SPARTAN Health Sciences University School of Medicine held its first ever symposium entitled “The Benefits of Yoga and Holistic Medicine along with Modern Medicine—An Integrated approach, on February 14-15, which its organizers hailed as a success.
The symposium was organized by the School, in collaboration with the Indian Cultural Foundation, the Saint Lucia Medical and Dental Association, the Caribbean Colleges for Family Physicians and yoga groups in St. Lucia.
Seventeen doctors and physicians shared their knowledge and experience with the large gathering of health practitioners on the benefits of yoga and holistic medicine and how it can enhance one’s health.
Some of the topics discussed were: Traditional Yoga and Autism–A Journey of Discovery for the Exceptional Mind, Autism–A Modern Approach, Diabetes– A Whole Patient Approach to Management and Understanding Depression– Diagnosis and Management.
The symposium was opened with addresses by Minister of Health, Hon. Mary Isaac, ENT surgeon, Dr. Leonard Surage and Jill Hagar, a Yoga Therapist.
In addressing the gathering, Dr. Leonard Surage spoke about the evolution of various types of medicine.
He explained why some people prefer to use certain types of medicine and some of the myths regarding their perceived results.
Dr.Surage also expressed the need to regularize the role of certain practitioners.
Minister of Health Mary Isaac endorsed the symposium and described it as a welcome initiative.
She said no matter how much wealth a country has it will not mean much to it if its population is not healthy, stressing that the wealth of a nation is the health of a nation.
“Health care is the most important asset we have….and we must protect it because without it we will not exist,” Isaac said.
She said there is lot of diseases in Saint Lucia which can be decreased with the practice of yoga.
Isaac called on Saint Lucians not to wait until their health conditions get worse to see a health practitioner.
Jill Hagar said: “Yoga has spiritual, mental and physical benefits. It is a preventative medicine…”
She added that yoga makes people happy and change their way of living.
Hager appealed to Saint Lucians to practice yoga because of its immense benefits.
In interviews with some of the attendees they described the symposium as informative and educational.