Health is about the body, mind & spirit

Ever have one of those meetings where you're not sure what will come out of it, but by the end, there are hundreds of ideas that fill your head? It's like a first date where you think the guy might be someone you could pass time with for awhile, but by the end the date, you're thinking you have to marry him. 

That's the type of meeting I had this morning. 

I had the opportunity to meet with leadership at the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing (CSH). What amazing, diverse and innovative programs make up this center. Their mission is to enrich health and well-being by providing high-quality interdisciplinary education, conducting rigorous research, and delivering ground-breaking programs that advance integrative health and healing.

Don't let the name make you think that this is just a some new age type of place or that they are riding on current trends in healthcare marketing - it is anything but!  CSH is about educating medical professionals, empowering consumers, partnering with the community and so much more.  And they are not some "Johnny-Come-Lately," as they have been around for 15 years.

The Center has been designated by the National Institutes of Health as a Developmental Center for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a distinction attained by only five institutions in the U.S. Being designated by the NIH is like receiving the Nobel Peace Prize - it's a big deal! 

If you care about being healthy (I know I do), you have to check out their "Taking Charge of Your Health" website.  It provides tools for creating a healthy lifestyle and they have a great resource for older individuals (our parents) who have to navigate the sometimes crazy healthcare system. Plus, making points with me and my crowd, a blog that is written by the Center's founder and current director, Mary Jo Kreitzer. (Only posting once a month, but what is there, is quality)

As it happens, Tony Baisley, the Center's Communications Director, and I have been friends for years. He had been suggesting (for more than a year) that we sit down and talk, but because my work load has been nuts, I kept putting off. Poor decision, but today that has been remedied. I'm so glad and I'm so excited about working with this amazing place.