Integrative medicine combines the best of Western and holistic medicine. Western medicine aims to cure. Holistic medicine’s goal is to heal. Webster’s definition of cure is “recovery or relief from a disease” and healing is “restoring integrity, making whole.”
An example will demonstrate the validity of both approaches. When a cancer is clinically detected, it already consists of millions of malignant cells that have defeated our immune system. It makes sense to destroy these malignant cells as quickly as possible. By doing so, we give the body a “jump start” to fight this disease. However, statistics show that many cancers reoccur because “cure” does not address the original disposition to cancer.
Instead of waiting until the other shoe drops during the time of “watchful waiting” after surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, we can detox and strengthen the functions of the organs as well as restore balance between body, soul and spirit using different modalities like anthroposophic medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, counseling, movement therapy, etc.
The results are an improved sense of well being during allopathic treatments and a true restoration of our whole being.
Peter Hinderberger, M.D., Ph.D., DIHom practices at Ruscombe. The mission of his practice is to promote optimal wellbeing by providing health care through an integrated approach, combining conventional and complementary therapies, which include Anthroposophic medicine, homeopathy, and salutogenesis.