Monterey Country Herald

Helping People Sort Out What's Best for Their Health

Page 1, July 22, 2003
by Kathryn McKenzie Nichols

Dr. Tel Franklin has quite a goal in mind—changing the way doctors and patients think about health care in this country.

And he's spreading the word, one book at a time. Franklin, a Monterey physician, recently published "Expect A Miracle: A Workbook for Your Healing Journey Using Appreciative Dialogue," a book that helps people sort out what's best for their health.

He said he's already sold or given away 7,000 to 8,000 of the self-published books.

"I'm not sure I'll ever make any money at it, but that isn't the point," said Franklin, who has been in practice in Monterey for four years and is a credentialed acupuncturist as well as a medical doctor.

The book includes inspirational stories of his own patients and lined pages that encourage people to fill in the blanks to such questions as "What does optical health mean to me?" and "What are the major factors that help me maintain health?"

Making good health a part of your life seems like a simple enough concept, but Franklin said it represents a paradigm shift in the way we all view health care.

The book "fundamentally takes the patients through a process to create their own healing program," he said.

Franklin has been thinking about such things for many years. A graduate of East Carolina University, he was the author and primary investigator on studies that examined how lifestyle changes could benefit coronary disease patients.

He came to realize that health care in the United States—and indeed, in most other places around the world —has what he terms "a problem-oriented approach." That is, the patient has a problem, goes to the doctor, and expects to have it fixed. The system functions well for emergencies and short-term illnesses, but not for ongoing concerns.

"This does not work for people who have a chronic health problem (such as heart disease or multiple sclerosis)," said Franklin.

Chronic conditions call for not only lifestyle changes, but Franklin recommends seeking out the best ways to handle the condition, be those traditional or non-traditional medicine.

"Expect a Miracle" outlines many alternative medical treatments, such as chiropractic and Feldenkrais, and helps people consider whether such methods might work for them.

At the same time, Franklin doesn't suggest abandoning Western medicine altogether. He often recommends a blend of such methods.

For instance, he tells the story of a man with back pain so severe that he couldn't work or function well at home, and had to take heavy-duty medication. But a combination of relaxation techniques. anti-inflammatory drugs and better nutrition helped put the patient on the road to recovery—without the pain-relieving prescriptions.

Franklin calls his method "Appreciative Dialogue" which refers not just to how doctors and patients communicate, but also how consider what our bodies need—an ongoing conversation with ourselves.

And a lot of it, he said, is in stopping health concerns before they ever start.

"I get excited about the things we can prevent through lifestyle choices," said Franklin, saying that optimal health is aided by good nutrition, stress reduction, smoking cessation and weight control—all of which are up to the individual.

Patients do better, Franklin said, when they guide the course of their health care themselves.

And a cheerful attitude goes a long way in improving physical health.

"It's about dwelling on the positive, and asking, 'How can I make this a better day?'" Franklin said.