Pharmacy lives: Holistic health is the future

As pharmacists, we know the theory that sleep, nutrition, diet, exercise, social connection, mindfulness, journalling and nature all help to counteract burnout. Yet we still hesitate to incorporate this into our lives. 

As the most accessible healthcare professionals, we are in a unique and privileged position to be role models for self care and healthy lifestlyes. But I, like many others, struggle to get the balance right.

It is essential that we take time out for ourselves. Otherwise, we are at a real risk of burnout.

With this in mind, I signed up for a one-day yoga retreat organised by the Female Pharmacy Leaders Network (Co-founders Reena Barai, Komal George and Harpreet Chana) in conjunction with Dev from Sattva Yoga.

I contemplated beforehand whether I could manage to take time out from my busy schedule to attend the retreat on a weekday, but I realised that taking time out for my health and wellbeing was non-negotiable. I experienced a shift in my mindset: If I didn’t take care of myself, how could I take care of my family or serve my patients?  

Right decision

As I entered the tranquil grounds of Tofte Manor in Bedford, I knew I had made the right decision. I was instantly transported into another world. ‘Today you're not entering as a pharmacist, mother, sister, wife, partner, daughter, advocate, but simply as the woman that you are’ were the words that opened the event. Abandoning our earthly identity and titles at the door, we reflected inwards and reconnected with the essence of who we really are. 

My maternal grandfather was a priest and Ayurvedic practitioner, and I felt that I was reconnecting to my ancestral roots. However, yoga is not limited to a certain race or religion; it is for everyone – a gift to humanity that anyone can practice. When yoga is practiced according to the ancient, authentic way, it becomes not only an exercise but a spiritual therapy to heal mind, body and soul. 

I felt joy during the yoga asanas (poses), which were simple yet effective. I learned about pranayama (breathwork), meditation and mindful mealtimes. Like many people, I had done yoga before in the gym as an exercise, but this was the first time I had experienced the prana (energy) flowing through me, making my hands and feet tingle. Afterwards, I felt energised.  

The ‘Mindful Mealtime’ talk taught us about how food is medicine and can heal from within, and that we need to be aware of what and how we are eating. 

During the break, we agreed that we would like to see holistic practices being prescribed as a first line treatment, and for a healthcare to have a more proactive rather than a reactive approach, focusing on preventative medicine. 

Afterwards, we took part in Yoga nindra (sleep), which brings on a deep state of conscious relaxation, moving awareness from the external world to the internal. In today’s hustle culture, where we are constantly on the go, it is hard to relax. Being in a constant state of stress can cause low immunity and various illnesses to manifest. Yoga nindra is a practice that can be incorporated in our lives to help us maintain healthy relaxation and better sleep patterns. 

The final and for me the most fascinating part of the retreat was the firepit ceremony. I found this to be an emotionally cleansing experience where negative energies seemed to burn away. The atmosphere was infused with positive vibes, reminding me of Agnihotra (Agni = fire, Hotra = Healing), an ancient fire ritual carried out to purify the atmosphere, relieve stress and heal physically and mentally. It is a practice that is very therapeutic. 

Transformational

As females, we naturally focus so much on others, but the retreat gave us an opportunity to focus on ourselves. We all came away with our cups filled with much needed rest and rejuvenation, ready to tackle life’s challenges head on.

The retreat made me reflect deeply on myself, and I hope to incorporate these holistic practices into my life and share them with others too. I have always been fascinated by the power of medicine, but the “pill for every ill” attitude is not the way forward.

Holistic health is the future and to get there, we need to look at our past and how our ancestors lived. We need to focus as a society on tackling the root causes of illnesses and not just the external symptoms. 

This was a transformational experience for me, and I hope to discover more about these practices in the future.  

Sobha Sharma Kandel is a superintendent pharmacist, pharmacy owner, GP practice clinical pharmacist and PhD student researching healthcare professionals’ knowledge of herbal medicines. 

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