Health&Wellness Magazine March 2015 | Page 12

12 & March 2015 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net | Like us @healthykentucky INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE Living with Chronic Illness By John A. Patterson MD, MSPH, FAAFP Unlike infectious diseases and other conditions that are often treatable or curable, chronic illness is a condition that is often expected to last for years, sometimes for the rest of one’s life. While some chronic illnesses may get progressively worse over time, others may be partially controlled by conventional treatments and healthy lifestyle adjustments, with or without the addition of complementary approaches. While there are many chronic health conditions, the most common include diabetes, arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, skin disorders, can