You’re feeling fine. You really are. Except maybe you could feel a little bit better. Maybe you want to understand a little bit more about how external factors affect your internal health. Maybe there’s just some nagging ache or pain that you think could go away if only you could find what was causing it. Enter integrative and functional doctors, trained medical doctors who have decided to take a deeper dive into what really keeps our bodies in optimal running condition. But how do you find the doc that’s right for you? Here are seven Bergen integrative doctors that have taken a functional approach to your and your family's health.
First, a glossary of terms. Integrative medicine doctors are MDs who take the whole person into account, including their lifestyle, when making a diagnosis. There is an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship between the practitioner and the patient, diagnoses are informed by evidence and integrative medicine doctors make use of both conventional and alternative therapies in treating their patients. They emphasize less invasive, less harmful treatments.
Functional medicine doctors focus on identifying and addressing the underlying causes of a disease. They view each person as being unique and so use a systems oriented approach to develop a customized treatment plan for each patient. Functional medicine doctors as the question, “Why do you have this problem in the first place?” Functional medicine doctors are often MDs but can also be Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Nurse Practitioners (NP), Doctors of Chiropractic Medicine (DC) and Naturopathic Doctors (ND). Functional medicine doctors sometimes specialize in certain conditions and believe that good health is not just the absence of disease but a state of vitality.
Naturopathic medicine doctors are aligned with the philosophy and practice of functional doctors but believe that the body has the ability to heal itself. They focus on removing the obstacles to healing, treating underlying causes, and taking the least harmful, least invasive, most natural path to healing.
So, where should you go? Check out these seven docs and decide which seems right for you:
Graf Center for Integrative Medicine, Englewood Health: At the Graf Center, you don’t get just one person working towards your health, you get a team. Graf Center medical doctors can give you a comprehensive health evaluation, and then you can work with them to best utilize services like acupuncture, nutrition counseling, body work and wellness coaching to get your body and mind on the right track, and good news, it's all contained under one beautiful roof which we wrote about here.
CHI-Medicine, Dr. Annalisa Pastore, Harrington Park: At the Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine (CHI-Medicine), Dr. Pastore, a Yale grad and internist who has been practicing for 20 years, spends about an hour with each patient to assess and addresses the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of everyone she sees. She then integrates healing modalities from disciplines and cultures that are outside the realm of Western Medicine, including acupuncture, hypnosis and nutrition. Traditional medicine is not abandoned, but is creatively paired with the adjunctive healing that happens through nutrition, naturopathy and homeopathy, structural and energy manipulation, movement, and meditation. She's also Lyme literate and will take on the toughest cases to help patients heal over time.
Vibrant Life Medicine, Dr. Erica Song, Englewood: Dr. Song is a Functional Medicine Specialist and Integrative Gynecologist who, throughout her years of clinical experience, as well as through undergoing personal and family health struggles, became aware of the strengths and weaknesses of traditional medical training. Dr. Song now offers highly personalized treatment plans designed to improve each patient’s physical, mental and emotional health and well-being.
Valley Center for Integrative Medicine, Dr. Jodi Katz, Ridgewood: Dr. Jodi Katz doesn’t just have patients, she has fans. Starting from the philosophy that “health is not merely the absence of symptoms,but rather is about living the best life that is possible for you” the staff of the Center for Integrative Medicine listen to your history and examine how genetics, environmental and lifestyle factors impact the health of their patients. Their individualized programs combine conventional western medicine with more natural therapies that help meet the specific needs of the patients. Dr. Katz is a board certified MD who has also been educated at the Institute for Functional Medicine. She runs a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program and is a certified yoga instructor.
A Better Alternative Medical Center, Dr. Robin Ellen Leder, Hackensack: Dr. Leder likes to call her philosophy of eliminating poor function in order to clear the way for better function “Intelligent Medicine”. It is her belief that once a patient experiences the comprehensive, global, open-minded care practiced by A Better Alternative, they will not be able to return to the more traditional model of healthcare. The best part? Dr. Leder makes housecalls!
Eden Medical, Dr. Jyoti Mathews, Mahwah: Full disclosure, Dr. Mathews is currently not taking new patients. But if you like what you hear, visit her website and sign up for updates and notifications for when she will again accept new patients. Dr. Mathews works with patients to achieve their best possible state of health using the least number of pharmaceutical or surgical interventions. She spends a great deal of quality time with her patients so that she is able to create a tailored, individualized treatment plan for each person.
The Whole Child Center, Dr. Larry Rosen, Oradell: Whole Child Medicine provides a roadmap to creating optimal health by following the guiding principles of being integrative, preventative, eco-sustainable, context-centered, relationship-based, personalized, participatory and high-tech, high-touch- we've been singing his praises for years. The very busy Dr. Rosen may recommend Garlic Oil Drops for an inflamed inner ear during a cold (to help prevent an infection) or take a close look at a child's diet who is suffering from Eczema. Patients also see the beloved NP Karen for quick visits and yoga or reiki sessions.
