Holistic Health Reading List Edition Five

Welcome back to the Holistic Health Reading List, Fifth Edition!

This is where I share the most interesting holistic health and integrative medicine articles and studies I’ve read recently. Those are broad topics, so you’ll find a wide variety of things to read here. It’s all stuff I’ve read and found interesting, so I hope you like it too. This fifth edition contains quite a few absolutely fantastic articles that really hit home with me. There are pieces on the importance of getting more nutrition into medical education, as well as taking time to address a more holistic view of health and happiness with patients. There’s talk about whether we should be drinking fluoridated water, teaching kids acupressure, and alternative treatments for pain management. It’s good stuff this week, so I hope you enjoy!!

Previous editions you may have missed: One | Two | Three | Four

Nutrition Education in Medical School, Residency Training, and Practice

“Some might suggest that physicians do not need to be educated about nutrition because other health care professionals, including dietitians, are better trained and positioned to make dietary recommendations. But guiding patients to make dietary changes is a team effort and can include appropriately trained dietitians, nutritionists, nurses, health coaches, and chefs. The problem is that, currently, most physicians do not have enough education in nutrition to contribute meaningfully to that team.”

Big Pharma’s Go-To Defense Of Soaring Drug Prices Doesn’t Add Up 

“To be more precise, after accounting for the costs of all research—about $80 billion a year—drug companies had $40 billion more from the top 20 drugs alone, all of which went straight to profits, not research. More excess profit comes from the next 100 or 200 brand-name drugs.”

Managing Pain Differently: A Look At Alternative Therapies

A classmate and teacher of mine during my Integrative month at U of A are featured in this article!!

“An estimated 92 million U.S. adults use prescription opioids for pain, and 11.5 million misuse them, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Those statistics, along with a growing epidemic of overdose deaths due to the use of legal and illegal opioids, has prompted some of the most prominent medical organizations and agencies – including the American College of Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – to support greater use of nonpharmacological therapies for chronic pain, moving away from opioids as a first line of defense. “

Study Reveals Racial Differences in Alzheimers Disease

“Almost everything that we’ve learned about Alzheimer’s disease in the past 35 years has come from studies in research participants who are almost totally white. As the U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse, our research populations need to reflect that diversity.”

Are Your Kids Anxious? Use These Acupressure Points

“No matter what age you introduce your kids to acupressure, it’ll be a gift. Whether it’s for anxiety or something else, having a fundamental understanding of the body’s ability to heal itself—and their ability to take control of their own health—is invaluable for kids.”

Reimagining Health – Flourishing

This article is talking about the core of integrative medicine!

“If health truly is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (as defined by the World Health Organization 70 years ago), measurements must better capture outcomes that people consider central components of well-being”

Is Fluoridated Drinking Water Safe?

“Now, evidence is mounting that in an era of fluoridated toothpastes and other consumer products that boost dental health, the potential risks from consuming fluoridated water may outweigh the benefits for some individuals. Last summer, for the first time in 53 years, the U.S. Public Health Service lowered its recommended levels of fluoride in drinking water.”

Want To Cut Your Risk of Dementia? Research Shows Moisturizing Skin Could Help

“Researchers at UC San Francisco announced this week that age-damaged skin in older adults may be contributing to a wide range of chronic, age-related conditions that include heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.”