Which would you
prefer... happiness or wisdom?
00:00:17.25\00:00:21.95
Keep in mind that learning
is a great pathway to happiness,
00:00:21.98\00:00:25.12
and without wisdom, you could
lose the happiness you've got.
00:00:25.15\00:00:29.42
Stay tuned...
00:00:29.45\00:00:31.26
I'm Dr. James Marcum
00:00:31.29\00:00:32.93
Are you interested in
discovering the reason why?
00:00:32.96\00:00:36.43
Do you want solutions to
your healthcare problems?
00:00:36.46\00:00:39.35
Are you tired of
taking medications?
00:00:39.38\00:00:42.27
Well, you're about to be
given the Ultimate Prescription!
00:00:42.30\00:00:46.06
Have you ever had a doctor
prescribe happiness to you?
00:00:49.75\00:00:52.72
Has your physician ever handed
00:00:52.75\00:00:54.88
you a prescription with
these words written on it...
00:00:54.91\00:00:56.97
"Don't worry, be happy"
00:00:57.00\00:00:59.12
Well I know at
least one physician,
00:00:59.15\00:01:01.22
a board-certified cardiologist,
who believes that both
00:01:01.25\00:01:04.36
happiness and
wisdom can be healing.
00:01:04.39\00:01:06.87
Who is this friendly
and wise cardiologist?
00:01:06.90\00:01:11.83
Well I wouldn't
know about wise, Charles
00:01:11.86\00:01:15.64
But I'd like to
think I'm friendly... Yes
00:01:15.67\00:01:19.19
Before we get
to questions today,
00:01:19.22\00:01:21.86
we've had so many
questions come in to our
00:01:21.89\00:01:24.03
heartwiseministries.
org website,
00:01:24.06\00:01:26.74
and what I like so
much about questions is it
00:01:26.77\00:01:29.71
teaches ME and it
helps serve someone else,
00:01:29.74\00:01:33.40
and when we do that, I
find out what people are
00:01:33.43\00:01:35.99
really interested in and that's
why I like to practice medicine.
00:01:36.02\00:01:40.53
Some people that do television
programs, don't practice.
00:01:40.56\00:01:43.40
You know, they
do that full-time.
00:01:43.43\00:01:45.60
I know one guy out in California
that does it full-time,
00:01:45.63\00:01:49.01
his name starts with "O"
00:01:49.04\00:01:51.69
We don't sell
products, we don't sell goods.
00:01:51.72\00:01:55.46
Unfortunately, we don't have
that big budget either, Charles
00:01:55.49\00:01:58.22
But wouldn't it be
great if we had a big budget?
00:01:58.25\00:02:00.15
That would be
wonderful. Yeah, but anyway...
00:02:00.18\00:02:02.83
we do with what we have. Yes!
00:02:02.86\00:02:04.88
And today before
we answer questions,
00:02:04.91\00:02:07.53
I read this article that I
wrote a blog on, on our website,
00:02:07.56\00:02:12.55
The Campaigner at the USA Today,
00:02:12.58\00:02:15.95
she wrote an
article in September 2013,
00:02:15.98\00:02:19.54
and reported that
Americans are NOT the happiest
00:02:19.57\00:02:23.47
people on earth!
Do you believe that?
00:02:23.50\00:02:25.57
We have so
much! We HAVE so much!
00:02:25.60\00:02:28.15
We live in our big
houses, we drive our big cars.
00:02:28.18\00:02:30.83
We have all this
wonderful junk food to eat,
00:02:30.86\00:02:33.53
why aren't we happy?
00:02:33.56\00:02:34.77
But out of 156
countries, we rank 17...
00:02:34.80\00:02:40.35
This is the second
annual happiness report...
00:02:40.38\00:02:44.16
And I want to talk a
little bit about happiness
00:02:44.19\00:02:46.92
because I think happiness
is important for our chemistry;
00:02:46.95\00:02:50.05
it's important as a
treatment for disease;
00:02:50.08\00:02:52.93
it's important for
prevention of disease.
00:02:52.96\00:02:55.98
But guess what? Out
of all the countries,
00:02:56.01\00:02:58.01
guess what they rank
as the happiest country?
00:02:58.04\00:03:00.13
Guess. I don't know... England?
00:03:00.16\00:03:03.90
DENMARK! Denmark?
Denmark is the one they rated
00:03:03.93\00:03:07.04
the happiest, Norway was #2,
00:03:07.07\00:03:11.07
Switzerland was
#3, Canada was #6,
00:03:11.10\00:03:14.62
Australia was #10,
the United States was #17,
00:03:14.65\00:03:19.52
Japan was #43
00:03:19.55\00:03:21.13
Apparently, being happy
equates with being cold.
00:03:21.16\00:03:24.39
I don't know...
You got Norway, Denmark
00:03:24.42\00:03:27.08
These are northern
places. I would have thought
00:03:27.11\00:03:28.88
some island somewhere...
Well, I would have thought
00:03:28.91\00:03:30.70
like Hawaii...
Some warm, tropical
00:03:30.73\00:03:32.99
island would be the place. Yes
00:03:33.02\00:03:34.75
Now, guess where the
lowest rates of happiness were.
00:03:34.78\00:03:37.15
They were actually in
Africa. in the countries like
00:03:37.18\00:03:40.21
Rwanda,
Burundi, one called Togo,
00:03:40.24\00:03:44.45
that's where it was and a
lot of that had to do with
00:03:44.48\00:03:47.34
the economic situation,
freedom, and social support.
00:03:47.37\00:03:53.74
So this report triggered
some of my thinking again.
00:03:53.77\00:03:58.18
A few years ago... I'm going to
00:03:58.21\00:03:59.95
sing for you again,
but I remember that song...
00:03:59.98\00:04:01.51
"Don't worry, be happy"
00:04:01.54\00:04:04.10
and it had a catchy little tune
and I used to really like that,
00:04:04.13\00:04:07.98
and I began wondering
and I was going to try this,
00:04:08.01\00:04:10.38
and I've actually
tried this in my practice.
00:04:10.41\00:04:12.24
Could happiness
be a method to treat
00:04:12.27\00:04:15.38
different types of ailments?
00:04:15.41\00:04:17.49
Could moving my patients toward
happiness as a prescription
00:04:17.52\00:04:21.88
for cardiovascular disease
help other ailments as well?
00:04:21.91\00:04:25.76
Could the way I treat
people, making them happy,
00:04:25.79\00:04:29.39
if it led them to a
happy state, be helpful?
00:04:29.42\00:04:32.04
Then I said,... Wow, I
need some biblical backup
00:04:32.07\00:04:35.50
before I spend
some time doing this,
00:04:35.53\00:04:37.17
because you know I
like to into the Scriptures
00:04:37.20\00:04:39.16
and prove biblical Scriptures,
the text in Proverbs 17:22
00:04:39.19\00:04:48.20
It says, "A merry heart
does good like medicine"
00:04:48.23\00:04:52.87
So all of a sudden, there
it is, something biblical.
00:04:52.90\00:04:55.18
Now what I'm doing is
I'm hunting for the research
00:04:55.22\00:04:58.44
that proves it;
that looks at people that
00:04:58.47\00:05:00.60
are happy and
people that are unhappy,
00:05:00.64\00:05:02.73
and showing how it
improves their chemistry.
00:05:02.76\00:05:04.47
I still haven't found that yet
but that's what I'm looking for.
00:05:04.50\00:05:07.85
But this text
suggests that happiness is a
00:05:07.88\00:05:12.09
treatment for disease.
00:05:12.12\00:05:13.62
We know, for sure, I
looked at the literature,
00:05:13.65\00:05:16.54
there's a vast amount of
literature that shows that
00:05:16.57\00:05:20.19
negative reaction,
stress, depression, anger, fear,
00:05:20.22\00:05:25.07
that's negative to our chemistry
and that hurts our bodies.
00:05:25.10\00:05:27.98
Well let me get this
straight... Are we depressed,
00:05:28.01\00:05:30.90
and fearful
because we're unhappy,
00:05:30.94\00:05:34.30
or are we unhappy because
we're depressed and fearful?
00:05:34.33\00:05:36.91
Which comes first
here? I don't know!
00:05:36.94\00:05:39.06
Is unhappiness a
RESULT or a motivator?
00:05:39.09\00:05:41.70
We'll have to ask the
chicken which came first,
00:05:41.73\00:05:43.83
the chicken or the eggs. Yeah
00:05:43.86\00:05:45.48
But some the
studies that I did look at
00:05:45.51\00:05:48.78
is there are some studies
that have been done that showed
00:05:48.81\00:05:51.27
that people that are
happy - they make chemicals
00:05:51.30\00:05:54.20
like endorphins - I
think you've heard of that;
00:05:54.23\00:05:56.88
serotonin that helps
the brain stay happy;
00:05:56.91\00:06:00.12
dopamine - that's the
feel good when you eat;
00:06:00.15\00:06:03.17
pheromones - You know animals
talk in pheromones, sometimes;
00:06:03.20\00:06:07.02
and another one
called - pregnenolone;
00:06:07.05\00:06:09.19
all those are
released when people are happy.
00:06:09.22\00:06:11.40
This is making me think
that the happiness comes first,
00:06:11.43\00:06:14.19
and our response comes second.
00:06:14.22\00:06:16.62
If we are HAPPY, we may NOT
get depressed and fearful...
00:06:16.65\00:06:22.76
if the happiness comes first.
00:06:22.79\00:06:25.72
If the happiness is a
result of a hormonal thing,
00:06:25.75\00:06:28.79
a chemical action there, we
need to learn how to be happy
00:06:28.82\00:06:33.07
so that we don't
have the depression,
00:06:33.10\00:06:34.93
as opposed to waiting for
the depression to come along
00:06:34.96\00:06:37.36
and then try to climb
out of it to find happiness.
00:06:37.39\00:06:39.56
Well, I'm listening, Charles.
00:06:39.59\00:06:40.62
I'm finding this exciting
because this is a problem
00:06:40.65\00:06:43.45
that everybody faces.
Chicken or egg - That's right...
00:06:43.48\00:06:45.91
Now I got some more
literature and some studies
00:06:45.94\00:06:49.23
to throw out at you.
00:06:49.26\00:06:50.98
As I've been researching
this, I got the biblical text.
00:06:51.01\00:06:54.99
Now I'm trying to
prove it scientifically...
00:06:55.02\00:06:56.81
we know about all these
healthy chemicals that come up
00:06:56.84\00:06:59.59
more when you're
happy, your chemistry...
00:06:59.62\00:07:01.49
"As a man thinketh, so IS
he" So you think first! Yes
00:07:01.52\00:07:04.36
"Kubzansky" at Harvard suggests
that positive or pleasant
00:07:04.39\00:07:09.58
emotion reduces the risk
of cardiovascular disease,
00:07:09.61\00:07:13.47
so he suggested that and he
has done some research into it,
00:07:13.50\00:07:16.05
and he has shown that
when people are happy,
00:07:16.08\00:07:17.69
it lowers the chance of
having cardiovascular disease.
00:07:17.72\00:07:20.82
I'm thinking it can
help other ailments as well.
00:07:20.85\00:07:23.59
Now if you think about
it, "A merry heart doeth
00:07:23.62\00:07:27.90
like medicine"
So we know that we
00:07:27.93\00:07:29.83
want to be happy.
00:07:29.86\00:07:30.99
We know that a lot of people
don't know how to be happy,
00:07:31.02\00:07:33.79
you know - which comes first,
the happiness or something else.
00:07:33.82\00:07:36.88
I mean, I think
that's a great question...
00:07:36.91\00:07:38.66
But we do know where we
want to go! Yes, absolutely!
00:07:38.69\00:07:41.87
We want to go more
towards a happy state and not
00:07:41.90\00:07:45.04
towards a sad state
and sometimes situations,
00:07:45.07\00:07:48.16
medical problems and
that, can make us have all sorts
00:07:48.19\00:07:51.07
of issues, but
we want to be happy.
00:07:51.10\00:07:53.62
So that's one thing that
I wanted to throw out there
00:07:53.65\00:07:56.10
right up front, Charles -
is HAPPINESS is a TREATMENT
00:07:56.13\00:07:59.30
You know, God
wants us to be happy.
00:07:59.33\00:08:01.58
He wants His creatures
to have fun and be happy!
00:08:01.61\00:08:04.99
He doesn't want us to
be sad and wants us to
00:08:05.02\00:08:07.23
laugh and have a good time.
00:08:07.26\00:08:09.25
There are real chemical
benefits that come with that.
00:08:09.28\00:08:11.89
When you get a good bear
hug, that makes ME feel happy!
00:08:11.92\00:08:14.92
There's chemistry
that comes with that.
00:08:14.95\00:08:16.93
When you do something that's
fun and have a big belly laugh,
00:08:16.96\00:08:20.95
you know how good you feel.
00:08:20.98\00:08:23.08
There's real chemistry
that's released with that.
00:08:23.11\00:08:25.53
Now if we could feel
that way all the time,
00:08:25.56\00:08:28.27
for extended periods of
time, just think how much
00:08:28.30\00:08:31.04
we could improve our chemistry.
00:08:31.07\00:08:32.60
Maybe we could help our
pain receptors so we wouldn't
00:08:32.63\00:08:35.06
be in as much pain.
00:08:35.09\00:08:36.12
Maybe we could
lower our blood pressure.
00:08:36.15\00:08:38.52
Maybe we could eat a little
bit healthier if we're happier
00:08:38.55\00:08:41.68
because, you know, some people
eat because they're unhappy...
00:08:41.71\00:08:44.43
Because of the
dopamine, they want to make the
00:08:44.46\00:08:46.70
dopamine receptors
go up, or this or that.
00:08:46.73\00:08:48.86
Some people take medicines
because they're not happy.
00:08:48.89\00:08:52.37
They think that they
need medicines to be happy.
00:08:52.40\00:08:54.67
Some people drink alcohol
because they're not happy.
00:08:54.70\00:08:57.96
They do a host of all
things, but I want us, today,
00:08:57.99\00:09:00.72
to think about the importance
enough of being happy.
00:09:00.75\00:09:03.67
And as we answer our questions
today, before we do that,
00:09:03.70\00:09:07.02
I'm going to do 7 suggestions
how people can be happy...
00:09:07.05\00:09:10.22
All right, 7 suggestions
for happiness... let's do it!
00:09:10.25\00:09:14.12
#1. And these are
all ways I think people
00:09:14.15\00:09:17.88
can change their
chemistry and we have some
00:09:17.91\00:09:19.76
preliminary data on this.
00:09:19.79\00:09:21.19
Now is this
irregardless of circumstance?
00:09:21.22\00:09:24.00
Yes, this is the way
people are going to be happy.
00:09:24.03\00:09:26.40
If you want to be happy,
these are some things you can do
00:09:26.43\00:09:28.91
#1. Find ways to serve others
even if it's small service like
00:09:28.94\00:09:35.18
smiling or opening a door.
00:09:35.21\00:09:37.14
So I think that can
help you be happy because
00:09:37.17\00:09:39.87
when you help someone
else, you feel good inside.
00:09:39.90\00:09:42.13
Yes you do... You feel happy!
00:09:42.16\00:09:43.62
#2. We've talked about
this one before - Be thankful.
00:09:43.65\00:09:48.46
A thankful heart
is a happy heart.
00:09:48.49\00:09:51.22
So that's 2 things -
you can smile at people,
00:09:51.25\00:09:53.42
you can be thankful - that can
help you on this happiness scale
00:09:53.45\00:09:56.95
#3. Go outside in
nature. I LOVE that one!
00:09:56.98\00:10:02.25
Take a few deep breaths and
feel the air and the sunshine.
00:10:02.28\00:10:06.97
This works for me
- when I go outside,
00:10:07.00\00:10:08.90
I always feel a
little bit happier.
00:10:08.93\00:10:11.52
Camping makes me happy!
00:10:11.55\00:10:13.79
Walking in a
park makes me happy!
00:10:13.82\00:10:16.48
These are things
that make me happy.
00:10:16.51\00:10:17.99
Now, your happiness numbers
may be different than mine,
00:10:18.02\00:10:20.85
but that works for me.
00:10:20.88\00:10:22.42
#4. This works for
me but not my wife.
00:10:22.45\00:10:25.34
Enjoy animals!
Animals make me happy.
00:10:25.37\00:10:29.33
I've never met an
animal that makes me unhappy.
00:10:29.36\00:10:33.05
Now, I've had one that
makes me a little scared
00:10:33.08\00:10:35.33
when they're chasing me,
00:10:35.36\00:10:36.42
but never had one
that made me unhappy.
00:10:36.45\00:10:38.39
So animals - this may mean a pet
... it might be a picture to you
00:10:38.43\00:10:43.00
or even a trip to the zoo.
00:10:43.03\00:10:44.70
Now there are 4 things that
we have that can make us happy,
00:10:44.73\00:10:48.37
at some level, and
improve our chemistry.
00:10:48.40\00:10:50.48
It doesn't cost us
anything. Didn't take a pill.
00:10:50.51\00:10:52.11
Nope - there are not a
lot of side effects for this.
00:10:52.14\00:10:54.83
There are 4 things,
but we're going to do 7.
00:10:54.86\00:10:56.85
I thought we stop at 7 today.
00:10:56.88\00:10:58.67
#5. Make the time to do
something you really enjoy.
00:10:58.70\00:11:03.82
It may be a hobby, it
may be holding a baby,
00:11:03.85\00:11:07.48
it may be going out to eat,
00:11:07.51\00:11:09.42
it may be spending
time with loved ones,
00:11:09.45\00:11:11.46
and don't feel guilty about it.
00:11:11.49\00:11:13.24
I have many people that
come to my office and say,
00:11:13.27\00:11:15.84
"What have you
been doing for happy?"
00:11:15.87\00:11:17.41
That's sort of my
screening question,
00:11:17.44\00:11:18.98
and they don't even know!
00:11:19.01\00:11:20.56
And I want to ask
YOU, what are you doing,
00:11:20.59\00:11:22.59
out there in the
audience, to be happy?
00:11:22.62\00:11:25.13
What are we ALL
doing to be happy?
00:11:25.16\00:11:27.45
What are we doing... are we
actively trying to be happy?
00:11:27.48\00:11:30.34
Or do we just let the
world throw at us what it may?
00:11:30.37\00:11:33.46
Well sometimes, we sort of like
WAIT for happiness to come along
00:11:33.49\00:11:36.47
Where are you happy? I'm
waiting for you, come on!
00:11:36.50\00:11:38.64
So I like to ask my patients,
00:11:38.67\00:11:41.06
and I say, "Make time to do
something that you really enjoy"
00:11:41.09\00:11:43.93
And I go, "What would you do
if you had a half-a-day off?"
00:11:43.96\00:11:46.30
Charles, what would you do
if you had a half-a-day off?
00:11:46.33\00:11:47.89
You've already mentioned...
I would head for the woods,
00:11:47.92\00:11:49.73
I would take my camera out
there and I would take pictures
00:11:49.76\00:11:51.90
of God's
creatures and God's nature.
00:11:51.93\00:11:53.71
That makes me SO happy.
00:11:53.74\00:11:54.81
I've had some people that when I
00:11:54.84\00:11:56.40
bring that question up,
Charles, all they say is...
00:11:56.43\00:11:59.09
they can't think of
anything that they would do.
00:11:59.12\00:12:00.71
That's mainly men,
they can't think of anything
00:12:00.74\00:12:04.73
that they would do to be happy.
00:12:04.76\00:12:06.68
For them, it's work and I
said, "I've never met someone
00:12:06.71\00:12:09.94
85 years old that wished
they had worked another day!"
00:12:09.97\00:12:13.05
They wished they had
done this or their hobby
00:12:13.08\00:12:14.99
or spent time with an
animal or serving others,
00:12:15.02\00:12:17.58
or doing these other things.
00:12:17.61\00:12:19.46
I said, "So find something
that you like to be happy"
00:12:19.49\00:12:22.67
Maybe it's fishing, maybe it's
going for a walk in the woods.
00:12:22.70\00:12:25.30
So those are on the
list, let me add another one...
00:12:25.33\00:12:27.80
Uplifting music - that
always has made me happy.
00:12:27.83\00:12:31.84
I've never seen
uplifting music make me sad.
00:12:31.87\00:12:34.98
It always increases my
endorphins, my serotonins,
00:12:35.01\00:12:38.45
my dopamines, some
of my other hormones.
00:12:38.48\00:12:41.64
Always helps me out when
I listen to uplifting music.
00:12:41.67\00:12:45.01
And lastly, read the Bible and
allow the Creator of Happiness
00:12:45.04\00:12:51.40
to show you the way to
happiness. I like that!
00:12:51.43\00:12:55.48
Isn't that a
great way to end that?
00:12:55.51\00:12:57.18
Read the Bible and allow
the Creator of Happiness,
00:12:57.21\00:13:00.26
the One that
understands it the best,
00:13:00.29\00:13:01.97
to teach you, to worship!
00:13:02.00\00:13:04.14
Now this doesn't sound fancy,
but imagine these suggestions
00:13:04.17\00:13:09.54
if we applied them to our lives.
00:13:09.57\00:13:11.82
Your chemistry would change;
00:13:11.85\00:13:14.02
we might even start
coming up in the United States
00:13:14.05\00:13:16.63
to be like Denmark...
00:13:16.66\00:13:18.76
And you can try these because
00:13:18.79\00:13:20.46
a merry heart does
good like medicine.
00:13:20.49\00:13:22.70
Now I've given
everyone out there 7 things,
00:13:22.73\00:13:25.04
pick one on the
list, do it today,
00:13:25.07\00:13:27.88
and improve your chemistry.
00:13:27.91\00:13:29.90
Find ways to serve
others, even if it's smiling,
00:13:29.93\00:13:32.93
or making someone happy.
00:13:32.96\00:13:34.15
Be thankful - thank someone
for doing something for you.
00:13:34.18\00:13:37.16
Go outside in nature, enjoy
the animals, pet an animal.
00:13:37.19\00:13:41.12
Make the time to do
something you really enjoy.
00:13:41.15\00:13:44.32
Uplifting music and
read the Bible and allow the
00:13:44.35\00:13:47.50
Creator of
Happiness to show you the way.
00:13:47.53\00:13:49.72
I came up with
those myself, Charles
00:13:49.75\00:13:51.23
Those are amazing! I like that!
00:13:51.26\00:13:52.69
Now, I wish I could
get people doing those,
00:13:52.72\00:13:56.37
and say, "Yeah,"
let's measure your
00:13:56.40\00:13:58.21
dopamine level now
and this level now,
00:13:58.24\00:14:00.70
and do a couple of these
things on a scheduled basis,
00:14:00.73\00:14:03.59
and see how you feel.
00:14:03.62\00:14:05.23
Most people don't think
about spending time to be happy.
00:14:05.26\00:14:09.08
It's not on their priority list,
but I think it's very important.
00:14:09.11\00:14:11.31
Absolutely, absolutely!
00:14:11.34\00:14:12.92
Well, one of the things
that makes me happy is to
00:14:12.95\00:14:15.13
answer questions that come
in to Heartwise Ministries.
00:14:15.16\00:14:17.39
I love to show
these to Dr. Marcum,
00:14:17.42\00:14:19.40
and he will have
answers for you...
00:14:19.43\00:14:21.30
heartwiseministries.
org is our website
00:14:21.33\00:14:23.53
So we'll answer your questions
and make us both very happy
00:14:23.56\00:14:25.73
on our return - so
stay right where you are.
00:14:25.77\00:14:27.91