Generally we only see our doctor when we are troubled by a certain ailment or health related problem. The doctors at the clinics and hospitals prescribe their patient medicines or treatments to cure a particular ailment but they do not consider the reasons why the patient got the disease in the first place. They do not try to improve a patient’s health and limit their abilities to simply curing the apparent disease. Integrative medicine not only cures the ailments that a patient is suffering from but it also strives to minimize the damages of treatments and boosts immunity from within. Integrative medicine or IM uses alternative therapies like nutritious diets, physical activities, tai chi, Yoga, massages, acupuncture and herbal medicines along with conventional medical treatments and surgeries.
Obesity often causes heart diseases. A patient with heart disease will be prescribed a balanced and cholesterol free diet by integrative medicine practitioners. It will help them lose body weight and decrease their blood cholesterol level to promote a speedy recovery. In the same way Cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy and hormone treatments are encouraged to do Yoga and take acupuncture therapies to enhance their body’s ability to fight back the destructive disease. Integrative medicine evaluates a patient’s habits, medical history and lifestyle to understand their special requirements. Alternative medicine is used to support conventional medical treatments. Integrative medicine has shown that conventional and alternative medicines are complimentary to each other and they can be used at the same time to promote good health.
Integrative medicine speaks about preventing diseases and chronic ailments and helps patients lead a healthier life. An integrative medicine practitioner takes into account the ailments or troubles that affect a patient’s body, mind and spirit. High stress levels can weaken the body from inside and weakened body can be inflicted by chronic ailments like diabetes, heart diseases and asthma. Integrative medicine suggests meditation and massages to control stress. It emphasizes the importance of healthy diet and exercising. Different patients need to follow different diet charts to keep fit and stay healthy. Walking a pet dog or meditation can help patients relax and feel more in control of their life. Integrative medicine makes the patients participate in the healing procedure so that they feel a zest for life and never give up.