The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 304 pages
• Published by: CRC
• Edition: 1st Edition November 15, 2004
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 084932081X
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0849320811
• Book Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 1.2 pounds

Product Review
A comprehensive analysis of a complicated and often confusing topic that is presented in a clear and compelling fashion. Healthcare professionals as well as lay individuals will find this book to be a treasure trove of fascinating observations and speculations … . The authors' views are based on solid scientific studies.
- Dr. Paul Rosch, President of the American Institute of Stress, Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at the New York Medical College

A comprehensive analysis of a complicated and often confusing topic that is presented in a clear and compelling fashion. Healthcare professionals as well as lay individuals will find this book to be a treasure trove of fascinating observations and speculations … . The authors’ views are based on solid scientific studies.
— Dr. Paul Rosch, President of the American Institute of Stress, Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at the New York Medical College

Among the best books I've read in the last decade. … [T]his book is of value to anyone in the healing professions, researchers, policy makers, and consumers interested in an integrative approach to healing.
- Beth Clay, President, BC & A International, LLC

Among the best books I’ve read in the last decade. … [T]his book is of value to anyone in the healing professions, researchers, policy makers, and consumers interested in an integrative approach to healing.
— Beth Clay, President, BC & A International, LLC

The author’s purpose was to provide an integrate point of view of the human organism, healthy and sick, that would give the reader the reference to understand better the process of the disease, and until what point have an influence on the state of the patient the factors not immediately related with the pathological process that he suffers. … A book that will be read with pleasure for professionals of the health…
— In the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry, Vol. 62, No. 1, March 2006

This book is a pleasure to read. …This is a superb book and I highly recommend it. It is thought provoking, intellectually stimulating, and will likely be provocative to some readers.
-Martha J. Greenberg, Ph.D., Doody Enterprises

This book is a pleasure to read. …This is a superb book and I highly recommend it. It is thought provoking, intellectually stimulating, and will likely be provocative to some readers.
—Martha J. Greenberg, Ph.D., Doody Enterprises

[O]ffers a comprehensive view of the science underlying the nascent field of integrative medicine. Leonard Wisneski and Lucy Anderson summarize twenty years of research establishing the scientific basis for the mind-body connection. … [They] do a masterful job of presenting the scientific evidence supporting the existence of ['Qi'] … . … As new methods for measuring and assessing these subtle energies are developed, I believe we will look back to the publication of [this book] as a landmark in the history of medicine. If you are a physician or health care practitioner who has ever wondered about the inexplicable in medicine, you should read this book.
- Clair Francomano (NIH/NIA/IRP)

[O]ffers a comprehensive view of the science underlying the nascent field of integrative medicine. Leonard Wisneski and Lucy Anderson summarize twenty years of research establishing the scientific basis for the mind-body connection. … [They] do a masterful job of presenting the scientific evidence supporting the existence of [‘Qi’] … . … As new methods for measuring and assessing these subtle energies are developed, I believe we will look back to the publication of [this book] as a landmark in the history of medicine. If you are a physician or health care practitioner who has ever wondered about the inexplicable in medicine, you should read this book.
— Clair Francomano (NIH/NIA/IRP)

Product Description
Interactions between the body and the mind/emotions are now a well-established fact of medical research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology. The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine lays out the scientific underpinnings for the mind–body connection, documenting the numerous interactions of the endocrine, immune, nervous, and stress systems that so profoundly impact human functioning.

The authors propose a unified theory of human functioning, called integral physiology, which combines important Western biological knowledge with Eastern medical traditions of healing. Unique aspects of the text include the elucidation of the pineal as the master gland—the transducer of environmental information into neuronal and hormonal communication within the body. In addition, the authors assert that there must be a hormonal cascade for the relaxation response, paralleling the well-known hormonal elaboration of the stress response, and then provide a review of some of the hormones involved in this response.

The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine is the first book to elaborate on the cutting-edge field of subtle energy medicine. The authors propose a theory of the physiology of spirituality—or in medical terms, a theory of how subtle energy impacts physical and mental/emotional functioning. Subtle energy medicine recognizes energy modalities that can beneficially affect the body, while acknowledging the importance of experiences traditionally called “intuitive” or “spiritual.” It broadens awareness of how our bodies are both hard wired and hormonally designed to permit interactions with subtle energy.

This medical textbook has been written in a unique, conversational style that incorporates both technical and scientific information, and anecdotal stories.

Reader Reviews
The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine by Leonard Wisneski, MD, and Lucy Anderson is a profoundly important, well-researched book that helps consumers and medical professionals understand the way in which the body works and provides much needed guidance on how to reverse the negative effects of stress. In a clear and logical fashion, the authors review the physiological systems of the body (the nervous system, the endocrine system, the stress system and the immune system) that are responsible for the mind/body connection and explain how these systems interact with one another to communicate vital information. The authors then detail the interactions between the stress system and other classic body systems, and explain the way in which stress can lead to specific illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. The authors then move beyond the traditional understanding of body systems, and posit the existence of an endogenous relaxation system that, amongst other things, counterbalances the stress response. After presenting a theoretical basis for the relaxation system, the authors review a variety of healing modalities (including osteopathy, sound and bioelectromagnetic techniques) that can reverse the effects of stress. Finally, the authors look beyond the mind-body connection to examine the relationship between spirituality and health.