I’m often asked what I and my colleagues actually do at the NHS Centre for Integrative Care.
Here’s a 20 minute video where I explain what Integrative Medicine is. This is based on a talk I’m giving to GPs next week so the intended audience is health care professionals but I thought anybody might find it interesting or thought provoking…..I hope it is!
In essence I think Integrative Medicine is a holistic approach to health making, and my understanding of health and illness is framed by the lens of complexity science, or, specifically, through the lens of the Complex Adaptive System.
José Mujica, Uruguay’s president acts very differently in power from most of the world’s leading politicians. He lives in a one bedroomed farmhouse instead of the Presidential palace, and gives away 90% of his monthly salary.
He is described as the world’s poorest President but he rejects that description preferring Seneca’s teaching about poverty – “It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” He most refreshingly rails against hyperconsumption and waste pointing out that
We can almost recycle everything now. If we lived within our means – by being prudent – the 7 billion people in the world could have everything they needed. Global politics should be moving in that direction but we think as people and countries, not as a species.
This is such an important point which is almost never made by our politicians. Global population is doubling every few years and shows no sign of stopping. Just how is that sustainable? Can we keep growing the population by that much, and all keep pushing for “growth” (by which we mean great consumption and accumulation) and not hit a wall at some point? Isn’t the Earth finite?
But I especially like his last point there – that we think “as people and countries, not as a species”. We need to start living as if we are species, not isolated groups trying to beat each other, dominate each other, exploit each other.
Watch this for THE most coherent and convincing exposition of this case –
He also makes the excellent point about our enslavement to the market –
I’m just sick of the way things are. We’re in an age in which we can’t live without accepting the logic of the market,” he said. “Contemporary politics is all about short-term pragmatism. We have abandoned religion and philosophy … What we have left is the automatisation of doing what the market tells us.
Halévy says all this too in his publications. He challenges us to ask what’s the purpose of our current socio-economic system and who does it serve? Go on, ask yourself, read around a bit, and see what answers you come up with.
Both Halévy and Mujica focus on the need for quality instead of quantity. Halévy uses the term “frugality” and Mujica says “prudent” but neither are setting out the case for a worse life. Quite the opposite, they say we should concentrate on getting more quality from less consumption, and in so doing, create a sustainable way of life on this little planet.
The Heartmath technique involves recreating a positive emotion – not just remembering a positive event, but actually feeling the feeling again.
When I found this project from “soul pancake” it struck me that they were making little “heart math” moments in the street. Watch the video. It’s delightful, and I’m pretty sure it will make you smile……
……and remember, to flourish, you should try to have a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative feelings/experiences each day.
Emeli Sandé sang a beautiful version of Read All About It, Part III at the closing of the London Olympics, and the line “we’re all wonderful, wonderful people so when did we all get so fearful?” has been running through my brain ever since.
(I’ve embedded the video link here, but you’ll see the Olympic Committee insist you go watch it on youtube….go on, click the link…it’s worth it!! The lyric in question comes in at the 2 minute mark….)
Sometimes you find a video which is astonishing in its clarity and impact. Here’s what might be THE best health video I’ve seen so far.
I urge you – take 10 minutes and watch this. I really believe it could change your life.
Nice little article on the School of Life site about the relationship between compassion and circulating levels of oxytocin.
It references Paul Zak’s talk on TED.COM.
It appears that there’s a relationship between our oxytocin levels and how much compassion we experience. Of course, as with so much neuroscience, this can’t be described as simply cause and effect but the correlation is still an interesting one.
I particularly like the concluding recommendation about how to increase your oxytocin levels –
To make a decision to raise the level of oxytocin in our bodies – Zak’s prescription is “eight hugs a day” – and reduce, say, levels of the stress hormone cortisol, seems as conscious a moral choice as giving to charity or embracing a religious creed. And if the outcome is the same, then let’s get hugging now
Never mind your 5 a day veggie and fruit portions – have you had your 8 hugs today yet??
Probably one of the best ever examples of how its the photographer not the equipment which makes a great photo. Stunning shots in this little video, and a great story too. Watch it and be inspired!
This is one of the most inspiring, funny and moving TED talks I’ve seen so far.
Brene Brown’s qualitative research has led her to conclude that one of the most important issues for human beings is connections – we need to be connected, to belong, to love and be loved. This need for connections is the basis of our feelings of vulnerability, and that vulnerability can be the basis of feelings of shame, of feeling not good enough, not deserving of love or connections.
She found that well, “whole hearted” people, feel just as vulnerable as those who feel anxious or depressed by their vulnerability. The difference is in how they handle it. Many people choose to numb out these painful feelings, but in so doing, they numb out ALL their feelings. The whole hearted recognise vulnerability and painful feelings as part of reality. They acknowledge and accept them, but focus on personal authenticity…..anyway, check out this fabulous talk, enjoy it, and make up your own mind.
I welcome constructive criticism and suggestions. I will not, however, tolerate abuse, rudeness or negativity, whether it is directed at me or other people. It has no place here. ANYONE making nasty comments will be banned.
Heroes Not Zombies 