We named our blog Whole Medicine because we think the name conveys a sense of the process we intend for our practice.
I began my journey into Whole Medicine after many years as a pediatrician, when I developed ‘prescription fatigue.’ I became a student of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and was fascinated and intrigued by the beautiful way it incorporates the belief that everything is connected. This concept helped me pinpoint my frustration with conventional medical practice– the pattern of subdividing the body and treating each condition as if it were unrelated to any other. In my experience this is not the most effective way to approach complex health problems. TCM seeks to understand each individual as a unique pattern that cannot be reduced to the simple ‘one solution fits all.’
In 2001 I was introduced to functional medicine. This approach applies systems theory to contemporary physiology and biochemistry, and sees illness symptoms as the disruption of normal and critical functions of the body’s interconnected systems. These disruptions can often be identified with biological testing and while test results do not identify a disease they point the clinician to the areas that need to be nurtured and supported.
In the spring of 2009 I was introduced to the modern science of lifestyle medicine – what is known about the impact of lifestyle choices on health, and techniques to help people adopt core practices that help them thrive: good food choices, exercise that brings vitality, and healthy stress response strategies. We find nutritional supplementation to be important to healing aspects of metabolism that have broken down from unhealthy living and toxin exposure.
The concept of Whole Medicine also connotes healing relationships with our patients and clients. These relationships become channels for empowering information as well as support for our patients. We offer this blog space as a learning community, and invite you to participate with us in the continuous process of creating health and vitality. It’s all about the journey.