Alternative Medicine is Mainstream

Co-authored by Dean Ornish, Rustum Roy and Andrew Weil

In mid-February, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and the Bravewell Collaborative are convening a "Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public." This is a watershed in the evolution of integrative medicine, a holistic approach to health care that uses the best of conventional and alternative therapies such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture and herbal remedies. Many of these therapies are now scientifically documented to be not only medically effective but also cost effective.

President-elect Barack Obama and former Sen. Tom Daschle (the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services) understand that if we want to make affordable health care available to the 45 million Americans who do not have health insurance, then we need to address the fundamental causes of health and illness, and provide incentives for healthy ways of living rather than reimbursing only drugs and surgery.

Heart disease, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer and obesity account for 75% of health-care costs, and yet these are largely preventable and even reversible by changing diet and lifestyle. As Mr. Obama states in his health plan, unveiled during his campaign: "This nation is facing a true epidemic of chronic disease. An increasing number of Americans are suffering and dying needlessly from diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and HIV/AIDS, all of which can be delayed in onset if not prevented entirely."

The latest scientific studies show that our bodies have a remarkable capacity to begin healing, and much more quickly than we had once realized, if we address the lifestyle factors that often cause these chronic diseases. These studies show that integrative medicine can make a powerful difference in our health and well-being, how quickly these changes may occur, and how dynamic these mechanisms can be.

Many people tend to think of breakthroughs in medicine as a new drug, laser or high-tech surgical procedure. They often have a hard time believing that the simple choices that we make in our lifestyle -- what we eat, how we respond to stress, whether or not we smoke cigarettes, how much exercise we get, and the quality of our relationships and social support -- can be as powerful as drugs and surgery. But they often are. And in many instances, they're even more powerful.

These studies often used high-tech, state-of-the-art measures to prove the power of simple, low-tech, and low-cost interventions. Integrative medicine approaches such as plant-based diets, yoga, meditation, and psychosocial support may stop or even reverse the progression of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, prostate cancer, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and other chronic conditions.

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that these approaches may even change gene expressionin hundreds of genes in only a few months. Genes associated with cancer, heart disease, and inflammation were downregulated or "turned off" whereas protective genes were upregulated or "turned on." A study published in The Lancet Oncology reported that these changes increase telomerase, the enzyme that lengthens telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes that control how long we live. Even drugs have not been shown to do this.

Our "health-care system" is primarily a disease-care system. Last year, $2.1 trillion were spent in the U.S. on medical care, or 16.5% of the gross national product. Of these trillions, 95 cents of every dollar was spent to treat disease after it had already occurred. At least 75% of these costs were spent on treating chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes that are preventable or even reversible.

The choices are especially clear in cardiology. In 2006, for example, according to data provided by the American Heart Association, 1.3 million coronary angioplasty procedures were performed at an average cost of $48,399 each, or more than $60 billion; and 448,000 coronary bypass operations were performed at a cost of $99,743 each, or more than $44 billion. In other words, Americans spent more than $100 billion in 2006 for these two procedures alone.

Despite these costs, a randomized controlled trial published in April 2007 in The New England Journal of Medicine found that angioplasties and stents do not prolong life or even prevent heart attacks in stable patients (i.e., 95% of those who receive them). Coronary bypass surgery prolongs life in less than 3% of patients who receive it. So, Medicare and other insurers and individuals pay billions for surgical procedures like angioplasty and bypass surgery that are usually dangerous, invasive, expensive, and largely ineffective. Yet they pay very little -- if any money at all -- for integrative medicine approaches that have been proven to reverse and prevent most chronic diseases that account for at least 75% of health-care costs. The INTERHEART study, published in September 2004 in The Lancet, followed 30,000 men and women on six continents and found that changing lifestyle could prevent at least 90% of all heart disease.

That bears repeating: The disease that accounts for more premature deaths and costs Americans more than any other illness is almost completely preventable simply by changing diet and lifestyle. And the same lifestyle changes that can prevent or even reverse heart disease also help prevent or reverse many other chronic diseases as well. Chronic pain is one of the major sources of worker's compensation claims costs, yet studies show that it is often susceptible to acupuncture and Qi Gong. Herbs usually have far fewer side effects than pharmaceuticals.

Joy, pleasure, and freedom are sustainable, deprivation and austerity are not. When you eat a healthier diet, quit smoking, exercise, meditate and have more love in your life, then your brain receives more blood and oxygen, so you think more clearly, have more energy, need less sleep. Your brain may grow so many new neurons that it could get measurably bigger in only a few months. Your face gets more blood flow, so your skin glows more and wrinkles less. Your heart gets more blood flow, so you have more stamina and can even begin to reverse heart disease. Your sexual organs receive more blood flow, so you may become more potent -- similar to the way that circulation-increasing drugs like Viagra work. For many people, these are choices worth making -- not just to live longer, but also to live better.

It's time to move past the debate of alternative medicine versus traditional medicine, and to focus on what works, what doesn't, for whom, and under which circumstances. It will take serious government funding to find out, but these findings may help reduce costs and increase health.

Integrative medicine approaches bring together those in red states and blue states, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, because these are human issues. They are both medically effective and, important in our current economic climate, cost effective. These approaches emphasize both personal responsibility and the opportunity to make affordable, quality health care available to those who most need it. Mr. Obama should make them an integral part of his health plan as soon as possible.

Dr. Chopra, the author of more than 50 books on the mind, body and spirit, is guest faculty at Beth Israel Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dean Ornish, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. His most recent book is The Spectrum (Random House, 2007). Mr. Roy is a professor at Penn State and Arizona State University. Dr. Weil is director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

This post originally appeared in today's Wall Street Journal.

Comments

[Vajara]

I believe that after all is said and done, the key to health will consist of 2 requirements: 1) we must commit ourselves to change (and be honest about making it happen) and, 2) design and administer a holistic self-care action plan that includes our 4 realms--physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual methods. Few of my students and clients would commit to a plan and few follow their best interests for any extended period. Thus, it's just good intentions with bad results for those who wish to be the best that they can be. Hope this helps. I continue to follow my action plan (right action) and am grateful that I have the courage to susain these essential requirements. We all know that diets and plans don't work for long unless our essence connects with them.

[BradlyJacobsMDMPH]

Part 3/3:
NOW IF WE COULD ONLY TRAIN OUR MEDICAL STUDENTS in this area...I received all of 1 hour training during my 2 years of classroom in medical school!!! WE doctors are ill prepared to provide our patients the counseling and support systems they need to make sustaining lifestyle change. Of course, STEP 2 is reimbursement...since doctors receive minimal reimbursement for 'counseling' lifestyle modification....another ridiculous reality. Finally, there is a full spectrum of healthcare practitioners (chiro, acu, nutritionist, naturopaths and more) who are better trained than us MDs in lifestyle change. We should feel ashamed that we do not more fully embraced them within our heatlthcare delivery system.

all for now....

[BradlyJacobsMDMPH]

Part 2/2: In the meantime, there are numerous studies showing that stress is associated with 2x risk of heart disease, depression, and more and there are programs that can help people reduce stress levels. Simiarly, healthy living is more potent than drugs...that's right...more potent than the strongest drugs! Researchers showed lifestyle was more powerful than the strongest type 2 diabetes drug, metformin, in preventing newly diagnosed diabetes. Another study with 15,000 people aged 45-65 showed that in just 4 years....starting a healthy lifestyle (eat fruit/veggies 5 servings/day, exercise 150min/week, no smoking, and not being obese) was associated with a 35% reduction in heart attacks and 40% reduction in dying--- that's stronger than statins for goodness sake... a multi-billion dollar business in of itself. Another study showed that among ACTIVE tobacco smokers, eating 5 servings fruit/veggies per day was associated with a 30% reduction in developing lung cancer......there is NO OTHER TREATMENT for ACTIVE SMOKERS let alone something as powerful as this!!

Bottomline.... there are dozens of studies showing that lifestyle change is more powerful than drugs and surgery.

[BradlyJacobsMDMPH]

All too true... and the list goes on....a recent study demonstrated SSRI (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) were no better than placebo! How is that possible since the FDA has approved these drugs?? The investigators uncovered published and UNPUBLISHED trials that the pharmaceutical industry had conducted and guess what... many of the unpublished trials showed the drugs were no better than a sugar pill (oops... 'better bury that one' says pharma and so they did...left unpublished).

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Deb and I are writing a book that will be published October 2009 with interviews from Dean Ornish, Joan Borysenko, Robert Thurman, Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks, Marianne Williamson, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Beckwith, Byron Katie, Jane Fonda, Susan Smalley, Russell Bishop and others called:

BE THE CHANGE
How Meditation Can Transform You And The World
with Voices Of Remarkable Spiritual People

Meditation, yoga, healthy eating, alternative medicine are the basis for sound living. Thanks to Deepak, Dean and the others the mainstream will be educated. Cheers, Ed

[worldlyhick]

Sometimes it's just easier to go ahead and have a cup or two of valerian root tea than wait for Big Pharma to fund the clinical trial that tells you it's OK to do so.

[MagisterLudi]

Absolutely agreed that in postmodern society the best of all cultural medical advances should be integrated.
Perhaps an agency should be established that can legitimize and approve Eastern procedures and practices for mainstream American medicine. The difficulty lies in developing tests and trials to approve health benefit claims.
I might add that while in US, Eastern medicine procedures are well established, Europe is lagging far behind.

[Vajara]

The use of integrative or holistic health is almost an old argument. I've been practicing and teaching these methods for the past 30 years. The ones that I use and teach are very effective and I can tell you that at 73 yrs. young, I credit meditation, massage, tai chi, Psychocalisthenics, yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture, Reiki and other energy exercises and nutrition for helping me and empowering my students and clients to sustain positive health and wellbeing. I now work in a treatment & rehabilitation center ( R & R Center) at Ft. Bliss, TX that incorporates integrative and alopathic medicine to help our warriors heal and rehabilitate from PTSD & TBI. We are finding great results and the soldiers love these interventions. http://jerryvest.pages.qpg.com

[sunnybunny]

We need more choices and more efficiency. It would go a long way toward cutting cost (both financial and otherwise)

[sunnybunny]

I think there is a lot more to this subject than most people realize. Much of the debate on health care has been focused on how to pay for it. There are much more important issues at hand. people need to be able to choose whats right for them - for many less is more when it comes to medicine.

[Starryeyesurprise]

I can just speak from experience. I see Jane Murray MD in Overland Park, KS now for 10 years. She has an accupuncturist on staff, a naturopath, a body and energy work practitioner, a counselor -see the link below.

When I first met her we spent 1.5 hours talking. This initial appointment cost $145, but it was totally worth it. I realized I liked her as a person and I felt respect from her towards me. She was a good listener.

She asks me what I want to do -consults me on which way I'd like to see things go. "What do you want to do?" It is not about her or ego.

About 5 years ago I was researching treatments for cyst removal that leaves tiny scars. I found a new technique on the internet and brought it to her. Turns out she knew the doctor from a conference and we agreed to try it. I understand she now uses it on everyone because it works so well. What an awesome doctor. OMG.

I have been a big fan of Dean Ornish and Dr. Chopra's since the early 90's. Back then it was more like the wild west. I am glad to see the changes they have talked about getting a bigger audience now.

Jane feels like a sister to me now. I feel fortunate to have her as my doctor, especially in Kansas!

http://www.sastuncenter.com/

Your body has its own intelligence -Rumi

[GaiaTerra7]

A new era is at hand!

[stop7997]

I've forwarded this article to President-elect Obama, Tom Daschle and Ted Kennedy. If they are deluged with copies of the article, it could make a huge difference.

[paixa3]

Bravo, this is the BEST blog I have read in a long, long time.

[hoogly]

I agree. I believe what happens is that science takes a long time and a lot of studies before it can official state what other individuals naturally learn in their own lives. One problem is that science has to make am overwhelming case and go through its own buracracy before anything is accepted. So, previously smoking was a-okay; however, now we know it isn't. It took science (which is good, but not the be-all) a long time to come around to what others at the time knew, just from their own experiences, was true, which is that smoking is bad.

The smoking example is just one that can be applied to a lot of other things as well.

[zola77]

I agree, integrating western and alternative medicine is good, but please dont diss how science works. The scientific process is cumbersome and slow- and i agree that it has its faults- but that is because it wants to be accurate - alternative medicine has many good therapies, but for every good alternative therapy, there are 20 quack remedies classified as 'alternative medicine' that people buy into...Thats why the scientific method is important and useful- to distinguish the genuine from the fraudulent.

As another huffpost blogger wrote,
"We have enough snake oil out there now, don't you think? Copper bracelets, energy rings, shoe magnets, air energizers, psychic surgery. The hits just keep on a comin', don't they? How many more would there be without FDA oversight, and regulatory demands for demonstration of efficacy under controlled conditions? Aren't enough vulnerable and credulous people already being deflected by existing quackery from receiving medical treatment that could actually help them?"

Integrated medicine is good, but for all its faults, the scientific method helps to sort the good from the scams.

[Dukedraven]

I used to give myself three shots a week with one of the drugs prescribed for multiple sclerosis. My healthcare plan paid over $2,000 a month for this treatment. I suffered numerous side-effects and was taken off the drug after 5 months when it started affecting my liver, which is pretty common. I then learned about a cheap drug (cost $30 a month) that is effective in treating MS, and I had to go through many channels to get it. My neurologist dropped me as patient as a result of my actions. Because this drug isn't approved by the FDA, few doctors will prescribe it. Many MS sufferers will tell you this drug works and yet, it can't get approval. No pharmaceutical owes a patent on it, so no company will pay to get the drug through the required medical trials. So MS patients are stuck with extremely expensive and sometime dangerous drugs to treat their disease. It's a scandalous to me, and shows what is wrong with the healthcare system. Peace always, Dr. Chopra