THE MODEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE

OPTIMAL HEALTH is a sustained state of optimal physical, neuro/cognitive, psychological, and social well-being. It is achieved and sustained by an active, ongoing expenditure of metabolic energy to insure a homodynamic stability of interacting biologic functions despite the dynamically changing potential for disruption from all environmental and internal disorders.

ENVIRONMENTALLY TRIGGERED ILLNESSES (ETI) are the adverse consequences that result when the homeodynamic interactions among biological functions are compromised by external or internal stressors. These stressors may range from severe acute exposure to a single stressor, to cumulative relatively low grade exposures to many stressors over time. The resultant dysfunction is dependent on the patient's genetic makeup, his nutrition and health in general, the stressors, the degree of exposure to them, and the effects of six fundamental biological governing principles: the total load, the level of adaptation, the bipolarity of responses, the spreading phenomenon, and individual susceptibility (biochemical individuality).

ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE is the proactive, comprehensive, cause-oriented, and cost-effective strategic approach to medical care dedicated to the recognition, management, and prevention of the adverse consequences resulting from ETI.

RECOGNITION of ETI is accomplished by use of chronological, sufficiently detailed, environmentally and diet focused history designed to accurately detect the various clinical patterns generated by the involvement of specific stressors and by the dynamic interactions I indicated by an appropriate physical examination, laboratory testing to assess the functional status of the patient's biologic mechanisms, medical imaging techniques, diagnostic surgical techniques, and endorsed diagnostic testing techniques.

MANAGEMENT of appropriately identified ETI is by use of the endorsed treatment techniques of comprehensive patient education about the nature of the illness, correction of abnormal nutritional, metabolic, and psychological dysfunctions, immunotherapy, reasonable elimination of identified stressors, and symptomatic drugs and surgery where appropriate.

PREVENTION of ETI is achieved by the skillful proactive application of the concepts and principles of Environmental Medicine. This would include the adoption of appropriate lifestyles that specifically minimize exposures to identified stressors as much as practical, that provide less contaminated air, food, and water, and that insure ongoing optimal nutrition and metabolic functioning, and optimal physical, neuro/cognitive, psychological and social well being.

THE ULTIMATE LONG-TERM GOAL of appropriate diagnosis and treatment is the cost-effective attainment and sustaining of optimal physical, neuro/cognitive, psychological, and social well being. This includes the return to a pre-illness level of functioning and improved tolerance to stressors that previously cause adverse reactions. Through education, patients should develop and adopt appropriate lifestyles to prevent the recurrence and development of new illnesses.