Nature’s Assistant

Body, heal thyself.

Expert Witness
by Kate Nolan

Joel P. Mascaro, D.O., operates the New Horizon Medical Center in Scottsdale, a physician-based osteopathic practice that focuses on disease prevention and maintaining maximum health.

When not seeing patients in his busy practice, Mascaro is a professor of osteopathic medicine, teaching medical skills to first- and second-year D.O. students. For our edification, we asked Dr. Mascaro to clarify his medical philosophy.

As a professor of osteopathic medicine and a practicing D.O., how are you different from a medical doctor?

The D.O. philosophy is rooted in entire body wellness and preventative care. We help patients regain and maintain control of their lives. The human body has the capacity to heal itself and when we foster this, wonderful things happen. What we do was described by Galen, the ancient Roman doctor, who said, “The physician is nature’s assistant.”

Also, we’re best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work. Who said that? Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Now, he was no dummy.

So, how does that work out in practice?

We look for health. When you look for health, you see how the body functions, its weaknesses and strengths. We fix the weaknesses or defects, and support the strengths. We try to achieve balance in each body system: the endocrine, circulatory, neuromuscular, immune, everything. We  realize all systems are interrelated and they certainly communicate with each other.

Allopathic medicine offers more of a band-aid approach by comparison. It may fix the symptoms, but often not the cause. Treating the symptom and not the cause allows the disease process to grow and can lead to chronic and sometimes fatal outcomes.

How do you view prescription drugs?

They’re not my first option, but I do prescribe pharmaceuticals. A lot of patients come to me because they’re just tired of being on so many prescription drugs. My philosophy is: Go on prescription medicines when appropriate, but only on an as-needed basis. I truly believe that everything natural is not always good, but everything synthetic is not always bad. Take the Type One diabetic, for example. They need insulin, probably for life. But the rest of the patient has to be in balance. They have to pursue whole body health. The D.O. who practices like a D.O. is in a prime position to handle the upcoming changes in medicine.

Describe a good preventologist.

Any doctor can find disease. Finding health should be the goal of the wise clinician, and then encouraging health. The D.O. treats the body, mind and spirit as one, listens  to what the patient says, and values their time. Today’s doctor should have experience and wisdom to guide patients through this complicated maze we call managed care, while providing a safe home.

What can patients do to improve their outcomes?

Attitude is paramount. We can enlighten and nurture you, but your attitude will influence the results. Adaptability is also 
important. You have to understand that changes need to be made: lose those 20 pounds, stop smoking, get off your butt. Compliance is important, too. Patients who are compliant are patients who succeed. And, the more informed they are about their health, the more compliant they are. Finally, equity—or getting involved in your own health—makes the big difference. Sometimes you just have to buy in, emotionally and financially, and make the commitment.
And if you’re pinning me down to the most important thing? Exercise! Because life is motion.

To learn more, visit Dr. Joel P. Mascaro at www.NewHorizonHealth.net