"Why are you sick?" This question, posed in compassion by his grandmother Minnie after a childhood incident plunged him into illness, stayed with Dr. Matthew Budd throughout his lifetime in medicine. As a teacher and physician at Harvard for more than thirty years, he repeatedly asked his patients this question. He found, remarkably, that it often unlocked memories, secrets, anger, resentments, and fears that had played crucial roles in their illnesses.
As he encouraged his patients to reflect on their lives and habitual behavior, they often shifted from being trapped in suffering to designing a life of wellness and profound personal change for themselves, no matter what their circumstances. Their experiences led Dr. Budd to develop the Ways to Wellness program, a nationally acclaimed workshop offered by numerous HMOs.
In You Are What You Say, Dr. Budd presents the principles of this powerful, scientifically validated program that weaves ancient and modern insights into human behavior, neurophysiology, language, and spirituality. One of these fundamental principles is that you are what you say -- your words play a major role in determining, not just reflecting, your health and well-being. He explains how the body "learns" many of its reactions, consciously and unconsciously, through language.
By following the principles in this book, you'll learn about the Ten Linguistic Viruses that damage health and how to combat the ravages of anger, perfectionism, depression, and anxiety by changing the script of what you say to yourself and to others.
"Matthew Budd shows us how to use the experience of suffering as a catalyst for transforming our lives. How we communicate with one another and with ourselves is a powerful determinant of health."
-- Dean Ornish, M.D., author of Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease
"Dr. Budd's lifetime of professionally caring for people has yielded this wonderful synthesis of ancient and modern healing principles. We can benefit by following his profound yet simple approaches."
-- Herbert Benson, M.D., author of The Relaxation Response
"The simple but powerful program described in this book has been used successfully by thousands of patients to reduce suffering and get more out of life. Highly recommended."
-- Steven E. Locke, M.D., Chief, Department of Mind/Body Medicine, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
