Integrative Wellness… A New Model For Well Being

Although it may seem we are bombarded with news, statistics and recommendations to improve our health, it is something we rarely think about until we have signs that we are not healthy … a cough … a lab test with high triglycerides, a persistent pain. I realized that I did not know what healthy felt like other than the absence of symptoms. So what’s a proactive person to do?

Recently I have shifted my focus to the second half of the phrase “Health and Wellness”. I’ve heard the term often, but never really thought about what it meant and had to Google it. This is one definition that I found: wellness is the interactive process of becoming aware of healthy choices and practicing them to create a more balanced lifestyle. Our state of being changes frequently. Sometimes I wake up happy and then hear bad news that saddens me. I will go on a long hike, only to feel sore and tight the following day. These fluctuations in our state of being are a normal part of life, so why wouldn’t wellness be an interactive process?

Traditionally, medical doctors have been the primary line of defense for our health concerns. But why do we expect our medical doctors to know the specific benefits of meditation, when we wouldn’t expect our meditation teacher to treat our health issues?

As we shift focus towards becoming aware of healthy choices and learning how to practice them, we find ourselves supported by a team, each skilled in their own area of expertise. This is the concept of integrative wellness … a team of professionals, each of whom is trained in either conventional medicine or complementary modalities — those tools and techniques (for example, meditation, massage, and yoga) which can be safely used in conjunction with conventional treatments.

The resulting powerful concept is an individualized network of support tailored to your specific health concerns. A person with high blood pressure may seek support from a cardiologist and a meditation teacher, while someone overweight may seek support from a nutritionist, a personal trainer and a hypnotherapist. Shifting focus to wellness acknowledges that one symptom may have multiple aspects to it, so the quality of support we receive becomes more holistic, meaning we each are more than today’s symptom.

By now, you may be asking how to begin. First, tell your doctor you want to be active in your wellness, and ask for suggestions. With that suggestion in hand, try the Camarillo Health Care District’s long list of classes including Meditation, Reiki, Reflexology, Qigong, support groups, screenings, workshops, and private sessions. The district offers unique access to skilled professionals trained in conventional or complementary modalities through its diverse spectrum of services. Reasonably priced, lots of options, skilled professionals, one location … how much easier could it be?
 

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- by Meenal Kelkar, Meditation Facilitator, CYT, CPRYT
- published in the Camarillo Health Care District’s Healthy Attitudes, April – June 2009 issue