What if your Physician Was a Yogi?
copyright Carl Kerridge.
This weekend I attended the Second Annual Copper Mountain Pose Medicine & Yoga Symposium in Colorado.
Dr. Satkirin Khalsa MD, a board certified physician in Albuquerque, New Mexico spearheaded this conference.
Dr. Khaslsa has created a conference that combines yoga, meditation and lectures for the health care community to come, relax, learn and amass up to 25 CMEs. This is the first program that offers continuing medical education credits for yoga in the United States. It has been accredited by the American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP).
On board were physicians, yoga teachers and health care providers from across the country. Dr. Sara Gottfried, noted author and Harvard integrative physician, lectured on the benefits of stress reduction through deep breathing. Ginger Garner, founder of a grassroots movement to improve health care in America, gave a speech on safely using yoga in physical therapy. She also performed at the 28th Annual Genuine Jazz & Wine that was going on simultaneously.
copyright Carl Kerridge
The yoga community was represented by Gwen Lawrence, yoga trainer to the NY Giants and many other pro sports teams. She led a invigorating class with an emphasis on anatomy. Dave “Yeah Dave” Romanelli treated us to a yoga, wine and chocolate class. Believe it or not, they all have a vital part to play in our well being.
copyright Carl Kerridge
There were a host of other doctors, yoga teachers and wellness experts on hand. Some of them took to the zip line an did Natarajasana or Dancer Pose above the lake. Others climbed the rock wall and did Hanuman (split) while tethered with harness.
So what if your physician was a yogi? As Sakirin stated, the whole health care system would change for the better. What if, before your vitals were taken, you sat with the doctor and did five minutes of deep breathing? Imagine how calm you both would feel. And what a soothing introduction to your physical. That’s just one of yoga’s benefits that could be incorporated into a wellness visit.
This is a huge paradigm shift in the industry. If physicians could move the focus from treating dis-ease to encouraging healthy lifestyles, we could save time, money and lives.
~
Editor: Kate Bartolotta
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Love hearing about this, Sharon. Well done.
Good to mention that Satkirin and Sara are both popular elephant writers. See http://www.elephantjournal.com/author/satkirin-kh…
and
http://www.elephantjournal.com/author/Sara%20gott….
Also, see http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/12/yoga-with-…
Bob W. elephant journal
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Thanks Bob.
Both Satkirin & Sara are on my *must read* lists!
~Mamaste
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