These modalities complement medical care for promoting good health
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Integrative health modalities work alongside of medical care to help patients mitigate the effects of pain.
1. Reiki
Heather Sovocool, a Reiki practitioner at Rose Fire Energy Healing in Rochester, uses this modality to ignite the parasympathetic nervous system to help reduce stress, help with grounding and emotional balance and to support any treatment patients receive.
“It’s an excellent form of preventive help and it can be integrated into your current plan,” she said.
A form of energy work, Reiki involves the practitioner’s hands lightly touching or hovering over the client’s body.
2. Herbal products and natural products
“These keep our immune system very strong,” said Arunie Malwatta, a physician at Unity Health who also holds a master of science in human nutrition and a master of science in lifestyle medicine.
Although many herbal preparations and natural products are designated to address certain issues, many people also take them preventively, as they help reduce inflammation, which has been associated with many diseases.
3. Deep breathing
Malwatta also said that engaging the parasympathetic nervous system through deep breathing can help combat anxiety.
“The other thing with deep breathing is that your lung capacity and residual capacity of the lung is really getting reduced when you get a big volume of air,” Malwatta added. “You make sure that your oxygenation of your lung is better. It’s good for muscle activity in the lung and oxygen exchange.”
4. Bodywork
Massage therapy, chiropractic care, osteopathic manipulation and other “hands-on” modalities can help people reduce pain and reclaim function.
“I expect more doctors to prescribe it like a prescription,” Malwatta said. “It has come a long way in gaining their acceptance as it has helped so many people with back pain and joint issues.
5. Mindfulness
“Mindfulness grounds us in the moment through breath awareness,” said Natasha Sodhi, lifestyle medicine physician at Rochester Regional Hospital. “We always have our breath to turn to and even a few deep breaths can bring clarity to the mind and body.”
Mindfulness helps people bring their attention to the present moment to be aware of sensations in their surroundings, pay attention to their breath and tune in to their senses. This helps mitigate stress and bring a sense of well-being.
6. Acupuncture
“There’s been an increase in this over time. For certain indications this modality can help with pain alongside conventional care,” said physician Alissa Huston, at Pluta Integrative Oncology & Wellness Center. “We’re seeing greater evidence that acupuncture is supported for chronic back pain. It’s covered by certain payors and it’s a recognized oncology modality.”
7. Food as medicine
“There’s a whole movement in culinary medicine, so you’re teaching how and why those foods are important,” Huston said. “People are learning how to prepare foods and why that impacts health.
“We have to teach basic skills in making dietary changes. It’s always good to make sure you talk with your own physician so they’re aware and can weigh in and guide or connect you with someone else, especially for exercise and nutrition support. You can have a comprehensive, integrative approach to your overall care.”