The vast amount of available — and often conflicting — health information today can create a daunting terrain for those wishing to navigate a course of wellness. And while a choice between conventional allopathic medicine (what most of us in the US grew up with) and alternatives such as acupuncture, homeopathy, herbology, chiropractic, and other complimentary modalities was at one time an either/or proposition, some health care professionals today are beginning to recognize the value of incorporating aspects of both into an approach known as Integrative Medicine. But in the midst of our hectic lives, how do we sift through all the new information that is out there and make the choices that will be most beneficial for our own health and wellbeing?

In this segment of Pathfinders, Tina Steele, MA, will help to demystify those choices and act as a guide to clarify the roles of conventional and alternative, or complimentary, medicine in creating and maintaining health and wellness. Trained as an Applied Medical (Clinical) Anthropologist, at the University at Buffalo, NY, with some graduate work completed in medical school, Tina has worked in both research and public health and is a certified HIV prevention counselor. A lifelong proponent of complementary therapies, Tina relies on research and her own personal experience with popular modalities as well as the use of diet, exercise, and supplements for treatment and prevention. It is her belief that by combining the very best elements of alternative therapies with conventional medical treatment we move toward a more integrated and truly holistic approach to the prevention and treatment of disease and the maintenance of a healthy mind and body.