To me, integrative medicine is...
- The medicine of the future!
- The coming together of conventional Western medicine and a broader understanding of the nature of wellness.
- A model of healthcare that encompasses a rich diversity of therapeutic systems including nutrition, naturopathy, chiropractic, Traditional Chinese Medicine, counselling, meditation and many other modalities.
- Informed by evidence.
- An wholistic approach - looking beyond just the physical body to the mind and spirit, as well as relationships with others and the environment.
- About optimising health and preventing illness.
- Centred around the patient-practitioner relationship.
- Informed and and empowered patients.
In a nutshell: Integrative medicine is the combination of conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary medicine, therapies and lifestyle interventions for the optimisation of health and wellness.