To me, the most backward thing about the “modern” healthcare system is the emphasis and value of reactive care vs. proactive care. Insurance often does not cover naturopathic, natural, holistic and/or preventative care. Instead the dollars go towards allopathic care which often addresses issues only after they have been detected.
Growing up, my family followed traditional Chinese medicine practices and emphasized balance in the body, used certain foods to counter the indulgent qualities of others and followed lifestyle practices that supported the body. When we were sick, we minimally used pharmaceuticals and instead focused on herbs and soups. We believed in the intelligence of the body, and we focused on partnering with it to achieve health vs. trying to overpower it when things fell out of line.
Mental and emotional health cannot follow the same exact principles. However, I see some parallels in how I approach my own and my clients’ healing.
- The body is absolutely intelligent, and partnering with our bodies and brains to heal makes more sense than trying to overpower them.
- Balance is the objective. It is not about never having challenging moments but to find ways to come back to center.
- Being proactive means examining our inner worlds regularly, not waiting for something huge to happen before addressing
Of course, much of what I do is reactive as I have decades of experiences to examine. But, I take these learnings and bring them into my parenting.
How we see our bodies is fundamental to how we heal. How do you see your body?
