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.
Patient and practitioner are partners in the healing process.
All factors that influence health, wellness and disease are taken into consideration; including mind, spirit, and community as well as the body.
Appropriate use of both conventional and alternative methods facilitates the body’s innate healing response.
Effective interventions that are natural and less invasive should be used whenever possible.
Integrative medicine neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies uncritically.
Good medicine is based in good science. It is inquiry-driven and open to new paradigms.
Alongside the concept of treatment, the broader concepts of health promotion and the prevention of illness are paramount.
Practitioners of integrative medicine should exemplify its principles and commit themselves to self-exploration and self-development.
Dr. Truty completed the Integrative Medicine Fellowship at the University of Arizona in 2012
*definition courtesy of Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine
What is all the fuss about probiotics? What are they?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide a health benefit to the environment that hosts them. Another way to think of probiotics is as good bacteria – similar to what is naturally found in our stomachs.
So, Your stomach feels fine. Why add one more thing to your list of vitamins? Here is a few reasons why you should consider Probiotics.
Improve Your Immune Function – Medical Science is beginning to uncover just how much of our immune system is not just located in our lymph nodes and spleen, but in our intestine as well. The good bacteria in our gut play a large role in maintain this immune function.
Mood Improvement – Our intestines also contain the nervous system chemicals that effect our mood. Having a “gut” feeling is not just a saying anymore. Replenishing the good bacteria in the gut can help to improve mood and rid your self of the upset “stomach” that comes with anxiety.
Reduce Inflammation – Probiotics have been found in one study to reduce temporary inflammation throughout the entire body including your joints, skin and bones.
Get more Nutritionfrom what you Eat– Probiotics help to reduce gut inflammation. By reducing gut inflammation, the nutrients of your food is better absorbed. If you eat healthy and your food is not well absorbed, you will not reap the same benefits of healthy eating as someone whose gut is in balance.
Improve Your Oral Health – Your mouth is the very top part of your digestive system. Certain probiotics can encourage long-term equilibrium of oral bacteria.
What reduces these good bacteria?
Remember, these important “good” bacteria in your body are not just effected by taking antibiotics for medical conditions, but their balance is also effected by antibiotics in your food, food with too much sugar, environmental toxins, medications such as antacids and steroids, and stress. It can take almost 9 months with probiotics to replenish what may be lost with one antibiotic course.
Replenish – Replenish your body with a good probiotic. It is critical to choose a good probiotic. If the “good” bacteria in the supplement can not get through the acid in your stomach it will not reach the critical place you need it, your gut. Few supplements have the technology to make sure this occurs. Also, your probiotic should be diverse. Having only two or three strains may not be adequate. Make sure to do your research or ask your doctor for a good brand.
Why consider buying supplements from Balanced Physician Care?
The supplements that we have chosen are made from companies that we have screened for quality and purity. Our guarantee to you as a medical practice is that the supplements you receive from our office have been screened to the best of our ability to have the highest quality and purity standards. Because probiotics are live organisms, there are many challenges associated with manufacturing and distributing probiotic supplements. For a probiotic to be effective, it must be shelf-stable through the expiration date and precisely delivered to the intestinal tract, where it can have maximum benefit.
Supplements and Herbals are NOT regulated by the FDA. Therefore, while the marketing label can look like a quality product there is very little in the way consumers can do ensure to check the quality and purity of supplements.
Optimize Your Health, Simplify Your Life,
Dr Sharyl Truty MD
Dr. Sharyl Truty is an Integrative Medicine Physician, Board Certified in Family Medicine, and owner of Balanced Physician Care in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Do you have supplement questions? Book a consultation by calling 904.930.4774
