b'East Meets Westwith the Practice ofIntegrativeMedicineCombining The Two Modalities Offers a Blended Functional Approach to CareT oday, more and more people area persons health. It treats not only immediate looking for alternatives to Westernhealth concerns, but also the broader conceptsmedicine and conventionalof health that promote well-being now and treatments, while striving to liveinto the future. Think nutrition, sleep patterns, a healthier lifestyle. Integrativehydration and stress management.medicine, a patient-focused, whole-personMany chronic health issues arent easily managed medical practice that uses both evidence-basedby conventional treatments and medication. and experienced-based therapies, is quicklyIn those cases, some people turn to a holistic becoming a popular option. approach of care by combining current treatment Integrative medicine emphasizes health andplans with the basics, such as exercise and pain well-being as well as illness prevention throughmanagement but also alternative therapies, healthy living. It strives to prevent disease whichincluding acupuncture, reflexology, massage and translates to fewer medications and fewer visits tomany others. At HonorHealth, our team-based your doctor and hospital. approach looks for opportunities to improve overall HonorHealths Integrative Medicine primary carewellness and help patients live their best life.practice is based on a model of health and wellnessIntegrative medicine does not replace and revolves around the critical relationshipconventional care, says Melinda Atienza, DO, between practitioner and patient. It combinesIntegrative and Functional medicine specialist alternative and conventional disciplines to treatat HonorHealth Integrative Medicine. It gives holistically with a focus on the mind, body and spiritus additional tools, and it allows the body to connection. A patient can expect their practitionerheal itself using natural therapies. Our focus is to use some combination of pharmaceuticalson promoting wellness and preventing illness and supplements, preventative medicine andthrough healthy living. This holistic approach conventional treatments for optimum self-care. sets the foundation for overall health and brings Practitioners view patients as partners and worktogether conventional and complementary together as a team to ensure they receive the bestapproaches in a coordinated way.care possible. The discipline addresses manyPrescription medications may be appropriate factors, including the physical, emotional, social,and necessary, however for some patients they spiritual and environmental influences that affectmay not be completely effective or could have 8 HonorHealth Foundation Magazine'