I am reminded again and again that the terms which we all use frequently to delineate ourselves from orthodox medicine, are wholly inadequate. These include the alphabet soup comprised of Alternative Medicine, Complementary Medicine, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), Holistic Medicine, Natural Medicine. Even my current favourite Integrated Medicine is also in danger of becoming a hackneyed cliché. These terms are all correct, yet when put into the semantic mix, have become a bit of a nightmare.
The fundamental reason for this unsatisfactory state of affairs is that different approaches or specialities of Medicine and Healthcare should never be seen as separate universes. It is a bit like contestants of Reality TV programs or meditators in silent retreat ashrams referring to their inside world, as opposed to the ‘outside’ world, as though there were more than one world. In my view, there are many varying disciplines and treatment approaches to Medicine and Healthcare, but dividing Medicine into arbitrary divided solitudes named Orthodox, Alternative, Complementary or even Natural is simply artificial.

Even the practitioners appear to be different entities – i.e. Massage Practitioners are Complementary Therapists, yet Physical Therapists are part of the orthodox world. Even though Chiropractors and Osteopaths are now Regulated, many doctors (Physicians) still consider Physiotherapists as part of Orthodox Medicine and Osteopaths and Chiropractors as Complementary or Alternative practitioners.

No matter how I go round and round this issue, I find it difficult to arrive at the best terms, until Medicine and Healthcare becomes a unified profession with differing treatment approaches and professionals. At the moment I still think that Integrated Medicine best summarizes that ideal.

And on that theme, I am delighted to announce that the Institute for Complementary and Natural Medicine (ICNM) has become a minority shareholder partner with PH. The reasons for this association are all the best ones, namely that both organizations share a common vision of integrating medicine and healthcare approaches, and are working to bring together the two rather divided solitudes alluded to above. For more details please see Announcement page 5.

This January Issue of PH is publishing a number of features which highlight the individual nature of integrity and originality – topics which aren’t necessarily easily pigeon-holed.

There are features describing the individual human approach to life, happiness and success (The Importance of Happiness for Success by Ian Lynch, page 9 and How Our Own Personal Space Impacts Upon the World by Andrew Pearce, page 14). Also featured are the highly original Read Without Glasses Method by Dr Ray Gottlieb, page 19, as well as Healing Spaces – The Importance of Architecture in Healthcare by Prof David Peters page 24).

I can’t recommend enough Dr Peter Rohsmann’s intriguing yet highly authoritative article Symbionts and their Role in Health and Nutrition (see page 30-33). This covers the fascinating history and biochemistry of symbionts, nearly invisible microscopic micro-organisms which live together with multicellular organisms including humans and which can be viewed in live blood cultures using dark field microscopy.  As Dr Rohsmann indicates “Symbionts are the building blocks for all metabolic processes. Their abundant presence in the plasma is a clear sign of a favourable acid-base balance and healthy immune function. Together with minerals and trace elements, they build the fundamentals for optimal energy production and balanced, healthy metabolism. Abundant symbionts prevent viruses, bacteria and parasites from developing into a disease process.”

The author also politely comments upon the strategy by the Medical Profession to totally ignore these vital active particles “Symbionts have not been sufficiently researched by mainstream science and, therefore, have no official definition. Mainstream medicine (that widely ignores the use of the dark field microscope) views symbionts as lifeless globulin particles resulting from the red blood cell breakdown process or as artifacts (meaningless optical disturbances). When one observes a live blood culture under a dark field microscope, it is difficult to imagine these actively moving and interacting symbionts to be ‘dead’ matter.”

This article seriously engages the early history of the microscope, forms of symbionts called protits supposed found on meteorites from Mars, which might shed light regarding from where life on earth stems, even Darwinian evolutionary theory. It is indeed a joy to publish such an original article of great importance to understanding the fundamentals of our health and immunity.

The Features, Regular Columnists, Research Updates, Letters and Book Reviews all have their original contributions to making this issue of PH such as valuable read. But I think that of each issue, don’t I? Happy New Year 2008 to everyone!!