Systemic Function and Local Function
In conventional health care there has been far too much emphasis on treating only localized symptoms (local functions). Responding to public demand, our health care professionals focus primarily on localized pain and on the failure of individual organs or glands. We need a shift in emphasis so that the system-wide problems that cause localized dysfunction in the first place are addressed.
For example headache is a pain localized in one specific part of the body. We’ve been taught to take medication to stop the pain. However, usually that pain is a valuable signal that something is wrong throughout the body (systemically).
Since poor Systemic Function is usually the cause of the symptoms in the first place, improving the health of the Systemic Functions usually reduces or eliminates chronic local symptoms.
For example, controlling headache pain with medication makes sense for the short term, because it gets us through our day more comfortably, and allows us to get our work done. However, along with this symptomatic treatment, we need to take action to resolve the problem long term. Discovering and eliminating the underlying cause of the headache is a realistic and important goal.
The results of conventional health care
prove that symptomatic treatment alone
does not overcome chronic conditions.
Poor results tend to multiply when symptomatic treatment is used exclusively. Symptomatic treatment alone tends to lead to complexity because it produces side effects which then require treatment, which usually leads to further side effects and so on. There is a cascade effect. The farther this approach is followed, the more complicated it becomes both for the physician and the patient.
Furthermore, when we fail to address root causes and weakened Systemic Functions, they produce other chronic conditions that are seemingly unrelated to the first set of symptoms.
By contrast, when we improve the health of our Three Systemic Functions, many different kinds of symptoms can be reduced or eliminated. It’s like treating the roots of a diseased tree instead of trying to treat each leaf. This approach makes it easier for the physician and the patient. There is an old saying in natural therapeutics:
Focusing on symptoms alone leads to complexity
and confusion for the physician and patient.
Focusing on Systemic Functions leads to simplicity
and clarity for the physician and patient.
The more we learn about Systemic Functions, the easier it is to regain and preserve our natural health and vitality. In the next post, we’ll take a closer look at each of the Three Systemic Functions.