American Medical Student Association

Integrative Medicine Resources

AMSA does not endorse any of the resources listed here.  This list is simply intended to provide thought-provoking books and films for students to look into so that they may form their own educated opinions about integrative and natural medicine.

BOOKS

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

• Hudson, Tori. Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness.  
  This book offers sound information on complementary therapies such as bio-identical hormones, vitamin supplementation, herbs, diet, and exercise.  Naturopathic physician Tori Hudson discusses a whole range of female health issues, from contraception to menopause, heart conditions to infections, and discusses how to safely integrate alternative therapies with conventional medicine.
• Murray, Michael and Pizzorno, Joseph.  The Clinician’s Handbook of Natural Medicine.
  This convenient, quick-reference handbook provides clear and rational directives on diagnosing and treating specific diseases and disorders with naturopathic medicine.  This is based on the authors’ previous and more comprehensive Textbook of Natural Medicine.   
• Sandberg-Lewis, Steven.  Functional Gastroenterology: Assessing and Addressing the Causes of Functional GI Disorders.
  This book focuses on the underlying causes of functional GI disorders as well as their diagnosis, treatment, and management.  Dr. Sandberg-Lewis, ND, draws on three decades of naturopathic practice to offer clinical pearls, as well as thorough review of the most recent literature on gastrointestinal physiology. 
• Yarnell, Eric.  Natural Approach to Gastroenterology.
  This comprehensive textbook on the GI system offers an in-depth understanding of how the GI system works and how to approach its many complexities and pathologies from a holistic and integrated perspective.

BOTANICAL MEDICINE/HERBS

• Tilner, Sharol.  Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth.
  A user-friendly guidebook for budding herbalists and experienced clinicians alike.  Look up information about individual herbs, or find instructions on how to make herbal formulas for various health conditions. 
• Hoffman, David.  Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine.
  Includes information about the chemistry of medicinal-plants, safety issues, specific formulas according to body system, and a 150 herb materia medica. 

NUTRITION

• Gaby, Alan R.  Nutritional Medicine.
  One of the most thorough textbooks on how to use nutrition therapy as an alternative or adjunct to conventional medicine.  This book discusses more than 400 different health conditions and disorders.  It also contains 60 chapters on individual nutrients (i.e., vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other therapeutic agents) including biochemical effects, clinical indications, signs and symptoms of deficiency, adverse effects, drug interactions, nutrient interactions, and dosage and administration.
• Gropper, Sareen S et al.  Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism.
  This text equips you with a solid understanding of digestion, absorption, and metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It covers the biochemistry of vitamins, minerals, and energy nutrients. It also examines the structure and function of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins and their regulatory role in metabolism, looks at electrolyte and fluid balance, and covers the role of nutrition in the development or exacerbation of chronic disease.
• Fallon, Sally.  Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats.
  Over 700 recipes and copious information are included in this well-researched, thought-provoking (and sometimes controversial) guide to traditional food and eating written by the President of the Weston A. Price Foundation.  Even if you don’t agree with everything in this book, it provides a lot rich material that questions what we think we know about food. 

CHINESE MEDICINE

• Beinfield, Harriet, and Korngold, Efrem.  Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine.
  A comprehensive look into the practice of Chinese medicine.  This book includes information on Chinese medical and diagnostic theory, the psychology of Chinese medicine and therapy, and treatment methods such as acupuncture, herbs, and diet.   
• Kaptchuk, Ted J.  The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine.
  An introduction to Chinese medicine for people unfamiliar with these ideas.  Includes discussion of history, philosophy, and biomedical research on acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy.
• Pitchfod, Paul.  Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition.
  A reference guide to Chinese medicine with a heavy focus on nutrition.  Includes over 300 vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes.