Wellness Pathways
Living healthier, living longer and living better means making healthier choices every day. This idea stresses the importance of taking care to regain our health and well-being when we are ill, but also maintaining and enhancing it when we are not. Manakai O Malama wellness pathways guide and support our patients in this process. Pathways represent a partnership between physician and patient, whereby the physician supports and educates the patient in the healing process, and the patient learns how to sustain and optimize his/her long-term health and well-being through lifestyle modification.
Manakai O Malama pathways focus on patient diagnostics, medical treatment and patient education. Our pathways focus on conditions common to many of our patients, and are described below:
- Diabetes Management Genetic predisposition is a factor in certain types of diabetes, but modifiable lifestyle risk factors can trigger onset because of their role in developing insulin resistance. The primary risk factors include smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. As part of this pathway, a physician will work with you to manage this risk through lifestyle modification and preventive healthcare services.
- Hypertension and high cholesterol The hypertension and high cholesterol pathway strives to help patients meet their cholesterol goals and lower the risk of heart disease. Proper nutrition, exercise and physician-prescribed medication are central components of this process. A physician will work with you and monitor your progress, as well as help you build a health plan to optimize your well-being over the long-term.
- Stress management This is a common concern for many of our patients and an area where integrative healthcare can be particularly effective. This pathway explores the many avenues for stress reduction and focuses on a plan that best suites the individual patient. The ultimate goal is a heightened understanding about how best to manage life stress and how to incorporate lifestyle modifications that support you in this endeavor.
- Obesity and weight loss This pathway is intended for those individuals who have increased health risks due to unhealthy amounts of body fat. The goal is to develop a treatment plan that accentuates the positive health benefits of weight reduction, sound nutrition and regular exercise. Each patient works with staff to implement and maintain positive lifestyle changes to optimize long-term health.
- Pain and Depression Patients dealing with chronic pain often, understandably, suffer from depressed mood. As documented in many research studies, by working with patients to improve their mood, our medical staff often has more success eliminating the physical aspects of the pain. For interested patients, Manakai O Malama also uses traditional healing practices to minimize the need for pain medication and optimize a patient's ability to make gains in physical therapy. Integrative healthcare has had particular success in treating patients with chronic pain, and a clinic physician will work with you to determine which approach is best suited for your condition.
- Cancer Management & Palliation This pathway focuses on how to complement conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, with other approaches that help to increase immunity, energy and hope. The intent is to address the spiritual and psychological aspects of the disease in addition to the physical aspects. Patients are educated on the benefits of a vigorous exercise program, a nutritious diet, an optimistic attitude, and such practices as massage, acupuncture, naturopathy, yoga and meditation.
- Smoking Cessation Manakai O Malama also works with patients who want to quit smoking. There are a variety of approaches to this process, and a physician will work with you to determine the best approach for your individual interests and circumstances. This is another area where integrative healthcare offers options that are not available at other medical facilities.