At The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing, integrative medicine is just one of the progressive approaches we employ in supporting people who are impacted by cancer. But you don’t have to have a cancer diagnosis to enjoy the benefits of this holistic approach to health.

What is integrative medicine?

It can be confusing. The National Institutes of Health define integrative medicine as: “A total approach to care that involves the patient’s mind, body and spirit. It combines standard medical care (health care practices based on scientific evidence) with complementary practices that have shown the most promise.”

Some of those complementary practices include relaxation techniques, acupuncture, massage, yoga, stress reduction and herbal medicine, among others.

These approaches are not intended to replace standard medical treatments, but with high-quality evidence to support them, they are to be used in combination with conventional medicine to support the person who is experiencing an illness or disease.

Although the complementary practices involved may be centuries old, integrative medicine is a relative newcomer to health care.

How new? In December 2014, the National Institutes of Health renamed its National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine the “National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.”

According to the American Hospital Association, nearly 20 percent of hospitals in 2004 offered complementary therapies and an additional 24 percent planned to add them in the future. Presently, nutritional counseling, chiropractic treatments and biofeedback are more likely to be reimbursed by insurance than ever before.

With so many options for wellness and healthy living out there, how can someone decide what’s best for them? Here are three tips to help:

1. Do a little research. Visit your local library or the National Institutes of Health website for a complete list of topics.

2. Talk to your doctor. Physicians are a great source of information about what works to help people stay healthy, and they are increasingly aware of integrative medicine approaches to health. At the very least, physicians can direct you to approaches that have sound evidence behind them, and can tailor your care plan to meet your individual needs. It is very important to communicate with your physician if you are starting any additional treatments or services to support your health.

3. Find a practitioner with proper training, who requires information about your health history, and who knows how to use that information to appropriately adapt the offering to your individual health needs. The right practitioner should be willing to work with your physician to address your health needs.

The services we offer at The Dempsey Center are not medical services, and each client is encouraged to ask questions, voice concerns, and help us treat him/her in the way that is most comfortable.

If you are interested in what integrative medicine can do for you, we recommend you give it a try. It just might lead your health care in a new direction.

Kathleen Wing is the integrative medicine coordinator for The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing in Lewiston. She is a licensed massage therapist and an advocate for the power of touch.