Andrew T. Weil M.D. (Biography) Add Book

Who is Dr. Andrew Weil? Andrew Weil, MD, is a Harvard Medical School graduate who also holds an AB degree in biology (botany) from Harvard University. He is a clinical professor of internal medicine as well as the founder and director of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona's Health Sciences Center in Tucson, where he is training a new generation of physicians. He has recently established a nonprofit organization, the Polaris Foundation, to advance the cause of integrative medicine through public policy, education, and research. Dr. Weil is an internationally recognized expert on medicinal herbs, mind-body interactions, and Integrative Medicine. A frequent guest on Larry King Live and Oprah, he has also hosted his own PBS-television specials. In addition, Dr. Weil is the author of eight books including the national bestsellers Spontaneous Healing, Eight Weeks to Optimum Health, and Eating Well for Optimum Health. What is Integrative Medicine? Dr Weil is a proponent of Integrative Medicine, which combines the best ideas and practices of alternative and conventional medicine in order to maximize the body's natural healing mechanisms. It's not simply about teaching doctors to prescribe herbs or, say, acupuncture in addition to or in place of medications. Rather, Integrative Medicine has a much larger perspective and mission: It seeks to restore the focus of medicine on health and healing rather than disease and treatment. It views patients as whole persons—minds and spirits as well as physical bodies—and considers these other dimensions in the diagnosis and treatment of illness. It emphasizes a true partnership between patient and practitioner that addresses healing on all levels—especially lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, stress, quality of sleep, relationships, and work, as well as the appropriate use of dietary supplements, herbs, and other forms of treatment. It considers simple, inexpensive, low-tech treatment methods especially when conventional approaches are relatively ineffective or potentially harmful. Courtesy of Dr. Weil's Self Healing Newsletter.