GLOBAL MEDICINE - REVELATIONS ABOUT EASTERN MEDICINE FOR A WESTERN HEALTHCARE CRISIS Cindy Mason, Ph.D., CMT www.21stcenturymed.org State Certified in Acupressure, Health Education Future Health Technology Institute www.fhti.org Copyright, 1996 © Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc.

One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something. Henry David Thoreau

The Bad News FIRST (because there’s lots of GOOD news after this) “Recent studies indicate that only half of the patients in this country receive optimal therapy based on the available medical evidence. This sub-optimal care results in sub-optimal outcomes in the form of preventable deaths, unnecessary morbidity, distressing experiences for patients and their families and excess expense at a time when the cost of health care has become a major burden for the country. “ Source: John Hopkins 2006 VHA Research Series Report

The Good News Health Providers and Insurers are becoming more open to new solutions Patients are open - they often use alternative therapies, sometimes integrating them with conventional Many successful new tools are cheap and are imported

We are Witnessing the Globalization of Health Care in the U.S. Health practices from all corners of the globe have reached American shores, and we have an opportunity to benefit, reaching goals. Best practices from other cultures - things that have worked for centuries often costing very little by comparison, fill in the gaps of our current system. We must be humble and aware of the strengths and weaknesses of our current system in order to improve it.

Cultural and Social Aspects of Health and Healing Healing is not just about medicine Dying is not just about medicine Cultural Beliefs, Family, Personal, Religious Environment, Relationships, Work, Home Community, Story Telling, Love, Trust

Eastern Medical Philosophy Practitioners Use Relations As Central Idea Patient and Healer (very important) Person and Environment, Community Feelings, Mental Occupations, Body, Spirit Food and Blood, Organ Relationships (e.g. Liver, Kidney, Spleen) Breath and Body, Breath and Mind, Herbs Support Organ Relations, Each Other Practitioners “support the health of the patient” not “fight germs” or “fight disease” - a different approach.

Eastern Health Modalities - Philosophy and Practice Treatment and Diagnosis Emphasize Individual Care Herbal formulas address individual needs such as other conditions, family history, mental and emotional state, is adjusted and checked as needed Self Care is a Large Part of this System: Responsibility of health falls on the individual much more so - Self Care is part of everything: food, movement, internal development practice such as meditation, acupressure Old culture: Families live and pass down houses located where herbs grow that support genetic tendencies of disease that occur in a family

Eastern Health Modalities - Philosophy and Practice Nature Inspired Models of Health, Disease, and Treatment Herbal treatments rely on roots, stems, seeds, leaves, berries, flowers or animals picked at special times in special locations for their medical properties Movement therapies based on imitation of animals, awareness of the Earth’s electromagnetic field, seasons Life is based on Change and Living Systems must Move and Flow to be Healthy

Eastern Health Modalities Philosophy and Practice A Practitioner’s Core Beliefs About Life Include the Idea that Organs, Fluids, Emotions and Everything About A Person Are Constantly Changing, Moving - Things that are ALIVE, move - have life force (QI). When change or movement is reduced or blocked, this creates conditions ripe for disease Patient is constantly changing: sleep, feelings, fluids, relationships, reaction to herbs, ability to function, etc. Practitioner creates Herbal Formulas and Self Care Direction dynamic in response to Change and Flow - frequently see patients every 3 days, or 1xweek. Diagnosis/Treatment include terms like Excess/Deficient, Dry/Damp, Heat/Cold, Increasing/Decreasing Self Care Exercises prescribed to increase flow or remove blockage to flow, increase or decrease fluids, etc.

In the West Excellent diagnostics of the body Pharmaceuticals, surgical methods Awareness of Public Hygiene and Clean Water

In The West - Science and Health Care are Partnered In Western Culture, Reality must be measured. Decade of the Brain Research gave us the technology and the philosophy to discover and understand health and the disease process as it relates to the mind. Inventions like FMRI, allow us to “see” thoughts and feelings, to measure changes in brain chemistry like never before. The experiments with FMRI and meditation, acupuncture, visualization, etc. give us the proof we need to have confidence in going forward with integration of medical practices from other systems of healing. However, knowing the mind plays a role in health can change many aspects of our health care system and culture as we now know it. In eastern terms, the heart and mind are one concept.

Positive Scientific Experiments and Historical Evidence Show Eastern Medical Practices WORK In Universities and Research Settings NIH, NIA, Harvard, U Wisc, etc. In practice Hospital Settings, Clinics, Comm. Ctr

Proposal for the US Health System: A Marriage Between East and West India has educated physicians to work with both systems China has both systems, but not so integrated as India German national health insurance now covers acupuncture

APPROACH FOR THE US: Focus On Self Care Blind to SocioEconomics/Location No insurance necessary Cheap Quality of Life (40 Million Chinese Can’t Be Wrong) Emotional Aspects Engages Individuals Helps Overburdened System and Practitioners Shifts Health Responsibility More to Prevention and to the Patient EMPOWERS PATIENTS Requires little immediate change to Physician institutions or education

SELF CARE IS A SHIFT in POWER and RESPONSIBILITY When you’re sick and can’t find help, you become a big fan of self help. Patients are “the little guys” Practicing self help as prevention is a shift from your health being in control of the big healthcare systems to power being in the hands of the little guy. Trend is occurring in many areas of our lives: web 2.0 phenomena, video, music, etc.

PROPOSAL: Integrate Self Care into American Healthcare and Communities Insurance Industry as Partner Media - Newspapers, Magazines Community - Program Directors, Hospital Directors, Medication Centers Movies

MOTIVATION AND CHANGE John Hopkins’ medical identified 3 key ingredients for change in a medical system: Motivation: personal stories and “liking someone” inspire WILL - how you look at a patient matters, sincerity matters Commitment: Medical Staff, Patient Partnership Resources: Tools, Material