Healing yourself is connected with healing others.

One more thing...

How can I forget to mention the Grand Opening of the new NCNM Clinic in southwest Portland, Oregon, the largest naturopathic clinic in the Portland area. It's also the teaching clinic where I have been completing my residency. I was at the ceremony this morning where speeches were made by Mayor Sam Adams and Senator Monnes Anderson as well as NCNM President David Schleich, board member Nancy Garbett, the woman who makes everything at the clinic run just right, Dr. Jill Stanard (seen at the podium in the picture above).

The main teaching clinic provides low cost health care, preventive naturopathic and integrative care. There are also satellite teaching clinics for even lower cost care for the members of various Portland communities.

For more information, check out the NCNM Clinics' website at www.ncnm.edu.

Naturopathic Doctors in the Press

My fellow NDs from the NCNM Class of 2007 are making news all across the country! First, Dr. Karen Peters in Albany, CA, discussed flu prevention, then last night I saw Dr. Jesse Buttler who practices in Milwaukee, OR, on KGW Channel 8 news talking about cleanses and fasts. Now it's Dr. Sean Heerey from New York City, talking about the role of alternative medicine in the current healthcare crisis.

And I can't possibly mention Sean without talking about his wife (and my friend) Christina Heerey. She runs the New York Dog Training School and has a great technique for training dogs and owners alike.

Can't wait to find more press on my classmates and friends!

East Bay Naturopathic Clinic
Northwest Natural medicine
Sean E. Heerey, N.D.

Rock 'n' Wellness: Sad News

Jay Bennett via last.fm

Jay Bennett, former member of the alt-country band Wilco, died at age 45. He had struggled with drug addiction in the past and was in severe pain due to chronic knee and hip damage, according to his MySpace page. He was in need of hip replacement surgery and did not have any health insurance. Did lack of health insurance contribute to his death? Gawker.com asked that question.

Lack of insurance is a national problem, not just confined to the music world, but there are countless numbers of people struggling to make it as artists and performers, unable to afford health care. There are options to join unions if they qualify and organizations such as Future of Music Coalition and MusiCares provide resources for musicians who are in need of advocacy, financial, and medical support. The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center is a national database of health care resources for artists, performers, and freelancers.

If anyone has other resources for artists in need of health care, please post a comment!

RESOURCES
Future of Music Coalition
MusiCares
The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center
Health Alliance for Austin Musicians

UPDATE 07/01/09
Last week, an Illinois coroner's office revealed the cause of Jay Bennett's death was an accidental fentanyl overdose. Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate analgesic that is often prescribed for severe and chronic pain that has a high addiction potential. It binds to receptors in the brain to decrease not only the pain, but also the emotional response to pain.

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