addressing existential threats such as social inequalities, climate change, pollution, and overconsumption of resources.
In this episode of Nicolette’s PhD Podcast series, Dr. Warren Bell, a family physician based in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, shares his expertise on social and environmental issues. With past presidencies of several organizations, including Physicians for Global Survival, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, and the Association of Complementary and Integrative Physicians of B.C., Dr. Bell emphasizes the importance of addressing existential threats such as social inequalities, climate change, pollution, and overconsumption of resources. He advocates for policies prioritizing food justice, environmental justice, and respect for the planet and its content.
“We need to stop dismissing other people, other creatures, other ways of doing things, just get off that narrow compressed way of looking at the world around us and embrace the world around us, and that certainly applies to food. ”
Dr. Bell discusses the need to listen to stories and anecdotes to remind ourselves that we don't have all the answers and the importance of narrative medicine to bridge the gap between diverse communities. He also emphasizes the detrimental effects of refined processed foods and corporate messaging on public discourse. Dr. Bell urges listeners to pay attention to the interconnectedness of all living creatures and to stop drawing lines in our minds. With his 46 years of medical practice and experience in Inside Orientated Psychotherapy, Dr. Bell shares his insights on social inequalities, environmental degradation, and existential threats, advocating for food security and sovereignty and diverse perspectives and narratives in medicine.