Answering, "WHAT KIND OF MEDICINE DO YOU PRACTICE?"
Whenever I am introduced in a social situation as “Dr. Levin”, the above query is almost always the first remark. I take a deep breath and say: “Holistic, Wholistic, Orthomolecular, Chelation, Alternative, Complementary, Environmental, Integrative, and Functional Medicine.”
That usually ends the conversation! However, as a potential new patient, I believe you should understand these basic concepts, so I will briefly explain them. They are listed above in approximately the order that they appeared, as we “pioneers” attempted to define what separated our work from the Mainstream of Medical Practice. Since I opened the first Holistic Health Center in New York City in 1974, I have had to explain each of these terms as they came into being.
Holistic/Wholistic represent two spellings that appeared almost simultaneously in the early 70’s, and addressed the criticism that still exists today – the increasing division of medical practice into the various “specialties.“ Today it is very difficult to find a physician that “does it all”. Nevertheless, the best super specialists acknowledge that something is missing in the equation for the pursuit of Health. For many years, most illness was in the form of acute problems that could be handled by a GP or a specific specialist. With the lengthening of the average Lifespan, patients have gradually become more complex, with many different underlying problems that complicate the simple presentation of acute illnesses. Our aging population represents a major failure of the current system in recognizing and caring for the chronically ill, with their multi-system problems. Looking at the Whole patient, rather than a single problem, was the first attempt to delineate the new paradigm, and it specifically encompassed the Psycho-Spiritual realm as more than an afterthought. Holistic embodies that Holy aspect more emphatically.
Orthomolecular was a word created by one of the great geniuses of the Twentieth Century, Linus Pauling, PhD [at least 78 PhD’s!!] He remains the only Nobel prize-winner to receive two solo awards. He first used the term in the title of a paradigm-shaking article in the prestigious publication Science, in 1968: Orthomolecular Psychiatry – in which he introduced the idea that the only molecules that might correct brain dysfunctions would be the Ortho- type, coming from the Greek meaning “right, straight or correct.” Other uses such as Orthodontist or Orthopedist, or Orthodox – illustrate the usage to get the Teeth straight, or the Feet straight, or to lead in the right direction. The term presaged a great quote from a lesser- known scientist, Emerson Pugh: “If the Human Brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would be so simple [minded] that we couldn’t understand it.” Needless to say, the combined brilliance of these two men did not affect the misguided development by the huge, profit driven Pharmaceutical Industry of dozens of foreign chemicals – the “Psychopharmaceuticals” to “fix” the brains of the depressed, the schizophrenic, the anxious, the obsessed and – worst of all – the poor children who are now diagnosed with ADHD – “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,” – all by the prescription of the latest specialists: the “PsychoPharmacologists” – who appear to believe that they have a chemical answer for the multiple new diagnoses that they are inventing as they go. [The other meaning of ADHD according to Mary Ann Block, D.O. is “Another Doctor Handingout Drugs.] On the other side, we have extended the concept to Orthomolecular Medicine to include all the Healing Modalities, except surgery, as much as possible. In my practice, for many years, I have had the following quotation above the doorway in my office – copied from Carl Jung who had it similarly placed:
VOCATIS SIVE NON VOCATIS DEUS ADERIT
G-d will be present, whether called in or not.
CHELATION THERAPY is the use of special substances that are able to bind minerals in the blood and remove them from the body. Initially discovered for the removal of Lead, EDTA also was effective for removing Calcium, which has been known to gradually increase within our cells as we all age, albeit at different rates. It has been dramatically effective for atherosclerosis – hardening of the arteries – particularly for early coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and cerebrovascular disease.
It is, in my opinion, the BEST available treatment for the PREVENTION of Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, started early in Life. However, it has been “controversial” since I first added it to my services in 1968. There are many “accepted” controversies in mainstream medicine, such as:
There are also many controversies that are so contrary to Mainstream philosophy that they are serious enough to cause a physician to be subject to investigation, fines, suspension of privileges in various institutions, suspension of State License and even License revocation, such as the following which are taken from the official charges against me by the State of NY [that I successfully defended over 14 years of unconstitutional harassment. That victory lead to NY State’s passage of the Alternative Medical Practice Act in 1994.]:
None of these are now considered justifiable causes for sanction by State Boards, although they may still run up against reimbursement by Insurance companies.
And now,
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE is, in my opinion, a pejorative term, since it implies that it is incompatible with Mainstream Medicine, and is frequently used derisively to encompass Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Herbology and other neglected areas of Conventional Medicine.
COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE quickly became my preferred terminology, implying the additional modalities’ ability to “fill in the gaps” of the growing total focus in conventional Medicine on drugs, surgery, drugs, radiation and drugs, drugs, and more drugs for the profit of Big Pharma.
ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE is a major foundation of my Philosophy of Practice, because of the horrendous and unconscionable pollution of this planet and its atmosphere with more than 100,000 artificial and toxic chemicals that have rarely been tested individually for possible harm to our total environment, and NEVER TESTED IN COMBINATIONS, WHICH IS NO LONGER A MATHEMATICAL POSSIBILITY! The importance of the environment was finally proven by the announcement in December of 2001 of the MAPPING OF THE HUMAN GENOME. We have now showed that our Genes are rarely the final determiner of our Health and Life and Death, because the EXPRESSION OF MOST GENES IS AFFECTED BY THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY ARE ACTIVATED. In that sense ALL of the major diseases of our time are significantly impacted by our environment, and many can be dramatically modified by the old mandates: “Eat the right foods, don’t eat the wrong foods, exercise regularly and vigorously, strive for Psycho-Spiritual Equanimity and avoid the avoidable toxins, especially man-made ones that are continually approved by the Authorities as safe, under the disinformation of “Better Living through Chemistry.”
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE implies the utilization of any and all modes of Healing as required for the best interests of the patient, implying the use of the safest modalities before the more dangerous ones, when the situation allows it. It embodies the old Medial Axiom: “Premum non nocere” “FIRST DO NO HARM”
FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE has been invoked by Jeff Bland, PhD, whose monthly taped lectures have provided point and counterpoint to the progressive knowledge base of Biochemistry and Physiology that underlie the treatments of all practitioners, Mainstream, Conventional, Complementary or otherwise. It emphasizes the individuality of each patient, looks for the ANTECEDENTS, TRIGGERS, MODIFIERS
Antecedents include genetics, previous illnesses, nutritional status, state of mind and anything else that predisposes to the current status.
Triggers can be external – [environmental] stressors in the form of poisons, venoms, disease-causing microbes of all kinds, injuries, etc. – or internal stressors from emotional impacts on the autonomic nervous system to disturbed function of a single body part to severe “spontaneous” organ damage.
Modifiers affect the course of the disease, for better or worse, from a perfect remedy to major complications.