As someone who has worked in both conventional medicine and Complementary and Alternative  Medicine (CAM), it is exciting to see the growth of a new field: Integrative medicine.

As the name suggests, Integrative medicine is an approach to healthcare using the combination of conventional medicine and CAM. Many healthcare organizations (such as Stanford, Duke, etc) have opened integrative medical centers. One such program is right here in my own backyard: The UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. This center offers not only treatment – but also education in the form of videos and on-site classes. Treatments draw from a variety of disciplines such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Biofeedback, massage therapy, spinal manipulation, and more. Classes include Mindfulness Mediation, Tai Chi, yoga, qi gong, guided imagery, and dance.

Here’s a link to their home page:  http://www.osher.ucsf.edu/

I especially like their videos series “Mini Medical School for the Public” - and I’d like to share 3 of my favorites from this series this week.

First one up: Mind-body Medicine. In this fun and interesting lecture, Dr. Kevin Barrows explores the concept of mindfulness in healing.

Nancy Silva, ND, RN

Faculty, Health Sciences