The Ecology of Health

So here is a physical person. And we know that physical person has a lot going on inside….organs, circulation, immune function, detoxification, nutritional status, structural balance, emotional well-being, and many other functions. These are all influenced heavily by the environment outside of the body. But let’s go deep inside, to the level of the cell….and here we see the cell membrane with its lipid coating, the quality of which depends on our dietary intake of the right kinds of fats. And cell receptors, which are dynamic, 3 dimensional oscillating proteins that match like perfect keys to all of the various chemical messengers of the body for them to be allowed entry into the cell to work their magic. And here’s the cell nucleus, the home for our genetic material and the recipe for each of us as individuals. And here’s a mitochondrion, which we can use an example of the intimate connection between the outside word and the tiny cell. A major determinant of the physical energy that you are feeling right now is the number and health status of your mitochondria, which are in turn influenced by environmental factors such as nutrition, toxicity, and exercise. So the microcosm is influenced by the macrocosm and vice versa. And now we zoom out to the whole person again, body, mind, and spirit. And we consider the various factors necessary for total health: satisfying interpersonal relationships, friends and family, love, exercise, a connection to something larger than oneself, time spent in nature, access to education, clean water. These in turn are influenced by our communities and their associated services such as parks, healthcare facilities, culture, libraries, healthy and affordable housing, fair, livable wages, access to healthy food, freedom from discrimination, employment, personal safety, a sense of agency or a meaningful voice, all within the context of a fair and functional community infrastructure. And let’s zoom out yet again to the planetary level. And all the factors that determine planetary health determine personal health and community health, as well. Resilient ecosystems depend on healthy forests, rich soil, clean water, biodiversity, a functional ozone layer, stable climates, ecological stewardship, and economic and social equity. When we experience dysfunctional relationships with nature and one another, we see the impacts through every layer on down through our countries, our communities, our bodies, our cells. We are experiencing these now in forms we all recognize as toxic contamination, deforestation, soil depletion, ozone depletion, global hunger, climate change and war. Some bear the direct burden more than others, but the impacts reverberate throughout the planet affecting the health of all. All of these various levels of existence are intricately and holographically connected to each other, from the tiny to the huge. If our cells are unhealthy, our planet is unhealthy, and if our planet is unhealthy, our communities are unhealthy, and so on. We are individuals, on a planet, which is but a tiny speck hurdling through the cosmos. Humilty and reverence are an important acknowledgement of what little we know. A core principles of integrative holistic medicine is that love is life’s most powerful healer. When we connect to this reverence and allow ourselves to love everyone, we can then begin to align relationships and provide health and healing at all levels.