ALISON ROSE LEVY

I'm down in D.C for a great event --- with Donna Karan, Larry Dossey, Mark Hyman, James Gordon, Woodson Merrell, Dean Ornish, Joanne Heyman, and a host of other leaders in the transformation of health care. Last night, on November 4th, the Bravewell Collaborative, under the inspired leadership of Christy Mack celebrated the release of the long awaited Institute of Medicine report on the future of integrative medicine in health care with a bash down in Washington, DC-- with Mehmet Oz, MD as Master of Ceremonies.

Can't wait to read the report and will report on its contents in a later blog-- but for now just want to report that it was great to spend time with a community of people who are so caring, dedicated, and focused on caring for the patient and solving our health care problems.

As Donna, just back from TEDMed told me, "We all have to join together to make the change happen."

When Margaret Mead said that a small group can change the world, she no doubt had in mind a community just like the one we are so fortunate to have around UZ, Bravewell, and all our many allies.

To read the report CLICK HERE.

For health information, science and news, get the free health outlook, CLICK HERE.

I've always had trouble picturing the decline of Rome. Why would the Roman people get distracted by a mean-spirited and meaningless circus? At what stage of a civilization do cheap thrills become the best option?

Unfortunately, nowadays, I don't have to crack a history book to get that lesson.If media outlets, pundits, and commentators were seriously concerned about the health of Americans, they'd do more than to fixate on a sound byte which is a poor substitute for addressing a complex reality. Too bad for us and our health.

Fortunately, last month, Andrew Weil offered a voice of sanity on Larry King show. King joked about the title of Weil's just published book, Why Our Health Matters asking: Isn't it obvious why our health matters?

Is it? Do we act as if health is primary?