Jefferson doctors publish new book, ‘Tapestry of Health,’ with tips on wellness – On top of Philly news – Billy Penn

Note: This article is a paid placement and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Billy Penn at WHYY.

With the United States long at the forefront of medical breakthroughs, why do so many Americans still get sick with preventable illnesses?

Around 60% of adults in the U.S. have a chronic disease, according to the CDC, and over 40% have more than one.

The fast-growing field of integrative medicine looks to address that problem. Its practitioners are trained to consider the whole patient the person instead of just the symptoms or the disease. Its the driving philosophy behind the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, where doctors just published a book with insights and tips on how you can use this thinking to further your own health.

Called Tapestry of Health: Weaving Wellness into Your Life through the New Science of Integrative Medicine (Kales Press), the book is by Marcus Institute founding director and CEO Daniel Monti, MD, and Medical Director Anthony Bazzan, MD.

It presents a step-by-step plan of evidence-based restorative approaches and emerging cutting-edge strategies. Its been well-received by readers, rocking a 4.4-star rating on Amazon, and by other experts in the field,

This book is so incredibly timely and important, writes Sara Gottfried, a doctor with four NYT best-sellers who provided the new books forward, because it helps you understand this new paradigm of health a massive shift that affects healthcare providers and patients alike,

As its currently structured, the authors say, the medical field suffers from an overemphasis on acute care, which is a reactionary approach. Under this model, when a person gets sick, medical care is sought and a standard treatment be it drugs or surgery is prescribed. Theres no doubt this approach has saved many lives. But it is not enough.

Heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are leading causes of death and disability in the U.S., accounting for the majority of the nations $4.1 trillion a year in health care costs.

In many cases, these illnesses are significantly exacerbated by key lifestyle risk factors. Some, such as tobacco use, are straightforward and easy to understand. Others, including the vital role of diet and specific nutrients, physical inactivity, and stress effects on immunity, are more complex.

In the case of immune resilience, the pandemic is a perfect example of how acute care medicine dominated the conversation.

Everyone understandably became very focused on the COVID-19 pathogen. However, what got lost was the state of the host i.e. people! For example, we know nutritional status affects the immune response to the virus, and that stress in general affects the immune system in very measurable ways. So while we very much needed an effective vaccine, we also needed tools to maximize immune wellness to maximize the host response to infection. That largely did not happen.

Some in medicine have begun to recognize the gap, which is why a new paradigm is emerging that integrates the best of modern medicine with proactive, holistic and preventive care.

Thomas Jefferson University is at the forefront of this movement. The Philly institution recently created the first-ever Department of Integrative Medicine & Nutritional Sciences at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. The new department includes the clinical programs of Jefferson Healths Marcus Institute of Integrative Health. These programs have introduced an approach to care that is a multifaceted partnership, connecting all aspects of well-being, including the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, and nutritional.

To learn more about the book and other resources, visit the Tapestry of Health website.

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Jefferson doctors publish new book, 'Tapestry of Health,' with tips on wellness - On top of Philly news - Billy Penn