Intelligent Medicine®
What do you picture when you hear the phrase Intelligent Medicine? Most of us would probably relate it to the things we do in our lives that might make us healthier, but when I devised and trademarked Intelligent Medicine decades ago, my goal was to build something more concrete and substantial around it – a complete lifestyle encompassing medicine, food, exercise, and select dietary supplementation.
I wanted it to reflect what I learned over decades as a physician at the forefront of the integrative and complementary medicine movement. I wanted my message to be targeted to the broader population interested in better ways to tend to their health, communicating in ways that make these concepts accessible to my audience. And, finally, it had to adhere to my own personal lifestyle and health practices, as well as the philosophy that has guided how I have treated my patients. A daunting task, but I’m so proud of what my team and I have accomplished.
Intelligent Medicine is your trusted source for news and objective information on medicine, health, and nutrition.
What our country’s faltering health care system badly needs is a dose of Intelligent Medicine. It’s no secret that rapidly escalating health care costs threaten to sink our economy. Politicians are paying lip service to “health care reform,” but whatever the outcome of acrimonious partisan debate, the prospects are dimming for cost-savings and improved treatment.
What we seem likely to get is more of the same—expensive care with rationing and fewer choices. Medical costs are escalating because of our continued reliance on high-tech, commercially profitable medical “fixes.” Health care legislation and government initiatives don’t seem to be doing much to address this pernicious trend.
Here at Intelligent Medicine, I pledge to provide the health information you need to make informed choices so that you can safeguard yourself from medical mayhem and engage in enlightened self-care.
A word about politics. It is not my intent to impose my political views upon you. Followers of Intelligent Medicine comprise the entire gamut of political orientations, from the Progressive Left to the Libertarian Right.
What we all share is an interest in maintaining the safety of our food, water and air; a belief in freedom of choice in medicine; a preference for low-tech natural choices when it comes to health care; and a critical perspective on the status quo.
Therefore, whenever the integrity of our health care system is under attack by wrong-headed politicians, bureaucrats, or greedy corporations, count on me to sound the alarm. There’s a grassroots movement in health. People are taking the initiative as the healthcare system is failing them. They’re voting with their consumer dollars in supermarket aisles.
Intelligent Medicine offers a “big tent” that transcends narrow political labels.
Why turn to us for your health news when there are so many other options? In a nutshell, here’s the problem: “All too frequently, what is conveyed about health by many journalists is wrong or misleading.”
That’s one of the assertions contained in a stinging editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled “Communicating Medical News—Pitfalls of Health Care Journalism.”
Susan Dentzer, on-air health analyst for PBS News Hour, argues: “. . . a problem that is worsening in this era of the 24/7 news cycle is the frequent failure to put new developments into any kind of reasonable context for readers or viewers. In this environment, reporters become little more than headline readers or conduct interviews that amount to a ‘hit and run’ version of journalism.” The missing ingredient? Intelligence!
Dentzer writes: “Should we present black-and-white versions of reality that lend themselves to stark headlines, rather than grayer complexities that are harder to distill into simple truths? I believe that when journalists ignore complexities or fail to provide context, the public health messages they convey are inevitably inadequate or distorted.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Unfortunately, many of us are woefully underprepared to skeptically evaluate health and medical information; too many studies are foisted on the unsuspecting public via fawning press releases. I aim to give people the tools they need to cut through the fog of disinformation.
Mainstream medical journalists have so often been wrong, and I’ve been there on your behalf to challenge them on such issues as the dangers of commonly-used prescription drugs; inadequate guidelines for supplements like vitamin D; the low-fat, low cholesterol diet dogma; expensive cancer drugs that barely prolong life with a host of side effects–these are but a few examples!
And now, a new source of readily-available misinformation has emerged – social media! Anyone who wants to share the latest and greatest rumor, miracle product, or potentially dangerous health practice can do so, sometimes going “viral” and reaching millions of unsuspecting victims! And it can be difficult to know the source of this crap!
Instances in which I have had to dispel the cloud of misinformation promulgated online and in the mainstream media have abounded in past years, and they will no doubt continue in years to come.
I also don’t pull punches when it comes to excesses committed on behalf of alternative medicine. Over-the-top, unscientific claims made by uncritical partisans of natural medicine do our cause untold damage because they undermine the credibility of the entire field, arming skeptics who call what we do “quackery.” I promise to unmercifully “call ’em as I see ’em” when it comes to exposing out-sized pitches made by zealots or hucksters.
I view my responsibilities as a health journalist very seriously. I have a duty to uncover the truth, however difficult it may be to buck widely held convictions of the medical establishment. My commitment is to you, my listeners and readers, and I vow to renew that pledge here at Intelligent Medicine as we tackle the complex medical stories that will make headlines in the coming months and years.
For those of you who have followed my work over the years, I thank you for your faith and the energy you provide to me and my staff. For those of you who are new to Intelligent Medicine, I can’t wait to share with you the world of good health that awaits you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Hoffman only recommends products he believes are of good quality and beneficial for his audience. Please be advised that some of our articles may contain links to our trusted sponsors. As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Want to know more? We’d love to hear from you.
All information on this website is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only. It is not a replacement or substitute for professional medical advice and/or treatment. Consult with your own doctor for information and advice on your specific medical condition or questions.
By using this website, you agree to its Terms of Use.
*The statements made herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
Our virtual voicemail is open 24/7, so there's no need to wait to submit your questions for Dr. Hoffman. Leave a message, and you may hear your question featured on the Intelligent Medicine radio program!
