The way we decide to live in this world, or our philosophical outlook, is what we would call our “paradigm”. We are talking here about the actual framework, our blueprint, that we choose to follow when making our daily decisions. Our health – whether it be mental or physical – is very much linked to our paradigm.
Let me explain…
If we choose to believe that depression is a “chemical imbalance” – a very much pharmaceutical industry constructed idea – then we will make sure to take our daily antidepressant medicine in order to be happy. Now if we believe that our mental health is very much linked to how much daily exercise we get, our daily nutrition, our attitude, our friendships, the types of books we read (or don’t read), etc, etc, then we will ensure that we are living our “whole” life in such a way that allows good emotional health to flourish.
Both are paradigms – one that believes our mental health is completely separate from anything else we do and another that believes that everything we do has an influence on our emotional well being. The main thing to understand here is that the philosophy we choose to accept in our life is what determines the types of actions we will live out. What is the old Biblical saying, “As a man thinketh, so shall he be”?
Look at China. Basically up until the 20th century pretty much every disease/ condition was treated successfully with natural medicines, as well as healthy lifestyle adjustments… Period.
I find that truly amazing! We are talking here about some serious problems like diabetes, colitis, asthma, irregular menstrual bleeding, eczema and psoriasis – all being treated through natural medicines, diet and exercise alone. Folks that is without the use of any western pharmaceuticals at all. The most amazing thing is that these disorders were actually treated successfully, many case stories exist in the literature to prove it.
Now wait a minute, you say. Many of the conditions I listed are deemed “incurable” by western medicine. People with those conditions will have those conditions for life and will need to be treated with steroids or even surgery! Well folks, again our “paradigm” defines our health. If we chose to believe that a steroid is the only way to treat eczema, then that is what we will use. Plain and simple.
After years of struggling with eczema, asthma and hay-fever, my wife Gillian came to a place of needing to just “accept the fact that I have allergies and that that is who I am”. Her paradigm was that nothing could help her condition and that she just needed to accept her fate. When I tried to encourage her to try Chinese medicine, as it was truly something different, she was very reluctant – basically because her paradigm believed that nothing could help her condition. Well, as many know, Gillian eventually changed her mind (after a good year of convincing) and gave Chinese medicine a try – a paradigm shift that ended in a very good way with her eczema still clear 10 years later!
So what is your paradigm in relation to your health?
Dr. Trevor Erikson, June 16, 2011
Copyright © 2019 Dr. Trevor Erikson