Pathway to Vitality - Entrenched
This series of blog posts examines my personal journey to health after being diagnosed with a progression of chronic health conditions.
Entrenched
What do I mean by "entrenched"? Conforming to the conventional approach.
Following the conventional medical approach is what most of us know. It's the progression of the medical establishment over generations in our country. Our parents probably followed traditional medical wisdom, and taught us to do the same. This way is easy, or at the very least, it typically offers the least resistance – insurance pays for it, a pill will cure it, your parents did it that way, your friends had the same experience, etc.
Initially, I followed this conventional healthcare approach, utilizing prescription medication to suppress my symptoms. At the time, I thought this was moving me along the path to healing. Suppressing symptoms when you're hurting is a fantastic feat! However, I know now that this approach delayed identification of the underlying cause and kept me on a path of declining health for much longer than necessary. Using pharmaceuticals is absolutely appropriate, but only for a time as you work on the underlying root causes of the health condition.
Fortunately, my frustration with illness and the conventional medicine approach put me on a personal journey that eventually led me back to greater health. This new view of the path didn't come easy, nor quickly, for me. I want to help you learn from my experience. I have formal training in medicine and still managed to stay entrenched in conventional medicine, though that was not the best pathway to vitality.
What's Next
We'll look at the 5 stages in my journey and reflect on how those relate to the general pathway to vitality. Also check out our in-depth articles on preventing and healing chronic diseases utilizing a Functional Medicine approach.
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Wishing you good health!
Mike Woodley, R.Ph, FAARM, FMNM