Moving beyond the tomorrow syndrome

Moving beyond the tomorrow syndrome

Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old medical system from India, has stood the test of time. This medical science integrates all aspects of health — physical, emotional, spiritual, relationships, career, environment and life’s purpose.

by Michelle S. Fondin — 

As Westerners, we are so fortunate to live in 2015. Technological advances are moving at a lightening pace, communication is more instantaneous than we ever imagined in our lifetime, and our levels of comfort have skyrocketed in the past 100 years. However, there is one thing that the 21st century has not given us — optimal health.

In the United States alone, according to a January 2015 release of statistical data from the American Heart Association, roughly 80 million American adults over 20 years of age suffer from hypertension, 131 million have high cholesterol levels and one in 10 adults suffer from diabetes, 90 percent of which is type 2 diabetes. According to the National Cancer Institute, 40 percent of all men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. In addition, 13.1 million Americans are on drugs for anxiety and 13 percent are on prescription anti-depressants. If we are so intelligent and advanced, why are we so sick?

It may be easy to make the argument that we are living longer lives and, therefore, see more diseases in the aging population. While part of this argument is true, diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cancer are infiltrating the young at a staggering pace.

We are constantly researching better drugs, medical interventions and more efficient ways to diagnose disease and yet the statistics do not improve. Perhaps it is time we looked to the wisdom of the past to create a healthier future.

Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old medical system from India, has stood the test of time. This medical science integrates all aspects of health — physical, emotional, spiritual, relationships, career, environment and life’s purpose. While Ayurveda is all-inclusive and holds to the principle of using a healing modality if it works, it teaches each individual to reconnect with the body’s natural intelligence for healing.

Who can fix me?

In the West, we are accustomed to looking outside of ourselves for a solution to a problem. Growing up, we were conditioned to listen to our doctor, as he knows best. Intuition is not a 21st century value. We live in the information age. And if a drug is supposed to lower blood pressure, we take it without regard to its side effects or efficiency in the long term.

Inversely, Ayurveda helps you get to the root cause of the illness and cut off its air supply, so to speak. Take the example of high blood pressure, an Ayurvedic practitioner might help you look at diet, exercise, your emotional health, relationships and job satisfaction. A regime of meditation and yoga, along with a diet and job change, may be the right prescription to keep your hypertension in check.

Another disadvantage of looking outside of yourself for healing is that you do not get to intimately know yourself and what makes you well. Ayurveda teaches you your natural propensity for health by learning your mind-body type, which in turn, will enlighten you to ways to remain in balance so you are much less likely to get sick.

Taking responsibility means empowerment 

Have you ever taken charge of a situation and felt great afterward? It gave you courage to take on another challenge. Being proactive with your health means taking responsibility and taking charge. As an Ayurvedic practitioner, I have noticed that clients often play Russian roulette with their health. They know they are supposed to exercise or eat better, but they have the “tomorrow” syndrome. Then suddenly, seemingly out of the blue, they are diagnosed with cancer or heart disease and, truly, they seem to have absolutely no idea where it came from. This sort of self-deception is not only scary, but can be deadly.

To change this pattern, you can start by journaling everything you eat each day. Notice the times of day you eat and your emotional state. Then write down how much you move. Do you exercise once per week, twice or none? Bring awareness to the people who make you feel good in life. Is there a trusted friend you can spend more time with? Or is there a toxic relationship you need to leave? Are you happy with your career? Awareness is the first key to taking charge and taking responsibility for your health and for your life. Once you are aware, holistic practices like Ayurveda, yoga and meditation can help you synchronize the parts of yourself that are ailing.

It starts with you 

As a society, our mindset about health and wellness will not change unless we change as individuals. We need to take care of ourselves like we take care of our cars, houses and loved ones. And as it reaches critical mass, change can begin on higher levels. Imagine a world in which each person honors his or her body and health. Envision that seeing a doctor for an illness is a rare occasion, but your doctor is your trusted friend who knows you for who you are. And in the best of worlds, band-aid fixes, like prescription pills, will be ghosts from the past.

Michelle S. Fondin lives in Herndon, Va., and is the author of The Wheel of Healing with Ayurveda. She holds a Vedic Master Certificate from the Chopra Center and is a member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and Yoga Alliance. She treats clients, speaks and offers workshops. michellefondin.com or newworldlibrary.com. 

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 34, Number 3, June/July 2015.