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An interview with Dr. Ted Cibik:
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Dr. Ted Cibik
According to Dr. Ted Cibik, author of Armageddon of the Mind, there is not a human being alive that is perfectly healthy; it is a constant spiritual and emotional struggle to stay physical. He should know- as a child, he was diagnosed with 'incurable asthma', an affliction that merited his case one of the ten worst in documented history. Therefore, he began studying herbal remedies and meditation to try and control his attacks. He then went on to study martial arts and trained by lifting weights, building his body strength and lung capacity. Meeting and exceeding doctor's predictions that he would not live long, Dr. Cibik overcame his disease and went on to found his own business in health and wellness, Inner Strength Inc., to help others overcome similar obstacles. The business began as a personal training and martial arts center under Ted's personal guidance. It later expanded to include a unique blend of naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, nutritional counseling, and breathing / meditation therapies as well as corporate seminars on health, wellness and self-defense topics.
Dr. Cibik and I sat down to discuss his latest novel, Armageddon of the Mind.
Nikki Tiani: What pushed you to write this book?
Ted Cibik: This has been accumulating over the years. While working with patients and clients, I noticed the majority became "stuck" with conventional therapy. Patients were sent to me who were dealing with the full gamut: severe stress disorders due to the atrocities that human being do to one another- incest, rape and mental and physical abuse. The ramifications of these actions rear up later with trust and self esteem issues. I started to think about creating a template for people to start helping themselves. I thought "I'm not going to give people the answers...I want people to think for themselves." This is not a work book or a how-to guide. The hundreds of issues I come across would be impossible to generalize and condense into one book. I also deal with a lot of phase 4 cancer and MS patients; diseases that cause a person to reflect deeply on their own life. Everyone is different and I wanted to provide the tools people need to approach their own trials and tribulations in a broader format.
NT: Why did you choose self publishing over more traditional methods of publication?
TC: I don't know, maybe because it was easier! I actually wrote it for my students all over the world to study with me and as a reminder of my teachings. It was a way to take them one step further when they can't get here. Then other people started to tell their friends about it and I started receive more requests. It's only been out for eight months but in that timeframe, I have been astounded on a daily basis about how everyone that has read it discovered something different that struck them. (Note: When I read the book, it helped ease the pain due to my father's recent passing, which I informed Ted of.) People don't just take the fear issue to heart- they take particular pieces from the book, such as the metaphorical use of the number three in the bible. By keeping the book broad, I included something for everyone.
NT: How did you first become interested in naturopathy?
TC: I don't think that I first became interested...it was a part that I had to play to survive this lifetime. I started researching and reading college tech books on different types of herbal remedies when I was eight. I researched my whole life to save my life. Naturopathy as a career was just the next step for me, in a way.
NT: What procedures do you practice at your center?
TC: We provide Chinese healing arts, naturopathy, massage, nutrition, herbs (both Chinese and western) exercise, energy medicine, and meditation. Qigong [Chee-gong] is also a staple at the center. It is an ancient practice, fundamentally like Daoist yoga, by using breath control to achieve a certain state. The way the Chinese look at it is that the Chi moves the life force and you must constantly circulate it through your body in a conscious way. I also teach Tai Chi, Indonesian and Japanese martial arts and have also been referred to as a "life coach". Not only that but I also run an animal rescue. [Laughs] I wear many hats on a daily basis!
NT: Any tips for individuals living with autoimmune diseases, such as asthma? TC: One of the foundations everyone talks about is stress but nobody gives you a program to alleviate it. The biggest thing people living with autoimmune diseases can do is find out what their stressors are. There's no way around it- stress is here to stay. But by learning how to moderate your own stress, such as searching out different methods and becoming more cognizant of your behaviors, you'll eventually start to incorporate habitual routines that become paramount to your wellness. People think that stress cannot be relieved, which is not true.
NT: I have asthma and if it weren't for medications such as Prednisone and Albuterol, I would have died at a young age. Do you fully disagree with Western medicine? Why?
TC: I always tell my patients to "use everything that's available to you". By taking dozens of medicines a day, whether they be for sleep deprivation or even just an aspirin, they create a chemical cocktail in the body that will inhibit or produce unsavory results. I want my patients to find a complementary balance for them by using the smallest doses of medicine they can. I t sounds strange as a Naturopath to say "pharmaceuticals are okay" but they do work. In fact, 30% are made from herbs. The key is to put yourself closer to balance.
NT: I there anything you would like to add?
TC: Well, we have a meeting the third Saturday of every month called Musings of the Mind which is basically a Daoist lecture on how to apply philosophical concepts to life. We talk about what to do when someone dies and all of those other real life things that have a huge impact on your health. We want our patients to become a party of their own pathology, which is why these discussions are so open and candid. The concepts are so esoteric and the group is such a diverse collection of individuals from all over the country. If any of your readers are interested, we'd love to have them!
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit Dr. Cibik's website.
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