Integrative Medicine and Functional Medicine – what’s the difference?

Bronwyn E.S. Fitz

One question that I am often asked is, “what is the difference between Integrative and Functional Medicine?” The truth is, there is a lot of overlap between the two. Both are patient centered approaches that underscore the importance of nutrition and lifestyle. Let me describe them. Integrative Medicine is a holistic approach that emphasizes: The whole person: mind, body, and spirit Wellness instead of illness Food as medicine All healing modalities: herbs, supplements, manual therapies, mind-body practices, aromatherapy, functional medicine, …

Managing Toddler Behavior: The Importance of the L Words

Full Circle Womens Health

A couple of weeks ago I met with the parents of a three-year-old girl, let’s call her Madison. Madison’s father told me about a frustrating experience he’d had with his daughter the weekend before. The two of them had passed an ice cream cart while on an afternoon walk in Central Park; Madison asked her dad for ice cream as soon as she saw it. She had just had a cookie, though, and her dad didn’t think a second dessert …

Big Feelings In a Small Package: When Your Toddler Becomes The Older Sibling

Full Circle Womens Health

My second son, Zeke, was born on December 24th. Like most families with new babies, over the past three months we have received a near constant stream of visitors to our home. Some come all the time (grandparents), others with less frequency (close friends), and still others have visited only once (former colleagues). Most have brought a gift for the baby, and many a gift for Henry, who just turned two, as well, so that he won’t feel left out. …

3 Easy Ways to Boost Nutrition

Jill Cruz

 3 Easy Ways to Boost Nutrition: For All Moms and Moms-To-Be Eat fat, fiber, and protein at every meal and snack Eat fermented foods Eat more fish and seaweed 1-Eat fat, fiber, and protein at every meal and snack: A simple formula for nutritious eating is to include fat, fiber, and protein at every meal and By doing so you will ensure a low-glycemic and nutritious diet. And as long as you eat predominantly whole, unprocessed foods, you will naturally …

Emergency Contraception: What Options are Available, and When is it Safe to Use?

Michelle Chiafulio

In September, Five Democratic senators introduced legislation that would require any federally-funded hospital to provide emergency contraception to survivors of sexual assault. This bill would not only provide important access to emergency contraception for rape survivors. It could, additionally, help to push the conversation surrounding emergency contraception back where it belongs: as a private discussion between a woman and her healthcare provider. As healthcare providers that care deeply about our patients, our staff at Full Circle would like to take …

Should You Work With a Midwife, a Doula or Both?

Michelle Chiafulio

Your birth process is, perhaps, one of the most monumental experiences of your life. When it comes to making a decision about who will help facilitate your journey, it’s important that you weigh all the factors involved, and choose the type of care that best fits the unique needs of your body, personality and family.  If you’re looking for more intimate and individualized care that seeks to limit intervention unless necessary, then a midwife is probably for you. Midwives work in private …

Are You Vitamin D Deficient?

Michelle Chiafulio

Did you know that 40-60% of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient? This is primarily due to the fact that there is only a short list of foods that contain vitamin D – including egg yolk, salmon and cod liver oil. While many people consume their Vitamin D through fortified foods like milk, this is not possible for 75% of the population that is lactose intolerant.Recent studies have discovered a connection between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk of certain types of cancers, autoimmune disease, neurologic disease, insulin resistance, …