“The basic raw material of life is word in all its forms: thought, spoken and written.” — The law of Word

IN his book If caterpillars can fly so can I, Alvin Day discusses in detail “the seven Universal Laws” — the laws of vision, energy, good and evil, abundance, uniqueness, contribution and word.

Day introduces the law of word by telling the story of a 16-year-old girl whose father, in pointing to a grocery store, asked her to guess the primary material used to construct the building. As expected, she answered brick, mortar and so on. However, her father told her: “No; the primary material is word.”

He explained to her that the person who had the idea for the building first began to think about the value of the possible investment. Then he shared his thoughts with other individuals, like architects, and subsequently converted the words in his head into the reality of a building.

Day states that words are mental and spiritual because the way they work cannot be explained solely on the physical plain. Words have power and energy. They can comfort, soothe and heal. They can produce love, hatred, fear, respect, and courage. Words can ignite a storm, cause strife and war. Words can cause ill health.

In my opinion, one of the most significant contributors to poor mental and physical health is the misuse of words.

How can words impact our health?

The following are some ways in which words are used to impact health and well-being:

1. I have observed that some patients may visit me with complaints relating to a chronic illness — for example diabetes mellitus — and in outlining their complaints, they take considerable pride in describing their sufferings. They are literally “hugging up their disease”, allowing themselves to be defined by the illness.

While we need to be mindful of and take care of our bodies, we need to remember that many individuals are successfully living with their varied diseases. In fact, there are people who have experienced spontaneous healing by repeatedly affirming that they are healthy.

They are taking care of their mind-body and spirit, not allowing themselves to be overwhelmed. Mind-body means that our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes can positively or negatively affect our biological functioning.

How we frame ourselves within the context of an illness determines our outcome. Let us ask ourselves: “Am I living joyfully or am I merely surviving?” The answer lies in the word.

2. Sometimes we use words to sabotage ourselves. We may tell ourselves: “I am ugly”; “I am fat”; “I am too black”; “I am old”; “I am poor”. We were made in the image of God. By repeatedly bombarding ourselves with negative words and descriptions, we are diminishing our God- given image.

3. We may use negative words to describe others. For example: “Lord, she black eeh”. In this case, why are we surprised when this individual decides to bleach her skin?

“Damn boy, you have no sense. Look how your sister bright.” This young man may choose to ignore the words and excel or he may become resentful of his sister and family with consequent family dysfunction.

4. Words can be used as weapons. Verbal abuse is not just name-calling. It may be defined as any language or behaviour that seeks to influence its victim into doubting his or her abilities and into subjugating him or herself to the abuser.

While shopping recently, the store owner with whom I am acquainted told me about the constant “cussing” that was meted out to her by her business partner/spouse. Another customer remarked: “He loves you, that is why he does that”.

She replied: “If he loved and cherished me, he would not be constantly abusing me. I feel like I don’t know myself anymore. My blood pressure is so high. I hope I don’t get a stroke.”

5. We need to be careful with the words we use when expressing our opinion.

An acquaintance related to me an incident with his body-conscious significant other, in which she asked his opinion about the fit of a newly purchased dress. He told her that she looked fat and horrible and she became angry and upset. He said: “I was just telling her the truth.”

I told him that her response could have been the result of the negative words and tone he had used to describe her body. It may have been better if he had told her, “Honey, that dress does not fit you so well.”

We must speak in ways that convey respect, gentleness, humility, encouragement, and love.

How are you using your words?

“Words are the flour and yeast that make the bread of life,” said Daisy Campbell, who is Day’s grandmother.

Dr Jacqueline E Campbell is a family physician, university lecturer and pharmacologist. She is the author of the book A patient’s guide to the treatment of diabetes mellitus . Email: drjcampbell14@yahoo.com