Connecting to ancient traditions and harnessing the powers of spirit and mind. I want the same thing you do. The secret to living longer, happier. Where do we find it . Im chasing life. Theres a little town nestled in the fertile mountains of central turkey. Between the call to prayer and the sleepy pace, it feels like a world away. But in the fields nearby, theres something growing. Typically, if youre feeling pain, you pop a pill. And some of the most powerful painkillers are known as opiates. And they start from a unique crop in the province of opium. That opium comes from the poppy plant, who gets hauled in by the ton, for the largest processor. This is one of the top executives here. So, this is what all of the fuss is about. Poppy. How many trucks like this come every day . 40 trucks. 40. Yes. All these medications you hear about, codeine, oxycodone. They come from this. The poppy plant. You can hear the seeds inside. What theyre really looking for, though, this shell that contains that all that opium. That white substance. The lab here extracts and purifies the opium until its stronger than the natural painkillers or endorphins our bodies produce on their own. Drugs called opiates from this flood our brain with feel good chemicals and over time can permanently alter our perceptions of pleasure and pain which often leads to dependency and addiction. Im a doctor in the United States, and a lot of these medications are prescribed over there. Do you have any idea how much is coming from here . And turkeys best customer . The United States. American doctors wrote 259 million prescriptions for painkillers in 2012 alone. Enough for every adult in the country to have their own supply. When users get hooked, many turn to a cheaper derivative of opium, hair win. Heroin. A drug ravaging communities across america. Clearly this is a powerful plant. Something the turks figured out a while back. Hundreds of years ago opium was a goto remedy prescribed by doctors and it wasnt long before it was abused in turkeys cities. But a lot of the rural areas including the opium growing hub of afyon were spared the ravages of addiction. How do they do it . A turkish scholar might have some answers. I think if you had a town named opium in the states, people would be suspicious. People are proud of the name itself and what it stands for here. Spice markets are always the place to visit. Yep. Here are different kinds of poppy seeds. The tiny seeds, the gem for people. And so locals built a life around poppy seeds. Their livelihood depends on the cash crop. As far as a lot of turks are concerned, its more a corner stone of their economy and diet whats over here . This is the poppy paste. This is poppy paste. You want to try . Am i going to test positive if i eat this stuff . No. Its thats pretty good. So people think that consuming the paste is very beneficial. It makes your digestive system work better. The emphasis is more on food than medicine. But there is also belief that medicine is there, the therapeutic aspect is there. Im curious to try a little bit. Poppy and health go hand and hand here. But that relationship has grown more complicated. And so here they have a shell that has the opiate. Its amazing how controversial this plant can be. I mean, its a plant. Its seen as a problem. It is seen as a solution. In the states drug overdoses are a top cause of unintentional death. Here you make a lot of it in turkey and you dont see it. Even in the town thats literally named opium, you dont see it that much. We all need to use medication occasionally in our lives, but i think it has to do with social and family structures. Here the family ties are quite strong. People still keep an eye on each other. Theres this selfcontrol mechanism that is there. Is there a stigma around addictions . Exactly but its not only that. The culture is so influenced by religion that islam shapes peoples perception. Turkey is predominantly muslim and the koran prohibits the use of mind altering substances. But for generations opium was unregulated here. Until america declared the war on drugs in the 70s. Americas public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse. Nixon pressured turkey to stop growing opium because it was flooding the United States in the form of illegal heroin, but for farmers here in afyon this crop was their life blood. They fought back and got the ban overturned with a catch. Every single grower must now hand over the medicinal part of their crop to the government. Very nice to meet you. Got to have tea before you sit down and talk. Thank you. These farmers relationship with opium couldnt be more different from our own. I was doing some math. I was at the factory earlier today. So for one kilogram of opium costs 400 u. S. Dollars. When you actually pull the opium out of the poppy, they sell it for about 400 for one kilogram, but on the streets it sells for 1 million. Whats coming from these fields over here. As long as you have enough to eat . When you were young, what did you use opium for . Was it used in your family . A tooth ache . When you take this poppy as a medicine, does it affect your brain . Do you feel an effect up here . It worked for you . Doctor here. Americans consume 80 of the worlds opiods but we dont have 80 of the worlds pain. And if opioids are any indication, turkey doesnt turn to pills the same way we do. So where do they look for healing . Its time for our Memorial Day Sale on the sleep number 360 smart bed. It senses your movement and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. Save 1,000 on the new queen sleep number 360 special Edition Smart bed, only 1,799. Only for a limited time. Take me to your best friends house going around this roundabout oh, yeah another wireless ad. 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Appointments available now. Travelocity is there for you. Not right in the room. Thatd be awkward. But you know, online, on the phone, when you realize you want to extend your stay. Travelocity. Wander wisely. Turkey is a bridge linking east and west. Extending nearly 1,000 miles across the peninsula. For more than 2000 years the region has been a crossroad for arabian traders and islamic emperors. Those who have passed through left behind their own ideas about health and medicine. In the Southwest Corner of the country stands the ruins of an ancient city. A time capsule to 500 b. C. When the greeks ruled this land. Before modern hospitals and doctors, this was one of the worlds oldest sites for healing. When i look at the first thing that comes to mind is beauty. This is history. This is a part of who we are. This is the center of the city. In the ancient amphitheater im meeting francesco, an archaeologist who spent more than 30 years trying to uncover the healing powers of the city. People used to come from all over the place to try and treat themselves in some way . Yes. What sort of healing happened here . Illness of eyes, also the skin, for the bones. The healing here is all the time connected with the great religion. For this reason they build the gates of the under world. The gates to the under world i dont think im alone here when i say the underworld or hell is pretty much the last place id imagine any healing to occur. They search for the hell gates. Like some sort of real life Indiana Jones he discovered manage remarkable in 2013. We make the descent to the underworld. All right. I hope everybody is ready for that. So this was considered the entrance to the hell. They have dedicated the arch to pluto to the god of the underworld from the gates come the springs with thermal water. What were look agent are volcanic pools with Carbon Dioxide gas. Essentially, poison. Its impossible for people to go inside. Two years ago two tourist slept near the groto and they were killed by the fumes. Its dangerous. We know the initiated people, some people were chosen to go. A select few of the religious class knew that these deadly gases in smaller doses would have a special kind of medicinal effect. In search of heal, they had to enter the underworld through a back door by crossing over an earthquake fault line. So you have to jump here in the other dimension. They would ceremoniously enter the chambers adorned, lamp lit. One of the most sacred spots in the ancient city. And you see the thermal water coming here. I see it. Yeah. People came here without eating, without drinking, and all the gas gave a change of perception in the minds. They go into this altered state . Yes. Altered state to have a dream, and after this dream came the healing. Its not possible to heal without the mind. They are strictly connected. The ancients practiced the psychedelic right as late as the 12th century. They figured out something profound. Healing can be as much about healing your perception of pain as much as the pain itself. Its the experiment with lsd to treat things like ptsd and depression and anxiety. And turks today still travel here to bathe in nontoxic thermal pools bubbling through other worldly formations. Im not sure that i buy this water is medicinal, but the locals are convinced it can cure all sorts of different ailments. I think almost since i thought about becoming a doctor, this question would come up. How does science and belief interplay . Whats the relationship . On one hand scientists on other people the people with the hope that youre going to heal in some way. Our ancestors did it before us, and were now following in their footsteps. Theres nothing more important than the education of a young mind. Lets go. Lets go. Lets go. Except maybe being first in line to the grand opening of the Worlds Largest rollercoaster. [ cheering ] the volkswagen atlas. 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Its a look what your wifi can do now store. A get your questions answered by awesome experts store. Its a now theres one store that connects your life like never before store. The xfinity store is here. And its simple, easy, awesome. A neuro surgeon im used to thinking of the brain as a complex hunk of flesh. A black box full of our thoughts and feelings. But even after performing thousands of procedures, theres a question i still struggle with. Where does the brain end and the mind begin . In turkey, in ancient religion has been asking that same question for nearly a thousand years. We have a ceremony. Bethink about who we are, why we are living. We feel all the love of god, but this is not prayers. This is not a worship. This is a meditation. This man belongs to a mystical sect of islam which professes through meditation we can overcome the limitations of the body. Its a medicine to your heart. Its food for your soul. Sema practiced by rolling der dervishes is said to elevate the spirit by freeing the mind. Medically im not sure what that means, but i do know that spinning like this sometimes for hours on end is not as gentle or easy as it seems. Its tough for our bodies to tolerate. Your Balance Center is inside your ear and the back of your brain tell you not to spin like this. You start to become nauseated. When you start it, of course. But you have to take some things. I was eight years old when i started. Im closer to god now. My mind is relaxed. Im more pure. What do you mean more pure . Pure. I dont think anything. Completely blank . Thats it. Its hard. My mind is constantly running. Youll learn. Anybody can be trained . Of course. People practice meditation throughout the world. Nearly 10 of americans do some form of it. And the most fervent believers claim it even has the power to heal. This family lives in ankara, turkeys capital city, and they have three adult sons, tolga, 25, shows symptoms of autism. Back in america, we think about 1 in 68 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder and people with the condition can have difficulty socializing and show repetitive behavior, but whats happening inside the autistic brain is a mystery. Somehow the brain is overly or under sensitive to sight, sound, and touch. Maybe the best way to understand whats going on with tolga is to step into his life. Thank you. Nice to meet you. Tolga. Thank you for having me. Do you remember when you first noted anything was going on with tolga, anything different . Tolga might never be able to work or live on his own. The hyperactivity and anxiety that often comes with autism can get in the way of a normal life. Were medications ever part of what was being offered . In the states between 50 and 60 of people with autism are treated with antipsychotics or antidepressants but the pills dont work for everyone and they can have side effects of their own. Tolgas parents say theyve chosen a different path. [ speaking nonenglish ] in turkey a deeply spiritual nation can an unconventional treatment break through the barriers of the mind when mainstream medicine falls short . Woman 1 this is my body of proof. Man 1 proof of less joint pain and clearer skin. Man 2 proof that i can fight psoriatic arthritis. Woman 2 . With humira. Woman 3 humira targets and blocks a specific source of inflammation that contributes to both joint and skin symptoms. Its proven to help relieve pain, stop further irreversible joint damage and clear skin in many adults. Humira is the number one prescribed biologic for psoriatic arthritis. Announcer humira can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious and sometimes fatal infections, including tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. Tell your doctor if youve been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if youve had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flulike symptoms or sores. Dont start humira if you have an infection. Man 3 ask your rheumatologist about humira. Woman 4 go to mypsaproof. Com to see proof in action. Oh, sir. That was my grandmas. Dont worry, maam. All of your stuff is in ok hands. Just ok . They dont give two and a half stars to just anybody. Here you go. Whats this . Its your piano. Hold this for a sec. We dont have a piano. No. But the neighbors do. Just ok is not ok. Especially when it comes to your network. At t is americas best Wireless Network according to americas biggest test. Now with 5g evolution. The first step to 5g. 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In turkey Educational Opportunities for developmentally challenged are few and far between. Shes breaking new ground encouraging tolga and his classmates to transcend their diagnosis with school, art, and the tradition of sema, the 800yearold practice of whirling. [ speaking nonenglish ] i think about whats happening here, and many of the students could not even be touched let alone participate in a Group Activity such as this one. What exactly is happening in the brain, why this works . We dont know. [ speaking nonenglish ] what is happening in the brain with this sort of therapy . Tolga is new to sema. For now hes comfortable on the side lines. But for a man who struggled his whole life to speak or make eye contact, thats a big step. Very nice. Thank you. Tolga . After all ive seen and heard about the power of whirling, i wanted to know if my mind was Strong Enough to overcome the nausea and vertigo and maybe get tolga to do it with me. This is a first. Im pretty sure this is going to be very tough for me. I dont think im a natural twirler, but im willing to give it a go and see what happens to my brain. I feel a little bit dizzy already. Is that unusual . Its normal. Everything is turning. Universe, solar system, your blood. Everything is turning. They can do this for hours after just a few minutes ive had about all i can take. Im going to slow down. That is a lot harder than it looks. You feel like your brain gets rebooted. I have new respect for the whirling dervish. Olga tells me this is the first time tolga has been able to whirl like this. With more training and support, olga hopes she can help him overcome and slowly change his perception of the world. Highfive. Thank you. Beautiful, isnt it . Just waitll you get to the register. Introducing new lower prices on produce. 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For people with hearing loss, visit sprintrelay. Com anncr as you grow older, your brain naturally begins to change which may cause trouble with recall. Learning from him is great. When i can keep up anncr thankfully, prevagen helps your brain and improves memory. Dads got all the answers. Anncr prevagen is now the numberoneselling brain Health Supplement in drug stores nationwide. She outsmarts me every single time. Checkmate you wanna play again . Anncr prevagen. Healthier brain. Better life. Not all of turkeys medicinal traditions work the mind. Some take the body. In the country side on the edges of istanbul there are tiny critters with powers far beyond their size. Bees. And the stuff they produce. Theres a enzyme which helps make something youve likely heard of, hydrogen peroxide. Honey has just the right concentration to treat an open wound without irritating or injuring the surrounding healthy cells. It works but getting to it is the hard part. Okay. I dont know how i got myself into this, but i may or may not get stung. Let me ask you, does this really work . Im not going to get stung . No. You promise . I cant promise. Im trusting you. You should. I dont particularly like bees. But this is a Third Generation beekeeper, and hes eager to introduce me to his colony. How many times have you been stung . I didnt count. Maybe thousands. Youve been stung thousands of times . Yes, but its okay. Trust me. Im feeling good now. Lets do this. Is that just dry grass . Use this to calm bees. Theyre not getting aggressive because of the smoke. A lot of bees. No worry. Sali is part of an ancient tradition in turkey. People have been raising bees here and theyre even mentioned in the koran for their healing powers. They are collecting flower honey. There are pollens here. Im always eager to see a healing technique that comes from nature, even if im a little scared of it. Dont make them too angry here. Thats very funny. Im done. Most of us dont want to get stung. But back in istanbul, some very sick people are actually seeking it out. This man suffers from a. L. S. , a deadly condition that destroys cells in the nervous system making muscles spasm and lose their strength. A. L. S. Is a disease without a cure, and almost every patient steadily becomes worse. Medication can only be used to treat the often painful symptoms. But here in a private clinic a physician is trying something controversial. A therapy treating patients with bee venom instead of pharmaceuticals. Typically doctors are going to say take antiinflammatories, shots, steroids. How did this come about using bee stings . We are in a breach between europe and asia. So many traditional medical systems came together. They joined. In many cultures, they were using bee venoms for pain problems. The effectiveness of this type of treatment is highly contested, and in turkey its still on the fringes, but doctors like this are experimenting with bees to not only treat a. L. S. But also m. S. And arthritis. The thinking is each sting floods the body with chemicals that fight inflammation even better than manmade steroids. Most people dont smile when theyre getting stung by bees. It can play a role so after this treatment he is stronger. As a neuro surgeon i cant really believe that bee stings no matter how many can truly but there is little doubt its given him something pills alone havent, hope rooted in ancient tradition. [ speaking Foreign Language ] last year, the department of Veterans Affairs partnered with tmobile for business, to help care for veterans everywhere. With va video connect, powered by tmobile, men and women who serve can speak to their doctors from virtually anywhere, and get the care they deserve, so they can return to their most important post. 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Only from maybelline new york. Hi, hey [beeping] [ ] hmm yummy pretzelrami is back, with our famous pastrami and a bigger soft pretzel roll. And try the new turkey bistro with warm turkey and smokehouse bacon. Or the new hot club chicken dijon with black forest ham. The new hot pretzels, only at togos. How far would you go for a togo . I own you, doug. I spent the last few days traveling across turkey. And, trust me, thats a lot of miles. I could use a little r r. And ive heard that sweating it out in a hamam, a traditional turkish bath, is the best way to unwind. I didnt realize it would be quite so intimate. Im getting all my travel wiped away, cleansed away from the body. Oh, you cant leave turkey without doing this. The hamam, with separate chambers for men and women, has been open since 1584. People come here daily to socialize, purify themselves before heading to the mosque or sweat the stress away in the 115degree heat. Im sure i studied anatomy. He seems to know every muscle and every tendon and fiber in my body. Everything here in turkey is about the tradition. When it feels like this, there is a reason these traditions stay. Traditional healing is also taking hold here, in one of the last places id expect. Hi. The hospital. As a cardiac surgeon, all our patients go through intensive care. Before i arrived here, this patient underwent open heart surgery and the doctor and john are overseeing his surgery. The aftermath is extremely painful and they are closely monitoring his skrietal signs. This patient has high Blood Pressure and too much heart rate. Like cardiac patients in the states, this man is given powerful narcotics to numb the pain. But his doctors know these drugs can create dependency and arent always enough to ease the suffering. So theyre trying something ive never seen before. Just keep an eye on him in a few minutes. Okay, id like to see it. Id like to see it. Okay. Music therapy has very old roots here in turkey. Ancient otto mans believed they could cure disease and restore balance between mind and body using the unique complex combinations of notes found in soothing music. And its extraordinary to see the seemingly sedated man instinctively respond. The music gives a message. You are in peace, no pain. Feel like i should applaud. [ applause ] now, his Blood Pressure is low, pulse rate is little bit high. I saw it come down when you were playing. What is happening in the mind . What is happening in the body . When they hear music, they start to produce endoor finirph. No pain at all. It sounds like youre describing morphine. Its to compliment the medicine. Hes a person. These doctors believe Music Therapy can reduce the amount of pain medication the patient needs. If im going back to my hospital and saying i met all of you, i want to start doing this music in the intensive care unit, they may say, what are you talking about . How do i convince them . You saw with your eyes and with your camera. You saw. The big question here is why would Something Like that work . It could be if it gives you something familiar in a very confusing place. It could just be that these doctors are showing a lot of love and a lot of attention to these patients, and that makes a difference. Everything ive witnessed here in turkey comes down to this. Powerful medications and cuttingedge techniques only get us so far. Real healing also means tapping into a deeper part of ourselves. Not rushing to treat the disease or the pain, but instead changing how we perceive it in the first place. Modern science has something to learn from ancient traditions. Almost since i became a doctor, people have asked me about this balance between science and spirituality. I think there is more proof than ever that optimism and belief can help all aspects of our lives. Maybe its a question of healing the mind to best heal the body. Weve been doing it for thousands of years, and were likely to keep doing it for thousands more