The human body is an amazing and complex machine. It is very tough, and we usually recover from illness or injury on our own, without the help of a doctor. But what happens when we need medical treatment? In the past, some people went to a clinic or hospital to see a medical doctor. Other people trusted ancient traditions and chose treatments such as herbal  medicine or acupuncture . These two types of medicine----one modern and Western and the other ancient and Eastern----used to have nothing to do with each other. In recent years, however, people around the world have begun to recognize and accept both modern medical science and more traditional therapies. This new kind of medicine can be called integrative medicine (because it integrates, or combines, different types of medicine), or complementary medicine. Some of the principles of this type of medicine include preventing illness by helping people stay healthy, integrating different types of therapies according to the needs of each patient, and considering the health of the whole person rather than concentrating on a particular illness or injury. One health maintenance organization (HMO) in Madison, Wisconsin, has opened its Complementary Medicine and Wellness Center. At the center, HMO members are offered a variety of services. If you are suffering a sore back, try some massage treatments to relax your muscles and encourage the flow of healing energy in your body. If you have allergies or asthma, you could try homeopathy, which uses tiny amounts of allergens to stimulate your body's natural immune response. And if you're not ill, but just want to improve your strength and focus your mind, try a tai chi or yoga class. Patients who use these complementary medicine services appreciate having an alternative to surgery or to drugs and their side effects. They also enjoy activities and therapies that make them feel better even if they're not sick. And from the financial point of view of the HMO, preventing illness whenever possible is much less expensive than a hospital stay. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, founder of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, integrative medicine combines the best parts of Western medicine with complementary therapies such as acupuncture and nutrition. And because both doctor and patient are working to prevent illness, they become partners with the same goal instead of strangers who see each other only when the patient is sick. What would be an example of integrative medicine?
taking penicillin for a headache performing surgery to treat heart disease acupuncture using herbal treatments after surgery