¡Descarga The Enduring Influence of Cultural Traditions on Health Care: A Historical Perspective y más Ejercicios en PDF de Idioma Inglés solo en Docsity! Unit Il — Activity 23 Historical and Cultural Perspectives on Integrative Medicine By: Richard P. Petri, Jr, MD, FAAPMR, FAAIM, COL MC, 1,* Roxana E. Delgado, PhD, MS,2 and Kimberly McComnell, EdD3 Discussion Prior cultures have shaped the present day to form the foundation of the future. Societies' cultures are influenced by the religious and political classes of the time. The health care of a given time period is a reflection of those influences. Thus, the struggles of the present evolution in health care is not unlike past turmoil, power grasps, and reluctance to “let go of the status quo.” Of all the great societies, only the Indian and Chinese medical systems have endured as health care systems. In addition, it is not clear how well history has recorded the true philosophies of each. Today, priests and clerics do not control health care, unlike much of the ancient times. In fact, it is often not permitted. The incorporation of religious practices within Military cultures is often met with skepticism and resistance. However, it seems that spirituality is more acceptable. The Human Performance Resource Center, a U.S. Department of Defense initiative under the Force Health Protection and Readiness Program developed the Total Force Fitness (TFF) program. It is a framework for building and maintaining health, readiness, and performance. The TFF program views health, wellness, and resillence as a holistic concept wherein optimal performance requires connections among mind, body, spirit, and family/social relationships. Information about the TFF program was published in a special issue of Military Medicine, with a chapter devoted to solely to spiritual fitness. In addition, there is a chapter within this current North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Special Issue of Medical Acupuncture describing a systematic review of spirituality/religiosity, and what context this can be applied to Soldiers in the course of healing (pp. 360- 366). Regarding an area related to this concept, there is current controversy regarding implementing yoga into some Military health care systems because “itrepresents a religion.” Although yoga has a religious foundation, “Western style” yoga is no more a religious practice than many fitness classes, (Pilates, zumba, aerobics) offered at most gyms. When yoga is practiced in the true Indian tradition this yoga is more concerned with spirituality than with religiosity. Thus, utilization of religious practices as part of health care systems is not acceptable; however, it seems that spirituality may be a necessary component of an individuals healing journey. Politics has played an enormous role in shaping health care in the past. Today, this situation is not different. Current debates regarding acupuncture are similar to those nearly 2 centuries ago. Most recently, in 1928, The China's National Health Council issued a resolution banning acupuncture. lt is interesting how the tone of the resolution is similar to the arguments used in opposition to IM today. In the Resolution for Abolishing the Native Practice Proposal, ¡it ¡is stated: The medicine of today has advanced from the curative to the preventive stage, individual to collective medicine, personal to community emphasis. Modern public health service is based entirely on scientific medical knowledge with the corresponding political backing. The old-style medicine of China adopts the doctrines which are pure speculations having not a grain of truth. The diagnosis depends wholly on the signs of the pulse. Such absurd theories are deceptive to one self [sic] and to others. They may be classified in the same category as astrology. Since fundamentally they do not know diagnosis, it is impossible for them to certify the causes of death, classify diseases, combat epidemics. The evolution of civilization is from the supernatural to the human, from the philosophical to the practical. Now while the Government is trying to combat superstition and abolish idols so as to bring the people's thoughts to proper scientific channels, the old-style physicians, on the other hand, are daily deceiving the masses with their faith healing. While the Government is educating the public as to the benefits of cleanliness and disintection and the fact that germs are the root of most diseases, the oldstyle physicians are broadcasting such theories as when one catches cold in winter, typhoid will appear in spring; when one suffers from the heat in summer, malaria will come in autumn. These reactionary thoughts are the greatest hindrance to scientific progress. (Cited by Wong and Wu) 37 Thus today, with improved research techniques and acceptance of new/old methods, integrative medicine modalities, such as acupuncture, meditation, and yoga, to list only a few, are being investigated and incorporated in global health care systems.
