The Integrated Pharmacist

***Disclaimer: This blog is not meant to be used as legal or medical advice.  It is written as my person perspective on how medical professionals could blend western medicine with other modalities*** Aromatherapy is a rather broad topic.  This is a modality that I engage in and was happy to research.  It includes such a variety of products, that this will be a topic I come back to in the future. Technically, it includes using aroma as medicine; however, it is generally agreed within typical users that it refers specifically to the volatile or essential oils of a variety of products.  The proposed (and not well understood) mechanism of action is that the inhaled chemicals enter the blood stream through the lungs or trigger synapses in the nose which relay directly with the limbic system in the brain.  We do know that the nerves associated with the sense of smell route directly into the brain without going through the brain stem.  We also know that some drugs can be ab

***Disclaimer: This blog is not meant to be used as legal or medical advice.  It is written as my person perspective on how medical professionals could blend western medicine with other modalities*** Ayurveda is the tradition of medicine that stems from ancient India.  As I mentioned in a previous post, there is an emphasis on one's dosha which is determined by body shape, activity, personality, and attitude.  Interventions are often tailored to the patient's dosha .  The tradition covers many aspects of medicine including surgery, but upholds the value of preventative medicine, and views strength as the ability to endure extremes.  Yoga is another big part of Ayurveda worth it's own blog post.  In this post, I'm going to focus on the herbs associated with Ayurvedic medicine. Because this is such a broad sweeping modality, it is difficult to define everything it should or should not be used for.  Like my recent post on aromatherapy, this is a subject worth coming b

***Disclaimer: This blog is not meant to be used as legal or medical advice.  It is written as my person perspective on how medical professionals could blend western medicine with other modalities*** This has been an interesting topic to research.  Applied Kinesiology (AK) is a diagnostic practice of testing a patient’s ability to hold a limb still against pressure applied by the practitioner.  It is used to detect physical, nutritional, or emotional deficits.  It is most frequently used by chiropractors, but is also used by other practitioners.  Often it is used as a way of questioning the body about imbalances that the patient may not be consciously aware of. I personally go to a chiropractor who uses muscle testing to evaluate his patients.  I trust him and his methods, and I feel like his diagnostic ability is accurate.  I haven’t seen him use muscle testing to evaluate nutrition or emotional status, only the physical parts of the spine that he might adjust.  So I

***Disclaimer: This blog is not meant to be used as legal or medical advice.  It is written as my person perspective on how medical professionals could blend western medicine with other modalities*** I’m interested in personalized medicine.  I think a big part of what I can do as a pharmacist to personalize someone’s experience with health is to become a source of knowledge in complementary medicine.  When a patient is not getting what they need from traditional western medicine, I can help guide them to other modalities that can enhance their health in cooperation with what they’re getting from their primary care physician (PCP). For these posts, I’m going to discuss one modality at a time and explore potentials for its complementary position with western medicine.  I’ll begin with Acupuncture.  Acupuncture is a modality originating from China.  It is considered a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  It focuses on 1000s of points that lie on 12 meridians.