Our healthcare system is in flux. As we live longer and embrace changes in lifestyle and environment, we are also being overwhelmed by an increase in chronic disease diagnoses, and the expensive treatments that come…

This article concludes the Five P series—protect, promote, permit, partner and payment—which serves as a guideline for patients seeking to find an integrative physician or health team. To this point, we’ve explored the characteristics of…

You know your body better than anyone. Whether managing a medical diagnosis or seeking to improve (or maintain) your current health, your role as the patient should carry at least equal weight to that of…

Once taboo in the medical industry, a growing number of doctors and other health care providers are recognizing the value of complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies as treatment options for their patients. While not all…

Self-care is often overlooked in discussions around healing, but it is a critical aspect of our health and well-being.  The best path to health is for physicians to work with patients so they can take…

In all the rollicking changes a woman experiences in her twenties and thirties, one thing remains constant: her reproductive cycle. Every month triggers a cascade of hormones designed to ready a woman’s body for pregnancy.…

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against your arteries. There are two numbers used to determine your blood pressure: systolic, which measures the pressure your heart creates when it contracts and pushes blood…

Half of all patients leave their medical visit without understanding what their physician said to them or what they’re supposed to do. Health coaching helps patients understand their treatment and actively participate in their care.…

As a primary care provider in San Francisco’s Mission District for 32 years, Dr. Bodenheimer took care of low-income, mostly Latina patients. He did his best to make their lives better. But as the years…