Reality Based Medicine

I propose a new term called “reality based medicine” in order to more accurately describe what’s really happening in and around us as human beings.  If one of the smallest known components of our universe is the atom (I won’t get into subatomic particles) and we know that an atom can “appear” as either a particle or a wave, then we as human beings must also have this characteristic of dual appearance as particle and wave.  Is this not logical?

The energy medicine paradigm allows for this and in fact embraces it as part of its foundational principle, which is that we are energetic beings.  All of the “alternative medicine” systems incorporate this energy component in one form or another.  Isn’t it time that we as physicians caught up with the rest of the world?

My main criticism of “evidence based medicine” is the fact that the main supposition is that we are all the same.  Of course, everyone knows this is not true.  So how can smart people like doctors and researchers make this error?  I believe it comes from microfocusing on what can be proven statistically at the expense of what can be incorporated realistically by everyday people.  It’s one thing to say a certain medication is good for your heart, it’s quite another to say that same medication is going to force your body to do something it was never designed to do.

This is one of the greatest pitfalls of modern medicine.  I believe if people have more complete information about what’s going on in their bodies and the consequences of only following the evidence based medicine route, they will be able to make more sound decisions for their own individual situation. (I want to make it clear  that I think evidence based medicine is valuable and provides useful information. I just think it should not be the only factor used in medical decision making and healthcare choices by parents and patients.)

This can be further illustrated if we look at the example of how a child learns.  It is well known that kids learn differently.  Some are more visual, some auditory, some kinesthetic or feeling oriented, and this influences how they are best able to learn.

As a practicing physician in pediatrics, I have seen countless examples of all three.  Would it make sense to make all kids conform to learning in one way only?  Of course not.  Then why would we allow the same strategy to reign in the field of medicine?  It doesn’t make sense.  We should be striving to individualize treatments, not designing one  protocol and expect it to fit everyone.

-This is Part 1 of an excerpt from “Energy Medicine Principles for Parents: A Pediatrician’s Perspective on How Energy Medicine Can Help Your Child” published in May, 2009.  Part 2 will be posted soon.