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Ultra Low Dose Enzyme Activated
Immunotherapy (LDA)
Post Traumatic Environmental Stress Disorder
Peace of
Mind: Holistic Approaches to Anxiety and ADD
(on "New Life
Journal" Website)
Bipolar Disorder Can Be Treated With Medication
and Naturally
ALLERGY REDUCTION:
Improving Mood and Energy
Hidden Factors Behind Your
Persistent Illness
Adult
ADD:
To Medicate or Go Natural
Cancer
–
Finding Your Best Advisor
Overweight - The Risk and the Remedy
Loss
of Sexual Interest
Approaches in Helping Bipolar Sufferers
Help
for Panic and Anxiety Sufferer
Seasonal
Affective Disorder: The Winter Blues
Depression
Relief Speeds Health Recovery
Amino Acids
& Other Considerations in Depression Evaluation
Integrative
Medicine & Psychiatry
Blood
Pressure -
A Wake up Call
Addictions
- Breaking the Cycle
Spirituality:
The Core of
Healing in Integrative Psychiatry
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Integrative
Medicine &
Psychiatry
Integrative Medicine and Psychiatry represent a bridge between
the best of conventional medicine and science with the innovative
approaches found in nutrition and natural alternatives. Alternative,
complementary, or integrative medicine in addition to many
conventional medical practices and therapeutics also includes,
utilizes, or supports a range of therapeutic practices not
commonly accepted, taught or used in mainstream U.S. medicine.
What is considered alternative medicine in our country represents
the mainstream medicine for 80% of the world's population.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine for example is widely used
and accepted in other countries, while slowly being recognized
and fully utilized in this country. There is a vast scientific
literature on the safe and positive outcomes with use of natural
alternatives and healing methods in the treatment of both
common and complex illnesses. It is estimated that one third
of the U.S. population has explored alternative types of health
care and natural healing methods. The amount of money being
spent by U.S. consumers for alternative types of care exceeds
14 billion dollars by some reports. A growing number of U.S.
medical schools offer course in natural and alternative healing
methods. Consumers are seeking out competent practitioners
that combine the training, experience and skills of conventional
western medicine with those in the areas of nutrition, natural
alternatives and in the advanced investigational laboratory
techniques related to the field of integrative medicine.
In
traditional medicine the splitting of mind and body into the
two different separate fields, medicine and psychiatry, on
the positive side, has led to many advances in the science
and applications of some beneficial treatment modalities.
On the negative side it has led to a very narrow approached
mostly based on the use pharmaceutical products and drugs,
or invasive and intrusive intervention as surgery or expensive
hospitalizations. However now consumers and a growing number
of traditionally trained health care practitioners recognize
the greater benefits of integration of the vast array of natural
treatment methods with some of these beneficial therapeutic
modalities and medical techniques from modern Western medicine
and psychiatry. As there is also recognition of the greater
healing potential of addressing needs of the body, mind, and
spirit, integrative medicine and holistic psychiatry have
emerged as the new paradigms for health care. The evolution
towards this more integrative and holistic approach has occurred
as more scientists and specialty trained physicians have increasingly
incorporated into their practices the use of natural alternatives,
nutrition and newer cutting edge scientific investigational
methods. These more advanced and innovative method of assessment
and testing support and give directions to unlocking some
of the mysteries of illnesses and symptoms which have perplexed
conventional medicine and "the chronic suffers"
for many years. Some the new advanced investigational testing,
though accepted by leading scientists and researchers, has
not found its way into mainstream medicine, but is being made
available by physician that have been well trained in conventional
medicine as well as integrative medicine and psychiatry.
To
explore and better understand integrative medicine and holistic
psychiatry let us follow a fictional person with a number
of problems going through conventional mainstream care as
compared to receiving help from an integrative and holistic
practitioner. This person could be a man or women, but let
us say the person seeking treatment is a fifty-three year
old woman, recently divorced, with two grown children, with
the recent death of her mother and best friend, all in the
past year. She is in process of changing jobs and has noticed
increasing fatigue, difficulty sleeping through the night
with frequent hot flashes and night sweats, frequently intolerant
to cold with dry skin, weight gain, high blood pressure, occasional
panic attacks, depressed mood, and occasional thought of being
better off dead. If seen by mainstream health care provider,
or a specialty physician, the focus might go to one of symptoms,
which would probably result in a drug. A family practitioner
or internist might miss the depression and panic attacks entirely,
especially if the person didn't bring it up during the usually
very brief encounter or if this person was reluctant to talk
about it. A more psychologically oriented practitioner might
recognize the depression and put her on an antidepressant
as Prozac and possibly refer her to a social worker for counseling
or to a psychiatrist who also would put her on an antidepressant.
If initially she had see a gynecologist or if the family doctor
picked up on the menopausal symptoms she would be placed on
hormone replacement with common drugs as Premarin and
Provera.
The high blood pressure finding would result in high blood
pressure medication. If her cholesterol or blood sugar were
high, which is likely with her weight gain and poor nutrition,
she probably would be put on a drug to lower cholesterol,
another to lower blood sugar, and probably a diet which she
would unlikely follow given the degree of her depression.
The antidepressant and other medications could contribute
both to weight gain, and depression and other unpleasant side
effects. This could go on and on with continuing significant
symptoms and continued poor physical and emotional health
with the solution being only more drugs for any given symptom
or finding. If these didn't work a person might be accused
of it being all in the "head" or that they weren't
following recommendation completely enough or of being a failure
in making the necessary adjustments or life changes.
A
visit to a health care provider skilled in integrative medicine
and psychiatry would be hopefully quite different. The initial
visit would most likely be longer with a lot of empathetic
listening to the details of the many losses, traumas and pain
this person has suffered. The time and careful listening would
clarify the degree of difficulty she has had in adapting and
adjusting to the changes in her health, and the devastating
impact of her many losses on her vulnerable psyche. Appreciation
of the weight on her spirit and sense of being overwhelmed
by the many painful factors with which she suddenly has to
cope would become apparent in this process. If the practitioner
couldn't provide the needed support and therapy work, a referral
to a therapist skilled in working with depression, panic attacks,
and the issues surrounding her current difficulties. If depression
was life threatening and the person was suicidal, more traditional
psychiatric treatment might be important along with use of
medications or hospitalization. Investigational testing would
look at hormone levels, as her symptoms point to thyroid deficiency,
estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone deficiency and possible
low adrenal derived hormone, DHEA. Also a look for subclinical
hypothyroidism would be done with more functional tests as
at rest body temperatures, or measurement of free thyroid
hormone in blood or 24 hour urine. Testing might be done on
blood or 24-hour urine for nutritional and metabolic abnormalities
by looking at amino acids the smallest component of protein
or at intracellular levels for minerals deficiencies, which
can play havoc on body functioning and chemistries. Saliva
tests for adrenal functioning, which might be impaired given
her level of stress and exhaustion would be consideration.
Looking for underlying or contributing environmental factors,
as allergies to inhalants, chemicals or foods would be important.
Accumulation of toxic metals as mercury can lead to failing
health, immune system problems and neurologic symptoms including
depression and fatigue. Testing the body's detoxification
capacity is important as we live in an increasingly toxic
environment and prevention of accumulated waste may reduce
or prevent future illness. Also checking for adequate antioxidant
defenses and activity in our bodies can help with dietary
choices and supplements. Sometime a simple test likes doing
an elimination diet looking for hidden food intolerance or
allergies can be of critical importance. If there were a lot
of digestive or problems with elimination or irritable bowel
symptoms, an evaluation of intestinal digestive function and
exam for yeast and parasites would be considered. Lack of
the proper amount of basic nutrients and essential fatty acids,
as found in fish and flaxseed oil may be lacking and would
be checked. A choice or option if testing was not desired
would be to try some of the natural alternatives as indicated
by the history and clinical examination to determine their
need and effectiveness in resolving underlying issues or problems.
There
are many natural alternatives or choices that may be helpful
to this person and would be discussed along with the types
of available testing if desired. The background of the practitioner
and preference of the person seeking support and help would
influence choices and alternatives. Integrative medicine practitioners
would first look to the use of natural substances for replacement
of any deficiencies found as identical to natural hormones
if low estrogens, progesterone, or testosterone, or thyroid.
Improvement in basic nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and use
of vitamin, mineral, herbs, amino acids, would be a choice
over drugs whenever appropriate. To enhance energy, reduce
stress, and increase health and wellbeing, complete systems
might be introduced or recommended as yoga, Chi Gong, or macrobiotics
and its advanced nutritional system. Encouragement is often
given to strengthen the persons social support group and encouraging
activities to enhance spiritual growth and better integration
into community life and activities. The individual or family
seeking help in an integrative medicine and holistic psychiatry
model would be considered a partner in the healing process
with many choices and options. The outcome of our fictional
case would be not only the return of their emotional and physical
health, and sense of wellbeing, but also the finding of empowerment
to be more self sufficient for the prevention and reduction
of any future health problems. The strength of an integrative,
holistic approach is not only its comprehensiveness and thoroughness
and support for safer natural alternative, but also its respect
for individual needs for choice and empowerment in the healing
process.
Ron
Parks, M.D. is a practitioner in Integrative Medicine and
Psychiatry and is the Director of MacroHealth Medicine in
Asheville. He helps people get to the roots of either their
physical or emotional problems with thorough diagnostic interview,
state of the art laboratory assessments, and comprehensive
treatment. He received his M.D. from the University of Maryland
and has completed specialty training in internal, family,
preventive, and psychiatric medicine at several top University
Medical Centers where he also has been assistant Professor
of Medicine and Program Director. He has had extensive experience
and training in nutritional, natural alternatives and environmental
medicine. Dr. Parks is also a clinical consultant for the
Doctors Data, Inc., a nationally respected clinical and research
laboratory. For information or personal consultation Dr. Parks
can be reached at (828) 225-1812.
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