2. Promote Healthy Foods Roberta Lee, a pioneer of integrative health care and primary care physi- cian at the Beth Israel Medical Center Department of Integrative Medicine, in New York City, believes the first pre- scription any doctor should write should be about diet and lifestyle. “You can never lose by maximizing lifestyle man- agement,” says Lee, pointing out that many conditions not easily diagnosed or cured in a conventional framework can be improved by dietary and lifestyle changes. “There are specific diets that promote wellness,” she says. “They re- duce inflammation, [and] increase fiber, vitamins and minerals that come in the form of a lot of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.”


3. Focus on Lifestyle Changes The majority of health problems and risk factors for illnesses stem from the choices we make: how much time we invest working, exercising and relaxing; time spent with friends and outdoors; and whether we consistently take the stairs or the elevator. The Sanoviv Medical Institute, in Rosarito, Mexico, is located on a beautiful stretch of the Pacific coast, an hour south of San Diego. The recom- mended stay for most patients is two weeks. While there, they learn about and experience a lifestyle based around stress reduction, emotional well-being,


yoga and herbal medicine that can supplement and even replace conven- tional methods. Such complementary treatments work to nourish, nurture and augment the body’s own defenses. One alternative healing method that’s now beginning to find its way into hospitals is acupuncture, which has been shown, among other benefits, to help relieve pain, stress and nausea during pre- and post-operative care.


Another way to reduce


costs is to use alternative and complementary ther- apies such as homeopa- thy, naturopathy, yoga


and herbal medicine that can supplement and even replace conventional methods. Such comple-


mentary treatments work to nourish, nurture and


augment the body’s own defenses.


healthy eating and exercise. Many patients come in with cancer or multiple sclerosis; others come just to detoxify and clear out the accumulated effects of stress. The program includes dietary changes, supplements, daily exercise and a stress management plan supported by psychological counsel- ing and daily meditation. A 2004 study in The Lancet showed that lifestyle changes—quitting smoking, healthier eating habits, moder- ate alcohol consumption and regular exercise—can prevent 90 percent of today’s cases of heart disease, which currently accounts for more premature deaths and higher health care costs than any other illness, according to Ornish. “When lifestyle is offered as a treatment, it’s as effective and often more effective than what we’re now doing, at a fraction of the cost,” says Ornish. “We pay for all these inter- ventions that are dangerous, invasive, expensive and largely ineffective, and yet interventions that have been scientifically proven to reverse disease, are a simple change of lifestyle.”


4. Use Alternative Therapies


Another way to reduce costs is to use alternative and com- plementary therapies such as homeopathy, naturopathy,


Beth Israel’s Department of Integra- tive Medicine is bringing acupuncture into the hospital free of charge as part of a fellowship program for Chinese medicine practitioners. “The future of acupuncture is to be a part of best prac- tices in the conventional setting,” says Arya Nielsen, a nationally board-certi- fied acupuncture specialist who leads the program. “The research is just too good.”


The goal is to train both acupunc- turists and conventional doctors in the benefits of this technique so that it can be incorporated into Beth Israel’s best practices. “Even if physicians have time to read the acupuncture studies, what really makes it gel is when they see the results on the patient they treat,” says Nielsen. “The proof is in practitioners working side-by-side and people being able to experience what this therapy can do.”


Chen points out that chemotherapy, surgery and radiation dramatically


change a patient’s life, and people need strong support from family and friends to adapt to these changes. Chen believes that treating cancer should involve both conventional and al- ternative medicine. “Patients also need some lifestyle chang- es: smoking cessation, minimizing alcohol intake, adopting a low-fat, high-fiber diet. Besides that, because [conventional] treatment may cause nausea and pain, patients may benefit from acupuncture, meditation, yoga and Tai chi. This will help them cope with pain better.”


5. Treat People, Not Diseases As Nurse Béatrice Fleury pours a steaming infusion of yar- row over a piece of cotton and then wrings it out, the aroma of the medicinal herb wafts over to the hospital bed where Eliane Perrot is waiting for her body wrap. When the com- press and a hot water bottle have been gingerly applied to her lower back and secured by a soft cloth sash, she leans back with a contented sigh. The compress will help her liver better metabolize the toxins that have accumulated in it after months of breast cancer therapy. The wrap’s warmth will also create a sense of temporary well-being, a precious feel- ing for the frail, exhausted, 65-year-old.


natural awakenings January 2011 37


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