In today’s episode of “Healing From Within” Host Sheryl Glick welcomes Matthew Edlund M.D. author of his newest book” Healthy Without Health Insurance.” Dr. Edlund is an internationally recognized expert on helping his patients obtain real health- physical, mental, social and spiritual. Dr. Edlund is the Chief of the Center for Circadian Medicine in Sarasota, Florida and previous books include “The Power Of Rest”
“Designed To Last” and “The Body Clock Advantage.”
As listeners of “Healing From Within” know the show is geared to assist us all learn more about our bodies and physical life, our emotions and spiritual influences for developing approaches or solutions to health issues enabling us to make choices for developing a healthier lifestyle. Exercise and movement, proper diet and water, nourishing relationships and the pursuit of hobbies, even having a dog could be ways to regenerate health via thought patterns that foster happiness and wellbeing.
As Dr. Edlund and I discuss our hopes for children and adults alike to embrace new activities and health practices, it becomes clear that active participation in the community can be part of your wellness plan. It is my pleasure to talk with Dr. Edlund about my son Gregg Glick who is an active participant in the yearly fundraiser for www.dogs4diabetics.com. This wonderful association train and place dogs with Type 1 diabetics. The dogs help their owners to monitor their blood sugar levels which is a big part of protecting the health of a diabetic. My son has a gentle and loving helper Trajan, who is part of his plan for managing his Type 1 diabetes and brings so much love to the family. Careful diet, proper exercise, the management of stress, and balancing work and recreational activities along with plenty of rest are ways to also control any health challenge. It would be wonderful if more dogs could be trained and be placed in homes to assist diabetics in maintaining their health.
In discussing the state of American health care it becomes apparent that educating and assisting the population to take more responsibility for their own health is more practical than pouring more money and resources in health care management. We should be fostering forms of preventive means to create healthier individuals, rather than allowing damaging behaviors to escalate into serious health issues such as heart disease, mood disorders,mental illness and other life threatening diseases. People’s health is about lots of factors other than health care.
Dr. Edlund suggests we give up our outmoded Degeneration Model of our physical bodies and mindset that tells us our bodies are machines doomed to break down. The model we should be following is a Regeneration Model recognizing our thoughts and actions assist our cells to continually recreate themselves. We are organisms internalizing new information to adapt and get smarter to deal with old and new stresses to the body and immune system. Humans are a complex ecosystem and have 10 trillion human cells and 100 trillion bacteria in the gut alone. Many bacteria could become pathogens if we did not control them. Our thoughts and our behavior either support or contribute to the breakdown of the body leading to disease and distress or to health.
Dr. Edlund describes the Berkman-Syme studies of the 1970’s that showed people with more social connections had fewer strokes, less heart disease less depression even decreased tumors. We are social animals. The more people we connect with the longer we live.
In talking about the Internet and technology as with all other aspects of our physical life, moderation and appropriate usage is required to maintain healthy normal energy levels.
Dr. Edlund’s book is a thought provoking look at the changing needs of our medical system, insurance coverage, and practical information about nutrition, exercise practices, vitamin supplements and choices improving our work and personal relationships. We all hope to enjoy a good quality of life while learning and practicing a healthier lifestyle. It is possible and it is necessary, and is our individual responsibility to create health for ourselves and those we love. For more information on “Healthy Without Health Insurance” and other books by Matthew Edlund M.D. please go to www.wegethealthy.com |
