Alternative Medicine is Mainstream

The current crisis in America’s Health Care Industry seems overwhelming at best.  The political maneuvering and fear-mongering has many of us wishing the whole issue would just disappear.   After all, what can be done to change the course of the giant juggernaut of the pharmaceutical and insurance business which is driving up health care costs even as Americans become a sicker nation?

Deepak Chopra states, “This is a watershed in the evolution of integrative medicine.”  Integrative medicine is a holistic approach to health care that uses the best of conventional and alternative therapies such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture and herbal remedies.  Many of these therapies are now scientifically documented to be not only medically effective but also cost effective.

If we want to make affordable health care available to the 45 million Americans who do not have health insurance, then we need to address the fundamental causes of health and illness, and provide incentives for healthy ways of living rather than reimbursing only drugs and surgery. 

The diseases which comprise over 75% of health-care costs are largely preventable and even reversible by changing diet and lifestyle.  Heart disease, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer and obesity constitute our epidemic of chronic disease.   The spiraling costs of health care cannot be controlled by perpetuating the current system.  In 2008, $2.1 trillion was spent in the U.S. on medical care, or 16.5% of the gross national product.  Of these trillions, 95 cents of every dollar was spent to treat disease after it had already occurred.   This disease-care system will fail as it must fail.  The structure is inherently flawed.  When I am asked how I feel about the changes coming in health-care, I answer it will be difficult and there will be suffering, both for the people and the providers.  But the changes are inevitable.  Out of the rubble of the present structure will arise new practitioners of healing versed in the arts of prevention and nature-based therapies alongside the best high tech medicine the world has known.

Integrative medicine can make a powerful difference in our health and wellbeing.   For this reason, I am incorporating into my clinic nutrition counseling, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, homeopathy, and naturopathy.  A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that these approaches may even change gene expression in hundreds of genes in only a few months.  Genes associated with cancer, heart disease and inflammation were down-regulated  or ”turned off” whereas protective genes were up-regulated or “turned on”.   This is the ultimate goal for anti-aging medicine: to change the cause of aging and disease at its source within our genes .

My mission is to provide a loving, nurturing and supportive space through which Holy healing may take place.  Two new practitioners have joined the practice: Alane Palmer, ND, CNC and Winston Cardwell, ND, MSOM.

I am changing the name of the practice to Crabapple Integrative and Internal Medicine to better reflect our inclusive approach.  Here we can offer the best of traditional medicine with alternative medicine.  

Alane Palmer obtained her first degree in 1999 as a Certified Nutrition Counselor. Her second degree was obtained in 2005 as a Naturopath. Both degrees were obtained through Trinity School of Holistic Health in Warsaw, Indiana. She is an active member of The American Association of Nutritional Consultants and has taken several continuing education classes in hormones, weight loss, environmental toxicity, brain chemistry, pain syndromes, and more.

Alane has had Lyme disease for twenty years. She totally understands living with an illness and the need to have a healthy diet and the correct supplements to help her quality of life. Michael has helped and encouraged his wife throughout their marriage to help her stay strong and teach others that are suffering from conditions what it takes to get better.

Dr Forrest Smith completed her B.S. degree at Emory University.  She graduated from Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston in 1980.  Her internship and residency training was at Georgia Baptist Medical Center, Atlanta where she served as Chief Resident.  She is certified by The American Board of Internal Medicine and has practiced in Roswell for 26 years.  She transitioned to integrative medicine in 2007 completing advanced training in anti-aging medicine.