Part 3 of The Wisdom of Healing deals with specific health issues. Each chapter defines and describes a specific disease topic, reviews the current approaches of Western scientific medicine, and presents our understanding from the perspective of mind body medicine.
My goal is to demonstrate that the theoretical framework that underlies mind body approaches is very consistent with modern scientific theories. The role of the mind on our physical health has been a tenet of Western medicine since the time of Hippocrates; however, with the rise of modern synthesized pharmacological agents, nondrug approaches have been relegated to a minor and often denigrated status. In this section, I reference scientific studies that support the emerging field of mind body medicine. To some extent this documentation gives Part 3 a more academic texture that is not present elsewhere in the book. Readers who do not feel their needs are served by this more rigorous presentation can feel free to pass over this section, or simply to consult it regarding questions on individual topics. I hope, though, that the great majority of readers will be interested to discover the scientific underpinnings of mind body medicine as it applies to a variety of health issues. For health-care professionals looking to reconcile mind body concepts with the information they received in their training, I hope that this knowledge will be informative and reassuring.
At the end of each chapter, I offer a simple mind body prescription for each condition. Some of the recommendations are generally applicable, because the focus of these complementary approaches is on treating the person, not the disease. Interventions such as practicing daily meditation, following the Body Intelligence Techniques, and maintaining an ideal daily routine are beneficial regardless of the malady one is facing. When utilizing the specific recommendations offered for each condition, I suggest that you try one or two interventions for a month at a time. If you notice some benefit, you can add additional approaches later. Please coordinate any new health-enhancing procedures you are considering with your health provider.
There is no contradiction between mind body medicine and the scientific principles and procedures of mainstream Western health care. I believe that Part 3 of The Wisdom of Healing demonstrates that a consciousness-based understanding of medical issues provides a complementary perspective that furthers the quality of health care in our society. I hope that the information in Part 3 will be of interest and value for all readers, and that health-care practitioners will gain confidence in the validity of mind body approaches for a wide range of maladies.
The Epilogue to the book deals with the experience of death, and with the fear that is so intensely linked with the awareness of our mortality. This is an especially important topic for those who have chosen to work in health care, but it will also, ultimately, be of great relevance to all of us. Unlike many of the medical issues we have considered, death cannot be avoided, but it can in a real sense be healed. To do so is the final challenge, and perhaps the greatest achievement, of mind body medicine and of The Wisdom of Healing.