For much of human history, ethical (道德的) behavior has been guided by the Golden Rule: do to others as you would have them do to you. But the rule is imperfect. What you want in a given situation may not be what another person desires at all.

In the medical field, making or influencing choices for others can make all the difference. Such choices impact people’s quality of life and even their chances of survival. As health care becomes more individualized, the time seems right for a new ethical guideline—the “platinum (白金) rule” proposed by professor Harvey Max Chochinov: do to others as they would want done to themselves.

Chochinov describes this principle in his essay published last year. He begins with a story about a health crisis affecting his sister Ellen, who was severely disabled. The care doctor, after seeing her twisted (扭曲的) body, was weighing whether to insert a breathing tube when he asked Chochinov a strange question: Did Ellen read magazines? “The question was frightening.” Chochinov writes, “this was not an attempt to get to know Ellen … but rather a way to decide if hers was a life worth saving.” Ellen read widely and enjoyed many simple pleasures of life, but the gap between her life as a person who uses a wheelchair and the doctor’s sense of what he would want in her situation was too vast to be bridged by the Golden Rule. “That’s when judging from where you stand what another might need or want begins to break down,” Chochinov explained.

Time is a limited resource in the health-care system, and there’s no denying that getting to know a patient as an individual means investing additional minutes or hours. Still, Chochinov believes such investment is cost-effective. There are benefits for doctors as well. “When they emotionally connect to their patients, they do a better job.”

In certain cases, doctors may find it hard to apply the platinum rule. But there is value in the effort: at the very least, their trying to work through it will ensure that they have sufficient modesty about the wisdom of their choices.

Stephen Hawking, the world respected Oxford physicist, who died at the age of 76, once said he felt “lucky” his motor neurone diseasc (MND) did not prevent him from doing his lifelong research on the origins of the universe. “I have been so lucky that my disease has not been a serious block, indeed it has probably given me more time than most people to search for knowledge.” he once said.

The author of the 1988 bestseller A Brief History of Time was given only a few years to live when he was diagnosed (诊断) with MND as a 22-year-old student in 1964.

MND is the collective name for a group of diseases that affect the nerves (神经) in the brain. The progressive disease kills more than half within two years and about ninety percent within five years of diagnosis. There is no cure for MND and no treatment to halt the progression of the disease at the present time. However, it is possible to live with it for many years.

The disease affects the muscles that produce movements like walking and talking, and damages parts of the nervous system which leads to muscle weakness. MND most commonly happens to people in their 50s and 60s. However, it can affect people of any age, as in Prof Hawking’s case.

Experts believe that Hawking’s rare slow-progressing form of MND and its early onset were likely to be factors in why he was able to live with the disease into his seventies. Leo McCluskey, a medical director, said his excellent care and the variation (变异) of his disease are likely to have prolonged his life. “The common way people die is of breathing failure. And the other thing is swallowing muscles’(吞咽肌) becoming worse. If you don’t have these two things, you could probably not live for a long time — even though you’re getting worse. What’s happened to Hawking is just surprising. He’s certainly an outlier,” he said.

The holiday season can bring much joy, but it can be a challenging time for keeping your health and fitness. Between the added pressure of social events and opportunities to overeat, it’s all too easy for you to throw in the towel, resolving to get back on track in the new year.【小题1】

This time of year is meant to be enjoyed, but too many of us lose sight of that and spend a lot of time beating ourselves up for celebrating. Enjoying seasonal treats is OK, so let go of those feelings of guilt. You know those cookies Mum baked with love? No need to deny yourself. 【小题2】 You can eat one or two without eating a dozen. Remember, you are happily-not guiltily making decisions.

Stay satiated so you don’t arrive hungry at holiday events. If you’ve ever tried to grocery shop when you were hungry and ended up with lots of unhealthy snacks in your cart, you know why this is sound advice. If a possible, eat a healthy meal before heading to a party. 【小题3】

Whether it’s the effects of shorter, darker days and increased schedule demands or family related anxiety, the holidays can have a bad influence. Added stress can result in poor decision making, stress eating and physical tension. 【小题4】 Carve out a few minutes day away for gratitude. As little as five minutes of this mindfulness practice each day can lower stress.

Too often during the holidays, we spread ourselves thin keeping up with work and daily life responsibilities while also meeting the season’s demands. It’s important that you give your body and mind the time and rest needed to recover each night.【小题5】 To adequately process those holiday meals and avoid picking up a seasonal sickness, you need to prioritize rest.