10. I Heal My Own Body : The Power of Natural Healing

If I had to summarize all the topics I’ll be discussing in the future in one sentence, it would be this:

It is not an external doctor who heals illness, but the inner doctor within — the power of natural healing.

There’s a saying: “If you take cold medicine, it takes 7 days to recover; if you don’t, it takes a week.” This reflects the view that cold viruses mutate so rapidly that by the time a vaccine is developed, the virus has already evolved resistance. Many argue that flu vaccines are no more than a placebo. Therefore, the best prescription when you catch a cold is to maximize your body’s natural healing power through sufficient hydration, sleep, and rest.

Natural healing power refers to self-defense, self-recovery, and self-healing abilities.

These are the body’s own physiological processes: fighting off invading viruses, healing wounds, and even eliminating thousands of cancer cells that naturally form in our bodies every day. All of this happens because our bodies know how to heal themselves.

So, we just need to…

Live, eat, and think according to the laws of nature — this strengthens natural healing and maintains our health.

If a situation persists that prevents this, and it crosses a certain threshold, we may become ill. Even then, the core principle of Oriental medicine is to enhance the body’s natural healing power.

I’m often asked what I would do if I were diagnosed with cancer. My answer is clear:
If surgery is an option — that is, if the cancer has not spread and can be completely removed surgically — I would consider it.
However, if chemotherapy or radiation is required, I would respectfully decline and instead focus on regulating mind and energy (정기신, jing-qi-shen) and enhancing natural healing power, while putting my life in order.

In many clinical cases, when surgery is no longer viable, refusing chemotherapy or radiation can actually preserve a patient’s quality of life. Or, to be more flexible — if chemotherapy or radiation is to be used, it should only be to the extent the patient can physically endure. This is because such treatments also destroy the body’s natural healing capacity.

There’s a saying: “Life is in the hands of Heaven (人命在天).”
Sometimes, by emptying selfish desires and embracing a greater, selfless self, we can let go of attachment to physical life and death.
This mindset alone can amplify natural healing and even lead to miracles.

Dr. Jin-man Kim, director of Peace Oriental Clinic