You don’t need to deprive yourself of pleasure or, worse yet, endure pain in order to live a healthy lifestyle. Why do you suppose that so many people find this hard to believe? Part of the reason is often because of disappointing experiences we’ve all had. I believe that many of these failures were likely prompted by poor advice provided by celebrated figures or so called authorities in the health care field. Then there’s the messages that we frequently see in advertisements for nutritional supplements, prescription medications, specialized exercise programs and even surgical procedures. The underlying theme is two-fold: 1) you need to buy something they’re selling in order to lose weight or otherwise regain your health; 2) you can try to do it on your own, but it’ll be very difficult and you’ll probably fail. To that, I say “nonsense”! Read more »

Just because something seems simple doesn’t necessarily make it so. This is a stumbling block that I often see conventional scientists run into when discussing alternative or complementary therapies. How can everyday food possibly be as effective as a medication that’s taken millions of dollars and countless MDs and PhDs to create? Laughter is an enjoyable activity, but it can’t possibly improve cardiovascular health or survival in cancer patients. The very notion that supposedly un-serious activities such as artistic expression, listening to music or practicing generosity and kindness can alter one’s physiology is a difficult pill to swallow for many allopathically minded researchers. Read more »