Andrew Weil Quotes

“I have argued for years that we do not have a health care system in America. We have a disease-management system - one that depends on ruinously expensive drugs and surgeries that treat health conditions after they manifest rather than giving our citizens simple diet, lifestyle and therapeutic tools to keep them healthy.”

“Millions of Americans today are taking dietary supplements, practicing yoga and integrating other natural therapies into their lives. These are all preventive measures that will keep them out of the doctor's office and drive down the costs of treating serious problems like heart disease and diabetes.”

Heart Problem Today Natural Millions Serious Cost Office Disease Yoga Doctors Therapy Integrating Diabetes Supplements Heart Disease

Author:Andrew Weil

“Short naps are good. Given modern workplace demands, this is not possible for many people - but if you have the option, try napping for ten to twenty minutes in the afternoon, preferably lying down in a darkened room.”

People Ifs Trying Lying Given Rooms Modern Minutes Ten Demand Twenties Afternoon Workplace Naps Lying Down

Author:Andrew Weil

“The more people have, the less content they seem to be. In America, the cultural expectation that we're to be happy all the time and our children are to be happy all the time is toxic, and I think that really gets in the way of emotional well-being.”

People Thinking Way Wells Children Seems America Emotional Expectations Our Children Well Being Toxic Emotional Well Being

Author:Andrew Weil

“You can't afford to get sick, and you can't depend on the present health care system to keep you well. It's up to you to protect and maintain your body's innate capacity for health and healing by making the right choices in how you live.”

Wells Body Care Choices Healing Depends Protect Capacity Sick Your Body Health Care Innate Up To You Right Choices Health Care System

Author:Andrew Weil

“Citizens must pressure the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the Centers for Disease Control and other relevant governmental agencies to make greening our hospitals and medical centers a top priority so that they themselves don't create even more illness.”

Citizens Disease Pressure Illness Medical Priorities Agency Hospitals Relevant Association Public Health Top Priorities Greening

Author:Andrew Weil

“Dreaming is a phenomenon of purely individual consciousness, and consequently impossible to thoroughly deconstruct by a community of researchers. But dreaming matters.”

Matter Dream Individual Community Consciousness Impossible Phenomenon Researchers

Author:Andrew Weil

“Each day as I travel through downtown Tucson, I am amazed at how quickly the most ancient of human behaviors have changed. For as long as there have been Homo sapiens - roughly 200,000 years - people have filled their lives principally with two activities: talking directly with other people, and doing physical things.”

People Years Humans Long Has Beens Two Talking Changed Activity Behavior Filled Ancient Each Day Amazed Human Behavior Homo Sapiens Downtown Physical Things Tucson

Author:Andrew Weil

“Everyone prefers some foods over others, but some adults take this tendency to an extreme. These people tend to prefer the kinds of bland food they may have enjoyed as children - such as plain or buttered pasta, macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza, French fries and grilled cheese sandwiches - and to restrict their eating to just a few dishes.”

People Kind May Children Eating Adults Extremes Tendencies Enjoyed Cheese Dishes Sandwiches Pizza Pasta Bland Fries French Fries Macaroni Macaroni And Cheese Grilled Cheese Cheese Sandwiches

Author:Andrew Weil

“Human beings and plants have co-evolved for millions of years, so it makes perfect sense that our complex bodies would be adapted to absorb needed, beneficial compounds from complex plants and ignore the rest.”

Years Humans Body Would Be Human Beings Perfect Millions Needed Plant Complexes Beneficial Compounds Adapted

Author:Andrew Weil

“I'm still not comfortable recommending that people eat saturated fat with abandon, but it's clear to me that sugar, flour and oxidized seed oils create inflammatory effects in the body that almost certainly bear most of the responsibility for elevating heart disease risk.”

People Heart Stills Body Responsibility Clear Risk Effects Bears Disease Comfortable Oil Seeds Fats Abandon Sugar Heart Disease Saturated Flour Elevating

Author:Andrew Weil

“If you have difficulty sleeping or are not getting enough sleep or sleep of good quality, you need to learn the basics of sleep hygiene, make appropriate changes, and possibly consult a sleep expert.”

Ifs Needs Enough Sleep Quality Difficulty Experts Appropriate Basics Hygiene Good Quality Enough Sleep

Author:Andrew Weil

“In the world at large, people are rewarded or punished in ways that are often utterly random. In the garden, cause and effect, labor and reward, are re-coupled. Gardening makes sense in a senseless world. By extension, then, the more gardens in the world, the more justice, the more sense is created.”

People World Way Causes Justice Effects Garden Labor Rewards Make Sense Gardening Extensions Cause And Effect

Author:Andrew Weil

“Insurance companies, whether private or government owned, must be compelled to pay for health-promoting measures. In turn, this will encourage physicians to offer such treatments in earnest.”

Government Turns Pay Company Offers Treatment Physicians Compelled Earnest Promoting Insurance Companies

Author:Andrew Weil

“It does kids no favors, and sets them up for a potential lifetime of poor health and social embarrassment, to excuse them from family meals of real food. Everyone benefits from healthy eating, but it is particularly crucial at the beginning of life.”

Doe Real Kids Social Poor Healthy Benefits Eating Lifetime Excuse Favors Meals Crucial Embarrassment Healthy Eating Beginning Of Life Real Food Poor Health

Author:Andrew Weil

“Limit or eliminate late-night computer and television viewing. A computer or TV screen may seem much dimmer than a light bulb, but these screens often fill your field of vision, mimicking the effects of a room filled with light.”

May Light Seems Night Rooms Vision Effects Fields Television Tvs Limits Computer Late Filled Screens Bulbs Late Night Light Bulb Mimicking

Author:Andrew Weil

“Low levels of vitamin D in the population as a whole suggest that most people need to take a vitamin D supplement. This may be especially true for seniors, as the ability to synthesize vitamin D in the skin declines with age.”

People Needs May Whole Age Ability Levels Lows Skins Population Decline Senior Vitamins Supplements Low Level Vitamin D

Author:Andrew Weil

“My passion for gardening may strike some as selfish, or merely an act of resignation in the face of overwhelming problems that beset the world. It is neither. I have found that each garden is just what Voltaire proposed in Candide: a microcosm of a just and beautiful society.”

World May Problem Beautiful Faces Passion Found Garden Strikes Selfish Overwhelming Gardening My Passion Resignation Microcosm Candide

Author:Andrew Weil

“Remember that breath walking - as with any meditation technique - should not be pursued with a grim determination to 'get it right.' The point is to cultivate openness, relaxation and awareness, which can include awareness of your undisciplined, wandering mind.”

Should Mind Remember Meditation Awareness Walking Determination Breaths Technique Wander Openness Relaxation Pursued Grim Undisciplined Wandering Mind

Author:Andrew Weil

“Routines may include taking a warm bath or a relaxing walk in the evening, or practicing meditation/relaxation exercises. Psychologically, the completion of such a practice tells your mind and body that the day's work is over and you are free to relax and sleep.”

Mind May Body Sleep Walks Practice Meditation Exercise Warm Evening Relax Relaxation Baths Mind And Body Completion

Author:Andrew Weil

“The bottom line is that the human body is complex and subtle, and oversimplifying - as common sense sometimes impels us to do - can be hazardous to your health.”

Humans Sometimes Body Lines Common Complexes Bottom Common Sense Subtle Human Body Bottom Line

Author:Andrew Weil

“The most common objection that I hear to walking as exercise is that it's too easy, that only sweaty, strenuous activity offers real benefits. But there is abundant evidence that regular, brisk walking is associated with better health, including lower blood pressure, better moods and improved cholesterol ratios.”

Real Easy Common Blood Walking Exercise Offers Activity Benefits Evidence Pressure Including Mood Objections Ratios Blood Pressure Cholesterol

Author:Andrew Weil

“The usual justification for eating extra meals is that it keeps the metabolism "revved up" so that weight loss is easier. There is, however, very little hard evidence that supports this idea, and a fair amount that disputes it.”

Littles Ideas Hard Loss Support Amount Easier Eating Evidence Fairs Weight Meals Extras Usual Justification Disputes Weight Loss Metabolism

Author:Andrew Weil

“The world is beset by many problems, but in my opinion, this hijacking of our brain's reward centers by electronic media is potentially one of the most destructive.”

World Problem Brain Opinion Media Rewards Destructive Hijacking Electronic Media

Author:Andrew Weil

“To be clear, I worry as much about the impact of the Internet as anyone else. I worry about shortening attention spans, the physical cost of sedentary "surfing" and the potential for coarsening discourse as millions of web pages compete for attention by appealing to our base instincts.”

Attention Millions Worry Clear Internet Cost Pages Impact Instinct Discourse Surfing Attention Span Sedentary Web Page

Author:Andrew Weil

“When people are told to "eat many small meals," what they may actually hear is "eat all the time," making them likely to respond with some degree of compulsive overeating. It's no coincidence, I think, that obesity rates began rising rapidly in the 1980s more or less in tandem with this widespread endorsement of more frequent meals.”

People Thinking May Degrees Rate Meals Rising Coincidence Obesity Endorsements Overeating Tandem

Author:Andrew Weil

“Any drug can be used successfully, no matter how bad it's reputation, and any drug can be abused, no matter how accepted it is. There are no good or bad rugs; there are only good and bad relationships with drugs.”

Matter Used Drug Accepted Reputation Good And Bad Bad Relationship

Author:Andrew Weil

“The notion that a human being should be constantly happy is a uniquely modern, uniquely American, uniquely destructive idea.”

Should Humans Ideas Human Beings Modern Notion Destructive

Author:Andrew Weil

“My personal opinion is that the neutral position on the mood spectrum—what I called emotional sea level—is not happiness but rather contentment and the calm acceptance that is the goal of many kinds of spiritual practice.”

Kind Happiness Spiritual Goal Levels Opinion Practice Sea Position Acceptance Emotional Calm Mood Contentment Spectrum Spiritual Practice Personal Opinions

Author:Andrew Weil

“I believe that it may be normal, healthy, and even productive to experience mild to moderate depression from time to time as part of the variable emotional spectrum, either as an appropriate response to situations or as a way of turning inward and mentally chewing over problems to find solutions.”

Way Believe May Problem I Believe Situation Emotional Healthy Normal Solutions Response Productive Appropriate Inward Moderates Spectrum Variables Chewing

Author:Andrew Weil

“Among other things, neuroplasticity means that emotions such as happiness and compassion can be cultivated in much the same way that a person can learn through repetition to play golf and basketball or master a musical instrument, and that such practice changes the activity and physical aspects of specific brain areas.”

Source: Spontaneous Happiness: Step-by-step to peak emotional wellbeing

“Happiness is a skill. It requires effort and time.”

Effort Skills Effort And Time

Book:Spontaneous Happiness: Step-by-step to peak emotional wellbeing

Source: Spontaneous Happiness: Step-by-step to peak emotional wellbeing

“I think instead [of happiness] we should be working for contentment... an inner sense of fulfillment that's relatively independent of external circumstances.”

Thinking Should Circumstances Independent Fulfillment Contentment

Author:Andrew Weil

“In my view, prescribing antidepressant drugs is too often a quick and easy substitute for developing treatment plans that address the totality of health concerns and lifestyle factors that have an impact on wellness, including emotional wellness.”

Easy Views Plans Emotional Drug Depression Concern Impact Including Lifestyle Factors Developing Wellness Addresses Treatment Substitutes Totality Antidepressants Prescribing

Author:Andrew Weil

“Gardening is not trivial. If you believe that it is, closely examine why you feel that way. You may discover that this attitude has been forced upon you by mass media and the crass culture it creates and maintains. The fact is, gardening is just the opposite - it is, or should be, a central, basic expression of human life.”

Ifs Way Feels Should Believe Humans May Has Beens Facts Culture Attitude Media Expression Mass Garden Opposites Human Life Gardening If You Believe Mass Media Crass

Author:Andrew Weil

“The choice is ours: we can keep on craving what we don't have, and so perpetuate our unhappiness, or we can adjust our attitude toward what we do have so that our expectations conform to our experience.”

Happiness Choices Attitude Expectations Unhappiness Conform Craving

Author:Andrew Weil

“As a physician, I recommend nutritious hemp seeds and oil to anyone interested in maintaining a healthy diet. Everyone will benefit when American farmers can grow this amazing crop once again.”

Grows Healthy Benefits Oil Seeds Diets Farmers Marijuana Physicians Maintaining Crops Hemp Healthy Diet Medical Marijuana

Author:Andrew Weil

“True, nuts are high in fat, but most of them contain monounsaturated fat that is good for the heart. In fact, eaten in moderation, nuts can lower your risk of heart disease and heart attack.”

Heart Facts Environment Risk Disease Fats Nuts Moderation Heart Attack Heart Disease

Author:Andrew Weil

“People who are contented and serene sleep well. They fall asleep easily, stay asleep, and wake refreshed. Conversely, people who are anxious, stressed, or depressed do not sleep well, and chronic insomnia is strongly associated with mood disorders. These are clear correlations, but what is cause and what is effect is not clear. Most experts agree that sleep and mood are closely related, that healthy sleep can enhance emotional well-being, while insufficient quantity or quality of sleep can adversely affect it.”

“It is unrealistic to want to be happy all the time.”

Want Want To Be Happy

Author:Andrew Weil

“I do not claim to have attained optimum emotional well-being. Actually, I think that may be a lifetime goal. For me it’s an ongoing process that requires awareness, knowledge, and practice. I do know what good emotional health feels like, and that motivates me to keep at the practice.”

Thinking Knows Feels Wells May Process Goal Practice Awareness Emotional Claims Lifetime Well Being Ongoing Emotional Health Optimum Emotional Well Being

Author:Andrew Weil

“Please keep in mind the distinction between healing and treatment: treatment originates from outside, whereas healing comes from within.”

Mind Healing Please Distinction Treatment

Book:8 Weeks to Optimum Health: A Proven Program for Taking Full Advantage of Your Body's Natural Healing Power

Source: 8 Weeks to Optimum Health: A Proven Program for Taking Full Advantage of Your Body's Natural Healing Power

“In Europe, when tobacco was first introduced, it was immediately banned. In Turkey, if you got caught with tobacco, you had your nose slit. China and Russia imposed the death penalty for possession of tobacco.”

Ifs Firsts Europe Caught Possession China Russia Noses Penalties Turkeys Death Penalty Tobacco Banned Slits

Author:Andrew Weil

“There's no limit to what working with the breath can accomplishmy own first-hand experiences with this natural healing method have convinced me that breathing well may be the master key to good health. I recommend breath work to all my patients.”

Firsts Wells May Hands Natural Healing Masters Keys Limits Breaths Method Patient Convinced Breathing Good Health Natural Healing First Hand Experience

Author:Andrew Weil

“Our feet are our body's connection to the earth.”

Body Earth Walks Journey Feet Walking Connections Wander Hiking Trekking Strolling Sauntering

Author:Andrew Weil

“If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.”

Ifs Would Be Advice Limits Breathe Breathing Just One

Author:Andrew Weil

“Improper breathing is a common cause of ill health.”

Causes Common Ill Breathing Ill Health

Book:Health and Healing: The Philosophy of Integrative Medicine

Source: Health and Healing: The Philosophy of Integrative Medicine

“I don't get money from the vitamins that I make. My after tax profits go to a foundation that supports integrative medicine.”

Support Taxes Foundation Medicine Profit Vitamins Get Money

Author:Andrew Weil

“The underlying idea is that you can prevent disease by balancing your body's pH... None of these claims are true. Furthermore, your body needs absolutely no help in adjusting its pH. Normally, the pH of blood and most body fluids is near seven, which is close to neutral. This is under very tight biological control because all of the chemical reactions that maintain life depend on it. Unless you have serious respiratory or kidney problems, body pH will remain in balance no matter what you eat or drink.”

“Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.”

Helping Problem Stress Breathing Related Disorder Panic Calming Panic Attacks Health Problems Energizing Stress Related

Author:Andrew Weil

Filter quotes by topic

Famous Andrew Weil Quotes