Integrative Medicine
N. Anton Borja, D. O. is the Director for the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at FAU Medicine. Board-certified in family medicine, Dr. Borja combines decades of expertise utilizing eastern and western approaches to address the health and wellness of mind, body, and spirit to optimize vitality.
Dr. Borja attended Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and earned his medical degree at A.T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona. He served as Division Director of Integrative Medicine at The Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, and as Medical Director of Integrative Oncology at The James Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Q. How do you merge conventional and integrative treatment practices?
Conventional medicine uses primarily pharmaceutical treatments, focused on diagnoses such as diabetes, hypertension, aches and pains. Integrative health also examines patients’ diet, stress, exercise levels, and lifestyle. We use non-pharmaceutical tools like acupuncture, osteopathic manipulation, nutrition guidance and mind-body practices in conjunction with conventional medicine tools, leveraging all available evidence-based treatments.
Q. What role can integrative medicine play with the opioid crisis?
Integrative medicine has seen an increase in referrals for non-pharmaceutical, non-conventional approaches to pain as a result of the opioid crisis. Options for treatment of pain such as acupuncture, have been available for a long time but unfortunately, we have been behind other countries in using these important treatments.
Q. How does your integrative oncology background serve your patients?
Integrative treatments can be very effective in decreasing side effects related to cancer treatments such as nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, and muscle aches and joint pains. We propose a concurrent use of evidence based integrative treatments together with standard cancer treatment to promote the patient’s overall wellbeing.
Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at FAU Medicine
880 N.W. 13th St., Suite 400, Boca Raton; 561/566–5FAU
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