She relied on a whole team to


realize a natural way back to health after being diagnosed with lupus in 1992. “Members of my health team fluctuate, depending on what is going on in my life and where I am focusing,” comments Harader. She points out, for example, that nutrition education and general deep-tissue massage can both be helpful as part of a foundational plan toward obtaining and maintaining optimal health. In fact, many of our experts


recommend both a monthly chiropractic adjustment and/or massage, as well as daily yoga and an ongoing meditation practice for wellness and total well-being. Naturopathic practitioners operating


in states where they are licensed can be good sources of nutrition counsel and often recommend herbal remedies for relief. “For chronic illness, you need a chiropractor or drug-free physician like a naturopath on your team. Conventional medicine is generally


poor at dealing with chronic illness,” observes Naturopath and Chiropractor Michael Loquasto, Ph.D., who practices in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Loquasto should know. He has


practiced integrated modalities for 50 years, employing the knowledge gained through his practice and triple doctorates, which include one in nutrition. Also a master herbalist, he strongly advocates that people start by working with a good integrative or functional medicine medical doctor. “In some states, like Pennsylvania,


chiropractors and osteopaths can perform routine diagnostic work, but in many states they cannot,” he notes. “I recommend undergoing a physical every six months and regular bone density tests, plus colonoscopies.” Loquasto is not in favor of mammograms because of the radiation exposure associated with them, but supports routine breast screening using ultrasound or thermography.


Self-Diagnosis Intuitive listening and observant self- knowledge are crucial parts of any wellness plan. Most people are aware when something doesn’t feel right in their body. “Libido is a great barometer of


health,” suggests Dr. Diana Hoppe, an 14 Natural Awakenings San Antonio


obstetrician, gynecologist and hormone specialist in San Diego, California. “If you’re not interested in sex, it’s probably a sign that you need to do some investigating.” Reasons for such a decline of interest are wide-ranging says Hoppe. “For men and women, it might be due to hormonal changes, lack of self- esteem, medications, stress, relationship issues, job, family life or lack of sleep. It means that somewhere, things are out of balance,” she says.


Funding a Plan A personal multifaceted wellness program can be expensive, but there are ways to minimize the cost. “In the new world of high insurance deductibles, people get more for their money from an alternative doctor, especially one knowledgeable in a variety of healing therapies, than a conventional one,” Loquasto advises. Costs for tests may also be lower; plus patients are not expected to pay $150 or more just to walk in the door. A current trend has medical doctors


and chiropractors participating in “umbrella” practices and wellness centers, where several types of practitioners collaborate in one facility. They find that sometimes insurance will pay for certain complementary services, including massage and nutrition education, when doctors or chiropractors prescribe them. Maintaining wellness in an


environment filled with chemical, biological and mental toxins is a substantial, yet worthy, investment. It’s far better than the costly alternative of dealing with regular bouts of sickness or escalating disease. In that light, maintenance looks affordable: an ayurvedic diagnostic session starts at around $100, a consultation with a licensed naturopath at $75 and acupuncture at $100; a massage typically costs about $80 an hour. While insurance is unlikely to pay


for treatments outside the realm of conventional medicine and sometimes, chiropractic, “The cost of these preventive therapies will be much less than the cost of treatment for a serious disease,” advises Loquasto. “You’re worth it.”


Kathleen Barnes is author of more than a dozen natural health books. Her latest is The Calcium Lie II: What Your Doctor Still Doesn’t Know with Dr. Robert Thompson. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.


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