Mayo Clinic Guide to Integrative Medicine: Conventional Remedies Meet Alternative Therapies to Transform Health

by Brent A. Bauer M.D.

Overview

Today, certain health conditions are not always best served by conventional medicine. Learn the ins and outs of integrative medicine with this comprehensive guide from the internal medicine experts at the Mayo Clinic.

Once believed to be an alternative approach to patient care, recent studies have shown that integrative medicine is a valid option for reducing chronic pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, as well as overall wellness. In fact, 1 in 3 American adults uses integrative medicine to boost their physical health. Whether utilized on its own or in combination with a conventional treatment plan, integrative medicine can be a natural, noninvasive way for patients to take charge of their health and wellbeing.

In Mayo Clinic Guide to Integrative Medicine, experts from the Mayo Clinic break down dozens of the most common integrative therapies used today. From meditation and various spiritual practices, to spa treatments and medicinal herbs, readers can learn the ins and outs of popular integrative therapies, and ultimately decide if integrative medicine is right for them.

Additionally, each type of integrative therapy is assigned a green light, yellow light, or red light illustration, to show which therapies come highly recommended from medical professionals, which therapies should be used with caution and guidance from a primary care physician, and which therapies should be avoided.

Written with the everyday consumer in mind, Mayo Clinic Guide to Integrative Medicine is a digestible, easy-to-use guide for understanding and implementing holistic health practices in your daily routine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781893005693
Publisher:	Mayo Clinic Press
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	632,235
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Brent A. Bauer, M.D., is an award-winning internist in the Department of General Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In 2001, Dr. Bauer founded the Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine and Health Program, where he has spent the past 20 years researching the effect of integrative medicine on physical, mental, and spiritual health. When he is not serving as a consultant in the Department of Internal Medicine or as a professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Dr. Bauer serves as medical director of Rejuvenate, the Mayo Clinic’s first full-service spa, and the Well Living Lab, a collaboration between Delos and Mayo Clinic that researches how indoor environments impact health and wellness.

Table of Contents

Start your integrative medicine journey 7

What is integrative medicine? 8

A shift toward wellness 10

Why integrative medicine? 10

What the research says about integrative medicine 12

Integrative vs. alternative: What's the difference? 13

Expert insight: Jon C. Tilburt, M.D. 13

Integrative medicine at Mayo Clinic 14

Top integrative treatments 15

Build your wellness foundation first 16

How to use this resource 17

About the lights 17

Making wellness the focus of care 18

What are your biggest health threats? 20

Nutrition 22

Exercise 26

Stress 31

Rest and relaxation 34

Connecting with others 37

Mind-body techniques 38

A visit with Dr. Sood 39

What is mind-body medicine? 40

How the mind operates 40

The mind-body connection 41

Neuroplasticity 42

Relaxation therapies 43

Meditation 56

Guided imagery 64

Biofeedback for stress management 66

Hypnotherapy 69

Spirituality 72

Positive thinking 75

Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation 76

A visit with Dr. Gay 77

History of spinal manipulation 78

During the adjustment 79

Massage therapy 82

A visit with Jennifer Hauschulz 83

Common types of massage 84

What to expect during massage 85

Massage at Mayo Clinic 86

What makes massage effective? 87

Risks of massage 88

Finding a massage therapist 88

Aromatherapy 90

Chinese massage (Tui na) 92

Rolfing 93

Acupuncture 94

A visit with Dr. Chon 95

How it works 96

Preparing for acupuncture 97

Working with a practitioner 98

What to expect during acupuncture 99

Acupuncture at Mayo Clinic 100

Herbs and supplements 102

A visit with Dr. Tilburt 103

Safety first: Being a smart supplement consumer 104

Review of select herbs and supplements 106

Fish oil 106

Glucosamine and chondroitin 107

Probiotics and prebiotics 108

Melatonin 109

Coenzyme Q10 110

Vitamin D 111

Echinacea 112

Black cohosh 113

Saw palmetto 114

Garlic 115

Ginkgo 116

Turmeric 117

Ginseng 118

St. John's wort 119

Flaxseed and flaxseed oil 120

Valerian 121

Ginger 122

Supplements for lipids: Plant sterols, red yeast rice 123

Multivitamins: Do you need one? 124

Supplements to avoid 125

Spa: Rejuvenating mind, body and spirit 126

A visit with Dr. Bhagra 127

History of spas 128

Spa and wellness 129

Saunas 130

Hot tubs and warm pools 132

Finding a spa in your community 134

Skin care 135

Other approaches 136

Ayurveda 138

Naturopathy 140

Traditional Chinese medicine 141

Acupressure 142

Reflexology 143

Alexander technique 144

Feldenkrais method 145

Healing touch 146

Reiki 147

Integrative therapy for common conditions 148

A visit with Dr. Millstine 149

Arthritis 150

Chronic fatigue syndrome 155

Chronic pain 159

Fibromyalgia 162

Headache 165

Insomnia 170

Irritable bowel syndrome 173

Stress and mood disorders 177

The brain-body connection 180

A visit with Dr. Fleming 181

Symptoms 183

Causes 186

Central sensitization: An endless loop 187

Relaxation exercises to treat pain 189

Steps to success with relaxation exercises 191

Moderation: How to do it 192

Is integrative medicine right for you? 194

Finding good research 196

What you need to know about dietary supplements 199

Talking with your health care team 201

Finding a qualified practitioner 201

Personal perspectives 203

Talking points to get you started 204

Next steps 206

5 strategies for moving forward 208

Integrative medicine on a budget 210

Wellness: Latest developments, what's up next 213

Additional resources 214

Index 218