Holistic healing opened my eyes to possibilities I never imagined. It isn’t just about herbs and supplements. It’s about people, passion, and the body’s remarkable ability to heal itself.
My journey from skeptic to believer is one I never expected, but it shaped my life’s mission. This is how natural medicine became the heart of my work.
How I First Crossed Paths with Natural Medicine
In the late 1980s, my journey into the world of natural medicine began unexpectedly. I was introduced to a unique enzymatic fermentation technology designed to predigest proteins, primarily intended for industrial use.
However, we chose to explore its potential as a nutritional supplement for people dealing with protein malabsorption—a condition where the body cannot properly break down or absorb protein, often leading to fatigue, muscle loss, and poor recovery.
At the time, I had some sales experience, and I was tasked with introducing this product to the functional health community.
I must admit, I had my reservations. I expected to encounter a group of “quacks” peddling unproven remedies.
What I discovered instead was something far more profound. A passionate, heart-centered community of professionals who were deeply committed to healing through natural means.
This community comprised acupuncturists, homeopaths, naturopaths, chiropractors, massage therapists, energy healers, Ayurvedic doctors, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and a substantial number of medical doctors (MDs) and osteopathic doctors (DOs).
They were deeply committed to their work, constantly studying, researching, and teaching others.
The Rise of Natural Medicine in the 1990s
The 1990s marked a period of significant growth for wellness practitioners and advocates.
Having faced suppression by pharmaceutical interests during the first three quarters of the 20th century, the last two decades witnessed a resurgence of various groups, including chiropractors and naturopaths.
This resurgence was carried forward by everyday people who were simply seeking better ways to care for themselves and their families. Even without much attention from the media, the desire for gentle, natural approaches to healing continued to grow quietly but steadily.
In 1993, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine revealed that 34% of the U.S. population had used at least one natural medicine modality during the previous year, surpassing the number of visits to primary care physicians.
I was attending national and regional educational conferences for various organizations. I set up a booth to showcase our product and hand out our literature.
While doctors spent most of their time in educational sessions, they would tour the exhibit hall during breaks, providing me with valuable opportunities to engage with them and promote our product.
The Convention That Changed My Life
The second convention I attended was the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP).
Naturopathy is a modality that incorporates a variety of natural healing approaches, including homeopathy, nutrition, herbal medicine, mind/body medicine, and physical medicine.
Practitioners attend a four-year postgraduate medical school, with Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA, a suburb of Seattle, being the most well-known. By 1985, they had regained enough numbers and interest from the public to form the AANP.
One pivotal moment in my journey occurred at the 1992 American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) convention in San Diego, CA.
There, I met Dr. James “Jim” Sensenig, ND, the founding president of AANP. Our conversation revealed shared roots in Pennsylvania, leading to a lasting friendship.
To know Jim was to know a master.
He was far more than the founding president of AANP. He established a continuing education program and certification of the naturopathic colleges, allowing for the licensing of naturopaths as primary care physicians in many states.
He was a teacher to all and a mentor to many. He was an extraordinarily gifted healer.
My efforts with this blog are in honor of all the doctors I’ve met over the years who helped satisfy my desire for knowledge and understanding.
Jim is simply at the top of that list.
The Night That Sealed My Commitment
It was in San Diego that I started falling in love with the concepts and people of the natural medicine community.
On the final evening of that AANP convention, there was a formal dinner dance. Awards for Physician of the Year and other accolades were given. There was a candlelight ceremony in honor of the people who kept naturopathy and its few schools alive.
Jim was the Master of Ceremonies.
As the band struck the first chord, the room of around 300 naturopaths erupted onto the dance floor. I was overwhelmed by the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd.
The love and passion in that room captivated me. I knew then that I wanted to learn everything I could about this extraordinary field.
When Jim passed in 2019, he left a profound void in the community. A loss deeply felt by all who had been touched by his work and spirit.
I was asked to speak at his memorial service in Hamden, CT, after his passing, and it was one of the honors of my life. He had a wonderful array of one-liners about health and healing that will be woven into my writing.
I miss that man.
Expanding My Natural Medicine Journey
My exploration continued with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), founded by Dr. Jeffrey Bland, PhD, and his wife Susan Bland, MA, in 1991.
Functional medicine emphasizes identifying and addressing the root causes of disease, focusing on the body’s ability to repair and adapt. This approach resonated deeply with me, as it aligned closely with the holistic principles I had encountered in naturopathy.
Dr. Bland is a brilliant researcher and teacher and has a clear vision of the role functional medicine can and must play. He is convinced it is the healthcare of the future, particularly for the treatment of chronic disease.
Through my involvement, I had the privilege of engaging with leading voices in the field, including Dr. Sidney MacDonald Baker, MD, author of Detoxification and Healing.
His work highlighted the role of toxins in chronic conditions and diseases, emphasizing the body’s need to detoxify for optimal health.
It was one of many books authored by the doctors I was meeting that I read with great enthusiasm.
Much later, Dr. Bland wrote Disease Delusion, which provides a very comprehensive look at the power and potential of functional medicine.
Finding a Path to Clarity in Natural Medicine
At every convention, there was an exhibit hall where I and other companies would showcase our products and share literature with the attending doctors. Food and drinks were typically offered in the exhibit hall to attract attendees interested in natural medicine solutions.
However, for most of the day, practitioners remained in the lecture halls, leaving the exhibit hall nearly empty. My own fascination and intellectual curiosity led me to spend that time attending lectures about natural medicine, and it was truly amazing.
In the early stages of my journey, I found the natural medicine world both overwhelming and confusing—a challenge many in the general public also face. Many people sense there is value in this approach, but they’re uncertain about what exactly it entails.
Many people turn to the internet, bookstores, or health food stores looking for answers, only to find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of options—from naturopathy and chiropractic care to acupuncture and energy healing.
What begins as a search for clarity often leaves them with even more questions. It can be difficult to know which path of natural medicine is right for each individual.
Gradually, I learned to make sense of it all—understanding what works in natural medicine, what doesn’t, and why.
Now, at 72 and retired, my deepest desire is to share with you the wisdom and knowledge imparted to me by some of the true legends of the natural medicine movement.
A Broader Exploration: Chiropractic and Orthomolecular Medicine
My path continued with various chiropractic conventions, regional naturopathic meetings, and orthomolecular medicine—a group of medical doctors and researchers focused on the work of Linus Pauling.
I attended the American College for the Advancement of Medicine (ACAM) meetings, a group of medical doctors doing chelation therapy and embracing nonpharmaceutical approaches for their patients, and many more fascinating groups.
There was no substitute for being present at their conferences, where I could listen, learn, and be guided by the pioneers who shaped this field. Those experiences offered lessons no book alone could ever provide.
Embracing The Inner Healer and Nature’s Wisdom
Knowledge is power. I am not a doctor, and I will not treat you or make individual recommendations.
There are plenty of gifted practitioners out there who will guide you on your path.
As for me, I hope to help you explore health and healing through a broader lens—one that embraces the quiet wisdom and guiding intelligence of nature. And I will guide you to becoming what I truly believe you are—the best doctor for you that you’ll ever find.
You are blessed with an intuitive wisdom of self. I will teach you how to know, honor, and trust that wisdom.
The First Lesson: Restoring Balance vs. Heroic Intervention
The most important realization and understanding that came to me in the early stages of my path was that while the totality of the various natural medicine modalities and protocols was overwhelming and confusing, there was an obvious common thread amongst them.
They are all focused on helping the body do what the body is designed—or has evolved—to do, and that is to return to balance. In every case, the practitioners are working in support of the repair and recovery mechanisms of the human body.
This is in stark contrast to modern medicine and its energy of heroic intervention. This energy assumes that the natural mechanisms of the body have failed, and intervention and interference with those mechanisms are required—thus, the use of pharmaceutical medications.
And that is the first lesson.
Natural medicine works with the body’s natural healing mechanisms, and modern medicine interferes with the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
Thank You Jim
No reflection on my journey would be complete without paying tribute to one of my greatest inspirations, Dr. James Sensenig.
A pioneer in naturopathy and a tireless advocate for the healing traditions that honor nature, he embodied both wisdom and integrity. His vision elevated an entire profession, and his guidance touched countless lives—including my own.
I’ll always cherish my memories and the friendship I enjoyed with Dr. Sensenig and the profound impact he had on my understanding of naturopathy and natural medicine.
Enough for now, but wait till you hear the story of the first convention I ever attended!!
My Passion Revisited: A Journey Into Quantum Physics, Energy Medicine, and Holistic Healing Methods
