Today’s article is inspired by Gundi.
He is the dog we adopted in December 2020, who had been rescued off the streets of Bali, and was totally messed up when they found him.
I personally didn’t think he would have made it back to health; given the state he was found in.
Further down there are some pictures “before and after“, but I will hold back on worse pictures, as they are pretty rough.
Gundi’s transformation from almost dead, to vibrant health, and radiant coat (plus super cuteness), happened pretty quickly.
Even at a psychological level – given that he was abused while living on the streets – he was playful from the first day we got him.
And here is the thing.
Apart from some obvious anatomical differences, there are a lot of similarities at the biological level between our pets and us.
They have bones, tissues, skin, hair.
They have a cardiovascular system that works on the same principles as us.
They do the digestion and elimination processes like humans, plus produce energy in the same way we do – via oxygen, mitochondria, and nutrients.
So, my pondering of late was why do pets bounce back SO quickly from injury and even surgery (I have also been watching of late Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, the Supervet (and bionic scientist) in the UK, who does major surgical procedures on animals. Amazing!!).
What are they (our pooches) doing right, and us humans doing not so well?
Here is my theory
Now before I go further, I am sure there are lots of factors involved, but I think there is a primary factor, unique to animals and humans.
Have you ever had someone explain to you about the “stress response” and how it is the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, and related to the statement “fight, flight of freeze“, where our bodies have a physiological response in preparation for running, fighting or freezing?
And a common example – from paleolithic times – is when a lion steps out of the bushes and triggers our nervous system into action.
But here is the thing.
When the lion steps out of the bushes, and we (human or mammal) start doing the running thing (since fighting and freezing might not work so well), there is one extra step the mammal does, which we don’t.
Let’s assume in this example we were both able to elude the king of the jungle.
After the race is run – human and mammal – there is a step at the end that differs significant between us (humans) and our fury friends.
After the race is run, our fury friend shakes themselves off (likely helping rid themselves of excess adrenalin and cortisol in the system), and then goes back to munching grass, or whatever it was before old matey lion came along.
However, us humans often do things differently.
Rarely would be shake ourselves off, clear the excess adrenaline, and then go back to doing what we were doing before.
What is more likely to happen is we would create a STORY around the experience, and possibly establish a ‘trauma‘, which we carry around for the next 30-years, and which gets triggered every time we get spooked, or take a walk in the park.
Now Einstein might have said “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.“
However, our imagination, running rampant (as we all know too well), can lead to some pretty dark and very unhelpful places.
So I am sure Gundi is very happy he does not have my imagination to hold him back, and project his mind back to the dark days on the streets, where he was abused, starving and having an all-round miserable time.
Screw that!
His brain is more focused on…when is the next walk, the next feed, the next play and the next ride on the motorbike?
Which takes me to my next point.
The placebo and nocebo effect
When it comes to our health, and our recovery from illness, physical damage and surgery, the Placebo and Nocebo effect play a HUGE role in how quickly we bounce back (physically and psychologically).
And again, Gundi is not governed by either of these.
He is happily content in the ever present now (lucky bugger!).
We humans on the other hand are significantly influenced by what we BELIEVE, whether it creates a placebo or nocebo effect.
With the Placebo Effect, if we have a belief that “I heal very quickly“, this will actually have a physiological effect on your speed and quality of recovery.
For example, this is a belief I have hard-wired into my brain, and means – funnily enough – that after I smacked the bridge of my nose into a cement edge and cut up my nose (2 weeks ago), the scab formed, healed and fell off within 7-days.
Obviously, this is supported by a healthy lifestyle, to create the environment for the body to do its magic.
With the Nocebo Effect, it is about imagining the worst case (like a hypochondriac) and causing the body to have a “stress response”, when what it actually needs for healing is a “relaxation response”, via the parasympathetic nervous system.
If I have a strong belief that I have a “bad” heart – because a lot of people in my family also had heart issues (when it is most probably lifestyle related) – through the Nocebo Effect, I am likely to adversely support the poor health of my heart. Making the “belief” become reality.
For a much deeper dive on the Placebo and Nocebo effects, and numerous research studies to support their existence and potency, I strongly encourage you to read Dr Joe Dispenza’s book – You Are The Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter.
The key message
It is simply this.
We need to be careful of what stories we tell ourselves, when it comes to our health, because the past can physically affect the present.
When it comes to healing or recovery, our internal dialogue (and imagination), play a significant part in the outcomes.
We need to be more like our pets and just get on with playing, exploring, moving, eating basic food, cuddling, showing gratitude, and being more fully present in the external present now.
In Summary
The meaning we give to events; can mean they follow us for years and decades (creating the exact biochemistry as if it was still happening now).
Imagination is great if used well, or a ball-and-chain if it is running out of control.
The speed of our healing and recovery is influenced by the beliefs we have, which can create a Placebo or Nocebo Effect.
Dogs are great at letting go of the past and being fully present in the now, which is a great “Happiness Strategy” to emulate.
My Parting Words
It still amazes me how messed up Gundi was, when he was rescued from the streets.
And more so, how quickly he recovered.
Not only physically, but psychologically.
He left his hard times on the streets, as though it never happened.
And was an absolute ray of sunshine into our lives and home – especially when he arrived at the end of 2020, and in the middle of all of that nonsense.
He taught us to have fun, in the eternal present now.
And that our mindset mattered (a lot).
I truly believe we (humans) would heal much quicker – from most ailments – if we did some house-keeping on our thoughts, stories and beliefs around our healing potential.
Our bodies have such incredible, in-built intelligence, with a bias towards health and healing, that supposed health “miracles” happen all the time.
And most of the time it is closely accompanied by, or supported by, a change in beliefs.
They matter.
And yes, this might be a time to mention me teaching how to “overcome self-imposed limitations” in an online workshop in the near future, but I am actually more interested in selling the idea to you – right now – that your thoughts and beliefs matter (a lot).
If you forget the message here, just look to your pet for further lessons.
They are in the here and happy now.
Have a wonderful day bathed in the here-and-now, and spend the week considering your specific beliefs around your abilities to heal.
Take care.
Carl
Quotable QUOTE:
“Imagination is great if used well, or a ball-and-chain if it is running out of control.” Carl Massy
(Author of 18 Ways We Make Life WAY Harder Than It Needs To Be)
PS: Have you read or listened to this book yet? 18 Ways We Make Life WAY Harder Than It Needs To Be
