The Science of Integrative Medicine

Integrative medicine describes the addition of natural or holistic practices into the health-care paradigm to complement conventional Western medicine and promote overall wellness. The Science of Integrative Medicine, produced in collaboration with Mayo Clinic provides 12 informative lectures on the science-based facts of commonly used integrative treatments.

Explore the history of alternative approaches to care. The discussion begins with research investigating how nutrition, exercise, stress management, and social support (NESS) positively affected men diagnosed with prostate cancer. You'll understand why some doctors may still have questions about integrative practices, while others firmly believe they are worthwhile.

Review the science behind the benefits of healthy habits, including eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. Discover the multitude of positive impacts these habits can have on your mind, body, and overall wellness. Get tips to easily integrate simple changes into your daily routines.

Delve into the world of herbal supplements to understand the pros and cons of adding them to your health-care regimen. Get a handle on why no herbal supplement is necessarily "good" or "bad," and learn why it is so important to use supplements responsibly, with your doctor's input and guidance.

Take a deeper dive into some of the most common supplements, and find out which ones Dr. Bauer recommends and uses in his own practice. Understand why he'll sometimes suggest treatments even when they haven't been definitively proven to be widely effective, or have produced mixed results.

Examine the phenomenon of the mind-body connection to see how you can positively influence your mind in order to improve your body. This area of research is opening the door to new ways of thinking about and approaching various healing techniques. Dr. Bauer shares the latest findings and examples.

Focusing your mind has been known to help alleviate pain, symptoms of illness, and side effects of medications, and even to aid in changing negative behaviors. Dr. Bauer takes you through three practices - guided imagery, hypnotherapy, and spirituality - to demonstrate how these methods can be used in conjunction with Western medicine.

Taking the mindful approach a step further, Dr. Bauer provides you with an insightful examination of meditation. In addition to reviewing the multitude of benefits that meditation can provide as both a coping strategy and a preventive measure, Dr. Bauer walks you through a number of steps you can take to help establish a successful meditation session so you can make the most of this practice.

Dr. Bauer focuses on moving meditation, including yoga, tai chi, and qi gong. Although these methods have existed for thousands of years, the scientific benefits of integrating these practices into modern Western healing have just recently begun to emerge. Dr. Bauer reviews this research and provides examples of how these techniques could help you.

Superficially, relaxation therapies seem easy, but Dr. Bauer points out that to really get the maximum health benefits, you have to fully immerse yourself in these practices, and doing so can be challenging at first. He guides you through the process, noting the many mental and physical advantages that come with true relaxation. Once you've mastered it, relaxation will become second nature.

“Does acupuncture work?” is a question that’s often met with controversy. Dr. Bauer discusses scientific evidence that demonstrates both the effectiveness of this technique and the medical conditions it has been known to help alleviate. He also provides valuable tips to help you prepare yourself and make the most out of each acupuncture session.

Many people appreciate a good massage, yet few really grasp the science behind how effectively it can help with healing. Based on ancient principals such as acupressure, Dr. Bauer illustrates how this practice is more than just a back rub and, when done properly, can have long-lasting effects that go beyond the session.

Dr. Bauer offers suggestions on how to approach the topic of integrative medicine with your doctor. He also touches on new integrative strategies that are being researched. By the end, you'll be equipped with a variety of options for how to create a comprehensive wellness program that can positively affect your mental and physical health for years to come.