Complementary and Alternative Medicine

I am clearly not opposed to supplements, and I find them to be helpful in augmenting treatment and health goals -- but they are not supposed to be quick fixes that take the place of healthy habits.

Bravewell's report, "Integrative Medicine in America: How Integrative Medicine is Being Practiced in the United States," opens a treasure trove of riches for those intrigued by the emerging field.

A bit of integrative medicine history was made last month when the U.S. Indian Health Service (IHS) quietly announced that licensed naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists and chiropractors would be included in 2012 in the IHS' student loan repayment programs.

If you believe that empowering health-focused, integrative approaches and practitioners can make a difference in transforming U.S. health care, the convening of this event was a beautiful thing to behold.

I wouldn't say that the cumulative effect of this experience has been to make me an evangelist for alternative medicine, but it has certainly moved me closer in that direction.

I might as well begin by being blunt. There is no love lost between the medicine I was taught in medical school and the kind I practice now, which use...