Blog

FDA & AMA Team Up to “CMEar” Dietary Supplements

By Erik Goldman, Editor

If you want to understand why so many Americans distrust the Food and Drug Administration and the medical mainstream, look no further than the FDA’s new online medical education program on dietary supplements. Produced in collaboration with the American Medical Association, this three-part continuing medical education (CME) course—and I use that term loosely—is part of […]

It Was 20 Years Ago, Today…. Reflecting on HPC’s First Two Decades

By Erik Goldman

On October 15, 2000, the first edition of Holistic Primary Care rolled off the presses at Democrat Printing & Lithography in Little Rock, Arkansas, and into 60,000 doctors’ offices across the country. And just like that, an idea had back in 1986 had suddenly become a tangible reality, giving voice to a movement aimed at […]

Infection or Overgrowth?

By Roby Mitchell, MD (aka "Dr. Fitt")

Many people–including many physicians–are confused about the difference between an infection with a disease-causing pathogen, and an overgrowth of a normally harmless member of the microbial ecosystem that becomes harmful when it grows out of proportion. This distinction is important for shaping rational treatment plans.

The Cure for “Listeria Hysteria?” Strengthening Innate Defenses!

By Roby Mitchell, MD (aka "Dr. Fitt")

All this “Listeria Hysteria” that followed the reports of contaminated cantaloupe reminds me of a Twilight Zone episode. We’re destroying a relatively healthy food by the ton, issuing dire warnings about deadly pathogens, and generally scaring an already scared public, all without taking stock of what’s really going on. I don’t mean to downplay the […]

The Great D-Bate: Integrative Physicians Respond to IOM’s New Vitamin D Guidelines

By Erik Goldman

The Institute of Medicine’s new Vitamin D and Calcium guidelines, released late in November, sent shockwaves through the natural health care and integrative medicine community. The IOM review committee asserted that most Americans do not need vitamin D supplements, that 600 IU/day is sufficient for maintaining healthy bones, and that there’s no firm evidence that […]

Cornography

By Erik Goldman

It’s salty, sweet, and very seductive. It promises pleasure, but delivers disease. It’s ubiquitous, and it’s corrupting the very health of our country. I’m talking about Cornography. The slick and sleazy marketing of “foods” and beverages made out of genetically-modified corn, corn syrup, corn meal, and other refined forms of corn. This crap is stacked […]

Ten Years at the Crossroad: Reflections on Holistic Primary Care’s First Decade

By Erik Goldman

From our vantage point at the crossroad where conventional and holistic/integrative medicine converge, we’ve witnessed tremendous creativity and innovation over the last ten years, as well as a fair bit of turbulence and struggle. This is all characteristic of the emergence of….dare I say it? A new paradigm. It’s an overused word, but it fits, […]

Reducing Pesticide Exposure Should be a Medical Priority

By Erik Goldman

It is really important to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in our diets, and to encourage our patients to do likewise. Unfortunately, though, we need to be mindful of the toxins that contaminate even the healthiest of foods. Pesticides & fungicides have become ubiquitous in our environment. Crops these days are heavily sprayed […]