The Run Across America For Natural Medicine

By Dr. Holly Lucille, ND

On July 17th 2011, Dr. Dennis Godby, accompanied by his energetic sons Isaiah and Jeremiah and nephew, Jonas Ely, will set off on an historic, 4-month journey from San Francisco, CA to Bridgeport, CT on foot. Yes, on foot! Why on earth would a doctor, with an established practice, set off to run more than 3,250 miles across the country? Because of you! Dr. Dennis Godby cares about you, and your access to safe, natural health care.

Dr. Godby is a licensed doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. Naturopathic Medicine is a system of medicine based on the belief that the human body has an innate healing ability. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) teach their patients to use diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and cutting edge natural therapies to enhance their bodies’ ability to ward off and combat disease. Since many Americans are not even aware of the many systems of medicine that are available to them, The RUN is a public awareness campaign to educate Americans about natural medicine, and help empower personal choice.

The six principles of Naturopathic medicine that make it unique from all other systems of medicine are:

• Do No Harm
Naturopathic medicine uses therapies that are safe and effective as we understand there are many options available before drugs and surgery.
• The Healing Power of Nature 

The human body possesses the inherent ability to restore health. The physician's role is to facilitate this process with the aid of natural, nontoxic therapies.
• Discover and Treat the Cause, Not Just the Effect 

Physicians seek and treat the underlying cause of a disease. Symptoms are viewed as expressions of the body's natural attempt to heal. The origin of disease is removed or treated so the patient can recover.
• Treat the Whole Person 

The multiple factors in health and disease are considered while treating the whole person. Physicians provide flexible treatment programs to meet individual health care needs.
• The Physician is a Teacher 

The physician's major role is to educate, empower, and motivate patients to take responsibility for their own health. Creating a healthy cooperative relationship with the patient has a strong therapeutic value.
• Prevention is the best "cure"
Naturopathic physicians are preventive medicine specialists. Physicians assess patient risk factors and heredity susceptibility and intervene appropriately to reduce risk and prevent illness. Prevention of disease is best accomplished through education and a lifestyle that supports health.

Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are primary care physicians clinically trained in natural therapeutics and whose philosophy is derived in part from a Hippocratic teaching more than 2000 years old: Vis mediatrix naturae---nature is the healer of all diseases. Their practice is based on the same basic bio-medical science foundation that traditional medical practice is; however, their philosophies and approaches differ considerably from their conventional counterparts. Naturopathic physicians diagnose disease and treat patients by using natural modalities. They choose treatment based on the individual patient, not based on the generality of symptoms. This approach has proven successful in treating both chronic and acute conditions


Information and awareness is power! Join the Run’s movement and feel your own strength.

The Run: Moving Natural Medicine Forward is an extraordinary 3,250-Mile run across America! Naturopathic Physician Dr. Dennis Godby and a fantastic team are setting out to increase awareness, educate and empower people about natural health care options, preventing disease, finding and treating the cause of illness, and revitalizing the nation’s health. The RUN is the primary project of the Institute for Natural Medicine, a public advocacy non-profit organization. http://www.therun.org


www.therun.org
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The Way of Tea: Japan Earthquake Relief

For more than 500 years, Japanese culture has embraced the drinking of tea as a rich element of social, medicinal and spiritual practice. With strong links to Zen Buddhism,

The Japanese Tea Ceremony captures all the elements of Japanese philosophy and artistic beauty, and interweaves four principles – harmony (with people and nature), respect (for others), purity (of heart and mind), and tranquility. It grew from the custom of Zen Buddhist monks drinking tea from a single bronze bowl in front of a statue of their founder, Bodhidharma, during their act of worship. Over the centuries, rituals gradually developed around the religious significance and the use and appreciation of the utensils needed for preparing and serving tea.(Jane Pettigrew).

The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi is defined by the three realities that nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect. Wabi-sabi recalls the freshness that accompanies rustic simplicity, quietness and ‘flawed beauty” (Taro Gold, Living Wabi-Sabi). Seen, for example, in the Japanese tea ceremony, the pottery items used are often rustic and simple-looking. On a more spiritual level, wabi-sabi indicates an attitude of quiet refinement “characterized by humility, restraint, simplicity, naturalism, profundity, imperfection, and asymmetry” (Chanoyu: The Art of Tea).

A cup of tea enjoyed can be considered a gift. Now more than ever, I am painfully aware of how lucky I am to drink tea in a place of safe and calm. As my heart breaks for the victims in Japan, I am somewhat heartened to discover many tea companies who are working to provide much needed disaster relief for victims.

I’d like to share them with you (thanks to Tea Happiness, and Tea Pages blog for resources).

Ito En Tea Company

Will donate more than 1,000,000 bottles of water and tea as well as 1.2 million dollars to earthquake relief.

Pearl Teas

Will donate 40% to the Red Cross and searchdogfoundation.org.

East Pacific Tea

Will donate 25% of sales to the Red Cross.

Yogic Chai

Will donate 30% of sales through end of March.

The Tea Spot (boulder)

Will donate 25% of Japanese tea sales to Doctors Without Borders.

Hancha Tea

Will donate 20% of all online sales.

I drink my tea with gratitude and hope you’ll help by making a donation here:

Japan Society Earthquake Relief Fund

Red Cross