Today I listened to a podcast about proving the scientific aspects of various wellness practices and the examination of the self-help field. I was quite keen to listen to this given I appreciate all modes of inquiry. The health practice that decidedly could not register as having positive benefits was acupuncture and it was deemed to be very difficult to ascertain efficacy of studies.
I haven’t made a close study of these empirical studies. Here we get into the idea of what do we follow for medical practices?
That said, I noted that the derision of acupuncture by the podcaster, which of course is rooted in Eastern philosophical practices and perceptions of the body, was then followed by a podcaster’s pitch for Christianity.
I thought this was interesting because at its core then, potentially, was a conflict of cultural values rooted in the lens of the individual.
And I’ll make a disclaimer here myself: I’ve had acupuncturists and my great grandfather was also an herb doctor. His sons went on to be Western medical practitioners.
I think we have to remember that there are multiple approaches to longevity and health. Let’s face it, if you want to live a long healthy life you probably should be eating green apples, grains of some sort along with bark and bugs, have no stress and spend your days herding animals and horseback riding in the Urals or a remote isolated area without modern appliances like…blenders. Living in a modern cultural situation replete with cars, capital, alcohol, pollution and the intake of constant stimuli is likely to shorten your life.
I think when approaching the diversity of healthcare practices it’s probably best to understand that your own cultural background will determine your critical lens on this stuff. Maybe it’s worth borrowing or sharing. But you can be sure of this: we are in the Dark Ages when it comes to our own health and our planet’s health! Gotta rethink all of it.