Integrative health encompasses many different health-forward approaches. For example:
• Exercising, including Eastern practices like Tai Chi and yoga
• Eating a balanced diet
• Practicing stress reduction
• Embracing meditation, acupuncture, massage
• Consulting with a physical therapist
• Performing mind-calming activities like art, crafting, gardening, journaling
Of course, no person has to do all this on their own. Integrative health practitioners help guide patients through these practices. In fact, when embarking upon an integrative practice, you shouldn’t do it alone. It’s important to enlist the advice of your health care provider.
For example, “hot yoga” is a popular activity, but might not be right for everyone. What if you take medication to lower your blood pressure? Your provider could inform you that, on this medication, you could become lightheaded, fall and injure yourself. They could then recommend another activity for you to try, like Tai Chi or Hatha Yoga. Another example involves certain natural antioxidants that reduce chemotherapy’s effectiveness. Without informing your provider of all the supplements you take, they cannot make the appropriate changes to your therapy or recommend you not take that particular supplement.
Make sure to inform your provider before starting any type of integrative strategy. The same goes for any specialists you’re seeing. An integrative approach involves talking to your team of providers – primary care, specialists and complementary practitioners – about all of your treatments, so you get the best, safest treatments to help you feel your best.
Compounding Benefits
There’s a wonderful aspect to integrative medicine. All these modalities build upon each other. For example, a daily meditation practice works to reduce stress. Decreased stress levels help reduce your chance of major illnesses, such as:
• Cardiovascular disease
• Cancer
• Digestive problems
• Depression and anxiety
Integrative practices also complement medicinal therapies. You might still need to take a pill or undergo chemotherapy. But, things like yoga and acupuncture can help ease certain side effects. Lymphatic massage can help with lymphedema, a condition that often results from lymph node removal and some cancer treatments.
Finding an Integrative Health Practitioner
If you’re seeking out an integrative practitioner, there are a few things to consider. With the rise of “wellness centers” around the country, you want to ensure you’re getting the best care. Practitioners need to have a license/credentials. On top of that, you may want to ask questions such as:
• What is your education?
• How much training/experience do you have?
• Do you have client/patient testimonials or reviews?
The most important thing is that you feel completely comfortable with a practitioner. This ensures you’re both working together to improve your health and well-being.
More to Read
- Addressing Spinal Pain with Acupuncture
- How to Reduce the Stress in Your Life
- 7 Drug-Free Ways to Relieve Pain
- Yoga and Meditation for Heart Health
- Artful Meditation: A Handful of Gratitude
- Guided Meditation: A Daily Exercise to Reduce the Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Your Life
- How to Eat a Plant-Based Diet
- 5 Ways to Improve Gut Health
