Integrative Medicine is an approach to health care that blends conventional Medicine with alternative therapies. It emphasizes the innate healing capacities of the human body and encourages an open-minded approach to new paradigms.
The Veterans Health Administration is committed to using integrative health approaches alongside conventional medical care to improve the quality of Veteran care and outcomes.
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Integrative Medicine
Integrative Medicine, as one of the Veterans medicine needs, is a type of healthcare that combines conventional Western medical practices with complementary and alternative (CAM) approaches. It focuses on the whole person and considers the patient’s physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual needs when developing a treatment plan.
It is a holistic approach that recognizes the mind-body connection and often includes stress-reduction tools. It reaffirms the patient’s autonomy and supports them in creating a personalized path to health and wellness using integrative therapies.
Veterans increasingly use CIH therapies and self-care activities to manage pain, anxiety, and other troubling symptoms that significantly impact their health and quality of life. The Department of Veterans Affairs is exploring ways to meet this demand.
Functional Medicine
Functional Medicine is a healthcare model that addresses the root causes of illness. By considering each patient’s unique genetic makeup and addressing the critical environmental and lifestyle factors that influence total health, Functional Medicine practitioners provide treatment plans that promote long-term wellness and support the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
Functional medicine practitioners are trained to recognize the underlying dysfunctional processes that cause a patient’s symptoms, allowing them to focus on removing blocks to healing while adding the nutrients the body needs. This approach could involve diet, exercise, stress management techniques, natural medicines, and supplements.
The veteran population faces myriad health burdens, many related to mental health. Research-based integrative health practices, including nutrition, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, are emerging as valuable components of comprehensive treatment plans to improve Veterans’ physical and mental health. They emphasize solid and collaborative partnerships between patients and providers to address their full health. Integrated programs also focus on a holistic perspective, encouraging patients to make healthy choices and engage in their self-care.
Lifestyle Medicine
Lifestyle Medicine (LM) uses evidence-based modalities, such as a whole food, plant-predominant dietary lifestyle, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, and avoidance of risky substance use to prevent, treat, and often reverse chronic diseases.
A patient-centered treatment approach known as LM equips people with the information and life skills they need to effectively change their behavior to address the underlying causes of their illness. It is the foundation for a transformed, value-based and equitable healthcare delivery system.
In addition to its importance for preventing and treating health conditions, it is also essential in treating severe mental illnesses such as PTSD and depression. These conditions can significantly negatively impact physical, psychological, and social wellness.
Mind-Body Medicine
Mind-Body Medicine is a holistic approach to health that focuses on the relationship between the mind and body. It is based on the concept that the human body cannot be separated from reason, and how we think, feel, and sensory process information affects our health.
Mind-body therapies like meditation, yoga, tai chi, cognitive behavioral therapy, guided imagery, and hypnosis are proven effective in treating mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, insomnia, PTSD, and cancer. They are often used in combination with traditional medical treatments.
Mind-body Medicine focuses on the whole person, particularly health’s emotional and spiritual dimensions. It aims to reduce stress and promote relaxation. It also encourages a healthy lifestyle, including eating, exercising, and resting.
