Creating Wellness: An Integrative Approach to

Primary Care

This course is designed to provide an evidence-based update on integrative approaches to common health concerns for practicing primary care providers. Integrative Medicine is the sythesis of conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine therapies. It is a philosophy and a way of providing health care that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practicioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing. Intergrative Medicine focuses on promoting wellness within the patient, as well as the provider.

Learn more about Integrative Medicine at the University of Michigan.
Find a variety of supplementary course materials for use in practice.

Upcoming Course: March 2014

Previous Courses: March 29 - 30, 2012

• Course Brochure (PDF)
• Course Schedule and additional information
• Course Resources and Follow-Up
  • March 2013
    • This is a randomized controlled trial of osteopathic manipulation for chronic low back pain. At 12 weeks pain was reduced, fewer medications were used and patient satisfaction was high. This is an important study because most previous work supported osteopathic manipulation for acute low back pain, but not chronic.
      • From the Annals of Family Medicine, "Osteopathic manual treatment and ultrasound therapy for chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial."
  • February 2013
    • The first two articles highlight the effects of sweet beverages on weight and health. These articles are not freely available, but may be purchased or accessed via your local institution.
      • Sugar-sweetened beverages and genetic risk of obesity
      • A randomized trial of sugar-sweetened beverages and adolescent body weight
    • The third article looks at the larger picture of glycemic index/load on chronic disease. Increasingly, health care professionals are recommending patients focus on eating foods that are digested more slowly (low glycemic index/load) for a variety of reasons, including inflammation that may lead to chronic conditions such as CVD, attention and focus for kids, diabetes and many others. This article is freely available.
      • Dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and stroke mortality: a systematic review with meta-analysis: Abstract | Full Text
  • January 2013
    • These articles are useful adjuncts to our conference's lecture on osteoarthritis and highlight the usefulness of acupuncture and tai chi for symptom control, as well as other non-pharmacologic treatments. These articles are not freely available, but may be purchased or accessed via your local institution.
      • Acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy to pharmacological treatment in patients with chronic pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee: A 3-armed, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
      • A pilot cluster-randomized trial of a 20-Week tai chi program in elders with cognitive impairment and osteoarthritic knee: Effects on pain and other health outcomes
      • American College of Rheumatology 2012 recommendations for the use of nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies in osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee
  • December 2012
    • The index to all the articles, and free full-text access to every article
    • The program that found positive changes in the brains of women survivors of breast cancer who completed an 8-week course in MBSR training and creative art therapy
      • Coverage of this study in Science Daily
        
  • October 2012
  • Atopic dermatitis management strategies handout
  • September 2012
    • Hyaluronic Acid for Vaginal Atrophy
    • GERD Elimination Diet
    • Integrative Approach to GERD
  • August 2012
    • Cultivating healthy places and communities: Evidenced-based nature contact recommendations (Abstract, full article available by purchase.)
    • The article includes a variety of recommendations, including:
      • Public health recommendations: (1) cultivate grounds for viewing, (2) maintain healing gardens, (3) incorporate wooded parks and green space in communities, (4) advocate for preservation of pristine wilderness
      • Practice-based approaches: (5) welcome animals indoors, (6) provide a plethora of indoor potted plants within view, (7) light rooms with bright natural light, (8) provide a clear view of nature outside, (9) allow outside air and sounds in, (10) display nature photography and realistic nature art, (11) display nature on TV or videos, and (12) play recorded sounds of nature.
    • Citation: Largo-Wight, E. Cultivating healthy places and communities: evidenced-based nature contact recommendations International Journal of Environmental Health Research. 2011;21(1):41–61.
  • July 2012
    • A gastroenterologist's guide to probiotics (Abstract, full article available by purchase.)
    • A pre-publication article by Matthew Ciorba that provides a critical review of evidence behind use of probiotics in the treatment of commonly encountered GI conditions. The article provides condition-specific rationale and literature-based recommendations to support your clinical decision making.
    • Citation: Ciorba MA. A gastroenterologist's guide to probiotics. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012 Apr 10. [Epub in press]. Uncorrected proof published online 12 April 2012.
  • June 2012
    • Intestinal microbiota in functional bowel disorders: a Rome foundation report. (PDF)
    • A recent article on intestinal microbiota in functional bowel disorders that provides a critical review of current hypotheses regarding the pathogenetic involvement of microbiota in FGID. The authors evaluate the results of microbiota-directed interventions and provide clinical guidance on modulation of gut microbiota in IBS.
    • Citation: Simre'n M, Barbara G, Flint HJ, et al. Intestinal microbiota in functional bowel disorders: a Rome foundation report. Gut Online First, published online June 22, 2012 as 10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302167.