editor of Prevention (Anne Alexander writing), I will be introducing an increasing
number of natural ways in which we can improve our health. To start, I have invited Dr.
(Andrew) Weil to share his ideas on how we can maximize our healing power.
Andrew Weil, MD: In my view, health is a state of balance. It is the balance between the
body's healing system and whatever outside stresses we come across. On a day to day basis,
optimum health is that inner resilience that allows you to come into contact with millions
of germs every day and not get an infection or to be exposed to carcinogens and not get
cancer. It is what enables you to recover from illnesses or injuries or to handle ordinary
stresses without throwing your digestion or blood pressure out of whack. Over time, it
means not getting heart disease or cancer in middle age or being crippled by diseases like
arthritis in later life.
AW: It is my belief that the body wants to be healthy, that this is our natural condition,
and that we have a healing system that brings us back to health when we get out of
balance. And sometimes we do get sick. That's normal! Perfect health isn't possible. The
reason we can recover is that we have a healing system. It is an automatic process that
starts immediately when there is any kind of breakdown in the body. For example, think
about the last time you cut your finger. You didn't have to go to a doctor or a healer.
Your body just automatically reacted and, in a few days, your finger was healed.
That's the body's healing system in action; it is happening at all levels in the body all
the time.
AA: That's very interesting. Is the idea of a healing system your own theory?
AW: No! It's as old as Hippocrates. Today, he is known for only one of his admonitions to
doctors ("First, do no harm"), but he also had another very important piece of
advice: "Honor the healing power of nature" or vis medicatrix naturae. Healing
is a natural power that, unfortunately, is completely overlooked by conventional, Western
medicine. No one at Harvard Medical School ever mentioned it to me or my classmates, and I
doubt that too many professors are sharing it with their students today. That seems to me
to be the single greatest defect of modern medicine: We don't encourage the body's own
healing potential.
AW: Of course I'm not against doctors! I am a doctor! I object to medicine that makes
people believe that they are helpless when, in fact, they have an amazing capacity for
health and healing. Also, I object to the fact that medicine today is so disease-oriented.
Too often we focus only on treating problems once they exist. The primary role of doctors
should be to teach people how not to get sick in the first place. The word
"doctor" comes from the Latin word for "teacher."
AA: Okay, so teach me. How can I develop the healing system in my body?
AW: First, you have to develop an awareness of your body's own healing system, then you
have to develop habits that encourage your body's health and healing.
Dr. Weil's 10 Ways to Maximize Your Natural Healing Power
Harvard-trained physician and integrated medicine leader, Andrew Weil, MD, recommends the
following to help you achieve optimum health.
1. Develop awareness of your healing system. Think about your own healing experiences.
Focus your thoughts on how your body was able to heal itself, with or without outside
treatment.
2. Switch to olive oil. Buy a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil and use it as the main
source of fat in your diet. Cut down as much as possible on your use of saturated fat,
polyunsaturated vegetable oils (except for expeller-pressed canola, which is fine for
you), and trans-fatty acids ("partially hydrogenated" fats).
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Because researchers continue to identify more and more
protective compounds in fruits and vegetables, eat the real thing. Don't be misled into
believing you can get all the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables by taking a
supplement that just contains the isolated compounds.
4. Develop your breathing. Turning your attention to breath moves you naturally toward
relaxation and meditation.
5. Walk every day. You cannot enjoy optimum health if you are sedentary. My advice is to
walk at least 45 minutes a day, five days a week.
6. Spend time in nature. Connecting with nature is a simple form of meditation that takes
us out of our routine and keeps us from being too focused on our thoughts and emotions.
7. Supplement wisely. Take supplements that fit your lifestyle and health history. For
most people, I recommend a daily routine of the following in these specific amounts:
1,000 to 2,000 mg. of vitamin C two to three times a day
400 to 800 IU of vitamin E
200 mcg. of selenium
B-complex with at least 400 mcg. folic acid and no more than 100 mg. B6
1/2 regular aspirin (162 mg.) with food unless you are allergic or have a bleeding ulcer
8. Cut down your intake of toxins. Drink only bottled water or install a water
purification system in your home. Eat organics and local produce whenever possible.
9. Learn about tonics. Tonics are natural products that increase the efficiency of the
healing system and help to neutralize harmful influences. Some of the most powerful tonics
include garlic and ginger (eat more of them), green tea (drink instead of coffee), and
ginseng (good for people who lack energy or vitality).
10. Seek out positive practitioners. Be sure that your health care practitioner has faith
in your ability to heal. Do not regularly see a doctor who thinks you cannot get better;
the beliefs of healthcare practitioners strongly influence your healing power.
http://healthyideas.com/report/980520/ Compiled 11/13/98 LadyCatheann for Radiant Growth Center pages.
LIGHT, LOVE, HEALTH, AND ABUNDANT JOY
Catheann ladycatheann@hotmail.com
"Energy is Eternal Delight" - William Blake
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