Western Medicine is our modern, technology-based system and is currently the predominant form of health care in the U.S. and most Westernized countries. Acute care, trauma medicine, surgical interventions, and treating bacterial infections with antibiotics are the strengths of Western Medicine. I was initially trained in this system and use its basic principles to evaluate patients with physical exams, laboratory tests, as well as x-rays, ultrasounds, CAT scans and MRI’s (when needed) to look into the body at the organs and tissues. There are also new types of testing for gut function, salivary hormones, food allergies, nutrient status, and measurement of the body composition, such as body fat, muscle mass, cellular hydration, and more. These can help physicians and patients to expand their medical repertoire by seeing in more detail how the body systems are functioning.
Drug prescriptions are a main part of Western medical practice. With a NEW Medicine approach, prescriptions are given when that is the most appropriate choice for what ails patients. As a “collaborative” or “cooperative” physician, I often write prescriptions when that’s what the patient requests (after our review) as I believe that patients have the final say on how they treat their bodies, especially when they are well-informed. For example, a prescription medicine may be appropriate for depression that has not responded to lifestyle changes and natural therapies. Overall, my goal is to use less pharmaceuticals than the typical Western physician with a focus on creating better outcomes with less cost and risk.
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