Taking Charge of Your Heart Health with Dr. Stephen Devries

Stephen Devries isn’t your typical cardiologist. As the Executive Director of the Gaples Institute, a nonprofit that advocates “natural strategies balanced with conventional medicine,” Dr. Devries takes a more holistic approach to heart health. While he supports the use of conventional medicine and professional medical care, he also encourages patients to investigate how they contribute to their own wellbeing through their eating habits, physical activity, stress management, and even the way they manage relationships with others.

In other words, Dr. Devries believes that much of our cardiovascular wellbeing is in our own hands.

He also recommends exploring a number of integrative modalities, such as massage, acupuncture, and biofeedback to help improve health. "Alternative therapies aren't new," he says in his book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Cholesterol. "Many of the 'newly discovered' approaches to healing have in fact been used for thousands of years by other cultures. The new wrinkle involves integrative medicine, an approach to patient care that involves a combination of conventional medicine and natural approaches, including simple yet powerful dietary changes, exercise, vitamins, supplements, and mind-body relaxation techniques. In my opinion, integrative medicine makes the most sense and will be the medicine of the future."

Watch this video interview to learn more.