Integrative Medicine

Integrative medicine is personalized care that blends evidence-based complementary therapies with conventional medical care in a safe and effective way that promotes healing and wellness. Therapies that are recommended in an Integrative Medicine consultation are individualized to the patient.  Recommendations may span, but are not limited to, the following areas:

  • iStock_000011442734Small_sm_borderNutrition
  • Mind-Body Medicine
  • Herbs, vitamins and supplements
  • Lifestyle and exercise
  • Manual medicine therapies (such as clinical massage therapy, chiropractic)
  • Other systems of medicine (such as homeopathy, traditional Chinese Medicine, Reiki, Healing Touch)

Integrative medicine can be used effectively in a wide variety of adult and pediatric medical conditions.  Commonly treated conditions include . . .

  • ADD/ADHD
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Chronic pain conditions
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Cancer and many others.

In addition, an integrative treatment plan can be used as a preventative tool to create and sustain optimal wellness.

 

Integrative Medicine Principles

(from Dr. Andrew Weil’s Program in Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona)

Integrative medicine is healing oriented medicine that takes into account the whole person (mind, body and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle.

  • Patient and practitioner are partners in the healing process.
  • Appropriate use of both conventional and complementary methods facilitates the body’s innate healing response.
  • Integrative medicine neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies uncritically.
  • Effective interventions that are natural and less invasive should be used whenever possible.
  • In addition to treatment, health promotion and illness prevention are paramount goals.
  • Good medicine is based in good science, is inquiry-driven and open to critical consideration of new paradigms