HOW DOES LIFESTYLE MEDICINE COMPARE TO OTHER TYPES OF MEDICINE? 

Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and healthcare

systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional

medicine.

• These practices are not typically taught in medical school, are not used in hospitals, and are not reimbursed by medical insurance.
• The list of what is considered to be CAM changes continually, as those therapies that are proven to be safe and effective become adopted into conventional health care and as new approaches to health care emerge.

Complementary Medicine is used with conventional medicine.

• An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy - a therapy in which the scent of essential oils from flowers, herbs, and trees is inhaled to promote health and well-being to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery.

Alternative Medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.

• An example of alternative therapy is using a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor.
• Types of alternative medicine include: 1) Alternative medical systems (e.g., traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, ayurveda), 2) Mind/Body techniques (e.g., meditation, biofeedback, relaxation, hypnotherapy), 3) Biologically based therapies (e.g., herbal therapies), 4) Body based therapies (e.g., chiropractic, massage, reflexology), and 5) Energy therapies (e.g., reiki, therapeutic touch).

Mind Body Medicine focuses on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior, and

on the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors can directly affect health. 

• It regards as fundamental an approach that respects and enhances each person's capacity for self-knowledge and self-care, and it emphasizes techniques that are grounded in this approach.
• Includes relaxation, hypnosis, visual imagery, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, tai chi, spirituality, etc.

Integrative Medicine combines treatments from conventional medicine and CAM for which there is

some high-quality evidence of safety and effectiveness. It is also called integrated medicine.

• Many health care institutions have begun integrating therapies that aren't part of mainstream medicine into their treatment programs. A number of medical schools now include education on nontraditional techniques. As complementary and alternative therapies prove effective, they're being combined more often with conventional care. This is known as integrative medicine.

Preventive Medicine includes all aspects of medical care aimed at preventing health problems.

• Maintaining good health habits: daily exercise, weight control, proper nutrition, avoidance of smoking and drug abuse, abstinence from, or moderation of, alcohol use.
• Proper control of any diseases or disorders, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, e.g, monitoring, self management skills, etc.
• Periodic screening to prevent or at least minimize disease.
• Immunizations.
• Early detection and intervention of disease processes.

Functional Medicine is a patient-centered approach that goes beyond a typical holistic model to balance core functional processes in the body such as cellular metabolism, digestive function,

detoxification, and control of oxidative stress. A combination of elements comes together in the functional medicine model:

• A thorough understanding of physiological and biochemical function, from cellular to organ levels; knowledge of well-established interventions for altering gene expression; and an intensive study of the fundamental biological processes that can cut across organ systems and medical specialties.
• Produces a unique approach to health care that focuses on achieving health through optimizing physiological function.