This article concludes the Five P series—protect, promote, permit, partner and payment—which serves as a guideline for patients seeking to find an integrative physician or health team. To this point, we’ve explored the characteristics of a good integrative doctor, one who protects their patients, promotes proven therapies, permits the inclusion of alternative treatments, and is […]

You know your body better than anyone. Whether managing a medical diagnosis or seeking to improve (or maintain) your current health, your role as the patient should carry at least equal weight to that of your doctor’s. Especially considering the large gaps that can exist between doctor’s visits, it is ultimately your responsibility to monitor […]

Once taboo in the medical industry, a growing number of doctors and other health care providers are recognizing the value of complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies as treatment options for their patients. While not all go out of their way to recommend alternative therapies, one who has at least an open mind toward CAM should […]

Your primary care physician is charged with monitoring your overall health. A conventional physician will encourage annual screenings, vaccinations and prescribe medications when needed. In addition to the standard care, an integrative doctor will examine your health from multiple angles—including your physical health, environment, and emotional well-being—and will help you learn about self-care and alternative […]

Self-care is often overlooked in discussions around healing, but it is a critical aspect of our health and well-being.  The best path to health is for physicians to work with patients so they can take control of their health.  This is most impactful when patients take an active part in their self-care to achieve and […]

We generally think of doctors as being there to protect us from illness. But your doctor is also there to protect you from practices or treatment plans that could be negligent or dangerous to your health. As you search for an integrative physician, the first step is to research doctors who incorporate the three pillars […]

Chiropractic is one of the most popular forms of integrative health care in the United States. Half of the adults in the U.S. have had some experience as a patient of a chiropractor and 33.5 million U.S. adults reported visiting a chiropractor within the last 12 months. Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the structure […]

So you and your partner have decided to take the plunge into parenthood. You’ve embraced a healthier lifestyle, said goodbye to birth control and read every fertility blog and book out there to help your chances of getting pregnant.  All going well, most couples will take an average of six to twelve months to become […]

In all the rollicking changes a woman experiences in her twenties and thirties, one thing remains constant: her reproductive cycle. Every month triggers a cascade of hormones designed to ready a woman’s body for pregnancy. It is one of the most complex physiologic processes the body performs. Which is why, when things don’t go quite […]

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against your arteries. There are two numbers used to determine your blood pressure: systolic, which measures the pressure your heart creates when it contracts and pushes blood out; and diastolic, which measures the pressure when your heart relaxes and fills with blood. When blood pressure is high, […]