Health or medicine?

“There’s a war going on in North America between the forces of ‘Health’  and ‘Medicine.’ ‘Health’ is winning, not because it has more money and power, but because the people of North America, and the world, have found out that there is a definite difference between the two—and that it is better to be healthy than medicated. In fact, it is becoming clear that the two are opposites.” —Tim Bolen, consumer advocate

We do not have a “health” care system in this country. We have an accident and disease system. Even for those who receive yearly physicals, it is focused on disease screening more than optimal health. As a culture we do not yet recognize the emotional underpinnings of most of our chronic diseases. We do not yet even acknowledge that the body has an energy system, even though the Chinese have based their entire wellness (and disease treatment) system on the intelligent flow of life energy (although it, too, is being westernized).

We in the west have incredible tools for dealing with trauma care. If you are on the wrong end of a gunshot wound, or a traumatic amputation, or a burst appendix, the care and skill of our surgeons is unmatched. Wellness techniques are insufficient to cope with such medical emergencies.

On a day-to-day basis, though, most individuals are having a real struggle keeping their energy balanced. We turn to caffeine, sugar, alcohol, cigarettes,  drugs, and television for comfort. I met with a group of caregivers recently;  all of them reported feeling depleted at the end of the day! We have a serious energy deficit, mainly because we don’t yet realize that energy system care is what pays the greatest benefits. Without a healthy energy system, we don’t have the energy to exercise! We don’t have the focus to meditate. We don’t feel the emotional freedom to love and forgive unconditionally. And we are so noisy inside, we lose touch with our intuitive guidance and spiritual connection.

It is my intention that over the coming decades we will focus our attention on energy system resiliency, strengthening, and restoration as the primary approach to optimal health. We will learn how foods affect the individual’s energy system in beneficial and depleting ways (which I perceive will be more immediately useful in individualizing food choices). And we will see that much of what we consider “behavioral problems” are really energy system disruptions that can be addressed with approaches like EFT.

I believe that we should see, rightfully, that trauma care is best addressed with intense medical interventions. In this environment tools like EFT,  meditation, and prayer are supportive adjuncts. In other words, complementary.

I believe we should see, rightfully, that wellness care is best addressed with lifestyle, nutrition, and energy system support. If someone feels chronically stressed or fatigued, why are we not using massage, EFT, and coaching to help a person re-balance? Where wellness is lacking, the more dramatic interventions such as prescription medications, surgery, etc., should themselves be viewed as complementary in helping a person transition back to health.