[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Integrative medicine is a term that may have once been foreign to many but has gained popularity over recent years. As more and more people are experiencing some of the shortcomings of the American healthcare system, many are looking for alternatives to the traditional healthcare model.
This is where integrative medicine comes into play. This article will help explain what integrative medicine is, what makes it different from traditional medical practices, and how it may benefit you.
What is Integrative Medicine?
Integrative medicine, which is also called functional medicine, is a holistic type of health care. It differs from conventional, “western” medicine in that it focuses on caring for the whole human being, including the body, mind and spirit, rather than on just the flesh, bones and organs.
- The body is viewed as a system of interconnected parts that all work together and influence each other. If something is off within the body that is causing an ailment of any kind, integrative medicine will look outward and into the big picture, rather than focus only on the part of the body that is directly being affected.
- The patient and practitioner are partners in the healing process, involving the patient in all healthcare decisions for patient-centered care.
- Integrative medicine strives to uncover and deal with the root cause of a health issue rather than simply cover up symptoms.
- It emphasizes health promotion and the prevention of illness, not just treating disease after it is already present.
- Less-invasive treatment options are preferred whenever possible.
- It is a complement to conventional medicine. With integrative medicine, the appropriate use of both methods can best support the body's natural healing response.
- The coordination of care is amongst an interdisciplinary team. Members of this team should all be in communication and may include roles such as a physician, registered dietitian, acupuncturist and more.
Integrative medicine is often confused with the terms
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). While these two holistic approaches to health are similar, they are not the same. CAM therapies make up part of integrative medicine, but integrative medicine encompasses much more.
There are different branches of integrative medicine that do not exist on their own, but together as a whole. Each branch encompasses different forms of treatment and prevention.
Three Branches of Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Diet is an integral part of integrative medicine. The phrase “
let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” by Hippocrates is a widely held belief amongst integrative medicine practitioners.
The nutrition aspect of integrative medicine includes plenty of
functional foods, which are those that provide health benefits beyond their essential nutrients. Functional foods serve many purposes in the diet such as helping reduce
inflammation, supporting
gut health, aiding
detoxification and enhancing the
immune system.
Examples of functional foods include:
Nutrition strategies can be implemented on your own but may be best guided by a partnership with a
registered dietitian nutritionist. The use of targeted and high-quality
dietary supplements can help fill in gaps in the diet and help achieve a specific health goal.
Psychological
The brain is a very powerful organ. This is why psychological practices like
mindfulness and
meditation are strongly emphasized in integrative medicine. These practices serve to help reduce stress, manage emotions in a healthy way and be able to cope with the ups and downs of life in an effective manner. When these things are under control, it is believed that the body is in a better state to heal itself or fight disease. Mindfulness and meditation can be learned and practiced alone or can be taught by a trained professional. Each option can have benefits.
Physical
Treating the physical body is another crucial part of integrative medicine. Examples of integrative medicine approaches to the physical body include acupuncture, chiropractic work and massage. These serve to help align the body, get it in balance and help the different bodily systems work as they should. This, in turn, can help treat and/or prevent disease and other health ailments. Physical aspects of integrative medicine usually require the help of a trained practitioner.
How to Try Integrative Medicine
Unfortunately, some forms of integrative medicine are not covered by insurance. If they are, it may be only for specific conditions or circumstances. This means that many forms of integrative medicine cost more money for the individual. This extra cost, combined with the lack of awareness and the uncertainty of its effectiveness, are perhaps the greatest barriers to the use of integrative medicine among the public.
The good news is that integrative medicine is becoming more mainstream as the years go on. Many doctors and other health professionals can now receive formal training in integrative medicine, and those who aren’t can make referrals to other practitioners who are.
Deciding to pursue integrative medicine is a personal choice. It can be sought after and implemented at any time, even before a health ailment is present.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="160469" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1654638110482{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/megafood-turmeric-curcumin-extra-strength-whole-body"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="160468" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1654638151180{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/himalaya-organic-ashwagandha"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="160467" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1654638171738{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/garden-of-life-mykind-organics-immune-gummy"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
