Observations from a Physician (Class of 1944)

Saturday, March 29

Mary Helen Chamberlain is a regular listener to Health Talk. As a member of a pioneering generation of women in medicine, she provides some of the following observations, which I excerpt from a letter she sent us:

"Medicine is stuck . . . the billions we spend on meds and additives are a waste . . . real farmers, men and women, work, using their arms. The women lift children, cook, and work in the kitchen garden. They develop upper body strength and cardiac health with physical work. For years, European farmers worked all day, usually standing up, and ate meat and butter and eggs and cheese and pie. A good diet is protein and fat and carbs. Real work is superior to exercise. Being waited on in assisted living is deadly. Use it or lose it."

"Learning and working change our brains and make us happy and smart. Our happiness is contagious. Stress, anger, blaming, complaining and sitting all day, harms our blood vessels and immune systems. Our unhappiness is also contagious."

"We can change ourselves and the world by a reverse domino effect, getting all to be responsible, loving, trusting, and happy people. Friendship is contagious, catches on, and spreads ever widely. The more fun we have the longer we will live. Make it a great ride, and eat and enjoy everything with no guilt. Our neurons, branching and growing daily into old age, offer excitement until the end. Be relaxed, be smart, be happy."

(Dr. Chamberlain, graduated from medical school 64 years ago. In her words, "I will be around the sun 89 times on August 15, 2008")