The greatest wealth is health. —Virgil

Resources for health care information and personal growth

The Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing is a nationally recognized leader in wellbeing, integrative therapies, and healing practices. The Center provides high-quality interdisciplinary education, conducts research, and plays a pivotal role in improving the health and wellbeing of people, organizations and communities at the local, national and international levels. The faculty, experts drawn from the University and the community, are committed to innovation, service and social change. 

Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing – Supported by the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing, this website offers accurate and credible information to help individuals improve and maintain health and wellbeing including enhancing wellbeing, exploring complementary and integrative healing practices, and navigating the healthcare system.

Miriam E. Cameron, PhD, MS, MA, RN, is a Senior Fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing.

Tenzin Namdul, TMD, PhD, is Assistant Professor and Director of The Tibetan Healing Initiative Program at the University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing.

Dr. Cameron developed and taught the following course on Tibetan Medicine for 20 years. The link also provides information about an additional opportunity to study Tibetan Medicine in India. Dr. Tenzin Namdul has assisted Dr. Cameron teaching these courses and is the current professor for both.

Study Tibetan Medicine at the U of MN

Drs. Cameron and Namdul co-authored the following textbook used for these courses: Tibetan Medicine & You: A Path to Wellbeing, Better Health, & Joy

Men-Tsee-Khang (Sowa-Rigpa), Dharamsala India – Official website of Tibetan Medical & Astro-science Institute of H. H. The Dalai Lama where Traditional Tibetan medicine is taught and practiced.

Official website of Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. – This is an excellent resource for education and information on integrative medicine. See below for a link to this website’s anti-inflammatory diet and food pyramid.

• Dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet and food pyramid

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) – Part of the United States government’s National Institutes of Health. Conducts and supports research and provides information about complementary and integrative health approaches. Spanish translation provided.

The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, Washington, D.C. – Developed a model of self-care, social support and community building that has transformed practices and outcomes in health care, the training of health care professionals and the education of children.

Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust, Dehradun, India — Located in the Garhwal region of the foothills of the Himalayas. Designed to serve this region’s population of millions of people in great medical, economic, and social need. The mission of HIHT is to develop integrated and cost-effective approaches to health care and development for India, and for underserved populations worldwide.

• The Ayurveda Centre – Ayurvedic medicine including Panchakarma, a detoxification treatment

Recommended Media

Cameron, M. (2001). Karma and happiness : A Tibetan odyssey in ethics, spirituality, and healing. Minneapolis: Fairview Press.

Cameron, M., & Tenzin Namdul. (2020). Tibetan medicine and you : A path to wellbeing, better health and joy. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Chernikoff, D. (2021). Life, part two : Seven keys to awakening with purpose and joy as you age. Boulder, Colorado: Shambhala.

Emmons, H. (2010). The chemistry of calm : A powerful drug-free plan to quiet your fears and overcome your anxiety. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Emmons, H.(2006). The chemistry of joy : A three-step program for overcoming depression through Western science and Eastern wisdom. New York: Fireside.

Fung, J. (2018). The diabetes code : Prevent and reverse type 2 diabetes naturally. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Greystone Books.

Fung, J. (2016). The obesity code : Unlocking the secrets of weight loss. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Greystone Books.

Gordon, James S. (1996). Manifesto for a new medicine : Your guide to healing partnerships and the wise use of alternative therapies. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2004). Guided mindfulness meditation. Boulder, CO: Sounds True. (4 CD set)

Naidoo, U. (2020). This is your brain on food : An indispensable guide to the surprising foods that fight depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and more. New York: Little, Brown Spark.

Remen, Naomi. (1996). Kitchen table wisdom : Stories that heal. New York: Riverhead Books.

Torkelson, C., & Catherine Marienau. (2023). Beyond menopause : New pathways to holistic health. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.

Weil, Andrew. (2000). Eating well for optimum health : The essential guide to food, diet and nutrition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Weil, Andrew. (1997). Eight weeks to optimum health : A proven program for taking full advantage of your body’s natural healing power. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Weil, Andrew. (2009). Why our health matters : A vision of medicine that can transform our future. New York: Hudson Street Press.