Healing Isn’t Passive: How to Take Control of Your Health with MS or Chronic Illness
- Aishwariya Farahi
- Apr 9
- 5 min read
Updated: 13 hours ago
Healing Is a Dynamic Process (Not a Fixed Outcome)
One of my many human flaws is a mind that I can easily get lost in—at times in a very idealistic way.
The very essence of the word doctor—docere, in Latin, means teacher.
And for me, as a teacher, I am also (always) a student.
One of my greatest lessons in both roles is this:
Healing is not static—life is a dynamic, ever-changing process.
This perspective is especially important when we talk about healing with MS or chronic illness, where the body is constantly adapting and responding.
Why Medical Knowledge Is Always Changing
This morning I was reminded of something I read years ago by Herbert Benson, a Harvard-trained doctor and founding force behind the Mind-Body Institute.
I did my first formal Mind-Body training with Dr. Benson at Harvard in 2006.
He once said: “When I was a student at Harvard Medical School, I was taught that the greater part of what I was learning about the human body would be obsolete in five years.”
Now that makes perfect sense to me.
Because everything is changing.
And when the rate of change has accelerated the way it has in the last 5, 10, 20 years…
How can we accept “current medical understanding” as fixed truth?
The Science of Healing: Mind-Body Medicine, Neuroplasticity, and the Immune System
What excites me most about this evolution in medicine is what we’re learning.
Fields like:
Psychoneuroimmunology (how the mind affects the immune system)
Neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to rewire itself)
…tell us something profound:
You can change your mind to change your body.
At the same time, areas like:
Inflammation
Autoimmunity
Mitochondrial function
The gut-brain axis
are no longer fringe concepts—they are central to chronic illness healing.
And epigenetics confirms that your body responds to your environment:
What you eat
How you live
How you move
How you manage stress
The presence (or absence) of joy, connection, and rest
Healing with MS and Chronic Illness Starts with You
Healing begins with you.
With your understanding and experience of:
Yourself
The natural world
The rhythm of life
The old medical promise—“we’ll take care of you when something goes wrong”—was always incomplete.
And today, it’s no longer aligned with what science is showing us.
Healing is not passive. It requires participation.
This is especially true in MS and chronic illness, where long-term outcomes depend on how actively you engage with your health.
Moving Beyond Dogma in Chronic Illness Treatment
So let’s come back to that idea:
Everything is changing.
Which raises an important question:
Are you—or your doctor—still operating from outdated assumptions?
I feel fortunate to have been drawn to a model like naturopathic medicine.
One that:
Honors the body’s innate intelligence
Integrates modern science with natural principles
Applies evidence thoughtfully—not rigidly
Because real healing requires flexibility, curiosity, and openness.
Healing Is Not a Spectator Sport
Here’s the part that matters most:
Healing is not a spectator sport.
As we move away from the search for a “magic bullet”…
And instead step into:
Self-understanding
Personal responsibility
Daily choices
A completely different kind of healing becomes possible.
This isn’t about fixing what’s broken.
It’s about:
Reorienting
Reconnecting
Reclaiming your internal authority
A Holistic Health Approach: Where Real Change Happens
Too “out there”?
It’s not.
It’s right here.
In your kitchen
In your relationships
In your breath
In your thoughts
In your next walk
In your next good laugh
This is what a holistic health approach actually looks like.
Why This Matters for MS and Chronic Illness
We are living in a time where:
Science
Ancient wisdom
Lived experience
…are finally coming together.
And that changes everything.
It tells us—clearly—that:
MS and chronic conditions can be managed in a much more empowered way.
You don’t have to accept:
A fixed prognosis
A linear decline
A passive role in your health
What It Means to Be a Student of Healing
So what does it really mean?
To be a student of healing?
It means:
Being willing to unlearn as much as you learn
Recognizing that you are more than your symptoms
Understanding that health is something you build—not wait for
Ready to Take Control of Your Health?
If you’re ready to:
Shift your perspective
Understand your body more deeply
Take an active role in your healing
I invite you to take the next step.
Final Thought
This isn’t about perfection.
It’s about participation.
Showing up—every day—with intention.
Let’s walk the road together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I’m relying too much on my doctor instead of participating in my own healing?
If you feel like your role is to follow instructions rather than understand what’s happening in your body, that’s often a sign.
Modern healthcare can unintentionally position patients as passive recipients. But in chronic conditions like MS, outcomes improve when you’re actively engaged—asking questions, noticing patterns, and understanding your body’s responses.
This doesn’t replace medical care—it deepens it.
What does “taking control of my health” actually look like in daily life?
It’s not about doing everything perfectly.
It’s about small, consistent awareness:
Noticing how your body responds to food, stress, and rest
Understanding your energy patterns
Making adjustments based on feedback—not trends
Control doesn’t mean rigidity—it means relationship with your body..
Can mindset and nervous system regulation really impact physical symptoms in MS?
Yes—and this is where fields like Psychoneuroimmunology and Neuroplasticity become important.
Your nervous system directly influences:
Immune activity
Inflammation
Recovery capacity
This doesn’t mean symptoms are “in your head.”It means your internal state plays a measurable role in how your body functions.
How do I balance trusting medical advice with exploring a more holistic approach?
This isn’t an either/or situation.
A grounded approach looks like:
Using medical support where necessary
Staying open to emerging science
Applying what’s relevant to your body—not blindly following protocols
The goal is integration—not opposition.
Why do I feel resistant or overwhelmed when I think about “taking responsibility” for my health?
Because it can feel like pressure.
Especially if you’re already tired, dealing with symptoms, or navigating uncertainty.
But responsibility in this context isn’t about blame.
It’s about agency—having influence over your daily inputs, choices, and environment.
And that can be empowering when approached gradually.
Is it realistic to improve or stabilize MS through lifestyle and holistic practices?
For many people, yes—especially when approached consistently and strategically.
While every case is different, research and clinical experience increasingly support the role of in influencing disease progression and quality of life:
Nervous system regulation
Nutrition
Movement
Stress management
The key is not perfection—but consistency.
What’s the difference between “managing symptoms” and “supporting healing”?
Managing symptoms focuses on reducing discomfort in the moment.
Supporting healing looks deeper:
Why is this happening?
What system is involved?
What patterns are contributing?
Both have a place—but long-term progress comes from addressing the underlying process.
How do I know if I’m stuck in outdated beliefs about my condition?
A simple check:
Are you operating from:
Fear-based expectations?
Fixed outcomes (e.g., “this only gets worse”)?
Information you’ve never questioned or revisited?
Medical understanding evolves.
Your perspective should be allowed to evolve with it.
What does progress actually look like in a healing journey like this?
It’s rarely dramatic.
More often, it looks like:
Slightly more energy
Better recovery after stress
Fewer symptom flare-ups
More clarity and confidence
Progress is subtle—but meaningful.
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