We often hear a lot about endangered species once they have reached a critical stage and the world becomes alarmed at their impending extinction. Then we rally the troops, sort to speak, and man every effort to protect their habitats, find them new homes, pass new regulations, or fight hunters and poachers in order to protect the fragile and dwindling populations of endangered species. And while that is all well and good, and in fact is work that MUST be done, it does raise a question. What if we started working just as diligently for the non-critical animals?
Consider whales for example. There are several species that are facing extinction in the very near future. And while we focus a lot of attention on them, rightly so, there are other species, such as the bowhead whale that is currently listed as a species of less concern; however, if we do not make some drastic changes in the way that we manage ocean habitats these whales are destined to join their relatives on the critical list.
In the medical world we spend most of our energy treating symptoms and doing repair work instead of taking preventative measures that would help us to avoid such emergencies in the first place. A more holistically minded health care professional would see the great flaw in this and work with their patients to prevent future problems. So, for example, a patient may go to a more narrowly focused physician a little stressed with a headache while they have put on a couple of pounds since their last visit. They go to get treated for a headache, the doctor writes a prescription and moves on. A more holistically inclined practitioner; however, may help the patient treat the headache, but will also point out that the stress they are noticing and the couple of extra pounds which could both be causing the headache and have great potential to lead to more serious problems in the future. A doctor taking this approach would then instruct their patient in ways to reduce stress and get a more manageable nutrition plan to insure a healthy weight so that future headaches or more serious problems do not occur in the first place.
We need to take the same approach with Patient Earth and while we are treating the current conditions, also look ahead at where the current warning signs are leading us. By doing this we may be able to make small, simple changes now that will avert a more costly disaster later on. Our only hope of saving the endangered species of tomorrow may be to change the way we think today, and take a preventative stance as effective “physicians” responsible for the health of our planet.