Dr. Weil On Integrative Medicine

One thing I like about Dr. Weil, he has an integrative approach. He blends conventional therapies with alternative ones. (Diet and exercise have become so much a part of mainstream health practice, many don't realize they are, or at least were, alternative therapies. Fish oil, flax seed, vegetarian and paleo diets, yoga, meditation, even walking are all alternative therapies.) And he talks about the mind-body connection which I think is brave in our body-centric culture. His approach makes him vulnerable. Yet he persists.

The mind, the body, and some would add the spirit, are inextricably linked. You cannot achieve real health without addressing them all.

Here's an excerpt from an interview Dr. Weil conducted with Dr. Steven Gurgevich, a licensed psychologist and professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Gurgevich:

"Modern research on stress has shown that anything which influences our minds also influences our bodies. Expose someone to enough stress and sooner or later you will see their body showing signs of strain as a result of that stress.

The strain of stress does not have to be as dramatic as a heart attack. The body can express strain by more subtle or chronic symptoms, such as irritable bowel, headache, rash, hypertension, or simply making other conditions worsen.

One of the principles behind mind-body healing is that the same mechanism that can make you sick can also be used to make you well. That is, your thoughts, emotions, responses to the environment, lifestyle, and inner conflicts can be experienced as stressful, or they may be used in a positive manner to create healing responses."

What Is Integrative Medicine?


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