Philosophy

I practice medicine based on the following seven principles:

The body has an inherent and natural ability to heal. This must be respected and supported in order to optimally prevent and treat disease.

First do no harm. Try to use effective therapies with the fewest side effects, and whenever possible, try not to suppress the natural mechanisms the body uses to heal itself.

Determine and eliminate the cause of disease. Most conditions have modifiable factors that contribute to a patient becoming ill with that disease. Finding the specific causes of the disease for each patient is important because unless the root cause is addressed, the condition is likely to recur.

Prevention is the smartest medicine. It is the best for patients, and it costs less, too. In an age of limited financial and ecological resources, preventing disease by healthy living just makes sense.

A doctor is a source of knowledge. Patients are safer the more they understand their health. Part of a physician's purpose is to increase this understanding. Part of a patient's responsibility is to show care for themselves by taking the time and effort to learn about health.

Treat the whole person. Genuine health truly does involve body, mind, and spirit. Medicine is best when it is holistic, integrative, and centered on the individual. Patients benefit most when they have a skilled team of practitioners working together in a coordinated way, with patients themselves very involved in their own health.

Ecological medicine is essential. There is a deep and basic connection between the health of the environment and the health of people, between nature and human beings. Medicine should be mindful of this.