The Gambles explain why global wellbeing does not THRIVE

As promised, I continue to provide some fascinating insights from all the speakers I heard during the UPLIFT festival in Byron Bay recently. UPLIFT is a gathering of visionaries in science, spirituality, health and sustainability dedicated toward igniting a whole new paradigm of conscious living in the world.

A truly insightful perspective came from Foster and Kimberly Gamble, who are connected to the famous household retail brand Proctor & Gamble. Foster and Kimberly were the producers of the documentary “THRIVE – what on earth will it take” and spoke about their movement at UPLIFT.

The documentary weaves together breakthroughs in science, consciousness and activism with some very interesting research.  It has also been translated into 20 languages and watched by 10 million people in its first year.

The movie inspires global change, by identifying some of the major reasons why society at large is not thriving. Essentially, Foster points to some revolutionary work, particularly in the fields of renewable energy, holistic health and environmental sustainability which are being suppressed from proper commercialisation due to the monopolies held by big corporations.

He also points to several major families, such as the Rothschilds, Rockefellers and Morgans, who control the agenda of governments and these major corporations in order to hold the balance of power. The documentary uses interesting visuals to depict how these manipulative relationships cascade through international organisations such as the World Bank, World Health Organisation and International Monetary Fund, down to the US healthcare , education and food manufacturing systems.

I must admit, THRIVE had a strong “conspiracy theory” concepts to it. But at the same time, it had some insightful research and observations that I have seen in other independent documentaries and did make me question particularly if our global wellbeing is determined by a much larger agenda.

Having worked in major pharmaceutical companies however, I find I have a balanced perspective of not judging any particular party now, but rather focus on what the solution can be for better healthcare worldwide. Producing medicines was certainly not as easy as the filmmakers make it out to be, yet I do recognise there was always a commercial agenda involved. This is one of the realities of any industry and is always a sensitive topic when it comes to healthcare.

Nonetheless, as I am prefer to be a more solution-focussed individual, I was enticed by Foster closing solutions which rightfully said that ultimately we are all responsible for own health and wellbeing and can still make individual choices.

This is the biggest take-away I got from the movie and which you can apply to your life right now, particularly as we celebrate Xmas and a time for gratitude.

In my experience, we have a choice as to learn more about the true causes of our illnesses, before considering multiple medications or extensive surgeries. Sometimes, all it takes is for us to consider our diet, if we are doing enough exercise or even sleeping enough, before looking at other potentially more toxic solutions.

Whilst I did not agree with everything in THRIVE, I did find it to be a thought-provoking piece that certainly providing me with some ideas on how we can improve global health and wellbeing and particularly integrate modern medicine with Eastern therapies in order to bring the best healthcare for people worldwide.

I also do believe that Foster is on the right track by creating a network for collaboration on the THRIVE movement site, as such major changes can also occur through the force of joint effort under a common vision. This is also what I am doing having started the Global Collaboration for Health & Wellbeing a few weeks ago with Australian leaders.

Have you ever experienced anything to indicate that there is a global conspiracy in healthcare?

 

Did you know the latest treatment for heart disease is NOT a drug?

I recently attended the Australian Integrative Medicine Association (AIMA) conference at the Marriot Hotel in the Gold Coast this past weekend https://www.aima.net.au/. It was an extraordinary conference.

It has been a while since I attended any medical conference as my last escapades in this area was when I was working for the ‘big dog’ Pfizer Australia, the largest company in the industry. As one of their Medical Directors, I was always in a position of high regards amongst the attendees, including the top professors and clinicians.

I found the AIMA conference to be quite different as there was a lot less ego than any previous conference I had attended. I am not saying that all doctors in the mainstream are egotistical as that would be incorrect; I am merely stating that at the AIMA conference, there was a great sense of openness, congeniality and camaraderie.

The doctors were also the first to admit how much they didn’t know; rather than hold a position that they were the foremost expert in specific area and it was either ‘their way or the high way’.

This conference was also unique in that it combined conventional Western medical practitioners with integrative, holistic and alternative health practitioners such as acupuncturists, energy healers, Ayurveda experts, naturopaths, herbal medicines and many other diverse areas of expertise.

It was clear that there was an emphasis on doing what’s best for the patient, irrespective of what therapeutic modality or drug is being used. There was also an emphasis on non-drug approaches, in the interest of reducing potential side effects to patients.

Among the highlights was listening and connecting with Dr Robert Schneider (on the far right in photo), a world leading cardiologist from the Maharishi University in Iowa, USA who demonstrated that one of the approved treatments for heart disease is meditation.

This is a phenomenal step as scientific research now demonstrates that meditation can make a significant difference in preventing heart attacks. It has even led to the American Heart Association adding meditation to the official clinical guidelines for the treatment of heart disease.

Dr Schneider also explained how specifically ‘Transcendental Meditation’ has gained a significant following worldwide with various other studies that prove its benefits in increasing creativity, focus and concentration as well as reducing stress.

This issue is particularly close to my heart (pardon the pun) as only 2 weeks ago, my father had his first heart attack. Naturally, my family and I were quite devastated and I flew back from Sydney to be with him in Kuala Lumpur. I had to take a flight back as soon as I heard, I am sure any family member would do the same if they could.

Whilst he was being plugged away with complicated medication regimes and even more complicated set of diagnosis, I felt grateful that I could be there to help my family understand the consequences of the predicament and the varying opinions from all the experts.

I have to say that I was very grateful to the doctors and nurses who were calm and I was also impressed at how they all emphasized the need for positive mindset and energy, rather than stressing on the drug treatments. As a result, I thought my father some meditations techniques and we did them together.

As a former clinician, I felt this to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The Buddhists and Hindus have known for thousands of years that meditation has tremendous benefits for all aspect of our physical health, not just cardiac disease.  I am sure that over time, western medicine will catch up , as it is doing now.

Dr Schneider has authored the book ‘Total Heart Health’, which combines modern cardiology with the Maharishi Vedic approach to Health. Based on his outstanding lecture at the conference, I would recommend this book to anyone with heart disease or even anyone concerned about their health and energy.

The basis of ‘Dosha type’ is very powerful, and understanding your dosha i.e. factors that influence your mind-body connection can make a dramatic difference to the foods you eat, how to treat stress and how to regain balance in your life.

If you have a bit time, I strongly recommend you go online and find out what your Dosha type is….whether it is Vata, Pitta or Kapha mind-body type and you may find answers to health problems you may have been experiencing for years.

Have you had any experience with alternative treatments like Ayurveda?

What are complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) and where does energy medicine fit?

Several years ago, as a UK medical practitioner and also a senior figure in the pharmaceutical industry in Australia, I was relatively naïve about complementary and alternative medicines. As a matter of fact, I felt that anyone that sought help from a complementary or alternative medicine practitioner was wasting their time and money and it actually made me quite frustrated.

Over the years, my viewpoint has matured significantly, mainly due to my growing understanding of these therapies, the science behind how they work and most importantly, the actual benefit that I have experienced and seen others experience first-hand, particularly when working with the body’s energy system.

As such, it has become my personal mission (and that of my organisation, Energesse) to educate people everywhere on the role of such therapies and how they can heal and transform everyday lives.
Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) are a group of diverse medical and health care systems, methods, and treatments that are generally considered separate from mainstream Western medicine. Complementary therapy is used in combination with mainstream Western medicine, whilst alternative medicine is used instead of conventional medicine.

Energy medicine falls into the category of CAM, and it includes a whole gamut of therapies that work on the body’s energy system – one of the main methods is Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The increasingly used term ‘Integrative medicine’ combines mainstream western medicine and CAM therapies where there is significant evidence of safety and effectiveness.

The World Health Organization estimates that between 65% to 80% of the world’s population (about 3 billion people) rely on CAM as their primary form of health care (Reference 1). Scientific evidence exists regarding some CAM therapies, for many there is a need for more scientific trials.

Organisations such as the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicines in the US, the Royal London Hospital for Integrative Medicine in the UK and many others around the world are researching these practices using rigorous scientific methods and building an evidence base for them. It is important work as in the United States alone, approximately 38% of adults (about 4 in 10) and approximately 12% of children (about 1 in 9) are using some form of CAM. (Reference 2)

Most people don’t realise how methods of Complementary and Alternative Medicines there are:

  • Acupuncture
  • Ayurveda
  • Biofeedback
  • Chelation therapy
  • Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation
  • Deep breathing exercises
  • Diet-based therapies e.g. Atkins diet, Vegetarian diet
  • Energy healing therapy/Reiki
  • Guided imagery
  • Homeopathic treatment
  • Hypnosis
  • Massage
  • Meditation
  • Movement therapies – Alexander technique, Pilates
  • Natural products (nonvitamin and nonmineral e.g. herbs, enzymes)
  • Naturopathy
  • Progressive relaxation
  • Qi gong
  • Tai chi
  • Traditional healers – Botanica, Native American healer/Medicine man, Shaman
  • Yoga

In the past decade we have seen methods like acupuncture, osteopathy and homeopathy move more into mainstream Western medicine and become part of the Integrative Medicine movement. It will be interesting to see how many more complementary practices become absorbed into the Western mainstream in the next decade. This will be an exciting and progressive change.

Have you ever tried a form of Complementary or Alternative medicine? What was your experience like?

References

  1. Alternative Medicine Online http://library.thinkquest.org/24206/facts-stats.html
  2. National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine – for the National Institutes of Health http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/2007/camsurvey_fs1.htm