The Integrated Pharmacist

 There are few universal experiences quite like sleep.  When it's done right, it can be enjoyable, rejuvenating, and healing.  Adequate, appropriate sleep can help athletes recover from tough exercises.  It can help students set important information in their memories.  When done poorly, it can be grueling, tedious, and even...nightmarish.  According to the CDC and the Sleep Foundation, most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep, but across the United States, about 1/3 of adults get 7 hours or less.  Poor sleep can lead to more frequent acute illnesses like viral infections, chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, and mental diseases like depression.   In a perfect world, you would avoid computer or TV light 60 minutes before bed while performing a wind-down routine like meditation.  Between 9 and 10pm, you would retire to your bedroom which is cool, dark, and quiet.  Your comfortable bed would only be used for sleep and ...

Health specific to men represents a significant portion of health burden. Life expectancy for men is up to 8 years shorter than women. Behavioral and psychological elements do play their part, but there may still be room for developing a more robust system for treating men's health. Erectile dysfunction, changes in testosterone, and prostate issues can be difficult for a lot of men to discuss even with a healthcare provider, but these issues can lead to physical and emotional problems including a group of symptoms labeled LUTS or lower urinary tract symptoms. It's easier to avoid difficult or awkward conversations and examinations when you don't go through a medical professional, but this can lead to untested practices and even exposure to dangerous medications or toxins from unregulated supplements. Today on the Integrated Pharmacist Podcast, I'd like to go through medicine specific to men's health. Hopefully, we can find a way to guide patients to healthy ...

***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*** Welcome to this week's episode of The Integrated Pharmacist Podcast.  In episode 2, I discussed the benefits of acupuncture.  Many studies have demonstrated its effects on pain.  In more recent years, therapists have added mild currents of electricity to acupuncture to enhance the healing effects.  Even though acupuncture has a lot of clincal evidence by itself, some patients and therapists are still hesitant to use this therapy.  Because the acupuncture needles penetrate the skin, there are some complications with blood exposure, sanitation, and potentially breaking needle tips in the skin.  For these people, a new form of acupuncture was created.  Dr. Clyde Shealy an American neurosurgeon was credited with inventing a machine in 1974 that cou...

***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...