Dear Patients,

             Recently I read one of the most profoundly touching books that I have ever read. The title of the book is  “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Dr. Victor E. Frankl.   I am sure some of you have read this book or heard of it.

Dr. Frankl is a Psychiatrist who survived four Nazi death camps during the Holocaust.   He lost his parents, his wife and siblings to the deadly oven.  He was     dehumanized and stripped naked physically, mentally and spiritually.   Against all odds, he survived these camps; not with physical strength, but by finding the meaning of his mental and emotional strength.

He watched many of his fellow prisoners die of malnutrition, over exertion from daily hard labor, and deadly epidemics that swept the camps.   Many of them gave up before their time and simply waited to die…they did not see the light at the end of the tunnel and did not see any reason to go on.   In other words, they lost hope.

Before his imprisonment, he was working on new psychological theories and  finishing his book.  Each time suicide crossed his mind in the camps, he thought of the book and it gave him a renewed strength, and the will to go on. This clear purpose in life kept him alive.  He also realized that other prisoners who survived had a clear    vision of  their survival.

Dr. Frankl quotes Nietzsche stating, “He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How”   After being liberated from the camps where 90% of the prisoners did not survive, he started one of the most influential  psychological         institutes:  Logotherapy.  According to Logotherapy, striving to find a meaning in one’s life is the primary motivational force in man.

I could not agree more with Dr. Frankl.  I have been a firm believer of    meaning and purpose in one’s life for many years.  Thomas Carlyle said “The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder…a waif, a nothing, a no man”   In other words, if you don’t have a purpose, you don’t even exist.

During the last 17 years of my practice, I have seen  thousands of patients…to be exact; we have almost 20,000 charts in our practice.  Too many patients became ill and eventually died prematurely.  Sadly, they left their loved ones emotionally and    financially stranded after long bouts with their diseases.  Most of these diseases could have been prevented if they had taken better care of themselves. 

If these patients knew how their not taking care of their health would negatively impact their loved ones, they most likely would have taken  better care of themselves.  In other words, if they had realized that the purpose of being healthy was also for their loved ones’ well being; they would have paid more attention to their own health.

I strongly urge you to find meaning and purpose for being healthy.  Of course, being healthy is for you first; but understand the impact that it will have on all your loved ones .  When you are healthy and full of vitality, you will excel in anything you do.  You will be able to achieve more of what you are here to do.

I have been very frustrated with our current health care system. It does not put enough emphasis on prevention and wellness.  Many of you have been to my wellness seminars and noticed that I am all about getting well physically, mentally and spiritually.  I believe that we need more knowledge about how we can become the best that we can be in all those areas.

For the last 6 years, I have done hundreds of health seminars.  This became the new      purpose and meaning for my existence.  I am absolutely passionate about getting everyone I come in contact with physically, mentally and spiritually well!

 I would like to invite all of you to participate in my health seminars that are coming up this month.  I know some of you have come in the past and I invite you to come again.  I have learned a lot since the last time you participated and you will hear a wealth of new information.

Join us for the two seminars: Tuesday, August 19^th, at 7 PM and Saturday, August 30^th,  at 2 PM.   Please call our office to reserve your seat.  The cost for each seminar is $10.  The cost of  admission covers materials, drinks and delicious snacks.  I am truly committed to helping you improve your well being and your health.   I will give you tools to assist you in finding the     meaning and purpose for living healthy.  Please join me on this journey to find meaning and purpose in our lives.  By the time we are done I assure you that you will be healthier, happier and        more successful.