07/28/2022
The word medicine is derived from the Latin medicina, which means to heal or restore to health. In modern times, the word medicine is almost always associated with prescription drugs and, to a lesser extent, doctors, nurses, and surgery. While these are important, when medicine is viewed in this way, it becomes reactionary, seeing, and treating everything as a disease. If medicine is really about healing and health, we must begin to view it in a much broader light. Human beings are complex creatures living in a complex environment. There is no magic pill or supplement for much of what ails us. True healing can only be found in the way we live our lives, which includes our relationships, thoughts, and beliefs.
I am not alone in this perspective. The evidence is overwhelmingly clear that most of the chronic diseases we are confronting in the U.S. have roots in the way we live our lives. Despite the widespread availability of pharmaceutical medications, advanced surgical care, and state-of-the-art medical technology, more than 50 percent of the American population is chronically ill.
The biggest health challenge facing us today is trying to figure out how to live a balanced life. I don't mean a life without ups and downs, but rather one that is resilient during change. Resilient people are able to gather their strength and resources to overcome adversity. We're most able to do this when we are physically, emotionally, and spiritually nourished. When women tell me they're too busy to exercise, cook, or make time for themselves, I use it as an opportunity to explore what's truly important to them. Because if you think you're too busy to do those things that will lessen your risk of chronic disease and premature death, I'd say it's probably time to re-evaluate and re-prioritize your life.
I'm grateful for all the opportunities I've been given to taste the fruits of many healing traditions over the years; massage therapy, midwifery, herbalism, Western medicine, or conventional medicine. I believe they have made me a better physician, teacher, mother, and friend. My mind and body were enriched from years of practicing tae kwon do, a Korean martial art. I have found wisdom in the teachings of Jesus and within Buddhist philosophy and have sought to make peace with my shadow self through meditation, vision quests, and ritual. I strive to live without regret and be gentle with my imperfect and evolving soul. During the first half-century of my life, I've learned that my health is deeply affected by my thoughts and beliefs. When I believe that I'm strong and capable and worthy of love, that's what I bring into my world.
