Wellness can take many forms. On today’s show, we address physical wellness through the prevention of Lyme disease and skin cancer. We also discuss modalities such as acupuncture and integrative medicine. There are many different ways to be well, and we hope that you will incorporate some of the ideas we discuss into your own life.
Guests
Dr. Christopher Pezzullo
Dr. Christopher Pezzullo received his bachelor’s degree from SUNY Story Brook, N.Y. and is a graduate of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Maine Medical Center. He was at University Health Care for Kids in Portland. He has newly joined Bayview Pediatrics part time and has taken on a new role as Medical Director for the Division of Population Health at the Maine Center for Disease Control. His interests include behavioral health, integrative medicine, asthma and allergy.
Dr. Sheila Pinette
Dr. Sheila Pinette has a diverse medical background. She practiced as a Physician Assistant at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut as an intensivist from 1984 to 1989. She met and married her husband, Dr. Michael Pinette and moved back to his home community of Cape Elizabeth to develop the outreach program for the State of Maine and the Maternal Fetal Medicine Division at Maine Medical Center. Currently, Dr. Pinette is the Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the Department of Human Services. A lifelong learner and educator, Dr. Pinette is a member of the Maine, Southern Maine and National Osteopathic Associations, the Sigma Sigma Phi National Honor Society and an Affiliate Member of the American College of Obstetrics.
Deb Girard
Deb Girard is the Executive Director of the Melanoma Foundation of New England (MFNE), the largest non-profit in the region dedicated to skin cancer awareness and prevention. Deb has held this position for the past 10 years. As Executive Director of MFNE, Deb is passionate about educating the public about the importance of prevention and early detection in reducing the risk of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. During her tenure Deb has expanded MFNE’s reach to include a host of free melanoma prevention services for youth and adults throughout the year including Your Skin Is In, a campaign to educate teens about the dangers of tanning beds, and Billy’s Buddies, a support group that assists patients and their caregivers struggling with melanoma. The Skinny on Skin is MFNE’s newest educational outreach program that teaches salon professionals how to screen for suspicious moles while performing common salon services.
Dr. Elizabeth Strawbridge
As both a patient and a practitioner, Dr. Elizabeth Strawbridge has experienced the wonder of western medicine and also its limitations. Dr. Strawbridge has turned to Integrative Medicine, a term used to describe a holistic approach to healing that takes into account the body, mind and spirit of each patient. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all appropriate modalities, both conventional and alternative, to facilitate the body’s innate healing response. After practicing outpatient integrative medicine during her fellowship, she decided to bring the philosophy to the inpatient setting. “My goal is to provide those sickest in our community with access to multiple healing modalities including acupuncture, osteopathic manipulation, botanical medicine, dietary supplements, mind-body therapies and nutritional and lifestyle recommendations,” Dr. Strawbridge says. “I hope to offer an individualized approach to achieving optimum health in an environment of respect, compassion, and collaboration.”