Integrative Medicine
This area of medicine happens to be attracting a lot of attention presently. There are many models, philosophies, and interpretation of the term “Integrated Medicine.” As our world changes so does pathology, etiology (the cause of disease) and the pathogens in which we, as physicians, must adapt our treatments to. Hence, the integration of diverse medical philosophies to tailor a treatment protocol that is patient centered and individually tailored to that specific patient’s needs. Taking into consideration the recent scientific findings of the interaction and communication of the mind, body and spirit, many ancient medical treatments are now finding efficacy and gaining popularity.
We Have a Few questions for you:
- Would you rather be wealthy or just not poor?
- Would you rather be intelligent or just not stupid?
- Would you rather be healthy or just not sick?
The point is that health is not simply being symptom-free but maintaining health to prevent imbalance so that disease does not occur. Integrative medical panels are groups consisting of Doctors of Traditional Western Medicine, Doctors of Eastern Medicine, Psychologists, massage therapists, physical therapists, meditation-mind/ body/ spirit disciplines, nutritionists, hypnotherapists, and other fields of energy healers all working together without ego and with one goal…to provide the patient with the premiere health care that is needed.
FAQs about integrative medicine
- We use integrative medicine to combine conventional medical care with evidence-informed complementary approaches (like acupuncture, meditation, nutrition, and massage) as part of one coordinated plan.
- We call it complementary when we use non-mainstream approaches with standard care, alternative when used instead of standard care, and integrative when we thoughtfully combine them in a coordinated plan.
- We treat them as overlapping but not identical. Integrative medicine emphasizes combining standard care with evidence-based complementary therapies; functional medicine often emphasizes systems-thinking and root-cause pattern mapping. Many clinics blend both models.
- We commonly include approaches like acupuncture, massage, mindfulness/meditation, wellness coaching, movement therapies, and nutrition—used alongside conventional care, not as a replacement.
- We most often see integrative care used to support chronic or recurring issues like pain, fatigue, stress load, sleep disruption, and gut complaints, alongside standard evaluation and treatment when needed.
- We usually start with a deeper history (symptoms, sleep, stress, nutrition, movement, goals), then build a staged plan and coordinate it with ongoing conventional care to avoid conflicts and confusion.
- We don’t treat integrative medicine as a substitute for primary care or specialty care. We use it together with mainstream treatment, especially when safety, diagnosis, or ongoing disease management matters.
- We aim for an evidence-informed approach: we prioritize therapies with better support and avoid exaggerated claims. Even reputable sources note that not all products or practices do what they claim, and some may not be safe.
- We treat this as a real safety issue. NIH’s NCCIH warns that herbs/supplements can cause drug interactions, toxicity, and quality/contamination problems, so we disclose everything we take to our clinical team.
- We look for licensed clinicians, clear scope-of-practice, transparent safety screening, and coordination with our other providers. We avoid clinics that discourage standard care or promise guaranteed cures.
- We treat coverage as plan-specific. Some services may be covered (especially when billed as standard medical visits), while others (like certain complementary therapies) may be self-pay. We verify benefits before starting.
- We expect cost to depend on visit length, provider type, tests ordered, and which therapies we add (acupuncture, massage, coaching). We reduce surprises by requesting a written estimate and a staged plan.
- We often use integrative plans to support stress regulation and sleep by combining lifestyle foundations (sleep timing, movement, nutrition) with evidence-informed mind-body approaches like mindfulness and coaching when appropriate.
- We use integrative therapies alongside standard cancer treatment, not instead of it. Major cancer organizations warn against replacing standard treatment with “alternative” methods and emphasize coordination with the oncology team.
- We can book integrative medicine with ActiveMed Integrative Health Center and choose a location that fits scheduling across Encinitas, Poway, and San Diego.