National University was well represented at the International Congress for Clinicians in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ICC-CIM), held at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago, October 29 -31.

ICC-CIM’s goal is to advance integrative and complementary medicine and disseminate cutting edge, evidence based clinical care.  The ICC-CIM also seeks to foster the development of new collaborations while strengthening existing partnerships.

Dr. Fraser Smith, assistant dean for naturopathic medicine at NUHS, gave a presentation onHormesis and Integrative Medicine. “Hormesis is an area of intense research,” says Dr. Smith. “It is a phenomenon whereby small doses of a substance which would otherwise be harmful in larger doses, can have a stimulating or beneficial effect.”

Chris Arick, instructor in the NUHS Florida DC program, presented a research poster on a case study of a collegiate basketball player suffering from chronic fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances for two years.  The player concurrently saw a team of physicians, athletic trainers, and a mental health specialist. A chiropractic physician integrated functional medicine testing, targeted nutritional and botanical medicine as part of the patient’s care. The case showed how a chiropractic physician can be an effective part of an integrative team.

“I found the conference a great avenue to discuss how chiropractic medicine can be a vital part of integrative medicine clinics, both private and hospital-based,” says Dr. Arick.  “Conferences like these offer an opportunity to share the scope, utilization, and value of natural medicine fields within integrative care.”

The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine jointly sponsored the conference with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. National University’s proximity to Chicago allows its faculty, interns and students to participate in events such as the ICC-CIM, which are held at the city’s major hospitals and universities and focus on emerging trends in integrative medicine.