145 Happy

What’s the connection between open heart surgery and the Chinese word for happiness?

Dean Ornish discusses with ShaoLan how his expertise in the operating theatre led him to look at a much more holistic view of treatment for patients, trying to treat the causes of problems rather than simply “bypass” them. The Chinese word for “happy” is 開心/开心 which can literally be translated as “open-hearted” and Dean Ornish proposes that perhaps being “open-hearted” in this sense is a much simpler and more effective route to good health than needing to have your heart opened for you by a surgeon! Who knew that ancient Chinese wisdom was so cutting edge?!

The word 開 means open and 心 means heart, so 開心/开心 means “open-hearted” or “happy”!
More information about Dean Ornish’s research is available at www.ornish.com.