Deciding to grow your family is an emotional, personal decision, but can sometimes met with challenges in the conception process. Traditional medicine has allowed for many advances that can assist women in this journey, but often fails to recognize the individuality of a woman. The practice of integrative medicine is a specialty practice that combines conventional medicine and select fields of natural medicine, and focuses on treating the whole person in mind, body, and spirit for optimal health. You may choose this approach in your fertility journey because it is more aligned with your beliefs, values, and philosophies about health.
It’s a Partnership Between the Patient and the Practitioner
Integrative medicine seeks to work together with the patient in their current state toward common goals. There is open dialogue about any obstacles to lifestyle changes and the likelihood of complying with treatment guidelines before making recommendations. Sometimes, it’s agreed upon that certain conditions may be managed rather than cured as a goal. Both parties agree on the next steps, possible outcomes, and the likelihood of achieving various goals.
Wellness for Fertility includes Mind, Body, and Spirit
Integrative medicine looks at the whole person. We are multidimensional, dynamic beings and all of our systems affect each other in profound ways. As an example, fertility issues might be caused by diet. Instead of approaching the treatment of a symptom, like anovulation perhaps which of course can be a factor, integrative medicine might explore outside influences of diet. Recommended practices focus on nutrition to help support ovulation.
Conventional and Alternative Methods are Used to Help Your Body
Using a combination of therapies allows for integrative medicine to be as personalized as possible. Offering both traditional medicine and integrative techniques, affords patients the best options for them, their needs, and their lifestyle.
In this collaborative relationship, patients are provided with education about how and why different systems work together and benefit from various therapies to continue making choices in their best interests and maintaining health.
Integrative Medicine Based on Inquiry and New Paradigms
The practice of medicine is dynamic. It’s essential to have an innate sense of curiosity, observation, and investigation in integrative medicine. If something does not appear to be working as expected, other possibilities can be explored.
We Use This Model to Support Your Journey
My approach to integrative fertility is born out of my fellowship training in integrative medicine. Once put into practice these natural methods such as yoga, acupuncture, and healing foods supported my own pregnancies. My medical training lacked so much of the information about nutrition, mind body techniques, toxic exposures and how all of these things affect body functions. I made it my mission to bring all of these disciplines together to help women achieve optimal wellness healing their minds, bodies, and spirits.
A list of resources and their benefits is included here on our site. Additional articles are included within the blog to provide information on how each discipline can complement traditional medicine and your fertility journey.
Remember, any of these steps alone may not lead to pregnancy success in a person struggling with infertility. Each and each set of circumstances is unique. We focus on integrative practice, weaving together the best options for you, your goal, and your lifestyle. If you are interested in a consultation to see if integrative techniques can further support your fertility journey, contact me at Shala Salem, MD
