Welcome to the Center for Environmental Medicine
 

Living amidst the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with its clear streams, majestic rivers, centuries-old forests, snow-capped mountains contrasted with endless deserts and a breath-taking ocean coast -- one may wonder "Why is there a need for environmental medicine here?"

There is, unfortunately, a disparity between our natural setting and the way our bodies interact with it. Government studies show that elevated levels of troubling toxins, including DDT, PCB's, dioxins and synthetic compounds, have infiltrated the food chain through the Columbia River, and that a chemical toxin is concentrated 25 million times by the time it climbs the food chain. Throughout the modern world, our food sources have been seriously compromised. Over 700,000 different chemicals are pumped into our air annually, and that number is growing about 11% per year. Chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, poisons, and pollutants of all types enter the food chain through water, soil, and air, water being our chief food.

Our environment's dangers have weakened our liver, digestive and immune systems. Environmental factors can lead to disease and chronic conditions of fatigue, headaches, sleep disorder, mood swings, depression, confusion, body pain -- the symptoms are endless.

In our Center, we use a broad range of techniques to understand the patient's distress and to help the body strengthen itself to cope successfully with the environment and disease.

Our Philosophy

This medical center was founded on the principles developed by medical pioneer Dr. Theron G. Randolph (1906 - 1996), known as “the father of environmental medicine and the field of clinical ecology.” His exploration of the fundamental links between the world’s illnesses and us underlies and inspires our treatment programs.

In understanding illness as an interaction between an external factor and an internal capacity for resistance, the key to health is restoring the balance in favor of resistance. We believe the starting point for most illness is the nature of the patient’s interaction with the environment -- anything we put into our mouth, touch, smell or breathe can trigger our distress. Looking beyond symptoms to understand the uniqueness of each patient, we identify and treat the cause of disease as well as relieving troublesome symptoms.

Today, more and more people are choosing a style of medicine that defines root problems and eliminates toxins rather than one that settles for pharmaceutical medications as a solution to their illness and disease. While prescription drugs have a place in medicine, astute patients understand that most of these substances are not designed to cure. They recognize symptoms can have a direct relationship to the toxic environment around us, including synthetic medications. They realize that drugs can mask symptoms, often resulting in undesirable side effects such as liver congestion, headache, digestive problems, loss of sex drive, and fatigue. The potential side affects are endless and often dangerous. In 1994 alone 106,000 hospitalized Americans died from complications related to FDA-approved drugs while 2.2 million people reported adverse reactions.

Patient care at the Center for Environmental Medicine offers an environment in which the patients and their doctor can explore individualized treatment options. Our dedicated medical staff provides patient education, offers expertise in current researched treatment protocols, enhanced by the practical professional competence that comes with experience.