Dr. David Simon is a busy man. Between conducting the individual medical consultations at the world-renowned Chopra Center and developing and implementing new guest programs, he has written several books including Return to Wholeness: Embracing Body, Mind, and Spirit in the Face of Cancer and Vital Energy: The 7 Keys to Invigorate the Body, Mind & Soul. Dr. Simon focuses his practice on integrative medicine, incorporating ancient Indian Ayurvedic traditions with Western medicine.
Melissa: How do you think the field of preventative medicine will change over the next decade?
Dr. Simon: I think that people are increasingly recognizing that both their physical and psychological health has a lot to do with their day-to-day choices in life. The current model says that people are molecules, if something is wrong with them there is something wrong with their molecules, and so we treat them with pharmaceuticals. If we’re feeling depressed it’s not because we’re in relationships that are less than nurturing, it’s because we’re not producing enough seretonin. The problem with this approach is that it is very helpful in treating the symptoms of the illness, but not the origin of the problem. The most powerful pharmacy on earth is not Walgreens or Rite-Aid, it’s the human body. By consciously engaging in choices that are health-promoting we can awaken that internal pharmacy.
Melissa: Since you personally consult with many of the guests at the Chopra Center, do you find any repeating concerns or conditions?
Dr. Simon: There are two primary times in people’s lives when they tend to look for a more holistic approach: One, is when they have an on-going symptom, which is not well understood or treated by Western medicine. We see many people with problems such as IBS, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue . . . these are conditions that are very disabling to people. We find the mind/body approach can be very effective in reducing symptoms, because people can be active participants in their own healing journey.
Two, when people are facing life-threatening illnesses, particularly cancer. Many people still feel that they want to have some contribution toward their own healing and recovery. Currently, patients are almost seen as a container of cancer and all of the current medical approaches are trying to kill the cancer without taking into account the effects a person’s mind/body/spirit may have in the healing process. We see many people who are basically asking, “What can I do for myself while I’m going through this healing process with cancer?” We find that with meditation, diet, exercise, communication skills, yoga, and natural nutritional supplementation, people can often be partners in their own healing process.
Melissa: What is the number one health behavior or practice that would most positively benefit most Americans?
Dr. Simon: Some form of meditation, learning to quiet their mind for at least fifteen or twenty minutes a day. The physiological changes associated with stress ultimately contribute to almost all the diseases we’re facing in this society. If you look at the physiology of meditation, in many ways the physical changes that occur are exactly opposite those that occur during the basic stress response (blood pressure lowers, stress hormones lower, heart rate slows down, breathing slows down).
There seems to be this built-in mechanism for people to chill-out and get centered. But most people do not know how to do this. They drink a few beers or a glass of wine or watch T.V. But none of these things are as effective as learning to quiet the mind. Twenty minutes a day, close your eyes, follow your breath, watch your thoughts but don’t get engaged in your thoughts. By doing that, your body will be healthier, your mind will be clearer, and you’ll end up coming up with more creative solutions to whatever you’re facing at that particular time.
By Melissa B. Williams
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