The Body's Natural Healing System with Arthur Brownstein, M.D.
By Arthur Brownstein
WebMD Live Events Transcript
Join Arthur Brownstein, MD, for a discussion on utilizing the body's natural healing system to combat pain and illness.
Event Date: 03/16/2000
The opinions expressed herein are the guests' alone and have not been
reviewed by a WebMD physician. If you have questions about your health, you
should consult your personal physician. This event is meant for informational
purposes only.
Moderator: Please welcome Arthur Brownstein, MD. Dr. Brownstein is a Clinical Instructor of Medicine at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He is also the Medical Director of the Princeville Medical Clinic and a Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine. He is the author of the upcoming book,
The Body's Natural Healing System.
Dr. Brownstein: Hello, everybody.
Moderator: To ask a question please type /ask and then your query.
Welcome, Dr. Brownstein!
Dr. Brownstein: Thank you, Dan.
Moderator: I would like to ask the first question... What is your philosophy on healing...
and your background.?
Dr. Brownstein: As both a physician and a former chronic pain patient, I have realized that our bodies have a huge potential for healing themselves naturally that we have not yet taken advantage
of. Most doctors don't share with their patients the information that can help people become more independent and healthy by learning how to cooperate with their
body's natural healing systems. My background has taken me through the bowels of traditional medicine as an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of
Hawaii, and as the son of a practicing physician and university professor of medicine for over 50
years, as well as into cultures and systems in my travels where I discovered simple, natural, and effective modalities that worked with the body, not against it, and in which these modalities were
not even mentioned in my traditional training as a western doctor.
Moderator: Let's talk about your own bout with chronic pain. When did you decide to heal yourself naturally, and how did you go about researching that modality?
Dr. Brownstein: After my first operation left me in a severely debilitated state and unable to work as a physician for three
years, I was facing the prospect of a second operation and couldn't see the
logic. I didn't want to end up permanently crippled as I had witnessed so many times as a
physician. So it was a matter of necessity, and like so many others, I found nontraditional healing modalities to be very
effective. These modalities seemed more holistic, incorporated principles of the mind-body connection, diet, lifestyle, emotions, exercise,
etc., that western medicine is just now starting to acknowledge.
misheric_WebMD: Do you have a book, email address or website ?
Dr. Brownstein: My book on The Body's Healing System will be out early next year. In the meantime I recommend Andrew Weil's
Spontaneous Healing. My first book, Healing Back Pain Naturally, specifically deals with the problem of back pain. I host a message board for WebMD
called Newly Diagnosed Back Pain with Dr. Art Brownstein.
diznut100_WebMD: How long does it take for a average herniated disk to heal and can it heal naturally?
Dr. Brownstein: It is important to understand the underlying forces that cause discs to herniate. Healing is very personal and so is the healing time. However, healing does occur, and it occurs
naturally, and that is the important thing to focus on.
misheric_WebMD: How can I heal from a skin condition Rosacea naturally, please?
Dr. Brownstein: The skin is related to the nervous system, and it is also an eliminative organ. A holistic approach should be pursued involving both diet and stress management in addition to
natural topical applications. Andrew Weil speaks of skin diseases in a special section of his
book, Spontaneous Healing, as well.
mold28_WebMD: What is your opinion of acupuncture?
