Why not Integrative Health? Medicine for today, not yesterday.

There is a rise in chronic disease which is stressing the healthcare system beyond capacity, because our healthcare system was designed for the infectious disease and acute-traumas of the 20th century. We have done so well in overcoming acute trauma and infectious disease that we have shifted the nature of human disease, illness, and morbidity. We no longer die of cholora and smallpox. When there is an accident, there are machines that keep us alive until we can get back on our feet. Today, it is lifestyle, and danergous environmental factors that trigger many genetic conditions, that ultimately determines how long each of us lives. Yet we continue to look for answers for autism, cardiac disease, diabetes, and depression and so many other chronic conditions with the tools of 20th century healthcare, despite having 21st century tools at our fingertips.

Take ADHD for example. According to integrative health specialists, early childhood trauma disrupts the organization of the brain stem, causing symptoms mimicking ADHD.

We are living in a world where we are increasingly subjected to global traumas (politically, environmentally, and otherwise) in a way humanity has never had to face before, beyond the scope of the family and community unit. If one of the most frustrating childhood diseases is a result of envrionmental factors mixing with genetic predisposition, the end result will only be an increasing number of ADHD and autistic spectrum children.

So my question then becomes, when will be move towards an integration of all the systems of health and wellness designed to treat these conditions? Will it only be when we have destroyed our planet and in the process, ourselves, because we cannot accept that we are from the earth, and to the dust we shall return?!?!? We have the power to create our environment. We have proven that over and over throughout histroy. Lets create an evironment that we can live in and listen to our bodies for the answers. As a massage therapist, I have learned to do that. And from my experience, our bodies are already screaming out the answers. You just have to listen and learn the language.