by Renée Canada

We are more than overdue for a change in modern Western medicine. Rather than just focusing on the use of pills to block or slow the symptoms that signal disease, we need to start looking at the root causes of disease. This requires a total revolution in the Western model of medicine. It is time we learn from our neighbors in the East and not just focus on the body, but also the mind and spirit, to work toward healing. Instead of looking to just try to “fix” a single ailing body part, this new approach aims to treat the whole person.

As much as the pharmaceutical companies benefit from our dependence on their medications, any of us who have been popping pills regularly for an extended amount of time know there is a better solution out there for us. Most of us are not really getting any better. Our bodies are numbed, but the disease persists and as soon as we stop taking the pills, our symptoms return.

What is the alternative? A possible alternative solution combines conventional Western medicine with complementary treatments, such as herbal medicine, massage, yoga, stress reduction techniques, biofeedback, and acupuncture. It focuses on nutrition and healthy, balanced diet. It encourages staying active with exercise and also learning to listen to our bodies when we need to just stop and rest. Sleep is so crucial for our body’s restoration processes, but so many of us think we can just run our bodies into the ground day in and day out. A recent study reported by NPR, in fact, suggests the more sleep we get, the more productive we are.

As we all struggle to handle increasing stress, both in our external environment and our internal landscape, it is time to look at different ways to approach living our best lives in the modern world. It is time for a MindBodySHIFT. Through this web site, my aim is to share and report Stories of Health, Inspiration, Faith, and Transformation. I cannot do this alone, for I am just one small part of a community of others also looking for positive changes in the health and well-being in lives around the world.

Please feel free to comment and email me stories you’d like me to include, give me feedback, and share links and ideas with each other. I look forward to sharing this journey with each and everyone one of you!

@2010