A radio host shared with me recently that I have a unique approach to healing and nutrition. He wanted to know where this came from. So I told him about my “Swiss experience” and how it has changed my life and made a difference in the way I see patients and the world. I am one of a handful of doctors in the U.S. trained and certified in Biological Medicine by one of the world’s leading experts and physicians, Dr Thomas Rau, of the Paracelsus Clinic in Switzerland. 

I studied under his tutelage for about two years. People come from all over the world to this clinic to find out about the Swiss secret to optimal health. Its methods arise from the distinct medical traditions of Switzerland and Southern Germany, which, in the 500 years since the experiments of the original Paracelsus, have evolved into a more holistic and natural science of health.

Biological Medicine focuses on the body as a whole, instead of just treating symptoms, to determine the true reasons why people are ill and provide an overall wellness solution. This experience has changed my life. I have seen the body heal in unbelievable ways. I have seen people go from the depths of hopelessness to leading fulfilling lives. I have seen how things I never thought affected our health absolutely do. I have seen patients who simply did not want to get well, but chose to die. I have learned the will to live can go both ways — you can will yourself to die the same way you can will yourself to live.

 

  When I completed my program there, I left with several takeaways. Among them, one was piercing: “Paradigm is everything.” Let me explain.

Here’s what I discovered from my Swiss experience and how it can help you:

I remember the first time I visited Switzerland. I couldn’t believe how clean the air felt as it bathed my body. My lungs felt like they were expanding more with every breath of the country’s ultra-pristine air. I didn’t have a long flight, since I was living in London at the time, but I remember feeling a jolt of energy when I landed, like the “plane icky-ness” was exhaled out of my body in a breath or two. I’d felt this sensation one other time.

It was in North Dakota the day after a blizzard. North Dakota is without bright lights or big cities, so the air is pretty clean, but the post-blizzard air had a sensational clean-crispness about it. There was something extraordinarily different about the air in Switzerland, though, compared to any of my experiences, as if it had been filtered in some way.  Maybe it’s the Swiss Alps that run across the country, or all of the beautiful lakes, or maybe it’s the climate, which never seems to be too hot, too cold, or too humid. Whatever it is, there’s certainly magic in the air.

This got me curious. I began observing and interviewing the people around Zurich. I asked questions in shops, eateries, local markets, and health food stores. I would sit at a café and journal at the end of my day while overlooking the most incredible mountainous views. I noticed five facts immediately:

• The Swiss have stunning skin.
• The Swiss have insanely bright clear eyes.
• The Swiss are not overweight.
• The Swiss did not start telling me about their laundry list of doctors or illnesses, even when I provoked, and as I “instigated,” they just smiled. They didn’t get annoyed, which was interesting to me.
• The Swiss did not (and I have rarely seen this) look or sound stressed-out whatsoever.

I wanted in on this. The fresh air was definitely a catalyst of these physical “tells,” but that Nancy Drew affliction I have (if you have seen me speak anywhere, you know what I’m talking about) led me to believe there was more to the story. I discovered that the Swiss have a very different thought process when it comes to modern medicine. We can all learn something from this. In fact, I believe this is the biggest health secret… that shouldn’t be a secret!

When it comes to looking and feeling good, there’s more than meets the eye.

When it comes to humans, what you see is not what you get. Humans may look like walking skeletons that can talk, but we are much more. Those who are brimming with health (such as the Swiss) innately understand this important concept: We are not just physical bodies, but also energetic ones. This is critical to understand. You must start looking at your body in terms of atoms and molecules… not just skin and bones.

  Think of your body as an enormous ball of energy — so vast it could light up an entire city. Whatever you do in life that fuels the energy you have within makes you healthy and gorgeous. Hair shines, eyes glimmer, skin glows, weight shifts. You have vitality. This is the true gauge of health. Have you ever known someone who makes you think, “Hmm, they have great energy”?

The source of this energy is their inner vitality. When you start thinking about that, paying attention to it, you will notice you do make different choices. In Switzerland, for instance, I found it fascinating that most everyone has a homeopathic doctor. They go to emergent care doctors when needed, of course. But they do what they can to heal themselves in the least invasive way possible, because they understand this energy cycle.

They don’t want to disrupt the natural energy flowing through their bodies, so they aren’t quick to just dump anything in. Here’s a snapshot of two different thought processes. Of course I had to name them after two of my fave movies. Ask yourself, where do you fall?

Terminator View:

We are made like a “Terminator,” a biological entity of skin and parts that eventually wear out. The body’s consciousness stems solely from the electrical reactions in the brain. Illness just happens to a person because of bad genes or unfortunate exposure to viruses or bacteria, and drugs and surgery are how we return the body to balance.

Matrix View:

Our body has an energy matrix. We are electrical beings, not just structural ones. We think atoms and molecules, not just skin and bones. We know our body has an innate consciousness that helps direct us. We believe that genes express themselves according to our lifestyle. The way we eat, live, and move has an enormous impact on our health.

We know that being unhealthy can be a result of constant dysfunctional energy patterns played out in our lives. Most importantly, we understand that we are in control. Health is a byproduct of choices. It really comes down to building a better body, cell by cell. Everything rises and falls on the health of your cells. By using practices that I learned from my Swiss doctors—like cleansing and detoxifying your body, regulating pH balance through diet, and eating to strengthen your immune system and maintain optimal health and energy—you will get what you want.

Whether it’s to look better, feel better, heal better, get glowing skin, or have a youthful body and mind for years to come, you can obtain it. Think of your body like any other ecosystem. It really is self-healing and self-regulating. When you dump anything into your body that doesn’t belong, there is a ripple. There is an effect. Only provide your body what it needs, because otherwise natural production will go down. When you give your body anything it doesn't need, the consequences can be disastrous.

Address stressors, deficiencies, and toxicities beyond food as well. Supply your body with the right resources and remove interferences, such as bad food and negative relationships and thoughts that don’t serve you. When you start changing your paradigm and looking at your body as an ecosystem, you will lean into a stronger, healthier, and younger body and mind. Or maybe, just maybe, since the Swiss people consume the most chocolate per capita, it's just the chocolate that's got everybody glowing ... wink! 

Keep thinking big and living bold!