Cichorium intybus (Chicory) is a bitter herb that can be a useful aid to digestion. |
In face-to-face meetings with members of our staff, you will help to choose those therapies and services that best serve your
needs. They include:
Nutritional Medicine
How aware are you of what you eat on a daily basis? Together with you, we examine your diet to determine whether the foods
you are eating provide adequate nutrition and a healthy balance. We will work with you to choose a diet that you enjoy while
maximizing your well-being. This may involve eliminating some foods or food groups which will result in fewer symptoms or
less pain while increasing your intake of other food groups to provide more energy and aid digestion. We will also examine
benefits of specific vitamins and supplements for you.
By doing all of this, we will help to ensure adequate nutrition – a fundamental health strategy that can have a long-term
impact on developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Herbal Medicine
Medicines made from plant extracts offer a different and frequently very helpful way to treat pain and illness. According
to the World Health Organization, approximately 80 percent of the world population uses herbal medicine for some aspect of
their health care. Standardized products have been used safely and effectively for decades by European physicians. We help
you to find products from companies that have demonstrated high-level quality controls.
Therapeutic Massage
Licensed massage therapists are an integral part of our staff. The skilled massage therapy they perform – which frequently
results in feelings of well being and diminished stress – has been proven to relax muscles, reduce pain and enhance circulation.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic medicines are intended to stimulate the body’s own healing abilities. Homeopathy utilizes a wide range of mostly
naturally occurring substances such as plants and minerals. These medicines are prepared through a specific process of stepwise
dilution. Many homeopathic medicines contain only an infinitesimal amount of original substance. Although the mechanism by
which these “ultradilutions” can work is unexplained, studies have been published in medical journals showing homeopathic
medicines may provide clinical benefit.
Acupuncture
While its use is no longer new in this country, many are unaware of the substantial benefits of this traditional Oriental
therapy to treat a variety of conditions that involve acute or chronic pain. Acupuncturists stimulate specific points on the
body with the intention of regulating the flow of vital energy – thus restoring balance and reducing pain or other symptoms.
According to the National Institutes of Health, acupuncture is one of the most thoroughly researched and documented complementary
therapies. Studies suggest its usefulness in the treatment of a wide range of conditions, including muscle and nerve pain,
osteoarthritis, chemotherapy-induced nausea, asthma, painful menstrual cycles, bladder problems, recurrent sinusitis and headaches.
Anthroposophically Extended Medicine
Anthroposophically Extended Medicine (AEM) is a Western system of natural medicine that treats the whole person and not just
the disease or symptoms. AEM views the human being as far more than a physical machine: Therapy seeks to harmonize the relationship
of body, mind and spirit. Anthroposophic medicines include herbal and homeopathic preparations; their aim is to support and
guide the natural healing processes within each patient.
Mindfulness Meditation
Meditation is a method of relaxing the body and calming the mind that has always been part of both Eastern and Western spiritual
traditions. Easy to learn, mindfulness meditation helps to relieve stress and enhance well being. Patients who complete the
eight-week Mindfulness Meditation program at Thomas Jefferson University report significant improvement in their anxiety levels
along with the lessening of pain and medical symptoms. This type of meditation can be very helpful in the comprehensive management
of such conditions and illnesses as cancer, chronic pain, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, heart disease and various
immunologic disorders including arthritis and lupus.
Click here for information about the Mindfulness Meditation course. Click here for information about the Stress Reduction at Work course.
Yoga
The word “yoga” is accepted to mean the union between body and mind. Its practice encompasses an ancient system of integrative
health care that includes a gradual progression of specific postures, breath control, relaxation and meditative techniques.
A simple yoga program can improve circulation and lung function, reduce anxiety and lessen pain and other physical symptoms.
Psychological Services
At the Center, we view physical and emotional health as interrelated elements of the whole person. We offer supportive counseling
and coping skills, as well as individual, couples and group therapy. These modalities are helpful for depression, anxiety,
and relational conflicts, as well as for the effective management of life transitions and challenges. Utilizing our approaches,
self-defeating beliefs and behaviors can be replaced with self-enhancing ones.
