Heal Yourself by doing NOTHING

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After a month of riding, and a previous week of viscous California coast with its intensely graded stretches, I arrived in Santa Rosa. I was to be a visitor at the TrueNorth Health Center. I had emailed the coordinator for visitors a month before and told her my situation, and she had informed me that Mondays were the best day to come as the Director, Dr. Goldhamer, would be giving a lecture. So, on Sunday night, I rolled into Santa Rosa, after getting slightly lost on the bike path between Sebastapol and Santa Rosa. I ended up sleeping in a community park Sunday night, but I was on time Monday morning. This was my first professional stop on the trip and I was extremely eager to see what they were doing at TrueNorth.

We live in a world where waiting 60 seconds for a webpage to load is too long for information that 10 years ago would have taken 2 or 3 minutes to load, or wasn't even available online, and 20 years ago may have necessitated a call to an expert in the field or extensive library research. With the increasing immediacy with which we expect most things, from food to information, even Naturopaths, homeopaths, other holistic practitioners, and chiropractors, are susceptible to developing a "cure" mentality; and patients seeking out alternative cures are often looking for a "magic" solution that will ensure health quickly and easily.

Depending on your definition of "quick" and easy", TrueNorth Healing Center, in Santa Rosa, CA, has said, "okay, we can do that." TrueNorth , the only certified medical water fasting facility in the country, champions fasting as the fastest and most reliable method to drastically lower hypertensive blood pressure, eliminate arthritic pain, regulate diabetes, and help people overcome addictions to sugar, alcohol, and other substances; all without doing anything! What could be easier than that? And 40 days, the generally considered longest duration of one of their fasts, compared with a lifetime of management, is pretty darn quick. But, in actuality, it's not easy, and Director Alan Goldhamer, D.C., states that the most crucial aspect of success in a program like this is giving up the belief in a "magic cure that will eliminate the need to live healthfully." Hey, that sounds like true Naturopathy at its core!

Dr. Goldhamer is not subtle and does not mince his words when he says that this type of healing process is hard work, however, his conviction of its efficacy is also equally strong. I had the opportunity to visit TrueNorth in May, during my 365 day pilgrimage, unsupported by digital technology of any kind, and was invited to spend 3 glorious days as a guest at their facility.

With over 50 beds, this is an in-patient facility where patients undergo medically supervised juice and water fasts. Supervision involves intake and exit visits with a staff physician, and twice daily round visits checking vitals and inquiring of common and uncommon symptoms related to fasting and changes in initial complaints. Weekly blood work and urine analysis are also conducted as well as visits with staff physicians. Because re-introduction of food is an equally important aspect of fasting, TrueNorth prepares exquisitely delicious vegan fare from their kitchen that uses no added salt, oil, or sugar.

During my stay, I was able to sample the food and was extremely grateful for the clear energy it provided me and the vital nourishment I felt. Some people at the facility were staying for a week or two to just eat the foot and relax!

On the second day, I had the opportunity to observe morning rounds and can attest to the drastic drops in blood pressure in hypertensive patients, as well as the weight loss. Wow! BUT, it's all for naught if these patients leave the center and go back to a standard American diet, and this is one of the reasons why TrueNorth supports individual patients on a prolonged time-frame at the Center, to give them time to truly understand and know how to sustain these lifestyle and diet changes. And, to ensure that patients will be successful on this program, each patient is prescreened and goals, causes of illness, timelines, and priorities,, are assessed before they are admitted to stay; a very astute decision considering the rigor and intensity.

The patients who I had the chance to meet with all demonstrated a willingness to change as well as a genuine interest in their health and maintaining their vitality.

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of my stay at TrueNorth was the manner in which the #1 spoken about obstacle in "alternative" medicine was addressed. Compliance was 100%!m(MISSING)andatory and expected. Now, in all fairness, compliance is obviously easier in an in-patient facility, but that IS what makes TrueNorth so special, and a true asset for the health community, especially the holistic health community. It offers an opportunity for motivated patients to get ongoing support for as long as necessary to reset back to a healthy state. Wow! Thank you, TrueNorth, I can't wait to come back.

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Photos

Klamath, CA
Peter Gorman and Node outside the Log Cabin Diner in Klamath, CA . Peter started a very altruistic program to help others achieve their travel dreams.
www.offseasonproject.org.
Thank you for sending the pic, Peter!