Happiness at UW

This past Wednesday, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to a group of PA (Physician Assistant) students here in Madison at the University of Wisconsin. They were an enthusiastic group with great questions about my holistic practiceand my approach to health and healing.

One great questions was this: How do you convince your patients that your therapy or technique is the best -- how do you get them to use more holistic therapies?

My answer: I don't. In fact, I don't even like the word “holistic medicine.” My approach is incredibly practical. There are times when prescriptions are needed, and times when herbs would be a better option.

Let me give you an example.  A patient named Frank comes into my office. He is suffering from fatigue and exhaustion. Upon discussing his case, Frank reveals that his sleep is poor and that his day always starts off poorly.

So my approach is to help Frank understand his sleep better. I teach Frank about the sleep cycle – he learns that his sleep cycle is 90-120 minutes long and that if he wakes up at 5am feeling good and rested, he should get up immediately and not rest for another 30-45 minutes or risk falling into deep sleep (and eventually waking up again feeling grumpier and more disoriented).

Frank tells me that he never wakes up at 5am and sometimes doesn't even hear his alarm clock. So I tell Frank that if he drinks 2-3 glasses of warm water before bedtime that he will definitely wake up – and that when he wakes up at 5am or 6am with a full bladder, that he will feel more rested, more energized because he is well-hydrated.

I also tell Frank that is he wakes at 5am and really does need another 30 minutes of sleep that he should drink 3 glasses of warm water before returning to bed. When he wakes on his own 30 minutes later he will be much more alert and feel happier.

These are the kinds of simple therapies that we teach. Frank may not need prescription medications to help him make it through his day once he learns to begin his day feeling rested and energized. I simply teach therapies that have worked for myself and for others - whether they be "holistic" or "conventional."

While this is a very simplified example, it does show that simple therapies and suggestions can make a profound difference in your health. And this is what is needed in all areas of medicine.

Thank you to the University of Wisconsin PA program for having me come and discuss holistic therapies.  

Blair