FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Holistic medicine is a form of healing that considers the whole person — body, mind, spirit, and emotions — in the quest for optimal health and wellness. According to the holistic medicine philosophy, one can achieve optimal health — the primary goal of holistic medicine practice — by gaining proper balance in life.
Holistic medicine takes into account that the whole person is made up of interdependent parts and if one part is not working properly, all the other parts will be affected. In this way, if people have imbalances (physical, emotional, or spiritual) in their lives, it can negatively affect their overall health.
A holistic doctor may use all forms of health care, from conventional medication to alternative therapies, to treat a patient. For example, when a person suffering from migraine headaches pays a visit to a holistic doctor, instead of walking out solely with medications, the doctor will likely take a look at all the potential factors that may be causing the person’s headaches, such as other health problems, diet and sleep habits, stress and personal problems, and preferred spiritual practices. The treatment plan may involve drugs to relieve symptoms, but also lifestyle modifications to help prevent the headaches from recurring.
By addressing the underlying root cause issue AND the capacity of the organ to function optimally, healing can commence. Only by addressing both issues can true healing occur. Dr. Duke will have tailored a program specific to you that provides therapeutic dosages necessary to resolve your issues to move the body in the direction of optimal health. This will require dosing and managing over a period of time depending a few factors but always leads to resolution.
Dr. Duke runs through a number of different modalities that involve stressing the central nervous system and allowing him to pinpoint dysfunction. These tests are unique in that the body can not lie about what is stressing the organs or underlying issues. These tests are done without any equipment beyond simple muscle strength tests. They are clinically proven to be as effective as lab tests in determining underlying root cause issues. More importantly, they can address the capacity of the organ which there is no lab test for. If an organ system is stressed and incapable of performing its functions optimally, the body will suffer. This does not mean the organ is diseased but simply fatigued. In the same way you can overexert a muscle. However, you can rest a muscle but you can not turn off an essential organ. Therefore it is crucial to provide therapeutic dosages of whatever an organ needs to allow it to regain complete functional capacity.
Other alternative offices say they are doing work different than conventional care because they don’t use pharmaceuticals and run more expansive tests. We used to do this but did not obtain the results we do now because we realized that the tests themselves are just an indicator that something is wrong, not the problem. Alternative physicians simply raise or lower lab values naturally and therefore are doing the same thing as their conventional counterparts. Our protocols addressing organ dysfunction directly allows us to resolve patients complaints that other offices can not. We clean up and resolve the tough issues that other physicians both conventional and alternative, can not.
At your first visit Dr. Duke will listen to your health issues/concerns and then run through a detailed intake to get a better understanding of your health and medical history. He will then run through a series of non-invasive in-house tests that will assess the functional capacity of the organs themselves as well as underlying root cause issues like molds, fungus, yeasts, bacteria, viruses, parasites and many others. Dr. Duke will then run through more tests to address what protocol would specifically address your health issues. The protocol is completely tailored to your individual needs and eliminates the guess work used in other physicians offices.
Muscle Testing is a non-invasive system of analyzing the body in order to determine the underlying causes of ill health. When these are corrected through safe, natural, nutritional means, the body can repair itself in order to attain and maintain more optimum health. It is a means of tuning in to the function of your body’s electrical system or nervous system. This allows for real-time detection of excesses, deficiencies, and stressors to the body in regards to vitamins, hormones, minerals, yeasts, molds, fungus, heavy metals, and many more potential underlying problems.
Dr. Duke's approach combines muscle testing, acupuncture, orthomolecular supplementation, and other holistic methods to get to the root cause of your health issues. This non-invasive technique has helped hundreds of patients find relief where conventional methods have failed. By addressing the underlying issues, Dr. Duke helps you achieve optimal health. It's all about getting to the root cause and providing lasting solutions!
Naturopathic medicine provides primary patient care that blends natural medicine with conventional diagnosis and treatment. Naturopathic medicine treats the cause of illness, works to prevent disease whenever possible and teach patients how to live healthy lives. Naturopathic medicine includes many tools to treat patients, including nutrition, lifestyle medicine, physical medicine, and herbal therapies.
Alternative medicine is holistic care or treatment that addresses an individual as a whole person. Proponents of alternative medicine believe in the body’s power to heal itself and believe treatment should involve the body, mind, and spirit. Care is personalized and varies based on symptoms. A patient-practitioner relationship characterized by a partnership in which the patient is encouraged to question and suggest treatment options is central to an alternative care approach.
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Dr. Duke has trained to be able to provide many different forms of acupuncture. After years of study, he has refined a method that allows him to address the root cause of health issues in order to provide relief. Dr. Duke takes time to determine what treatment protocol will benefit individuals to reach optimal health. He does not use cookie cutter protocols like many other physicians which, is why he obtains such great success with patients.
Dr. Duke has successfully treated over 100 different conditions. A full list would be exhausting and take up too much space on the FAQ. For a full list of conditions, click here. If you are curious about a specific condition Dr. Duke provides free phone or in-office consults to address your concerns directly. You can schedule a consult by clicking here.
During your first visit, Dr. Duke will conduct a thorough intake, reviewing your medical history and current health situation. He will perform a full body scan using manual muscle testing to identify any underlying issues. Dr. Duke will also test for vitamins, minerals, hormones, and infectious agents that could be affecting your health. This session typically lasts 45 minutes to an hour. Acupuncture treatments begin on the second appointment once the right protocol is determined. We're here to get to the root of your health concerns!
Orthomolecular supplementation works by correcting imbalances or deficiencies in your body using vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements, fatty acids, and other nutritional supplements. By providing your body with the necessary nutrients, it can function optimally and resolve health conditions. This approach ensures your body has everything it needs to achieve and maintain optimal health. It's all about giving your body the right tools to heal itself!
During an acupuncture session, we insert tiny needles into specific points on your body. This triggers the release of endorphins, your body's natural painkillers, and stimulates your spinal cord to release pain-suppressing neurotransmitters. It also increases blood flow to the area, promoting healing. Acupuncture can help with a variety of conditions including allergies, weight loss, pain management, stress, hormonal imbalances, infertility, facial rejuvenation, anxiety, arthritis, depression, insomnia, migraines, nausea, menstrual cramps, and more! Get ready to feel the difference!
Dr. Duke recommends all-natural, pharmaceutical-grade supplements to address your health issues. Unlike many over-the-counter options that may contain fillers or minimal active ingredients, the supplements Dr. Duke prescribes ensure you get 100% of what your body needs to heal effectively. Quality matters when it comes to your health!
There are 3 factors that impact how long it takes for health issues to resolve.
1. The age of the patient. A younger patient tends to resolve faster than an older patient.
2. The severity of the illness or injury. Minor acid reflux is easier to resolve than ulcerative colitis.
3. How long you have been dealing with your condition. If this is something acute it is going to resolve more quickly than a condition you have been dealing with for years.
Dr. Duke does not recommend taking supplements indefinitely. However, some patients feel better taking certain things ongoing. Some patients feel better cycling supplements every few weeks or months. This is based upon the intuition and feel of the patient. Certain things may need to be taken to address a condition that has impacted the body to such a degree that it is too damaged to function optimally without assistance. This is on an individual basis and is something Dr. Duke will discuss with you as you reach resolution of your condition.
After your condition has resolved Dr. Duke does recommend maintenance visits. This is to make sure that things that can be resolved before that present as problems can be handled. You don’t wait until your car is undriveable to take it in to be serviced. Patients have a feel for what they need. Some patients will follow up every 2 weeks, others monthly. Dr. Duke recommends following up once every 3 months to address organ dysfunction, diet, stress, trauma and any other health concerns.
Dr. Duke does provide recommendations for diet that can speed recovery. Some patients do not immediately need to change their diets while others will need to avoid or add certain foods. This is variable based upon your condition, what organ systems are impacted, what underlying root cause issues you may have and what symptoms you may be suffering from. There combinations for dietary solutions and foods that are causing patients problems is endless.
Wholistic Medical Group
Servicing Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties