Category Archives: Integrative Medicine

Ronald Glick, MDMedical Director

Dr. Ronald Glick is medical director of UPMC Center for Integrative Medicine. His training is in psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and pain management. Dr. Glick is involved in research on acupuncture and prolotherapy a musculoskeletal injection technique. His clinical practice focuses on integrative approaches to chronic pain management and integrative psychiatry.

Neal Ryan, MDDirector

Dr. Neal Ryan is director of the UPMC Center for Integrative Medicine and the Joaquim Puig-Antich Professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Ryan's clinical and research work has involved the study of depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety in children and adolescents, and chronic disorders in which stress and environmental factors play an important role. He also has a strong background in medical education.

Sari Cohen, NDNaturopathic and Nutritional Counselor

Sari Cohen, ND, obtained her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. She has undergraduate degree in Hebrew and Judaic Studies from Dartmouth College. Ms. Cohen provides naturopathic care at the UPMC Center for Integrative Medicine in Shadyside, Pennsylvania to people of all ages with both acute and chronic diseases. The naturopathic modalities used include nutrition, botanical medicine, and nutritional supplementation. She is an adjunct professor in the Integrative Health Studies at Chatham University, in Pittsburgh. Ms. Cohen founded a naturopathic clinic with four colleagues in New Hampshire. She is the author of an article, "Melatonin, Menstruation and the Moon," that was published in The Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients.

James Donnelly, MAPsychotherapist

James Donnelly has more than 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist. His practice focuses on individuals who are experiencing health or emotional problems as a result of childhood abuse or neglect or posttraumatic stress symptoms occurring in adulthood. He uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), cardiac coherence training, Gestalt therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Gywnn Goldring, MSWPsychotherapist

Dinnie Goldring is a psychotherapist who works with individuals, couples, and families. Her work is based on a holistic perspective that incorporates mind, body, and spirit. Treatment specialty areas include pregnancy and postpartum related issues, living with an auto-immune disorder and other chronic illness, relationship issues, general depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. Ms. Goldring uses a psychodynamically based approach that integrates Gestalt therapy and mindfulness and she uses her past experience -- serving as a midwife in many cultures -- in the therapy process. She also leads the group, Mindfulness-Based Anxiety Reduction."

Carol Greco, PhDAssociateProfessor of Psychiatry

Dr. Carol Greco has more than 20 years of clinical experience and has worked in research for more than 20 years at the University of Pittsburgh. Her areas of research include Mindfulness Meditation, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), psychological approaches to pain management, mind-body and cognitive-behavioral therapy approaches to health and disease, and developing patient-reported measures of the nonspecific, contextual factors in treatment that can promote healing. Dr. Greco's clinical work focuses on mindfulness meditation and behavioral medicine approaches to pain and stress management. She is a Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) instructor and has taught the Center's MBSR program for over 12 years.

Deborah Grice Conway, PhDPsychotherapist

Deborah Grice Conway has more than 25 years of clinical experience as a psychotherapist, treating depression, anxiety disorders, trauma, and health conditions exacerbated by stress. Her work is based on a holistic perspective that incorporates the mind, body, and spirit, and focuses on the client's strengths. Treatment specialties include medical hypnosis, cardiac coherence biofeedback, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral therapy, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and mindfulness techniques. In addition to her work at the center, Dr. Conway is also a clinical instructor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, a Professor of Psychology at the Community College of Allegheny County, and an adjunct faculty member in Chatham Universitys Integrative Health Sciences program, where she teaches Mind-Body Medicine. She is a core faculty member and meditation instructor at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, NY.

Kerry HarlingAyurveda Practitioner, Yoga Teacher, and Ayurvedic Marma Therapist

Kerry practices Ayurveda, a refined system of mind body medicine, in the northeast region. Kerry has helped hundreds of people with health issues regain health and harmony. She is known as a dedicated, gifted and astute healer within the patient community. Years of experience have given her a deep and keen understanding of the elemental metabolic constitutions and their imbalances in people. Her compassion, skills in listening and observation, added with her expertise in the art of Ayurvedic pulse reading, make her an intuitive and collaborative healer. She loves what she does and works closely with all her clients. Her practice has taught her that Ayurvedic treatments, based on the science of life, work to support patients to heal in a very gentle ways that patients come to embrace as a way of being. Her clients often come with anxiety, insomnia, weight problems, hormonal imbalances, digestive issues, chronic fatigue, joint pain, ADD or simply want to learn preventative everyday health. Clients leave with a renewed sense of hope, vitality, and energy. Kerry is certified with the National Ayurveda Medical Association as an Ayurveda Practitioner and with Yoga Alliance as a Yoga Teacher.

Karl Holtzer, MD, MS

Dr. Karl Holtzer is a pediatrician by training, who has extended his practice to adults. He has a masters degree in nutrition. He specializes in functional medicine, which offers a unique approach to the management of individuals with chronic health problems. He appreciates the opportunity to dig deeper and identify root causes. His approach centers on helping people make changes in their diet and health behaviors.

Brittany Kail, BSBAAdministrative Manager

Brittany Kail has over 14 years of customer service which includes 8 years working as an Office Manager for Mercy Behavioral Health, managing their busiest outpatient site. At the Center for Integrative Medicine, she is the Administrative Manager, directing a program of over 25 staff members.

John Laird, NDNaturopathic and Nutritional Counselor

John Laird provides services in naturopathic counseling. He received a degree in anthropology at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Mr. Laird is a graduate of the John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine in Seattle, Washington, and completed an internship at the Government College of Ayurvedic Medicine in Mysore, India.

Jessie Violet Larson, LMTLicensed Medical Massage Therapist

Jessie Violet Larson is a licensed medical massage therapist with advanced training in anatomy and pathology. She is a graduate of the Advanced Medical Program at the School of Massage Therapy. She enthusiastically continues her lifelong path of education with a focus on better assisting those living with cancer. In her travels, she has studied healing therapies from around the world which she incorporates into every massage session to individually suit each client. Ms. Larson is a dedicated therapist and Reiki Master who brings with her years of experience and a love for her work.

David Lesondak, BCSI, KMI, LMT, SSTStructural Integrator, Myofascial Specialist

David Lesondak is a structural integrator and has been in private practice in the greater Pittsburgh area since 1992. His main area of interest is applying myofascial approaches to provide lasting relief from pain and to improve performance. He did his formative training at Kinesis in Maine, where he went on to serve for five years as an associate faculty member and media consultant. With "Anatomy Trains" author, Tom Myers, he published, "Anatomy Trains Revealed," a DVD exploring fascial anatomy. David's video skills andinterest in the emerging science of fascia have led to other projects including the Third International Fascia Research Congress and a relationship with the Fascia Research Project at the University of Ulm, Germany. David also lectures and teaches internationally.

Daniel Shawn Miller, DCChiropractor

Dr. Daniel Shawn Miller provides chiropractic services. He received his doctor of chiropractic degree at Palmer College and has been practicing for more than 15 years.

Kate ShermanShiatsu Practitioner

Kate Sherman provides Shiatsu treatments and teaches classes on shiatsu and wellness at the Center for Integrative Medicine. Shiatsu developed in Japan and stems from ancient Chinese Medicine. This touch therapy has been called 'acupuncture without needles' and is as effective in relieving a wide variety of complaints. Kate has been in practice since 2007. She has a Master's Degree from Chatham University in Counseling Psychology and is a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Erin Simon, CMT, LLCMassage Therapist

Erin Simon has practiced therapeutic massage since 1992. Her main focus and passion is Lymph Drainage Therapy and education for lymphedema management. Erin also has advanced training in Craniosacral Therapy in both Upledger and Biodynamic techniques. Erin is educated in a number of other modalities as well; including Pregnancy and Post-Partum Massage, Healing Stone Massage, Dolphin Micro-Current Point Stimulation, Kinesiotape, and Swedish. Erin brings a unique blend of therapies, her background as a dancer and athlete and her commitment to helping each individual achieve their best health to each session.

Tricia Smith, LAcAcupuncturist

Tricia Smith, LAc, provides acupuncture at the Center for Integrative Medicine. She works with pain management and specializes in the use of acupuncture treatment of myofascial trigger points. In addition, she works with patients whose conditions include sleep disturbance and hormonal problems. She is board-certified in acupuncture by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

K.K. Teh, LAc, MAcAcupuncturist

K.K. Teh provides acupuncture services at the center. He has master's degrees in acupuncture and Chinese medicine and psychology. His practice interests include pain management, sports medicine, general health problems, and stress-related conditions. He uses a balance method, which includes treating certain conditions with fewer needles. Mr. Teh is board-certified in acupuncture by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Alicja W. Walczak, MSBiofeedback Practitioner and Movement Therapy Instructor

Alicja Walczak provides cardiac coherence training, biofeedback, synergistic body-mind therapy, and movement therapy. She has a degree in exercise physiology with an emphasis on relaxation and biofeedback from the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, Ms. Walczak completed training with Ilana Rubenfeld and her Institute in Rubenfeld Synergy. Ms. Walczak also teaches yoga classes at the center.

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Our Integrative Medicine Experts

EXETER Suzana Makowski, MD, MMM has joined Exeter Health Resources as the chief of palliative care services. In this role, she will oversee the provision of palliative care throughout Exeter Health Resources, across the continuum of care including patients admitted to Exeter Hospital, in the hospitals clinics especially the Center for Cancer Care, and patients at home or in the community receiving services from Rockingham Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice.

Palliative care is a medical specialty with expertise in helping patients be as well as possible while living with serious illness. Dr. Makowski will work with the palliative care team to address the complex physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients going through a serious illness, while supporting the needs of their family and close friends. The team includes physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses, chaplains, and social workers.

Dr. Makowski completed her undergraduate studies at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, and post-baccalaureate certificate at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, PA. She received her MD at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, and her masters in Medical Management at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles, California. She completed a fellowship in integrative medicine at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a fellowship in hospice & palliative medicine at San Diego Hospice & Palliative Care in San Diego, California.

Dr. Makowski also has additional experience and training in leadership and management. She has a Green Belt in Lean Quality Improvement, is a Certified Physician Executive with a Masters in Medical Management, and was honored with the prestigious Leonard Tow Award, from the Gold Humanism Honor Society, for both clinical excellence and outstanding compassion in the delivery of care and for showing respect for patients, their families, and healthcare colleagues.

Healing can occur at all stages of life, even when there is no cure, said Dr. Makowski. I see my role as one that helps patients and their families live as well as possible for as long as possible, crafting healthcare around what matters most to the person, while carefully tending to their symptoms and medical history.

For more information about Exeter Hospital or Rockingham Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice, visit exeterhospital.com or rockinghamvna.org.

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New chief of palliative care at Exeter Health Resources - News ... - Seacoastonline.com

Dr. Rajesh Kotecha, Special Secretary, Union Ministry of AYUSH said that the government is ready to extend its support for attempts at building an integrative medicine. He inaugurated the international conference on integrative Ayurveda and modern medicine at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences at Kochi on Sunday.

Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Dr. Rajesh Kotecha said "The Government is serious about promoting a model where experts in different domains contribute to the health science and some migration of knowledge occurs between each stream. Indian healing systems are holistic and intuitive - by definition; they cannot fully fit into all parameters demanded by Western medicine."

He added that the government is setting up a nationwide AYUSH grid connecting all hospitals and research labs to record case histories and observations so that a huge amount of evidences can be generated through data analytics about the efficacy of Ayurveda.

"While robust research is being conducted into Ayurveda, the problem arises in implementation of integrative medicine at the level of public health. This is because Ayurveda is still not accepted as a science by the Allopathic community. The Government of India has decided to extend its full support to Amrita University's initiative on integrative medicine," Dr Rajesh Kotecha said.

Experts who were assembled at the conference said that the central government needs to formulate a national policy on the integration of Ayurveda with allopathy do that the country can take its rightful place as the global leader in integrative medicine. There were 60 experts and 1,000 delegates participating from around the world . It was a two-day event called Amrita Samyogam, held in collaboration with Amrita University's School of Ayurveda.

The conference was brought together by allopathic doctors, Ayurveda practitioners and modern scientists on a common platform to identify strategies for integrating Ayurveda with allopathy to manage cancer, auto-immune diseases like arthritis and diabetes, neuro-degenerative diseases and mental health.

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Government Will Form A National Policy On Integrative Medicine - Doctor NDTV

One of the largest wellness practices in Western New York announced it will close its offices in Cheektowaga and Dunkirk to create a destination wellness center for integrative health care in East Aurora.

Cardea Health Integrative plans to open its new site on East Main Street in early October.

It has been a long-standing dream of ours to be able to improve the delivery of services for our clients, and in our new East Aurora facility we achieve that vision, said Jennifer Jennings, president of Cardea Health. The word integrative, in our company name and our delivery of health care services, means bringing parts together as a whole. In our new home, were creating a more inclusive, holistic environment for our clients, adding services that we simply didnt have the space to offer before and a natural, healing environment that will make it seem like home to them, as well.

Some of the offerings at the new facility will include ozone sauna and pulsed electromagnetic field therapies, as well as an expanded IV vitamin and supplement program, including upgraded IV stations with zero-gravity recliners.

Creative Wellness a wellness center that includes massage therapy, chiropractic and doula services, as well as yoga and meditation opened in East Aurora earlier this year.

Nursing specialist taps into holistic medicine

Integrative medicine offers patients a healing-centered model focused on shared decision-making, Jennings said in a news release.

Integrative medicine is the future paradigm for holistic health care: the cornerstone of which is preventive medicine, with the focus on identifying the root cause of disease or symptomatology, Jennings said. Patients today are more educated than ever before, and desire to be a partner in their healthcare decisions looking for a patient-centered relationship, where they are well-informed on decisions and treatment options.

Our new facility is designed to service patients seeking more personalized and pro-active control over their health care. Offerings at the new facility will include ozone sauna and pulsed electromagnetic field therapies, as well as an expanded IV vitamin and supplement program that will feature upgraded IV stations with zero-gravity recliners.

Jennings is a former level one trauma and neurosurgical critical care nurse, and an assistant professor at DYouville College and the University at Buffalo. She has a family nurse practitioner doctorate degree from Robert Morris University. She is an assistant professor of nursing and health studies at Georgetown University, teaching dozens of other health professionals online courses from Western New York on complex, chronic disease management. She has worked for more than four years at the preventative and wellness clinic started by Dr. Robert Barnes at 2470 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga, and bought the practice from the semiretired osteopathic physician in 2015, creating a new name and website, cardeahealthwny.com.

email: refresh@buffnews.com

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Cardea Health will combine its offices into new East Aurora location - Buffalo News

Dr. Bridget Bongaard (center) talks story with Annie Joya of the Pacific Cancer Foundation and licensed practical nurse Shirley Ramey after the close of the Maui Cancer and Wellness Retreat on Sunday. Bongaard envisioned the retreat, which took place over the weekend at Lumeria in Makawao. Activities were inspired by integrative medicine, which combines traditional Western medicine with holistic practices for physical and emotional healing. The Maui News / COLLEEN UECHI photo

MAKAWAO Since 2008, Christy Kozama has been living the dream, working as a marine naturalist in West Maui and soaking up the islands natural beauty with her husband of 13 years.

But on March 3, Kozama was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. She had to start chemotherapy and cut back on her work hours. The treatments wore her out, and the numbness in her hands and feet made it difficult to surf or go for walks.

Cancers tough. You hear that diagnosis, and first of all kind of think, Am I going to die? said Kozama, 35. It just kind of puts a hold on your life. I think it makes you feel like your life is waiting somewhere for you to pick it back up again once youre better.

For Kozama, who is awaiting a double mastectomy on Aug. 15, the Maui Cancer and Wellness Retreat couldnt have come at a better time. She and 23 other cancer survivors spent Friday through Sunday swapping stories and getting their minds, bodies and bellies in tunes on the grounds of Lumeria, a breezy hideaway in Makawao that hosts wellness and educational retreats.

The event, which was sponsored by the Pacific Cancer Foundation and funded by the Joseph Padua Trust, was the brainchild of Dr. Bridget Bongaard, known as Dr. B to her patients. In 2014, Bongaard retired from her position as chief of integrative medicine with the Carolinas Healthcare System and moved to Maui with her husband, Jim. While on Maui, shes worked as a physician at Kula Hospital and Hale Makua and as medical director of Islands Hospice. Bongaard, who has 30 years of experience in medicine, wanted to offer an integrative experience for patients on Maui.

Integrative medicine, according to WebMD.com, takes the most effective treatments from different disciplines to help patients achieve physical and emotional healing. Major universities and medical centers around the country offer integrated medicine programs, Bongaard said. She explained that integrative medicine doesnt spurn traditional methods like chemotherapy or radiation, but aims to complement them and make the patient better equipped to fight the disease on different levels.

When people are not fearful, they can heal faster, Bongaard said. When people are having good nutrition, they can heal faster. When people are able to get rid of old emotional trauma, they can heal faster. And thats how we support the oncology process that we know as modern medicine.

Over the weekend, attendees participated in journaling, art therapy, yoga, qi gong and hula, as well as lessons in nutrition and wellness.

Wailuku resident Wayne Steel, 70, didnt come out of the retreat with a set list of treatments to share with friends and neighbors. Rather, he wanted other cancer patients and survivors to realize they had plenty of choices.

This showed unlimited possibilities, Steel said of the retreat. And thats what I think everybody needs to see, is that you can pick out some things that you feel motivated to do. This (retreat) will motivate you and give you hope, and I didnt find that anywhere else that I looked.

Steel moved to Maui in 1990 when his wife, Hana, became the countys recycling coordinator. Wayne Steel served as executive director of the Maui Food Bank before moving on to work in the prosecutors office and later as coordinator of the Maui County Childrens Justice Committee.

In 2013, doctors noticed that Steels prostate-specific antigen levels were rising, which can indicate cancer. Doctors performed biopsies on Steel and sent him to Honolulu for a second opinion, which confirmed that the mass in his prostate was indeed cancer.

As soon as he found out, Steel overhauled his habits. He exercised regularly and became a vegan. He underwent surgery to remove the tumor, and for a while, it seemed all was well. Then, his prostate-specific antigen levels started to go up again, prompting 39 radiation treatments from July to September 2016. Now, he undergoes regular checkups to make sure the cancer hasnt returned.

So far, so good. Steel said the retreat has motivated him to continue his healthy habits and helped him deal with the anger, resentment and shame that can come with a cancer diagnosis.

Im just trying to do the best I can to make sure it doesnt come back, and if it does come back, be ready for whatever I have to do, Steel said. Thats the thing about cancer. Once you know it can come back, it changes your life forever.

Kozama, who started out as a marine naturalist with the Pacific Whale Foundation, had just begun a job as volunteer coordinator with Malama Maui Nui last August. Now, her main focus is beating cancer.

Kozama said being healthy isnt just about fitting into a dress these days its her life thats in the balance. From March 26 to July 3, she and her husband drove from Napili to Wailuku every other week for chemo treatments. She said in the rush of emotions and that followed her diagnosis, she got caught up in trying to beat cancer as quickly as possible. What shes learned, however, is that it takes patience, time and the willingness to do research and understand the disease a lesson reinforced by the retreat.

I think the overarching message that Dr. B tried to get across this weekend to all of us is just your healing is about you, and youve got to take time for yourself and really put yourself first, and dedicate time each day to doing whatever outlet it is helps you to heal, Kozama said.

The Joseph Padua Trust provided a $40,000 grant that covered all expenses for attendees, including air transportation for Molokai participants. Bongaard said theres even money left over to organize a reunion in five weeks to see how participants have created changes in their lives. She hoped the retreat could become an annual event.

Annie Joya, development coordinator with the Pacific Cancer Foundation, encouraged cancer survivors and their families to reach out to the foundation or organizations like the American Cancer Society.

Whether its navigating insurance or cleaning out the garage, there is no kind of challenge that is too big or too small, Joya said. There will always be support regardless.

* Colleen Uechi can be reached at cuechi@mauinews.com.

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Cancer survivors seek physical, emotional healing | News, Sports ... - Maui News

Part 1: Integrative Medicine

1. The Philosophy of Integrative Medicine

2. Creating Optimal Healing Environments

3. The Healing Encounter

Part 2: Integrative Approach to Disease

Section 1: Affective Disorders

4. Depression

5. Anxiety

6. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

7. Autism Spectrum Disorder

8. Insomnia

Section 2: Neurology

9. Alzheimer's Disease

10. Headache

11. Peripheral Neuropathy

12. Multiple Sclerosis

13. Parkinson's Disease

Section 3: Infectious Disease

14. Otitis Media

15. Chronic Sinusitis

16. Viral Upper Respiratory Infection

17. HIV Disease and AIDS

18. Herpes Simplex Virus

19. Chronic Hepatitis

20. Urinary Tract Infection

21. Recurrent Yeast Infections

22. Lyme Disease

Section 4: Cardiovascular Disease

23. Hypertension

24. Heart Failure

25. Coronary Artery Disease

26. Peripheral Vascular Disease

27. Arrhythmias

Section 5: Allergy/Intolerance

28. Asthma

29. The Allergic Patient

30. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome

Section 6: Metabolic/Endocrine Disorders

31. Insulin Resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome

32. Type 2 Diabetes

33. Hypothyroidism

34. Hormone Replacement in Men

35. Hormone Replacement in Women

36. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

37. Osteoporosis

38. An Integrative Approach to Obesity

39. Dyslipidemias

Section 7: Gastrointestinal Disorders

40. Irritable Bowel Syndrome

41. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

42. Peptic Ulcer Disease

43. Cholelithiasis

44. Recurring Abdominal Pain in Pediatrics

45. Constipation

Section 8: Autoimmune Disorders

46. Fibromyalgia

47. Chronic Fatigue Spectrum

48. Rheumatoid Arthritis

49. Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Section 9: Obstetrics/Gynecology

50. Post Dates Pregnancy

51. Labor Pain Management

52. Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy

53. Premenstrual Syndrome

54. Dysmenorrhea

55. Uterine Fibroids (Leiomyomata)

56. Vaginal Dryness

Section 10: Urology

57. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

58. Urolithiasis

59. Chronic Prostatitis

60. Erectile Dysfunction

Section 11: Musculoskeletal Disorders

61. Osteoarthritis

62. Myofascial Pain Syndrome

63. Chronic Low Back Pain

64. Neck Pain

65. Gout

66. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

67. Epicondylosis

Section 12: Dermatology

68. Atopic Dermatitis

69. Psoriasis

70. Urticaria

71. Recurrent Aphthous Ulceration

72. Seborrheic Dermatitis

73. Acne Vulgaris and Acne Rosacea

74. Human Papillomavirus and Warts

Section 13: Cancer

75. Breast Cancer

76. Lung Cancer

77. Prostate Cancer

78. Colorectal Cancer

79. Skin Cancer

80. End-of-Life Care

Section 14: Substance Abuse

81. Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

Section 15: Ophthalmology

82. Cataracts

83. Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Integrative Medicine - 9781437717938 | US Elsevier Health ...

Welcome to Integrative Medicine of New Jersey

We look forward to becoming your partner in accessing and improving your optimal health and well being. At Integrative Medicine of New Jersey our team invites you to take a step into a new world- a world of possibility; a world of good health and well being; a world where you are given the tools to take charge of your own health.

Our goal is to provide a road map to help you navigate through health problems within an entirely new vision, one that allows you to understand and address the cause of disease and ill health rather than just treating the symptoms.

Dr. Rimma Sherman and her team at Integrative Medicine of New Jersey specialize in Integrative Medicine, Bio-Therapeutics, Family Wellness and Primary Care. She has an open minded and eclectic approach to evaluating and treating her patients utilizing the resources of Conventional and Integrative medicine and the evolving scientific medical developments.

The center is dedicated to Preventative Care Management, Allergies and Asthma, Auto-Immune Diseases, Gastrointestinal Health, Neurological Conditions, ADD, ADHD, Autism, Pain Management, Endocrine Disorders, Anti-Aging, Hormonal Imbalances, and Acute Illnesses.

Our Integrative approach to medicine utilizes natural, non-invasive therapies in conjunction with traditional approaches designed individually for each patient. These therapies focus on optimal lifestyle choices for each specific condition and include Nutrition/Diet Counseling, Sleep and Exercise Recommendations, Supplementation, Herbal Medicines, and Homeopathy.

Integrative Medicine of New Jersey offers Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement therapies, Nutritional Bio- Chemistry, Heavy Metal Toxicity, IV therapies, and Comprehensive Detoxification programs. Non-Invasive Cosmetic Treatments are also offered. These treatments include Holistic Facial Rejuvenation, Wrinkle Reduction, Hair Removal, Anti-Aging Non-Surgical Face Lifts, Sophisticated Laser therapies and Spider Vein Rejuvenation.

Our process begins with a thorough review of your medical history, an examination, and testing and investigational analysis in our on-site laboratory. This specifically entails a detailed conversation about your current state of your health, health history, family history, diet, lifestyle habits etc. Based on our findings, Dr. Sherman will then create a comprehensive program designed especially for you.

Part of our commitment to you, is to provide as much information as possible about good health, healing and your well-being. We encourage you to come to your appointment with a list of detailed questions, goals, all previous blood work and diagnostics from other physicians and outside labs, and current medications including all vitamins and nutritional supplements. This will allow us to help you solve problems more efficiently and enhance the quality of your care.

For your convenience we have included a contact sheet for your personal files as well as Integrative Medicine of New Jersey Best Practices to insure a successful visit. If you have any further questions concerning our process, treatments and or administrative issues, please contact one of our Integrative Care Patient Representatives. We have reserved a special time to help you with your health concerns. If you cannot make your scheduled appointment, please contact us as soon as possible to re-schedule your time. We have a 48 hour cancellation policy.

It is a pleasure welcoming you to our practice and the opportunity to experience the medicine of the future.

Best,Dr. Rimma L. Sherman, DirectorIntegrative Medicine of New Jersey

Chance favors the prepared mind. ~Louis Pasteur

Integrative Medicine New Jersey

Dr. Rimma Sherman

Allergy Doctor West Orange, NJ

Integrative Medicine New Jersey

Dr. Rimma Sherman

Allergy Doctor West Orange, NJ

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About Integrative Medicine of New Jersey

Pain is a universal human experience and one of the most common reasons people see a doctor. It has repeatedly been in the news due to the current opioid epidemic that is taking the lives of more than90 people a dayin the United States.

On May 31 the head of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis S. Collins, and the head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Dr. Nora Volkow, published an article intheNew England Journal of Medicine, titled "The Role of Science in Addressing the Opioid Crisis." Sadly, the only science addressed concerned pharmaceutical drugs.

That narrow focus is out of step with current recommendations from major public health organizations, including theCDC,FDAand theJoint Commission,that non-pharmacologic approaches to pain be first-line treatments.

For example, the American College of Physicians, which represents internal medicine doctors, publishedpractice guidelinesfor low-back pain in February 2017, stating:

For patients with chronic low-back pain, clinicians and patients should initially select non-pharmacologic treatment with exercise, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, acupuncture, mindfulness-based stress reduction (moderate-quality evidence), tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise, progressive relaxation, electromyography biofeedback, low-level laser therapy, operant therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or spinal manipulation (low-quality evidence).

It is, therefore, extremely disconcerting to read the complete omission of non-pharmacologic treatment by the leadership of NIH and NIDA, who have enormous influence on what is researched and therefore on what is brought into policy and practice.

Cannabis and deep brain stimulation are mentioned in the article;however, cannabis has legal challenges at the federal level as well as in multiple states, and deep brain stimulation is highly invasive. The most cost-effective and least invasive practices, which need and deserve further research, are completely ignored.

Opioids are the best medications we have for moderate-to-severe acute pain; used appropriately, they are effective and relatively safe. As stand-alone treatment for chronic pain, however, they neither safe nor effective.With more and more patients seeking relief from chronic pain syndrome, doctors have come to understand that it is fundamentally different from acute pain.

As pain becomes chronic, brain areas that perceive it begin to change physically and communicate with nearby areas that normally have nothing to do with pain. Involvement of these other regions appears to be related to difficult symptoms that often accompany chronic pain, such as fatigue, disturbed sleep, depression, anxiety and cognitive impairment. These co-morbidities greatly complicate the management of chronic pain. In many settings, unfortunately, patients with chronic pain syndrome are still treated as if they had acute pain.

The newer, integrative approach stresses individualized treatment, using many different modalities coordinated by a team of healthcare professionals.Analgesic medication is a component of this approach but never the sole component or even the most important one.

An example is theOregon Pain Management Commissions integrativeinitiative. Based on the costs and poor outcomes of a medication-focused approach, the state passed an initiative in 2016 to provide integrative therapies for chronic pain syndrome in addition to conventional care, including acupuncture, massage, manipulation, yoga and supervised exercise and physical therapy. It left out mind/body therapies, such as hypnosis, biofeedback and mindfulness-based stress reduction, which can be both cost- and time-effective.

TheVeterans Administration (VA)has also backed away from reliance on opioids to manage chronic pain syndrome and is now actively promoting comprehensive care that includes acupuncture, yoga, mindfulness meditation and physical therapy. Other states should follow the lead of Oregon and the VA, mandating policies that address the new science of chronic pain with integrative approaches rather than punishing users or prescribers of analgesic medication.

Additional policy changes would support funding not only for pharmaceutical-government partnerships as promoted by NIH leaders, but also for cost and clinical effectiveness outcomes research that could be carried out in partnership between innovators and insurers.

In addition, funding is needed to assess the impact of new educational programs on integrative pain management. These would evaluate changes in prescribing behavior of providers and the use of opioids as well as satisfaction with care amongst the patients they serve.

Broadening our perspective so as to address prevention, training and best medical practices is critically important for the institutions that determine research priorities and drug policy.

Andrew Weil, MD, is director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and author ofMind Over Meds: Protect Yourself from Overmedication by Knowing When Drugs Are Necessary, When Alternatives Are Better, and When to Let Your Body Heal on Its Own. Victoria Maizes, MD, is the executive director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and a professor of medicine and public health.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.

See the article here:
We need to implement better policies on pain science and integrative medicine - The Hill (blog)

Because listening to the clock tick, dreading the alarm and suffering the mental and physical effects of sleep deprivation are all horrible, making good sleep a priority is a wonderful idea.

Besides counting sheep and laying off the caffeine late at night, there are ways to train your body to fall asleep faster or help you get back to sleep quicker.

Follow the following tips will help you say "good night" and mean it.

1. Schedule sleep hours.You should schedule sleep just like any other activity, according to theMayo Clinic's blog. They recommend setting aside no more than eight hours for sleep each night, since the recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours and you should not require more than an eight-hour stretch to achieve it. Mayo Clinic staff also advise setting aside those hours at the same time every night of the week and limiting the schedule difference on weekends to just one hour later or earlier. Consistency helps your body establish a healthy sleep-wake schedule.

2. Say nope to long naps.While power naps can make you more alert and rested, long daytime naps can interrupt nighttime sleep or keep you from falling asleep at bedtime, according to Mayo Clinic staff. They advise naps of up to 30 minutes duration but no longer and discourage any napping late in the day. The one exception: people who work the night shift may require late-day naps before work to make up a sleep debt.

FILE Sliced almonds, in New York, Jan. 20, 2017. (Karsten Moran/The New York Times)KARSTEN MORAN/NYT

3. Snack on almonds.While heavy meals or super-spicy foods close to bedtime are commonly known to keep you awake, there are also snacks you can eat that will help you fall asleep faster. Eat light snacks in the evening and don't eat later than a half-hour before bed, recommends Alon Avidan, a professor of neurology and director of UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine Sleep Disorders Center, as reported onAARP's website. "That gives sufficient time for your body to digest the food and absorb the nutrients before you go to sleep," Avidan said.He also recommended a specific before-bed snack: almonds, either a handful of the nuts or a tablespoon of almond butter.

The magnesium in almonds is a muscle-relaxing mineral that helps regulate sleep in a way that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.

4. Take a minute to breathe. "Just breathe" is always good advice when you're trying to calm down, but you might not have known it applies to sleep, too. The 4-7-8 breathing technique, championed by practitioner and teacher of integrative medicineAndrew Weill, and reported inGood Housekeeping UK, is simple and worth trying. It's free, quick and doesn't require equipment. Weill says 4-7-8 breathing acts like a natural tranquilizer and can help people fall asleep in 60 seconds.

Remember: All inhaling breaths must be quiet and through your nose and all exhaling breaths must be loud and through your mouth.

5, If you wake, exit the bedroom.It doesn't feel good to wake up in the middle of the night and lie awake, fretting about undone tasks or slights you experienced the day before. According to the Mayo Clinic blog, when you wake up and can't get back to sleep, you should move to another area of the house instead of lingering in bed. Give yourself 20 minutes to fall back asleep first, then leave the bedroom to read something light or boring or listen to calming music. Go back to bed only after you feel tired again. And if you don't fall back asleep after another 20 minutes, repeat the drill as many times as needed.

Excerpt from:
Catch some Z's: 5 tips for falling asleep faster starting tonight - Atlanta Journal Constitution

By Cynthia Toussaint.

Thank you, Ed Coghlan, for your follow up piece to the Los Angeles Times op-ed about women in pain often getting the its all in your head misdiagnosis.

In my opinion the only way out of this labyrinth of medical abuse is to walk away from the western healthcare model and turn to self-management and integrative care.

When I read Emily and Gracies stories, I was actually relieved because we women in pain have come so far since I became ill with CRPS in 1982. It took me 13+ years to get a diagnosis and 15 years to get care.

Cynthia Toussaint

Always a self-advocate, I saw over a hundred doctors and was dismissed with a plethora of insults, including youre making up the pain to get secondary gain from your attentive partner, you have stage fright, you have tendonitis from Mars, youre folding up your contracted arm with your mind just the way one levitates oneself and the classic, youre only a woman anyway, it doesnt really matter just shoot yourself in the head.

We women in pain lose most everything, including a chance for a cure, due in large part to this abuse. I lost my beloved career as a performer, my family and friends ran for the hills, my 37-year partner and I couldnt marry as I would have lost my healthcare benefits, we couldnt have a baby. I lost the chance to live a moment of my life without severe pain and fatigue and I lost the chance to walk more than 100 feet without a wheelchair. To this day Im housebound and unable to drive.

On top of all this loss was associated depression and anxiety, and the last thing I needed were doctors spewing cruelties while disregarding my pain. These doctors stain our psyches so severely, few of us are able to fully recover, reinvent ourselves and move on with a different life.

Ive said it many times before, and Ill continue saying it. When it comes to high-impact pain, the western healthcare model is a broken disaster chocked full of abuse, ignorance and clinically-induced trauma.

This system focuses on surgeries, procedures and medications, most of which make us sicker. In my case, they broke my arm, gave me severe pelvic pain, put me on an infusion drug that almost killed me and insisted on giving me an intra-thecal pump, two spinal cord stimulators and ketamine infusions. This is but a partial list.

I finally found better care and wellness about 15 years ago when I walked away from traditional care and saw my first integrative medicine doctor. When Dr. Brodsky walked in, I was ready for battle, strongly making my case for not wanting the many procedures, drugs, etc. When he stated that he didnt believe in invasive care, I knew Id made my way home.

Dr. Taw has since taken over and his respective bedside manner is wonderful treatment in and of itself. He listens mindfully and after I describe a problem in detail he asks me what I think we should do. Dr. Taw then shares his ideas about life-style balance and stress management. We truly work as a team. No discrimination, no gender-based dismissal, no God complex. In fact when I call Dr. Taw (which is infrequent), he gets on the phone with me. Thats the key to the integrative medicine model these are MDs trained in traditional and alternative care who place the patient front and center. These doctors know pain and fatigue conditions as most women in pain end up migrating there after the western model has left them sicker for years, even decades.

While Emily and Gracies stories remind me that weve come a long way, theres still much work to do. At For Graces September Change Agent Pain Summit: Part One, well gather men and women in pain and their caregivers to discuss barriers to care and possible solutions. Well highlight the NIHs National Pain Strategy, one that promotes the integrative care model as best practice.

The day will be like a big focus group and everything we glean will be shared with healthcare thought-leaders, legislators and the media at our 2018 Summit: Part Two where well work to implement the National Pain Strategy in California.

Join us to be a part of the collective voice of people in pain and their caregivers. There is a better way.

See the original post here:
Finding Hope in Integrative Care - National Pain Report