This is the FOURTH of 12 Core Healing Principles that form the foundation of my healing philosophy.
They are not only aspirational, but ones that I actively cultivate in my daily interactions with each and every patient. Your health, wellness and vitality are important to me. I have actively sought out healing traditions and studied with some of the elite masters in the fields of Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, Naturopathy, Tantra and Yoga.
HEALING PRINCIPLE #4
TREAT THE WHOLE PERSON (“Tolle Totum”)
Classical Chinese Medicine treats the person not the disease. This is not just axiomatic or “new agey” fancy jargon. Treating the whole person is always at the root of any classical treatment protocol in the vitalist Chinese Medicine naturopathic perspective. We treat THE PERSON that has the debilitating migraine headache or that is suffering from a chronic disease with a multitude of ailments. Specifically, the underlying tenets of classical Chinese medicine have evolved over thousands of years; it is evidence-based documentation of formulas, points, patterns, signs and symptoms according to unique theories, history, and cultural vantage points of a dynamic holistic belief system that looks to heal on multiple levels. These classical physicians documented their findings and medical classics and canons emerged during the various dynasties and time periods to document prevailing ways to treat dis-ease according to System Differentiation and Pattern Diagnosis where we look at the pulse, tongue, history, physical and emotional proclivity, heredity etc to uncover patterns that play out in the terrain of the patient seeking treatment.
Symptom relief is only part of the picture
It is not that Western labs, numerical values or protocols that only treat specific symptoms or body parts are irrelevant or unimportant. There is a place for all medicine, and important pieces of scientific information, especially in acute trauma care or emergency situations. However, in the age of digital technology where we increasingly look only to results of techie measurements and not the underlying cause of distress, we are only treating at a very simplistic manner. Symptoms or patterns may alleviate for a time being, but then come back in stronger form or advance to other areas of the body in inexplicable ways as suppression or repression eventually finds expression. Side effects of medication or misdiagnosis and wrong treatment are detrimental and harmful to the patient and can cause more aggressive imbalances over time. Sometimes what once worked, just stops and more nuanced and holistic measures are needed.
Why wait til all hell breaks loose?
Patients often come to me when they have tried everything else. This medicine is powerful and comprehensive and we can treat advanced states of disease but it more time consuming and expensive at this point, and unfortunately, we still have a ways to go in terms of insurance coverage of Acupuncture which often treats our medicine as a modality or one symptom only which is very Western-oriented in evaluation and appreciation. This is unfortunate and does a dis-service to the scope and breadth of its capacity. Chronic conditions may take longer to achieve meaningful results, and yet relief is possible even in dire situations as debilitated systems align themselves in harmonic resonance. Healing does not always mean complete cure, and cure does always mean actual healing. However, patients often report feeling better and having more awareness and control of bodily systems and begin to participate in their own health and underlying causes of imbalance. Peace and understanding provide profound insight and cellular healing, not to mention meaningful ways that can have ripple effects to family, friends and all within their sphere of influence. Seeking holistic systems of health early on is not only more cost effective and sustainable, it avoids harmful side effects and long term care issues that come when something could have been treated more gracefully and efficiently early on.
How disease manifests @ Chinese Philosophy
Classical Chinese medicine sees disease as manifesting through a complex interaction of internal and external causes such as lifestyle, environment,emotional and mental states, toxins, constitutional elements, psychological and behavioral influences, in addition to more global patterns like weather, or astrological or planetary influences. The quality of a person’s Shen (roughly “Spirit” ) is also an important factor to consider and its cultivation and connection have various meanings and underpinnings.
Let Go and Let God(dess)
A Chinese medical physician may address many acute or time sensitive conditions under a short series of treatments but when we address the whole person, it is the whole complex of symptoms that improve together, in addition to the acute or nagging ones. What is healing in the moment can take on many forms and vantage points and a holistic landscape allows for all systems to be engaged according to body’s own innate intelligence. By getting out of the way, we allow the healing force within the patient help us decide how best to apply the wisdom and depth of this ancient medicine. With increased meaning and power, participation and integration of medicine enlivens all systems and awakens the spark of life. Medicine can be an internal awakening to what is more tenable and accessible as we gradually allow the shifts of imbalance to re-work themselves into a more cohesive and sustainable whole. Sometimes what is in our best interests is outside our direct vantage point. Let Go and Let God so they say.
Chinese Medicine Physicians Treat the Underlying Vitalistic Yang Qi
The Chinese medicine physician treats a person’s vital underlying yang qi, and a prescription might entail a set of non-invasive measures: e.g. treatments to deal with sleep, energy, digestive problems or pain; counseling or ways to engage a better life balance to deal with a stressful job or family situation; and changing water or mineral intake to deal with the dehydration and digestion, or even a walk in nature, or a breathing exercise.
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My healing philosophy and core beliefs and principles around what is possible to achieve in the body-mind-spirit complex have evolved over many years of ups and downs of experimental and deeply connected personal struggles with health, plus the clinical applications of natural medicines in medical school, and the importance of actual integration of natural truths into my own life and ever-evolving professional career as Doctor of natural medicine. I am continually inspired and motivated by the courage and love of my patients, clients and friends who hold universal and natural laws so close to their Heart and Being.
The Acupuncture Healing Clinic of Asheville – Dr. Loop, OMD is now offering Integrative Acupuncture and Custom Chinese Herbal Medicine Formulations, Ayurvedic Treatments, One-on-One Medical Qi Gong Training, Comprehensive Medical Care & Treatment and much more. If you’re dealing with stress & anxiety, depression, insomnia, digestive or immune issues, infertility, migraines, back or chronic pain or another health problem, Please call me – Dr. Loop, OMD. “I am here to help you heal.”
