On Wednesday 13 May, Year 13 Health students had the opportunity to listen to three guest speakers who represented different health practices. A traditional Chinese medicine doctor, Judy Zhu; a homeopath, Julie Baldwin, representing complementary and alternative medicine; and a physiotherapist, Jai, representing Western scientific medicine. This experience was extremely interesting as it allowed us to learn more surrounding different health philosophies and how they approach treatment and wellbeing in unique ways.
Judy Zhu, the traditional Chinese medicine doctor, spoke on holistic health and the importance of balance within the body and overall wellbeing. She discussed treatments such as herbal medicine and acupuncture, which aim to restore energy flow and treat both emotional and physical health.
Julie Baldwin shared information surrounding natural remedies and homeopathy. It was interesting to hear how complementary and alternative medicine focuses on supporting the body naturally, rather than only treating symptoms, and focuses on the individual as a whole person.
Jai talked about how Western scientific medicine focuses on evidence-based treatments as well as specific diagnosis and rehabilitation to improve one’s physical health. It was very helpful to learn how physiotherapy can support recovery and prevent injuries through exercise and movement.
Overall, listening to these speakers gave us a broader understanding of the health practices we are focusing on in class and highlighted that there are many different ways people maintain and improve their wellbeing. Learning about real-life applications within health and exploring different perspectives on wellbeing and treatment is both interesting and enjoyable.
The guest speakers helped connect our classroom learning to the real world and allowed us students to gain deeper insight into the fascinating practices.
Mari Blokker and Stella Varga – Year 13
