In 2003, my family returned to the United States after living abroad in England for fifteen years. After only a few days in the humid, allergen-laden Houston air, our little boy Sam had an asthma attack. Luckily, a precautionary “emergency” inhaler quickly dilated the bronchi in his lungs, and he recovered.

Within less than a week Sam was back to normal and breathing easy

Based on my experience in integrative medicine, I also realized that in this city, our new home, we were going to need some help to keep Sam’s body in balance. My first stop was locating a couple of good complementary practitioners who practiced natural medicine—an acupuncturist and a homeopath. This was followed by a trip to the grocery store to stock up on fresh food and naturally “allergy-proofing” his bedroom.Within less than a week, Sam was back to normal and breathing easy. His “emergency” inhaler put back in the cupboard– and wasn’t ever needed again.

The American magic bullet was a culture shock

My background as a registered nurse taught me much about conventional medicine. The birth of my third child, whose illness was the catalyst for me to look outside the boundaries of conventional medicine is the reason my life’s work has accumulate to what it is today. The combination allows me to care for my body, all the while remaining true to the most basic doctrine of medical law: “First, do no harm.” I speak and respect both the language of complementary medicine—such as Ayurveda, acupuncture, homeopathy—and conventional medicine. Returning to the U.S. and seeing how we Americans use conventional medicine—as a magic bullet enabling us to keep up with the pace of society—was a culture shock.

America’s health care seemed uncomfortably foreign to me

Initially, I felt alone in a place that was supposed to feel familiar. However, what ultimately felt right was a “knowingness” allowing me to stand firmly in my belief of holistic health and happiness. Today in the dawn of America’s new health care overhaul—our crippling problems with costs, childhood obesity, and the fear of interdependence on a fragile system—reminds me of those first few weeks after returning back home, returning to a place that felt uncomfortably foreign for me.

Reclaim the wisdom lying dormant in your own body

Use the current Health Care Reform as your catalyst to  empower you to reach beyond the boundaries of conventional medicine as a quick fix, and reclaim the wisdom lying dormant in your own body. You will find yourself both healthier and happier, and interconnected to our world.

This blog is excerpted from my new book Healthy Mother Healthy Child: Creating Whole Families from the Inside Out

I proudly serve as Dr Andrew Weil’s educational partner for Weil Baby. Check out Dr Weil’s Health Care Call to Action Plan from his latest book Why Our Health Matters.

Do you understand the new health care bill? What is one thing you do everyday to keep yourself healthy?