A Natural and Holistic Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic | A Farmer’s Perspective

Survival of the fittest. Such a harsh reality. It offends our desire to see the underdog come out on top, to support the downtrodden, to save that baby bird pushed out of its nest. But, in creation, it is absolutely, unequivocally necessary. Necessary if the full beauty of a creature is going to be expressed and realized.  And so, there are organisms at all levels of the food chain that prey on other weak and unhealthy organisms. As a farmer, one thing that I have noticed is that this predation never happens to an optimally healthy plant or animal – just to the unhealthy. In fact, the predators (fungus, molds, insects, etc.) never even attempt to consume the healthy. This leads me to the conclusion that predation is not some vicious, diabolical result of our fallen nature but is, in fact, a recycling – a cleaning up, if you will – of unhealthy, dying or dead tissues. It is ultimately an act of grace, of hope, of rebirth.  Without death, there is no new life.

In biology courses, I was taught that microorganisms are saprophytic – they feed on dead and dying tissue. In other words, they do not attack and consume healthy, vibrant, growing tissues. Only dead and dying. So the reason that creatures “fall victim” to bacteria, molds, fungi and viruses is because, either through lack of nutrients or exposure to toxins, they are unhealthy and dying. Pathogens, therefore, are nature’s “cleaner-uppers”. They are consuming dead and dying tissues or organisms and recycling their constituents for re-use by other organisms. The circle of life. What this means is that microorganisms are not the enemy. They are a necessary part of life and living. They are one component in the intricate balance of creation. The real enemy is either the lack of proper nutrition or exposure to toxins that result in, for the former, unhealthy growth and, for the latter, damage to previously healthy tissues.

“Real health is about giving our bodies the nutrients (air, sunlight, water, and food) and environmental conditions (sleep, movement, energy, emotional balance, and spirituality) we need in order to grow and thrive and heal; while, at the same time, doing our best to avoid toxins that damage our cells, tissues and organs. ”

So what does this mean for us? It means that real health is about giving our bodies the nutrients (air, sunlight, water, and food) and environmental conditions (sleep, movement, energy, emotional balance, and spirituality) we need in order to grow and thrive and heal; while, at the same time, doing our best to avoid toxins that damage our cells, tissues and organs. It means that microorganisms are not to be avoided or killed but, rather, are an integral part of the natural balance that our bodies need to be healthy. As a farmer, it is so obvious to me that balance is a foundational principle in creation. Nothing lives and grows in a vacuum, in isolation. Everything interacts, giving and receiving in an amazingly beautiful symphonic reality.

In the past year, I have been studying natural health at Trinity School of Natural Health. I am now a Certified Natural Health Professional (CNHP) and am working toward becoming a Board Certified Traditional Naturopath. Traditional Naturopathy is a holistic, natural, non-invasive approach to wellness that is built on the foundations of health (air, sunlight, water, food, sleep, movement, energy, emotional balance, and spirituality) and the knowledge that God created our bodies to heal themselves. As a CNHP, I do not practice medicine or treat illnesses, but, rather, educate and help a client to discern where he needs to shore up the foundations of his health. Where she needs to work with her body’s natural healing process and achieve optimal wellness. I am opening a consultation practice named Restore at R.C. Ripberger Farm, LLC and am now available to meet with anyone who wants to walk the path of natural and holistic health and wellness. Our God is all-in-all, all at once, right now; and we, His creation, are made in that image. So much of what we do in the name of conventional health care neglects and denies that truth. Join with me in educating ourselves about how our bodies were created to function; through that education, gaining knowledge focused on common sense healthy practices; using that knowledge, rejuvenating our bodies natural healing processes; and, embracing that rejuvenation, restoring the unity of body, mind and spirit that God made and found was very good!