We are happy to promote the Online International Symposium “RESTORING THE BALANCE BETWEEN EARTH AND HEALTH” organized by the Hospital la Princesa of Madrid.
INTRODUCTION
Throughout history, human beings have been acutely aware of the fine balance between the earth and health, and how our subsistence is closely tied to the relationship we have with nature. Indigenous cultures across the planet contextualized health within the natural environment and developed sophisticated healing practices using the resources provided by mother nature. In ancient Greece, physicians adopted the principle of – vis medicatrix naturae – in their practice, recognizing the healing power of nature and the innate ability of the body to heal itself.
But modern society drifted away from nature and human health was conceptualized apart from its ecological context and we are presently immersed in a narrative in which medicine exists without nature. Now, we live in a world in which climate change is considered the biggest global health threat of our time and the Covid-19 pandemic calls for reframing health and healthcare narratives ecologically and sheds light on the need for mending our broken relationship with nature.
GOALS
The Nature and Medicine Virtual Symposium brings together a diverse group of people working at the intersection of nature and medicine to share experiences and resources so that together we can help create a brighter future.The event is organized by a consortium of international organizations and academic institutions committed to advancing medical education, including The Doctor as a Humanist, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Sechenov University, Anáhuac University, Ars Medica, and McGraw Hill. Our goal is to help raise awareness about the relationship between health and nature and spread a more widespread understanding of the ecological dimensions of medicine.
