Health is an important subject that we all can relate to and have some kind of experience and opinion about. Especially during this past year of the corona-pandemic, we have been influenced by it one way or another. With my 25 years in the health industry, I have heard, and still hear, the most common problems that people ask advice about. With a nursing background and having worked as a consultant visiting over 100 different workplaces, I have listened to patients’ different questions from different geographical areas in Sweden. I have also witnessed and experienced the usual challenges of the workplace, from staff to managers’ everyday lives and what they struggle with. Staff experience stress, low motivation, sick leave, low energy, and internal conflicts.
The corona pandemic has affected everyone in different ways in different countries, locally and individually. Different rules of conduct differ markedly in different countries, both in terms of quarantine, health directives, how people are allowed to move around in public, how long shops, restaurants, sports arenas, fitness centres are open. Many have experienced the face of isolation in different ways. Many have spent time within their families. Singles and the elderly have become even more isolated. Young people and students have become isolated and affected by loneliness, absences from education, togetherness, and physical education. People do not feel good about being, and living, alone for a long time. It affects our mental health.
I work with how we can influence and strengthen the overall health of companies and individuals and how we can have more lasting and holistic health. It is essential to look at how we can feel physically good, mentally well, spiritually satisfied, get out of loneliness, and create more relaxed and fun moments. The need to travel, get sun and have fun again is vital.
Western medicine, hospitals and health centres are fantastic when you require in-patient treatment, and no one can argue that health services the world over have worked extremely hard to stay on top of the COVID-19 pandemic. But what about those people seeking treatment for lesser problems? With no obvious route to alternative and holistic treatments, many people unfortunately seek and burden emergency medical care (A&E, drop in centres etc.) unnecessarily. Patients seek reassurance and treatment for many different reasons – sore throats, coughs, rashes, stomach pain, back pain, foot pain, knee problems, sleep problems, eye infections, dizziness, headaches, anxiety, urinary tract infection and so on. Most are simple and not life threatening, but they still cause suffering. Perhaps if there were clinics incorporating the best of both Western and Eastern traditions, patients with minor ailments would stop burdening the emergency services…it’s a thought.
As for me, I firmly believe that integrating Western and Eastern traditions will help to create lasting and holistic health provision for everybody.
