Message from The Director of Education

Karen Malone, MA, BA (Hons.), PGCE

Welcome to our fall 2008 Newsletter, the theme of which is maintaining and optimizing health during this time of seasonal transition. In this edition we explore this theme from several perspectives, including that of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, and Western Clinical Nutrition, and provide practical suggestions to think about and take forward during this time of change.

In many Eastern medical traditions climatic influences are believed to have an important impact on health. Seasonal transitions – such as that from summer to fall for example – are believed to be times of potential vulnerability, during which we should build up our energy to help prevent disease and optimize health.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) this energy is termed Qi , and it is believed that we can build up its resistance to climatic influences through correct lifestyle practices, including diet and exercise. In her article titled “Autumn: A Season for Harvesting Your Potential”. Dr. Cynthia Paige, an MD from New Jersey Medical School, explores some of the links between seasonal influences and health in TCM, and gives us some TCM-inspired health practices to help us maintain our Qi during this time of transition.

The idea that a fundamental bodily “energy” is at the root of health and disease is a concept also shared by Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India. In this tradition, the energy is called Prana . In her article “Transitioning from Summer to Fall… from an Ayurvedic Perspective”, Dr. Minal Vazirani looks at the role of the seasons in relation to health and disease in Ayurveda, and gives us some Ayurvedic lifestyle health practices to help us maintain Prana during the fall.

Western medicine also recognizes the profound role that good nutrition may play in health and disease. There is now a wealth of good-quality scientific evidence to indicate that healthy nutrition, combined with exercise and other lifestyle factors, can significantly reduce the risk of several major diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

Although Eastern and Western approaches may differ in their theoretical interpretations, there are many similarities in their practical recommendations, which are increasingly being validated by scientific research. The following evidence-based guidelines, shared by TCM, Ayurveda and modern nutritional science alike, all emphasize the following to promote health and wellbeing and reduce disease risk:

• Eat a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods, especially whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes

• Take moderate exercise

• Engage in some form of relaxation

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to our special Featured Article by Nancy Moran, a student on our Master's program in Integrative Health and Wellness. Her inspiring personal story shows how she is applying some of these principles in her daily life, and movingly illustrates the true meaning and importance of the practice of Integrative Medicine.

References and Links

More detailed information on the use of diet and lifestyle to optimize health and reduce the risk of disease, is available from these web-links:

American Dietetic Association, (2008) Eat Your Way to Better Health: A Nutrient-Rich Diet Helps Support the Immune System and Fight Disease , Nutrition Fact Sheet http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/Eat_Your_Way_to_Better_Health.pdf

American Heart Association, (2006) The American Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=851

American Institute for Cancer Research, (2008) Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective http://www.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=res_report_second