Just this morning I was explaining to a patient that many naturopaths like myself offer much more than recommending healthy diet and herbs for detox and rejuvenation. I went further on explaining that a truly holistic, total approach should include healthy daily regimen. I include in that instruction of techniques such as deep mantra meditation, chair yoga, reflexology and pranayama (breath work).
I explained that to achieve total health, not just the elimination of pain and discomfort, one must do something to achieve that goal. Holistic means a total approach which includes mind, body, and spirit. Creating a clear and sharp focused mind is essential to successful living. A foggy and forgetful mind is only normal when we allow and harbor obstructions and toxins in the brain and body — and this happens on a massive collective scale in the general population. When our diet is fraught with refined foods, excessive sugars and pesticides etc., these create problems like insulin resistance in the brain, as well as the protein webs and tangles common to Alzheimer’s Disease. And of course, consumption of processed foods create or co-create most all health disorders common to humanity.
Indeed, we are what we eat.
So a holistic solution is the ONLY true solution to total health. Unfortunately there are many so called holistic practitioners that are actually alternative in their approach, not holistic. Having written that, there are many good approaches to health and healing. However, as I tell my patients, “ I want you to learn a healthy DAILY regimen to thereby avoid further visits to the doctor or any other health practitioners, including myself. Any yes, staying away from refined foods such as junk food and processed foods is a huge step in that direction.
But what about the effects of stress? We’ve heard for years now that stress is a major problem and should be eliminated.
Well, stress or pressures are in the eye of the beholder? What may be a stressor to one person may be a happy event or thrill to another. I love to give public talks. Yet public speaking is the number one fear to the general public. For me, public speaking is a joy. I love the juice in it. So for my next article I want to explore meditation and how it can me so wonderfully healing to mind and body as well as deepening a connection to spirit.
For questions or comments: heartwest@gmail.com
