Why Holistic, Integrative and Functional Medicine Professionals Should be Part of Any Healthcare Team A Deep Dive into Complementary Medicine by Sheila Julson
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llopathic medicine is a term used to describe conventional Western medicine. The terms holistic, integrative and functional denote alternatives that may vary from practitioner to practitioner, but seek to complement traditional therapies to provide a foundation for good health. The main difference is that these “lifestyle medicine” alternatives generally emphasize prevention and seek to address the origins of disease, rather than just treat the symptoms. The American Holistic Health Association defines holistic medicine as the art and science of healing that addresses the whole person—body, mind and spirit—using conventional and alternative therapies to prevent and treat disease. Holistic practitioners encourage their patients and clients to actively participate in the healing process. Phyllis Gee, M.D., a practicing obstetrician, and gynecologist for more than 20 years, is the founder of Willowbend Health & Wellness, and integrative functional medicine practice in Plano. She looks at the rhythms of a patient’s life concerning diet, exercise, stress, sleep and relationships. Other lifestyle practitioners include naturopaths, acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, energy workers, herbalists, nutritionists and more. 20
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As an integrative practitioner, Gee merges different systems of care into her approach to address root causes of diseases that originate from unhealthy lifestyles. Her treatments incorporate holistic elements such as red light therapy, lymphatic massage, herbs and nutritional counseling with allopathic treatments when appropriate. Licensed acupuncturist and Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Carlos Chapa, in Irving, notes that holistic health care tends to be viewed as having non-pharmaceutical and non-surgical options. He states, “This can include, but is not limited to, Eastern medicine such as acupuncture and herbal medicines, and therapeutic bodywork or manual therapy such as chiropractic.” Holistic health care may also include food therapy such as avoidance of certain edibles or eating nutrient-dense foods and spices, and using essential oils. Chapa considers himself an integrative medicine practitioner. He notes, “The South Korean hospitals in which I trained combine Eastern and holistic medicine with Western allopathic medicine. I often remind patients that we are not anti-Western medicine. However, our specialty is Eastern medicine, and most of our patients are actually referred by medical doctors.” Integrative practitioners may incorporate testing commonly
