was the fact I wasn't breathing well! They all thought I was lying, or holding something back. They wanted to find a crack in my family situation they could attribute my symptoms too.

My Grandfather tagged me as lazy early on. I did not want to play outside; I didn't want to help with yard work. I didn't want to garden. What use was I? I spent all of my time indoors, reading. If asked to do anything inside, I would do it willingly, but sometimes it took me longer to do because I have found that I could feel when my body is setting itself up for an attack. It is always better to do things more slowly and conserve oxygen then. I was misunderstood because I could not articulate it at that age.

I'm still not sure what came first, the laziness or the illness that made me not want to spend time outdoors and I've spent a life time trying to overcome both the illness and the stereotype. . Each person in my family thought of me as sickly. I didn't feel sick. Sometimes I just couldn't breath.

In regards to a child's home environment impacting health, as in Coyote Wisdom, the asthma became my story, written in a great part, by the hand of others. I feel the repercussions of that story today. It is like a heavy boulder I cannot escape.

We each have individual stories in our families.

Because I was so physically lazy, I read all of the time. The natural consequence of that began another chapter in my story. I am now the smart one as well. (By default, I can surely attest!) My sister, who was always physically fit, athletic, thin, (sigh), and followed me in school, reports being stupid. How awful! She is one of the most organized, creative people I know!

What story are you writing for your child?

Because I was thought of as sick (and when people view me as sickly now), I tend to have more trouble overcoming an asthmatic episode, etc. when my family goes into the "Mom's sick" mode. I love the help - but staying in bed doesn't necessarily help an asthma attack. I would rather do what I can. It exercises my lungs and makes me feel productive - I still feel I have to overcome that tag of lazy. Believe me, approaching 50, I have to keep moving or I'll stop forever!

I have no doubt that the harmony, or lack thereof within a household can impact illnesses. I do not believe the basic illness can be wished away, or cured by changing family dynamics or state of mind.

I have seen a positive state of mind prolong life, lift chronic pain and much more.

Beyond that, miracles happen. Everyday. Attribute the miracles to a higher power, as I do or something else, but I know they are there - life changing, life saving miracles that save us from ourselves and our surroundings.

We owe it to our children - each one of them - to give them several basic things:

• A harmonious home life
• A completely clear slate at birth for them to write their own stories andi
• The freedom to grow into the person they were intended to be

Once a child is on track to become the smart one, the pretty one, the alcoholic, the partier, it is intensely difficult to change. I bear witness to the truth that even if you want to change, some of your behaviors are so deeply ingrained in everyone's mind that they will not let you change!

A quote from Coyote Wisdom states: People rarely transform on their own, but instead, do so in relation to others who support that transformation. You have to believe and support the change your children, or anyone else is making for the better.

Our general health - both physical and emotional would be much better if we were supportative of positive change in each other's lives. As parents, we have to be especially careful of not painting our child into a story he cannot get out of and of providing the most harmonious, peaceful environment we can to facilitate health and healing for physical anomalies.