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Friday, 29th March 2024
 

HOLISTIC HEALTH

HEALTH REQUIRES THE DEEPEST RESPECT FOR NATURE AND PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Working at Diverse Ethics gives me an opportunity to meet some of the most creative and wise people, and my meeting with Naturopath Atul Shah, who runs his own clinic and practice based in York, was one of the highlights. Here is a person who has changed the quality of life for hundreds of people forever, by giving them natural medicine, treatments and guidance on diet and lifestyle. Contrary to other medicines, there are no negative side-effects, and as his approach is totally patient-centred, it is 'holistic' in the truest sense.

He very kindly invited my family and I for lunch. But instead of having it prepared and ready-made to serve, he decided to use the meeting to show us how to cook simply from natural ingredients, and serve it in a way which is attractive and enticing. He also gave us a tour of his home, which is a clinic and retreat centre - there was no difference between his personal and professional life - all seemed to be inter-connected and interwoven. His very life is holistic, and therefore, so is his advice and counselling.

Atul explains: "Each patient is an individual with their own life story and history. A health professional needs to understand and respect that, and ensure that their advice is personal, practical and relevant. I spend a lot of time with my patients, and this is also why they keep coming back, and recommending me to others."

His own life history says it all. Qualified as a pharmacist, he quickly realised that his profession was not really curing people - it was patching symptoms, often with serious side-effects. He started searching for alternatives, and did a lot of personal research and training in Nature Cure. His own body and physique is the very picture of perfect health - I know very few doctors who would even match this.

Given his rich life and experience, Atul Shah is an excellent speaker and health coach. He is willing to travel far and wide to show practical ways of living and eating in harmony with nature. In fact, we can translate this story into the context of diversity and ethics in the workplace. Workplaces need to respect nature to be truly harmonious. Employers cannot avoid discussions on health and diet if they are to get peak performance from their employees. The approach that employee health is a personal matter, and employers need not concern themselves about it, is unsustainable. Just as their culture and identity is important, so too is their health and well-being.

Also the holistic approach here is very interesting and important. How many professionals work in a holistic way? How many are allowed to do so? What is the relationship between your personal ethic and your professional life? All too often, people segment these aspects of their life, seeing work as different from family and personal identity, and in the process, end up causing stress and unhappiness for themselves. So try to live simply and harmoniously. Be clear about your values and aspirations, and try to ensure your working life resonates - this will give you peak performance. As Atul Shah says, I want to sleep with a clear conscience, knowing that I have done the best for my patients. You could do that too.

Article by Dr. Atul K. Shah, CEO of Diverse Ethics.

Atul Shah's website Nature Cure can be found here. He can be contacted via email.

Article added on 12th August 2010 at 6:15am
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