What is integrative medicine?
Holistic Medicine is the art and science of healing that addresses
care of the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. The practice of
Integrative medicine combines conventional and complementary therapies
to promote optimal health and to prevent and treat disease by
addressing contributing factors.
In practice this means that every person is seen as a unique
individual, rather than an example of a particular disease. Disease is
understood to be the result of physical, emotional, spiritual, social
and environmental imbalance. Healing therefore takes place naturally
when these aspects of life are brought into proper balance. The role
of the practitioner is as guide, mentor and role model; the patient
must do the work - changing lifestyle, beliefs and old habits in order
to facilitate healing.
An Integrative practitioner: 1) views the patient as being ultimately
responsible for his/her well being; 2) fosters and maintains a
partnership with the patient, using therapies which both feel
comfortable; 3) evaluates and recommends treatment options that
address the cause of an illness, as well as the symptoms.
In addition to conventional therapies, the holistic practitioner may
encompasses a variety of complementary or "alternative" and may, such
as use of herbal preparations, biofeedback, acupuncture and other
systems of treatment.
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