Primary Prevention

Preventive medicine is grounded in a model of health care that focuses on treating diseases, rather than promoting health.   In primary prevention, people take personal responsibility to live in ways that enhance their individual strengths and support their personal susceptibilities, sometimes inherited, sometimes related to previous poor lifestyle decisions, in order to promote their personal integral health. 

Risk Factors

The term risk factor refers to a characteristic, condition or behavior that predisposes a person to experience a particular illness. HeartSongʼs primary prevention services teach people about the risk factors associated with particular medical conditions and offer a variety of strategies to reduce and/or manage personal risk factors to optimize health.

To promote a holistic understanding of the body, our preventive medicine services are organized according to physiological systems and/or functions. These are listed here.   Each counseling session helps you understand how the system in question works when it is functioning optimally and how to intervene in different ways -- using both conventional medications as well as natural medicines and lifestyle interventions -- to reduce the risk of developing dysregulations in the system or to reverse them if they have already begun.   You will also learn what types of diagnostics are used to evaluate the system in question, and how to intepret the results.

Based on your medical history, your physician will identify which preventive medicine topics are most likely to reduce the likelihood that you will be affected by a particular medical condition over time.  You may also request a particular topic, using the following list.  We can, of course, prepare sessions on other topics related to specific risks for you personally.

Aging: Biochemical processes involved in aging.

Body composition: The distribution of tissues in the body: fluids, fats, metabolically active tissues, toxins.

Cellular reproduction:   Biological mechanisms involved in cell growth and reproduction, with a focus on cancer prevention.

Carbohydrate metabolism: Biochemical processes involved in producing energy from carbohydrates.

Cardiovascular system: Organs and biochemical processes involved in the transportation of blood to move nutrients, wastes, oxygen and carbon dioxide between cells. Also called the circulatory system.

Cognition: Biochemical processes involved in mental processes for acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.

Colon health: Biochemical processes involved in eliminating waste though the large intestine.

Detoxification: Biochemical processes involved in the elimination of toxins from the body.

Digestive system: Organs and biochemical processes involved in breaking down food into substances that can be absorbed.

Emotional Resilience: Biochemical processes involved in successful adaption stressful situations.

Endocrine system: Organs and biochemical processes involved in the regulation of metabolic processes via hormonal messaging.

Female reproductive system: Organs and biochemical processes involved in reproduction in women.

Immune system: Organs and biochemical processes that protect against disease.

Inflammation: Biochemical processes that remove injurious stimuli from the body and initiate healing.

Lipid metabolism: Biochemical processes involved in transporting and metabolizing lipids.

Lymphatic system: Organs and biochemical processes involved in helping the immune system remove and destroy waste, debris, dead blood cells, pathogens, toxins, and cancer cells.

Male reproduction: Organs and biochemical processes involved in reproduction in men.

Mental & emotional well-being: Organs and biochemical processes involved in mood regulation.

Musculoskeletal system: Organs and biochemical processes involved in supporting the body, allowing it to move, and protecting its vital organs.

Nervous system: Organs and biochemical processes involved in transmitting signals between different parts of the body to coordinate its actions and behaviors.

Respiratory system: Organs and biochemical processes permitting gas exchange between the external environment and the bodyʼs circulatory system to maintain the acid-base balance necessary for proper metabolism.

Skin health: Organs and biochemical processes involved in maintaining the protective outer layer of the body and eliminating waste through it.

Urinary system: Organs and biochemical processes involved in eliminating waste though the urinary tract.

Special requests: Preventive medicine counseling appointment can be arranged to cover any topic of specific interest upon request.