Data from a recent 52-question survey of 2,000 primary care physicians conducted by Holistic Primary Care-News for Health & Healing and Signet Research, shows very encouraging signs that conventionally trained physicians – including many who identify as “mainstream” – have begun to incorporate nutrition, stress management, and many other non-pharmaceutical alternatives into their practices. Nearly 80% of respondents are conventionally trained MDs, the other 20+% being naturopaths, osteopaths, nurses, chiropractors and other health care professionals. Two-thirds of the survey respondents self-identified as “primarily conventional” in their practice style; a robust 29% identified as “integrative/mixed,” while 7% identified as fully “holistic.” Nearly 90% of respondents are taking some sort of nutraceuticals or natural products, and over half prefer to buy organic foods. In general, practitioners are more comfortable with relatively well-established supplement categories like multivitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics.
