Slow Medicine: Hope & Healing for Chronic Illness

Slow medicine works to solve the root of your health problem and improve life overall.
When you're suffering, you want the pain to go away as quickly as possible.

You may go to the doctor or head to your own medicine cabinet to get a "quick fix," but oftentimes the problem returns.

Dr. Michael Finkelstein was once a part of that traditional medicine, or as he calls it, "fast medicine" world. But, he became increasingly frustrated that these quick fixes continued to fail and started his own movement called slow medicine. 

Slow medicine involves a more thorough and patient approach.

It works to solve the original, root problem and improve life overall.

You may still wish for that quick fix; but it's not sustainable.

To truly heal, Dr. Finkelstein says you have to make an adjustment in the way you approach your life. All of the "craziness" in the world around us keeps us in constant fight or flight state, which then results in what Dr. Finkelstein calls "sympathetic overdrive."

What are some things you can start doing right now to slow down that overdrive?

Just as you'd be cognizant of turning the light switches off in your home to save energy, you can apply that same concept in your body. Think about times during the day when you can push the "off button."

For instance, when you wake up in the morning, take deep breaths, and give a statement of gratitude. Mid-day, get sunlight, fresh air, even rain on your face. When you get home at night, sit down and relax, breathe, nurture, and nourish yourself with a mindful meal.

Before you go to bed, take several more deep breaths and state your gratitude from the day.

Doing this several times a day will pull you out of the fight or flight state and calm your systems.

Listen in as Dr. Finkelstein joins Dr. Susanne to share more about the concept of slow medicine and how it can help heal your chronic pain and/or suffering.

Additional Info

  • Segment Number: 1
  • Audio File: wellness_for_life/1540wl5a.mp3
  • Featured Speaker: Michael Finkelstein, MD
  • Book Title: Slow Medicine: Hope and Healing for Chronic Illness
  • Guest Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/SlowMedicineDoctor
  • Guest Twitter Account: @SlowMedicineDr
  • Guest Bio: Michael FinkelsteinDr. Michael Finkelstein, The Slow Medicine Doctor®, is the author of Slow Medicine: Hope and Healing for Chronic Illness, endorsed by Andrew Weil, MD and Mehmet Oz, MD.

    Dr. Finkelstein is the founder and medical director of SunRaven: The Home of Slow Medicine; he is an adjunct professor at SUNY Binghamton; he has been featured in top media outlets including the New York Times and CNN; he has presented at leading venues including GE Corporation and Omega Institute; and he blogs on the topic of Slow Medicine for the Huffington Post.

    Dr. Finkelstein was trained at premier institutes for both conventional and integrative medicine, and he is the recipient of numerous distinctions. Drawing from his diverse medical expertise, Dr. Finkelstein offers both a micro and macro point of view on today’s healthcare needs and challenges, and he provides a tried and-true solution for healing individual patients and the medical system as a whole: Slow Medicine.
  • Length (mins): 10
  • Waiver Received: No
  • Host: Susanne Bennett, DC