New Age, Alternative,
Metaphysical Publication
Aquarius-Atlanta.com

Healing

Healing article continued next page, click here!

It was necessary to heal my soul and achieve self-awareness and self- love in order to heal the metastatic melanoma and all the dysfunctions of my life. Meditation and self awareness are now a way of life and incorporated into healing others and preventing disease.

I also researched a variety of immune enhancing and anti oxidant/toxin Chinese herbs and began taking Chinese adaptogenic tonics. I experienced a miraculous spontaneous remission. I went on to attend Andrew Weil's Associate Fellowship in Integrative Medicine through the University of Arizona School of Medicine and became formally trained in the Holistic approach to healing.

This experience gave me first hand knowledge of the shortcomings of traditional medicine. We cannot simply heal a disease. We must heal a person. Most diseases are prevented through lifestyle adjustments. We as physicians must accept that education about nutrition and prevention of illness is a healing in and of itself. We must realize that without a firm knowledge of the patient we cannot heal. We cannot heal in a ten minute acute care visit. We can only write a prescription, we can only ameliorate a condition. Questions revealing the strengths of the patient and the struggles in their life are an important diagnostic tool. For these contribute to healing and illness respectively and are every bit as revealing as a scope up a colon or a MRI in obtaining a clear picture of the cause of illness and the best cure.

Science is a necessity and if I am in a car accident take me to the trauma team at the nearest hospital. However, today as a physician, I do not define health in terms of the absence of disease. I have learned that is but a beginning. Health is a state of well-being, joy, and the achievement of full potential. (The problem with full potential is that, like a dysfunctional family, you don't know about normal until you are out of abnormal). Full potential and health as I speak of it, includes peak exercise capacity, mood, intelligence, love and purpose. In addition, health is the realization of essential beauty inside and out, together with the ability to fully feel and appreciate the beauty. Every human has the ability to heal his or herself and achieve this state of health. A physician who wants to heal needs to offer the patient options other than drugs and surgery in healing and prevention of illness. Today I am a physician who not only offers this but also considers healing a guide to full potential in health.

Dr. Christine Gustafson offers Integrative Medical Services for treatment and prevention of illness at DeWitt's Heart & Cholesterol in Alpharetta. Call Diane for appointments at 770.521.2155.