I have a new husband. He has taken on the job of making my morning tea. In fact, he is so good at it that I have come to believe that I’m no longer the best tea maker, even though I taught him the art myself.

Loose leaf tea makes the best tea. After soaking the leaves and plunging the french press, my loving husband pours the hot, steamy liquid into a pre-warmed cup and adds almond milk and stevia or honey, tasting while stirring. Sometimes I have the opportunity to watch him in his ritual and sometimes he brings it to me wherever I am – laundry, bedroom, or even out back. He always presents it with a huge smile and pleasant sounds like “mmm… try this…”

Now, I realize how fortunate I am to have a tea connoisseur as a partner. More importantly, I have a connection, a confidant. Even if the tea weren’t tasty, it would still be good because of the delivery.

Research is readily available to show that cardiac patients do better if they feel loved. Children are more likely to have health problems as adults if they have been raised by a parent–especially a mom–who is distant and strained. Chronic diseases are far less likely if you were raised in a three-generational household. One study that involved injecting a virus in many patients found that those with greater social connections were less likely to actually get sick. Research also solidifies that empathetic doctors (those who create connections) will have patients with lower A1c numbers, better IBS outcomes, shorter cold duration, etc. Research collaborates happiness, job satisfaction, etc. with those who have more social connections.

Keep in mind that the rituals you have with your children, partner, and family members enhance your connections. Tea rituals have been used in many cultures for connection. Your rituals may be different and can be anything that create connection and health.

Doctor’s orders: Make tea or your own ritual and connect to improve your health.

“Mindfulness” has become a popular word, but what does it mean, exactly? Here are some thoughts that have been proposed as definitions:

Being aware
Taking time
Making space for yourself or for another
Listening to your own feelings
Being okay with what comes to mind

Mindfulness is all these things. Recognizing our feelings and sensations, and learning how they resonate in our bodies, is mindfulness. Making the connection between cause and effect is mindfulness. Seeing things for what they are and accepting that we cannot control everything are mindfulness.

I often ask my patients unusual questions, such as, “When was the first time you felt [a certain way] and what were you doing right before you felt it?” Or, “What is the sensation of pain that you feel?” Some patients have not considered these questions, and may be caught off guard by them. They may be difficult questions for some patients to answer. Many patients feel strong sensations but get caught up in the symptoms without stopping to consider the connections to experiences or lifestyle.

There was a gentleman in my office who suffered from ADHD, low energy, and sleep disturbances. He improved after a regimen of herbs, homeopathy, and nutrition changes. However, there was one symptom that seemed too stubborn to improve – his red throat. His throat seemed angry without cause. For some reason, there was an obstacle to healing for him. I asked him to consider the things that he was having difficulty swallowing and about which he was unable to speak. Receptive to the idea, the gentleman went home to consider my questions. He reported back that anger was the dominant emotion he was experiencing and that he was unable to speak of. Once he made this breakthrough, we were able to resolve the symptom of his red throat.

It takes mindfulness to know ourselves, connect the physical to the mental and the environmental, and to find the tools that will help rejuvenate our health, balance, and wellness.

1. More Treatment Options
Journey of Health Medical Clinic offers more treatment options than traditional medicine. At a typical doctor’s office visit, you will be given one treatment option (maybe two), and usually treatment will consist of a drug. In our clinic, patients often walk out with a treatment plan consisting of 3 – 5 parts, and may include diet advice, herbs in the form of teas, tinctures or pills, lifestyle changes, water treatments, supplements, and handouts to answer our most common questions.

2. Less Expensive Care
Journey of Health Medical Clinic offers less expensive treatments. In our clinic, we are very sensitive to financial needs. We will always offer less expensive alternatives when needed. Many treatment options, such as teas, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, diet changes, and lifestyle changes, cost very little to begin with.

3. Less Need for Surgery
Treatment in our clinic reduces the need for expensive surgical procedures. We can offer non-surgical options that often bring about lasting results. We can still refer for surgery when needed and can help the patient get through the surgical and recovery processes.

4. Decreased Prescription Drug Costs
Journey of Health Medical Clinic can lessen the cost of prescription drugs. Our nutritional supplements and botanicals are less expensive but effective for medical problems. Many of our patients discontinue their prescription drugs since they no longer need them. We also reduce the costs associated with drug prescriptions. About 2% of drug prescriptions result in hospital admission and adverse reactions are the fifth leading cause of death in the US. In our clinic, we help identify nutritional deficiencies caused by drugs and work with the prescribing doctor to change the drug for those who experience adverse effects. Our treatments have a much better track record of avoiding serious and costly reactions.

5. Identifying Cause
At Journey of Health Medical Clinic, we address the cause of illness and eliminate expensive ongoing care. By treating the cause of disease, we eliminate the need for repeated, expensive, ineffective symptomatic treatment. We use state-of-the-art diagnostic testing, thorough discussion of history, and complete physical examination to diagnose the underlying cause of symptoms.

Like most teachers, I love to see the thrill of that ah-ha! moment in my students. I am able to open a whole new world to them. The general public really is curious about the history of natural medicine. We do some brain stretching and deep thought about the many philosophical evolutions of health, most of which stem from the teachings of Hippocrates.

Students also love the take-home tools they get in the class. Many of my students have some understanding of natural medicine but do not understand how to apply it to day-to-day life or how to reap the long-term rewards.

There really is a lot to learn. I provide an incredible amount of information to my students. They tell me that there is a lot to absorb – different philosophies, history, homeopathy and its uses, hydrotherapy, nutrition and finding the right diet, immunology, unusual labs, herbs, the difference between the wellness and disease models, temperaments, effects of stress and stress management, herbs, etc., are all topics I discuss in class.

My goal is to introduce these concepts, but since we’re only able to scratch the surface, every class reports that they want more (regardless of how overwhelmed they may feel with the info already provided).

In my class, we show respect for all modalities so we can openly discuss how pharmaceuticals and surgery can co-mingle with food, homeopathy, herbs, and more. Not only do we emphasize treating the whole person and the cause, but we also explore the Doctrines of the Naturopathic Profession, which include the Doctrine of Dual Dose, or the idea that all treatments have an immediate as well as a lasting result. My aim is to achieve healing in both instances, without side effects.

I am always happy to hear back from my students; both nurses and the general public report back to me a year after the class ends. The experience of learning new tools and a new philosophy changes their lives. Often times, my class changes the way my students carry out their careers. As one student told me, what a shame it would be for someone to miss out on my class simply because he or she didn’t know about it!

I remember the thrill I felt when I discovered naturopathy. It was like I had found a secret to health and an art that put together the tools to treat the individual. Passing on naturopathic philosophy is my job – Doctor as Teacher is another tenet of naturopathy. I am quite excited, indeed, to hear that so many of my students can find the tools that empower them in achieving good health.

If you’re interested in attending one of my classes, simply contact my office to be added to our class mailing list.