What is Integrative Medicine?
Excerpts by Brad Lemley – DrWeil.com News

Andrew Weil, M.D., is the world’s leading proponent of alternative medicine, right?

Wrong (according to his website). www.drweil.com

Although this is how the popular media often portrays him, Dr. Weil is actually the world’s leading proponent of integrative medicine, a philosophy that is considerably different from a blanket endorsement of alternative medicine.

Integrative medicine is healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind, and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative.

The principles of integrative medicine:

• A partnership between patient and practitioner in the healing process
• Appropriate use of conventional and alternative methods to facilitate the body’s innate healing response
• Consideration of all factors that influence health, wellness and disease, including mind, spirit and community as well as body
• A philosophy that neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies uncritically
• Recognition that good medicine should be based in good science, be inquiry driven, and be open to new paradigms
• Use of natural, effective, less-invasive interventions whenever possible
• Use of the broader concepts of promotion of health and the prevention of illness as well as the treatment of disease
• Training of practitioners to be models of health and healing, committed to the process of self-exploration and self-development

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Andrew Weil, MD – What Is Integrative Medicine?

Dr. Weil explains the meaning of the term.

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Andrew Weil, M.D. - 8 Weeks to Optimum Health & Spontaneous Healing $14.95 Dr. Andrew Weil, a familiar, bearded presence on PBS, presents his plan to "integrate body, mind, and spirit into a complete and balanced lifestyle" in this lecture filmed before an attentive audience. Weil begins by talking about how a "quality of resilience" can be developed to prevent the body from "being knocked out of balance." According to Weil, the human body has a natural healing system, ...

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OTHER BLOGS!

How integrative medicine can help your health | Holistic Future

May 20, 2010 RealSimple.com/CNN There are countless opinions regarding how to improve health care in the United States, but many experts agree on one.

Publish Date: 05/20/2010 23:16

http://www.holisticfuture.com/2010/05/20/how-integrative-medicine-can-help-your-health/

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Integrative medicine director | UC Health

Barrows finds inspiration in the field of integrative medicine, which combines modern medicine with established healing practices from around the world for which there is evidence of their effectiveness. As its name implies, integrative …

Publish Date: 04/21/2010 11:54

http://universityofcalifornia.edu/sites/uchealth/2010/04/21/integrative-medicine-director/

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Integrative Medicine – Minnesota Monthly – May 2010 – Minneapolis …

When it comes to your health, the best thing you can do is protect and defend against future problems. These six local health experts say smart thinking about nutrition, supplements, and mind-body connections can make prevention almost …

Publish Date: 04/15/2010 10:57

http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/May-2010/Heal-Thyself/

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Integrative Medicine Can Help Boost Daily Energy – Health …

Any activity practiced in excess can harm the human health. It is necessary, as a result, for people to understand how moderation and balance are crucial for healthy lifestyles. When individuals lack energy due to being ill or their …

Publish Date: 05/21/2010 12:46

http://www.cwtfnews.com/health/integrative-medicine-can-help-boost-daily-energy-health/

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