Defining Integrative Medicine

Integrative Medicine is a healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle.  It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional (Western Medicine) and alternative (Complementary or Eastern Medicine).

The defining principles of Integrative Medicine are:

• Patient and practitioner are partners in the healing process.
• All factors that influence health, wellness and disease are taken into consideration, including mind, spirit, and community, as well as the body.
• Appropriate use of both conventional and alternative methods facilitates the body's innate healing response.
• Effective interventions that are natural and less invasive should be used whenever possible.
• Integrative medicine neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies uncritically.
• Good medicine is based in good science.  It is inquiry-driven and open to new paradigms.
• Alongside the concept of treatment, the broader concepts of health promotion and the prevention of illness are paramount.
• Practitioners of integrative medicine should exemplify its principles and commit themselves to self-exploration and self-development.

Source:  Andrew Weil, M.D., University of Arizona at Tucson