OUR HEALTH AS A WHOLE
Natural therapy has a view of health as a whole: of course we must take care of our health at its source, the body. However the field of human health could not be complete without accounting for the health of the mind as well, since they are both interacted and interdependent.
A complete program is necessary to realign ourselves with the requirements of our own nature. First we need to address our physical health with a complete and balanced nutritional program and exercise. Then we need to address our mental health with awareness, self-development, and with calming and self-reflective practices such as yoga, prayer, meditation, etc. It means we should search to develop harmonious relationships and feel content with our inner selves and the life & choices we have chosen.
The nature of human health can only be articulated as a coherent whole upon the synchronization of both these aspects of health. They are both components of human nature and should work together in completion and harmony.
We have previously documented how deficiencies of essential nutrients and toxicity in foods can lead to physical deterioration and therefore to a departure from health. We have seen that by supplying the body, as much as we can, with the tools of nature (such as chlorella), we trigger its own natural healing power. We build a layer of protection for its defense against diseases and stamp out the harmful effects of junk food, cigarettes and other toxins.
We have seen that, according to Chinese medicine, smooth emotional interactions largely depend on the health of the liver. By choosing better quality food and by reducing excesses, the process of purification can be triggered, enhancing biological functions and cleansing blood. Simultaneously, as stored poisons carried for years start to get discharged, and as the body regains its normal state of health, physical and emotional symptoms can start to fade away. As the blood that flows throughout the body becomes cleaner, so do the mind and thought processes. Tastes, perceptions, actions and choices start evolving in a subtly more positive way. Rather than being distorted, they become more self-enhancing.
The absence of pain, illness or disease is the definition of being healthy.
Health and energy are natural physical state because this is how most of us came into this world (of course each person is determined by their genetic makeup). Without health it is more difficult to fully enjoy the pleasure coming from any other accomplishments.
Taking the time to examine the possibilities of attaining that natural state is in itself a progression towards mental health. Our mind connects us outward to the social and natural world in which we live, and inward to all the parts of our body.
The better we take care of our self, the more self-respect and contentment we are able to attain.
According to Adler, the essence of mental health is when our sense of belonging and our feeling of constructive contribution to the well-being of the whole of which we are a part (self, family, humanity, nature, life) are satisfied.
If we are unsuccessful in our quest to reach contentment, we may be willing to let someone provide us with guidance.
If you are open and searching to learn, we have included below links to Brian Tracy's extraordinary work. We particularly recommend him as a worldwide acclaimed master of personal achievement. He has been teaching thousands of people strategies and skills on how to reach success in various areas, including parenthood. You can go to:
Physical problems have physical solutions, and mental problems have mental solutions. They can all be solved by reaching a deeper level in the field they originated from and by operating from that level.
When we embrace the essence of each component of our nature, we can maximize our possibility of achieving wellbeing, harmony and peace of mind, all of which are the basis of health in its wider sense of wholeness.
We periodically recommend books relating to both physical and emotional health and we hope they can be helpful to further your knowledge of having a longer, more enriching and happier life.
Below are some of the books we highly recommend that may lead you toward making these positive changes:
This extensive and profound landmark nutrition book by Paul Pitchford, "Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition" reveals a wealth of botanical information and "brings together authentic traditions of Asian medicine with current Western research on health and nutrition to create the most detailed sourcebook available on planning and preparing an optimal diet."
We highly recommend this authoritative source on East/West health and nutrition, completely revised and updated. It is one of the best books ever written on the benefits of whole foods for overcoming degenerative diseases!
Mr. Pitchford also directs the Wellness Center and the Asian Healing Arts & Integrative Nutrition Programs at Heartwood Institute near Garberville, California. (www.heartwoodinstitute.com)
The Self-Healing Cookbook covers the essential foundation of a healthy and balanced diet, based on macrobiotic principles. It covers the beneficial properties of an array of different foods and has detailed suggestions on how to prepare them. Explanations on the seasons in which we should focus on particular foods to respect the biological rhythm of the body also make this book very useful and appealing.
The role of fats and oils (technically called lipids) in human nutrition has received considerable attention in recent years. Newspapers and magazines are filled with articles about dietary fat; radio and television talk shows feature spot announcements about fat. A lot of misconceptions and important facts are revealed in this book.
A recognized master of Tai Chi gives step-by-step instructions on the ancient art of Chi Kung--Chinese medicine in a physical form. Readers discover how practicing Chi Kung can prevent and treat a wide range of ailments by strengthening the immune system, improving concentration and memory, regenerating the nervous system and more. A gentle yet profoundly beneficial form of exercise which requires very little movement, this form of Chi Kung unlocks deep reserves of energy. It builds health and internal stamina, strengthens immunity, relieves chronic illness, and promotes the natural regeneration of the nervous system.
Designed to promote feelings of peace, calm, safety and support; reduce anxiety and stress; encourage health, hope, confidence, balance and optimism. To help face any stressful situation, or for general anxiet.
Susanne Antonetta writes with a poet's precision about the almost unspeakable series of ills that have assaulted her health: cysts on her ovaries, a divided uterus, endometriosis, rampant thyroid tumors, a quadruplet pregnancy (no fertility drugs involved) that ended in miscarriage, and manic-depressive illness treated with the wrong drugs until she was in her 30s. She lists the toxic substances that were leaked into the air, ground, and water by the chemical company, nuclear power plant, and nuclear missile bunker near her family's summer home in Holly Park, New Jersey.
