During April, when we celebrate Earth Day, we focus on “green living” for our external environment. Our bodies are our internal environments. No doubt our external environment affects the health of our internal environments. But what can we do for our internal environment that will make a difference not only in our own lives, but also be helpful and sustainable for our world for generations to come?

At Patients Medical, our new Spa and Wellness Director, Christina Morris, is an expert in Green Medicine as well as a Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist. She and I brainstormed these 4 ways you can incorporate Green Medicine into your life today.

 

1. Preventive Care – I invite you to include acupuncture, nutrition, herbs, massage and chiropractic in your healthcare regime. By doing something each day – no matter how small – to de-stress, boost your immune system, maintain the structural integrity of your spine, or eat pure and natural food with clean water you will increase your overall health and vitality. When you do this, you will notice your medical expense s going down and your quality of life increasing exponentially. This saves energy, reduces the amount of pharmaceuticals in our water supply and supports your local businesses whose practitioners offer these services.

 

2. Using Botanicals/Herbs – Synthetic pharmaceuticals are often becoming more of a threat to the body and the environment through their production, over-prescription, and introduction to our sewage system creating toxicity in our plants, animals and water supply. When you choose more natural alternatives such as herbs and botanicals, you will find that they alleviate symptoms just as well as pharmaceuticals. And they go beyond simply masking symptoms and actually help your body heal and balance from the inside out. Consult an herbalist for a treatment plan customized for your medical condition.

 

3. Nutrition (Non GMO/GE Foods) – Your mother always said that you are what you eat. And if we all eat genetically engineered food, won’t we be a world full of genetically engineered people? There are many aspects of genetics research that help advance the medical field, for which we can be grateful, however genetically modified food should not be consumed. Buying from local farmers that use natural and eco-friendly ways to raise crops and livestock is the best place to start your food shopping. Many groceries and health food stores carry certified organic produce that is guaranteed to be safe from genetic modification.

 

4. Find the “Root Cause” of a Symptom and Treat It - Too often medicating an illness improperly can create other illnesses, causing chronic diseases, immune issues, mental and psychological disturbances. Partner with a holistic doctor or practitioner who takes time to listen to your concerns, do a complete panel of tests, explain the results to you and give you a range of options including lifestyle changes, nutritional upgrade, herbal and nutritional supplements, acupuncture or other alternative therapies, using pharmaceuticals only when absolutely necessary. Green Medicine is about unifying healthy ways for the overall good of our internal AND external environment. Take these steps to help save the environment, plants, animals, water, our own health, as well as the health of our families and children. Partner with a holistic practitioner or doctor and green your health regimen today.

 

Written by:

Rashmi Gulati, MD, provides innovative, individualized health care that nurtures mind, body, and spirit. Since 2004 she has been the medical director at Patients Medical, where she delivers comprehensive personalized health care, treating each patient as a respected, unique individual. Through their integrative health care center in the heart of Manhattan, Dr. Gulati and her colleagues have become premier care providers serving patients locally and throughout the world. For more information about Patients Medical call 347-269-4762 or visit www.patientsmedical.com

 

Get $25 off your initial consultation fee when you come in for your Green Medicine evaluation with Christina Morris, L.Ac., Dipl.O.M., Reflexologist and Maya Abdominal Therapist or one of Patients Medical’s integrative medical doctors before April 30th, 2012.