Resources

Center for Spirituality and Healing Integrative Healing Practice Modules offer an introduction to various topics in the field of complementary therapies and healing practices. Each of the modules takes from one to three-and-a-half hours to complete and is organized into short sections. All modules feature content written by subject matter experts and reviewed by a faculty team from the schools of Nursing, Pharmacy and Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

Distinguished Lectures in the Science of Complementary Health Therapies are annual lectures sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH/NIH). Each webcast features two leading figures in science and medicine speaking about the evolution and field of complementary and integrative medicine

Osher Center for Integrative Health - Harvard Medical School Grand Rounds is open to both conventional and integrative medicine investigators, clinicians and educators and aims to support interdisciplinary learning and discuss the application of integrative medicine therapies. The format includes preselected discussants, audience Q&A and may include the patient. Past grand rounds are archived and available for viewing.

The mission of the Academic Consortium for Integrative and Complementary Medicine is to advance the principles and practices of integrative healthcare within academic institutions. The consortium provides its institutional membership with a community of support for their academic missions and a collective voice for influencing change. Membership currently includes over 55 highly esteemed academic medical centers and affiliate institution. Northwestern has been a member of the consortium since 2007. As an institutional member, all faculty and trainees have an opportunity to participate in consortium's programs at the member rate, become engaged in working groups and participate in webinars. Please contact Melinda Ring, MD, for additional information and to be added to the consortium mailing list.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health is the federal government's lead agency for scientific research on integrative approaches to health. They are one of the institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Their mission is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the effectiveness and safety of integrative approaches and their roles in improving health and health care. The center funds scientific research on integrative healthcare and training of investigators in integrative medicine.

The Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) is an office of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, created in 1998. OCCAM is responsible for NCI’s research agenda in complementary and alternative medicine as it relates to cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and symptom management. The OCCAM site offers information on research funding opportunities, training opportunities and research resources available through the NIH.

The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) is a multidisciplinary professional organization for integrative oncology. SIO has consistently encouraged rigorous scientific evaluation of both pre-clinical and clinical science, while advocating for the transformation of oncology care to integrate evidence-based complementary approaches. The vision of SIO is to have research inform the true integration of complementary modalities into oncology care, so that evidence-based complementary care is accessible and part of standard cancer care for all patients across the cancer continuum.

The Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium advocates for an integrative healthcare system with equal access to the full range of health-oriented, person-centered, regulated healthcare professionals. The consortium was created following the National Policy Dialogue to Advance Integrated Health Care: Finding Common Ground in 2001. Participants represented over 50 stakeholder groups with an interest in or commitment to the advancement of integrated healthcare.

The Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health (formerly the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care) advocates for a health system that creates health by preparing individuals to be leaders in fostering the values, practices and disciplines associated with integrative health and medicine; convenes forums for exploring common issues and facilitate the sharing of found wisdom; and educates by exposing stakeholders to current thought leaders in the field, as well as by aggregating and disseminating practical information on how to "do" integration in healthcare.

The The Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM) is a global, interprofessional member organization that educates and trains clinicians in integrative health and medicine to assure exemplary healthcare. The AIHM’s training incorporates evidence-informed research, emphasizes person-centered care and embraces global healing traditions. By combining science and compassion, the AIHM is transforming healthcare.

The International Society for Complementary Medicine Research is an international professional, multidisciplinary, non-profit scientific organization that is devoted to fostering complementary and ontegrative Medicine research and provides a platform for knowledge and information exchange to enhance international communication and collaboration.

The American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) is a non-profit membership association for nurses and other holistic healthcare professionals, serving more than 4,500 members across the U.S. AHNA promotes the education of nurses, other healthcare professionals and the public in all aspects of holistic caring and healing.  AHNA's efforts resulted in the recognition of holistic nursing as an official nursing specialty by the American Nurses Association.

The Samueli Institute is advancing the science of healing worldwide by applying academic rigor to research on healing, well-being and resilience; translating evidence into action for the U.S. military and large-scale health systems; and fostering wellness through self-care to create a flourishing society.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health offers scientific overviews of common herbs.

The National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements provides dietary supplement fact sheets.

The Dietary Supplement Label Database is a joint project of the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements and National Library of Medicine. It contains the full label contents from a sample of dietary supplements marketed in the U.S.

The Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database provides estimated levels of ingredients in dietary supplement products sold in the U.S. It is intended primarily for research application and was developed by the Nutrient Data Laboratory within the Agricultural Research Service in collaboration with the Office of Dietary Supplements and other federal agencies.

A well-established program conducts independent testing of products and reports the findings. The site consumerlab.com is useful for discerning which supplement brands available to consumers contain the appropriate contents and lack contaminants. There is an annual fee.

The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database is an excellent resource for evidence-based, clinical information on dietary supplements. Features include medication-supplement drug-interaction checks, monographs on supplements and clinical reviews for specific health conditions. (It's a fee-based site accessible through Galter Library with a NetID.)

American Botanical Council is an independent, nonprofit research and education organization dedicated to providing accurate and reliable information for consumers, healthcare practitioners, scientists, educators, industry and the media. Publications are peer-reviewed and include a periodicals, books, monographs, safety reviews, continuing education materials and searchable online databases.

• Medwatch: Product alerts and recalls, regulations governing labeling and claims and other useful information for consumers and health practitioners.
• Dietary Supplements - Adverse Event Reporting:  The Safety Reporting Portal is a secure and efficient method for letting FDA know when industry, health professionals or consumers find a problem with a dietary supplement.

The Interactive DRI for Healthcare Professionals is a free tool that can be used to calculate daily nutrient recommendations for dietary planning based on the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). These represent the current scientific knowledge on nutrient needs, developed by the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine. Individual requirements may be higher or lower than the DRIs.

The Nutrition Data System for Research from the University of Minnesota is a fee-based dietary analysis program designed for the collection and analyses of 24-hour dietary recalls, food records, menus and recipes. Calculation of nutrients occurs immediately providing data per ingredient, food, meal and day in report and analysis file formats. The software includes a dietary supplement assessment module so that nutrient intake from both food and supplemental sources may be captured and quantified.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Nutrition aims to shift research from animal models to human-relevant studies; bring nutrition into medical education and practice; conduct clinical research on healthful diets that builds the foundation for the role of nutrition in medicine; educate and empower people to take control of their health through Kickstart, Food for Life and other nutrition programs; and work with policymakers and industry to adopt alternatives to chemical tests on animals.

The International Food Information Council Foundation is dedicated to the mission of effectively communicating science-based information on health, nutrition and food safety for the public good.

Center for Science in the Public Interest seeks to educate the public, advocate government policies that are consistent with scientific evidence on health and environmental issues and counter industry’s powerful influence on public opinion and public policies.

The Nutrition Source aims to provide timely, evidence-based information on diet and nutrition for clinicians, allied health professionals and the public. Launched in 2001 by the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source accepts no advertising or commercial sponsorship, nor does it endorse any particular products. Expert faculty from the Department of Nutrition and other invited experts review all content before it is posted on the site. All content is re-reviewed regularly.

American College of Nutrition (ACN), established in 1959, is on a mission to advance nutrition science to prevent and treat disease. The ACN aims to stimulate nutrition research and publication, elevate nutrition knowledge among clinicians and scientists and provide practical guidance on clinical nutrition. ACN accepts no funding from for-profit corporations, reinforcing the commitment to advancing the science without compromise.

The Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists is the certifying body for the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) and the Certified Nutrition Specialist-Scholar credentials. The CNS certification is a credential for advanced clinical nutrition professionals and the CNS-S certification recognizes advanced knowledge, scholarly work and experience in the field of nutrition in the areas of research, academia or industry.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases supports a wide range of medical research through grants to universities and other medical research institutions across the country and to government scientists who conduct basic, translational and clinical research related to the institute's mission. In addition, the institute supports research training for students and scientists and a range of education and outreach programs to bring science-based information to patients and their families, healthcare professionals and the public.

The Weight-Control Information Network (WIN) was established in 1994 by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to provide the general public, health professionals and the media with up-to-date, science-based information on obesity, weight control, physical activity and related nutritional issues. WIN provides tip sheets, fact sheets and brochures for a range of audiences. Some of WIN's content is available in Spanish.

Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization, founded in 1989 to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from and how our food choices affect the world around us. Slow Food has grown into a global movement involving millions of people in over 160 countries, working to ensure everyone has access to good, clean and fair food.

NutritionFacts.org is a non-commercial, science-based public service that provides free updates on the latest in nutrition research via bite-size videos.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's About Herbs database is a tool for the public and healthcare professionals and can help you figure out the value of using common herbs and other dietary supplements.

The UCSF Osher Center Resource Guide for Cancer & Nutrition is a resource for evidence-based nutrition guidelines regarding cancer prevention and survivorship. This comprehensive overview of dietary strategies for cancer patients draws on our review of published research, as well as books and websites on this topic.

The CanHEAL (University of Arizona) integrative cancer care toolkit has been developed to help those recently diagnosed feel less overwhelmed, learn about approaches to support their treatment and overall wellbeing and gain access to useful resources.

Founded in 1985, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians is the national professional society representing licensed naturopathic physicians. It aims to increase awareness of and expand access to naturopathic physicians and help its members build successful medical practices and expand the body of naturopathic medicine research.

The Illinois Association of Naturopathic Physicians is a professional association of naturopathic doctors who live and work in Illinois. The association is dedicated to promotion of public safety and professional accountability, increasing access to naturopathic medicine for Illinois residents and supporting members’ professional development.

Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. The Institute for Functional Medicine is a for-profit organization that provides education programs and established a certification program for functional medicine practitioners.

The American Functional Medicine Association (AFMA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of scientific knowledge to detect, prevent and treat functional and aging-related diseases. The mission of the AFMA is to promote the science of functional medicine, provide cutting-edge, science-based conferences to improve the practice of functional medicine while enhancing patient care.

The Environmental Working Group aims to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. With breakthrough research and education, it drives consumer choice and civic action.

American Academy of Environmental Medicine is an international association of physicians and other professionals interested in the clinical aspects of humans and their environment. The academy is interested in expanding the knowledge of interactions between human individuals and their environment, as these may be demonstrated to be reflected in their total health. It provides research and education in the recognition, treatment and prevention of illnesses induced by exposures to biological and chemical agents encountered in air, food and water.

Beyond Pesticides (formerly National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides.

Clean Water Action is an organization of diverse people and groups joined together to protect our environment, health, economic well-being and community quality of life. Its goals include clean, safe and affordable water; prevention of health threatening pollution; creation of environmentally safe jobs and businesses; and empowerment of people to make democracy work.

The Collaborative on Health and the Environment works to strengthen the science dialogue on environmental factors impacting human health and to facilitate collaborative, multifactorial, prevention-oriented efforts to address environmental health concerns. It is an international partnership of almost 5,000 individuals and organizations in 79 countries and all 50 U.S. states, including scientists, health professionals, health-affected groups, nongovernmental organizations and other concerned citizens, committed to improving human health across the lifespan.

The Commonweal Biomonitoring Resource Center is an international resource seeking to promote individual and community resilience through the collaborative use of knowledge about the hundreds of environmental chemicals that people all over the world carry in their bodies.

The mission of the Center for Mind Body Medicine is to make self-awareness, self-care and group support central to all healthcare, the training of health professionals and the education of our children.

The Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts has a mission to explore, understand, articulate and further mindfulness in the lives of individuals, organizations and communities through clinical care, rigorous scientific research, professional training and informed public discourse. It aims to transform the culture of care by creating mindfulness-based participatory medicine, founded on the convergence of modern science and contemplative practice traditions.

The purpose of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture is to promote the integration of concepts from traditional and modern forms of acupuncture with Western medical training and thereby synthesize a more comprehensive approach to healthcare.

The American Association of Oriental Medicine is a national membership organization of acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) practitioners and supporters that serves to advance the profession and practice of AOM. The mission is to support the AOM community through education, occupational resources, media support and legislative advocacy in our commitment to facilitate access to the highest quality of healthcare in the United States.

The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is the only national organization that validates entry-level competency in the practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine  through professional certification.

The American Chiropractic Association is the largest professional association in the U.S. representing doctors of chiropractic. It promotes the highest standards of ethics and patient care, contributing to the health and well-being of millions of chiropractic patients.

The American Massage Therapy Association is the largest non-profit, professional association serving massage therapists, massage students and massage schools. It promotes massage to the public, the healthcare community and other important groups, works for fair licensing of massage in all states and actively supports research.

The American Oriental Bodywork Therapy Association promotes, maintains and restores physical, emotional, mental, energetic and spiritual health by treating the human electromagnetic field as it is understood within the principles of Chinese Medicine, through various assessments, treatment strategies and bodywork techniques.

The International Association of Reiki Professionals is the professional association of the global Reiki community, working to promote wide-reaching healing effects throughout the world and to provide members with great benefits and tools to enhance and expand their practices.

Healing Touch Program is an educational program dedicated to offering classes in the energetic therapy modality of healing touch as well as providing support for healing touch students.

Let's Move! is a comprehensive initiative dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams. Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let's Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years.

The mission of the National Health and Exercise Science Association is to increase participation in proactive health through promotion and recognition in all areas of health and exercise science.