Dialogue helps overcome stigmas

Mr. Malo of Fort Myers, Fla., makes an interestingpoint in Tuesday's Empire.

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Mind and body are inseparable since one can certainly effect the other.

Western scienceseparates them so it can better specialize. This isthe paradigm of Western medicine, but more and more there is also an acceptance of the Eastern medicine paradigm of prevention or treatingthe entire body as one complex but inseparable system. There are great benefitsin both paradigms. Whether one's condition of healthin either one -taken separately or taken together - issomeone'sburden is an individual opinion. Stigmas are unfortunately generated and assigned to various medical conditions by the uninformed. Once theybecome better informed that problem will cease to exist. Public dialogue such as thisshould help to accomplish that goal.

Alan R. Munro

Juneau