 |
 |
|
August 21, 2002
Willow Glen, California Since 1992 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Photograph courtesy of David Sobel
|
|
|
Good Doc: Sarah Fries, executive director of
the Healthtrac Foundation, gives Dr. David
Sobel, director of the Kaiser Permanente
Medical Care Program, the Health Education
Award for his efforts in reshaping medical
care and health promotion.
|
|
|
|
|
Doctor wins $25,000 health award
|
|
| By
I-chun Che
|
|
David Sobel loves walking around his Willow
Glen home every day. He enjoys caressing his
three cats, feeding his tropical fish, and
playing with a pet python named Fred.
He likes to spend time with his 15-year-old
son, Matt. And for him, these are not just
fun things to do.
"Pleasure is the best prescription," says the
55-year-old director of the Kaiser Permanente
Medical Care Program in Northern California.
For the past 23 years, Sobel has educated his
patients about improving their health by
indulging in pleasure, a concept he calls
"healthy pleasures."
"Many people think that to be healthy, they
have to undertake strict weight loss diets,
adopt punishing exercise programs, avoid
salt, shun cholesterol and follow all sorts
of arduous regimens," Sobel says. "But most
healthy people don't always follow the letter
of health prescription. They tend to be
pleasure-seeking people and have a sense of
humor."
The pleasure Sobel refers to, however, is
more than just pleasure experienced through
the senses.
"Take a siesta. Laugh at a funny movie. Talk
to a friend. Help others," Sobel says. "These
are just small daily pleasures, but they can
measurably improve your health."
Sobel has been interested in the connection
between emotional and physical health since
he was studying psychology at the University
of Michigan. When he practiced medicine, he
became even more convinced that attitudes,
beliefs and emotions could affect health.
"Our minds and bodies are truly united,"
Sobel says in the introduction to Mind
& Body Health Handbook, a book he
co-authored with Robert Ornstein. "We can't
ignore the power of our minds to harm or
heal."
According to his research and clinical
experience, nearly one-third of patients
develop symptoms as a result of psychological
distress. Another third have medical
conditions that result from behavioral
choices. And even in the remaining third, he
has found, the course of patients' illness is
often strongly influenced by moods, coping
skills and the presence of social support.
"Patients are often treated as mindless
machines to be fixed by medical care," Sobel
says. "The truth is that the human brain is
an internal health maintenance organization."
Unlike most doctors, who only check patients'
vital signs and physical symptoms, Sobel asks
his patients questions, such as what they
enjoy doing or how they manage their stress.
"If they cannot answer these simple
questions, it is a sign of depression because
they are unable to enjoy life anymore," he
explains.
Sobel believes that people should be their
own primary health care providers.
"Patients are often viewed as consumers of
health care," Sobel says. "Actually, about 70
percent to 90 percent of all symptoms can be
self-diagnosed and self-treated without the
help of health professionals."
Sobel says that one of the best examples of
mind affecting body he can think of is that
of a 58-year-old patient who suffered from
high blood pressure and diabetes. Although
the patient had sought treatment for years,
his health condition barely improved.
Then Sobel referred him to the Kaiser
Foundation's diabetes education program,
where he met other diabetic patients. Within
four months, the patient didn't need to take
any medicine for diabetes and his blood
pressure was under control. He has maintained
the gains for two years.
"The patient used to feel he had little
control over his health," Sobel says. "He
felt like a victim. But when he met other
diabetic patients, he knew he was not alone
and began to take a more active role in
taking care of himself. That's the power of
mind."
Over the years, Sobel has been empowering his
patients with the belief that they can take
charge of their own health. He also holds
seminars in universities and medical
institutions to encourage health
professionals to incorporate the results of
psychological and behavioral studies into
medical care.
His efforts to reshape medical care and
health promotion won him the Health Education
Award from the Healthtrac Foundation in
October 2001. Every year the Healthtrac
Foundation gives $25,000 to a health educator
who has contributed to advancing health
education or promotion through research,
development or program delivery.
"I just enjoy what I am doing," Sobel said.
"I guess that's how I keep myself healthy."
|
|
|
|
|
|