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Dr. Benton of bentonintegrative presents a workshop on Vaccine Efficacy and Informed Consent, offering valuable insights and information on these critical topics. As a Medical Clinic focused on Direct Primary Care and Functional Medicine, our approach combines integrative and traditional medicine to address root cause illnesses. Join us to learn more about evidence-based medicine and the importance of informed decision-making in healthcare. Trust bentonintegrative to provide comprehensive and expert guidance on your health journey.

We are opening up our facility throughout the month of February for those who provide services and would like to utilize a room in our facility for a day. You would be responsible for booking your own clients, promoting yourself (although we’ll put you on our social and a special newsletter as well) and you can set up and utilize during our business hours (between 9-4)

Most people carry smartphones, we use computers and wi-fi in our homes. These very devices we use to connect us to our friends and families comes with a price. The impact of "all things" digital are draining our energy and effecting our well-being. In these sessions you will discover a holistic wellness solution that will protect your body from harmful e-smog and electromagnetic radiation. The $10 fee will place you in a drawying to get 2 FREE Sauna Sessions OR $100 Supplements/Skin Care Products.

If you get the flu, odds are you will survive.  About 1000-3000 die annually out of over 300 million patients so you will likely be fine.  If you have fragile health or getting worse instead of better, then you should seek care.  Otherwise stay home and do some self care.  Here are the tips I would do  (and have done the one time we had it) for my family. First of all, there is no need for Tamiflu.  Studies show it may shorten the flu by 3/4 of a day.  It isn't worth the risk of psychiatric side effects for such little benefit.  Several studies show no benefit at all.  So here are several things you can do.  I recommend to get these items before flu season just in case so you don't have to go out sick and share it with everyone.  See my flu prevention blog to try to ward it off. Elderberry Syrup Elderberry Syrup is a great anti viral.  Various brands have some lower glycemic versions for diabetics and safe versions for infants as well.  Take that frequently through the day starting at the onset.  It is food so I can't imagine overdosing on this. Homeopathic Medicine Homeopathic aconitum, oscillococcinum/ Influenzinum (buy both aconitum and one of the other two).  At onset of fever and body aches, start one or both of these taking 3 pellets every 15 minutes for two hours and then as needed.  Safe for babies even. Alovea- https://cammybenton.myalovea.com/ Alovea- more specifically the Acemannon that is in Alovea has incredible immune support data for many types of infections. Take a Vitamin Burst Vitamin A -adults -15,000-25,000 IU three times a day for 2 days, kids under twelve twice a day for up to two maybe three days max, Infants can have up to two doses daily for max two days.  Vitamin D adults 100,000 IU daily (get the liquid higher dose kind) for up to 5 days, kids under 12 up to 10,000 IU daily for 5 days unless you have a parathyroid problem or super high calcium issue. Then vitamin C -adults 1000 mg 4-5 times per day,  kids under 12- 1000 mg 3-4 times per day, kids 1-5 500 mg 3-4 times per day, infants- buffered vitamin C pinch in each cheek every 1-2 hours.  Stop the vitamin C if there is stomach cramping or diarrhea as that is the sign of having more than enough. Use a humidifier with about 1/8-1/4 cup of peroxide depending on how large it is and inhale only into your nose that mist with the peroxide to kill off the virus in your nose. Do this often but if it burns your nose, either dilute more or do it less often. Then look at my cold handout on managing the other symptoms but in general, do hot epsom salt baths with apple cider vinegar baths, simply saline, and the wet sock trick. Avoid treating the fever, See this blog on fever , what to take instead of tylenol for fever , studies on fever and info about fever phobia. Here is an article for prevention for the next time. May you have a quick recovery. Legal disclaimer : If you develop shortness of breath or any scary purple rashes or mental status changes, get help ASAP!.

Saunas have been cherished for centuries in various cultures around the world as places of relaxation and rejuvenation. Beyond their reputation for posh retreats, saunas offer a multitude of health benefits that can improve your overall well-being. Great idea — adding a Safety and Best Practices  section will make your blog both professional and reassuring, especially for first-time users who may be curious but cautious. Here’s the fully polished version with that section included at the end: The Science-Backed Benefits of Sauna Therapy and Red Light Therapy Saunas and red light therapy are two of the most powerful wellness tools available today. Individually, each offers impressive benefits. Together, they provide a synergistic boost for healing, relaxation, and overall health. Let’s look at what the science says. Stress Reduction The heat and calming environment of a sauna promote relaxation by reducing cortisol levels, your body’s primary stress hormone. Studies show that sauna bathing stimulates the release of endorphins, which create a sense of tranquility and well-being (Laukkanen et al., 2018, Mayo Clinic Proceedings ). Regular sessions may improve resilience to everyday stress and support mental health. Improved Circulation and Heart Health Sauna heat causes your blood vessels to dilate, improving circulation and lowering blood pressure. Research from a large Finnish study found that frequent sauna use (4–7 times per week) was associated with a 50% lower risk of fatal cardiovascular events compared to once-weekly use (Laukkanen et al., 2015, JAMA Internal Medicine ). Increased blood flow helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to muscles and organs, boosting cardiovascular endurance and recovery. Muscle and Joint Pain Relief Heat therapy in saunas relaxes muscles, reduces stiffness, and promotes endorphin release. Clinical studies suggest that people with arthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain conditions experience significant symptom relief after sauna use (Matsumoto et al., 2011, Internal Medicine ). Athletes also use sauna sessions to speed recovery and decrease post-exercise soreness. Detoxification Sweating is one of the body’s natural ways to excrete toxins. While the liver and kidneys are the main detox organs, research indicates that sweat can help eliminate heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury (Genuis et al., 2011, Journal of Environmental and Public Health ). This process supports skin health and leaves you feeling lighter and refreshed. For more on detoxification, check out my Detoxify Your Body for Your Health  blog, and explore our Detox Supplements Bundle at Designs for Health. Weight Management and Metabolic Support While saunas are not a replacement for exercise, they can complement a weight management program. A single sauna session can increase heart rate to levels similar to moderate exercise, which temporarily boosts calorie burn. More importantly, research shows that regular sauna use is linked to improved insulin sensitivity and lower risk of type 2 diabetes (Laukkanen et al., 2018, Mayo Clinic Proceedings ). Respiratory Health Saunas may benefit people with asthma, bronchitis, or chronic respiratory conditions. The warm air helps loosen mucus, reduce airway inflammation, and improve breathing comfort. A review published in Annals of Medicine  (Kukkonen-Harjula & Kauppinen, 2006) noted that sauna use can reduce the frequency of colds and improve lung function in some patients. Improved Skin Health Sweating in the sauna opens pores, clears impurities, and removes dead skin cells. Increased circulation delivers nutrients to the skin, promoting a healthy glow. Regular sauna bathing has been associated with improved skin elasticity and reduced risk of acne and eczema flare-ups. Enhanced Immune Function Repeated sauna exposure stimulates the production of white blood cells, enhancing immune defense. A German study found that people who used the sauna regularly had fewer episodes of the common cold compared to non-users (Ernst et al., 1990, Annals of Medicine ). By activating the body’s stress-adaptation response, saunas help you resist infections more effectively. Mental Clarity and Relaxation Beyond physical benefits, saunas provide mental rest. The heat-induced relaxation improves focus, mood, and sleep quality. In fact, studies suggest regular sauna bathing may reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by up to 66% (Laukkanen et al., 2017, Age and Ageing ). The Added Benefits of Red Light Therapy At Benton Integrative Medicine, we’ve paired our sauna with red light therapy  to give patients an even more effective wellness tool. Red Light Therapy on Its Own Red light therapy (also called photobiomodulation) uses specific wavelengths of light, typically 600–1000 nanometers, to penetrate the skin and stimulate cellular repair. Research shows: Cellular energy boost  – Red light increases mitochondrial activity and ATP production, improving how cells repair and regenerate (Hamblin, 2017, Journal of Biophotonics ). Skin rejuvenation  – Clinical studies confirm improvements in collagen production, wrinkle reduction, and scar healing (Avci et al., 2013, Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery ). Pain and inflammation reduction  – Red light therapy reduces oxidative stress and modulates inflammation, easing muscle and joint discomfort. Faster recovery  – Athletes often use red light to speed healing from injuries, workouts, or surgeries. Red Light Plus Sauna: The Synergistic Duo When combined, sauna and red light therapy offer amplified benefits: Enhanced detox and skin repair  – Sauna-induced sweating clears impurities while red light stimulates skin healing and collagen. Greater muscle recovery  – Sauna boosts circulation while red light reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, creating faster recovery after workouts. Immune and metabolic support  – Sauna elevates heat-shock proteins and immune function, while red light enhances cellular resilience. Together, they strengthen your body’s defenses and energy systems. Deeper relaxation  – Many patients report that the pairing of gentle heat with therapeutic light maximizes relaxation and mood improvement. Emerging research supports this synergy, suggesting that combining heat therapy with light-based therapies may improve outcomes for chronic pain, mood disorders, and skin health more effectively than either treatment alone. Safety and Best Practices While sauna and red light therapy are safe for most people, a few precautions can help you get the best results: Hydrate well  – Drink water before and after your session to replace fluids lost through sweating. Session length  – Start with 10–15 minutes and gradually increase to 20–30 minutes as tolerated. Red light sessions are typically 10–20 minutes depending on the device and setting. Listen to your body  – Step out if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or overheated. Clothing  – Lightweight clothing or a towel is recommended for saunas, while red light is most effective on bare skin exposure. Medical conditions  – People with uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe heart disease, or certain skin conditions should consult their healthcare provider first. Pregnancy  – Sauna use is generally discouraged during pregnancy due to the risk of overheating. Red light therapy may be considered safe, but should only be used under medical guidance. Alcohol  – Avoid alcohol before sessions, as it increases dehydration risk and strain on the heart. By following these best practices, you can safely maximize the benefits of sauna and red light therapy. Your Sauna and Red Light Experience at Benton Integrative Medicine We offer sauna sessions enhanced with red light therapy, creating a restorative experience that supports mind, body, and skin health. With on-site showers and flexible session packages, it’s easy to fit healing into your day. Sauna and red light therapy are the perfect complement to our integrative health services — including Functional Medicine, Hormone Health, Biocharger, and Direct Primary Care. Visit us in Huntersville, just north of Charlotte, and experience the next level of wellness.

Who longs for the days of the family doctor having time to spend with you and actually listen to your issues?  How about those home visits you remember as a child when you were too sick and the doctor actually came to your home?  Those were the romantic days of family medicine and what many of us dream of when we sign up for medical school. These days, thanks to corporations and insurance companies, the clinic has become a patient mill where patients see the doctors for 8 minutes to squeeze in their concerns.  It isn't the doctor's choice to do this but they are owned by companies dictating their schedules.    More and more insurance companies and especially Medicare are dictating medical choices and doctors have to choose the path of least resistance to survive so they give up the fight.  The patients become the diabetic with the ulcer or the sickly kid instead of Mr. Johnson who has diabetes and suffering from an ulcer and little Jay who is having recurrent ear infections due to daycare.  The person with multiples issues is dreaded and given time for one issue at a time when the issues are all really connected and should be considered as a whole. Soon doctors will be graded on being compliant with what Medicare dictates.  It sounds good on paper that we have a high percentage of patients with well controlled diabetes and blood pressure but the reality is that doctors are firing patients that are non compliant to improve their scores.  It is mostly a subconscious thing I believe but still if I fire a patient for uncontrolled diabetes where do they go?  I am the frontline in medicine.  Maybe they only have $200 per month to eat and they can only afford cheap quality food? Maybe they are sharing their insulin with their husband because insulin is too expensive?  Maybe the patient just isn't ready to change their diets?  After all most of us have some bad habits and it is hard to change!  So we are forced to have potentially worse scores and keep those patients who just don't want to change or we justify dismissing them for noncompliance.  After all, we have tons more patients so we will help those who want help right?  Terrible! The Revolution I can't take it anymore so now for the revolution!  Well over 6,000 doctors nationwide are taking back our dreams of providing premium care to patients we love by the model of Direct Primary Care.  The goal is higher quality and value care rather than volume.  We eliminate the fee for service that creates a need for increased volume to be profitable and the patient feels like they need to squeeze everything out of that visit to get the most out of it.  Neither create a system for focus on wellness.  By having monthly payments to cover costs instead of depending on insurance and Medicare, patients can get care when needed and not worry about the additional cost.  I will limit the number of patients to a panel of about 400 patients compared to 2000 that I had at a previous job so I have time to focus on getting our patients well with longer office visits, home visits, hospital visits (although we don't admit) and we won't be limited by the insurance companies and Medicare.  Some things may be managed by phone instead of having to come in to be seen.  In a regular model we only get paid if you are seen even if it is for minor things.  Basic labs, paps, skin procedures, phone visits, office visits, and more are covered by the monthly fees and they will see me and call me! No more difficulties getting to talk to the actual doctor!  I finally get to be that country doctor I dreamed of and now I have the integrative medicine on top of it so I can provide holistic medicine to the average person to get to the root of illness to create true wellness.  I will be opened Benton Integrative Primary Care in July at the Acupuncture and Healing Arts building in Denver, NC and we grew so quickly that we had to move to Huntersville where we expanded and then opened a second location in Costwald. Check out www.bentonintegrative.com for details My dream ultimately is to build a clinic that has a teaching kitchen with a health coach to teach people how to grocery shop and cook.  I want a yoga/exercise room and classroom to teach people how to live more healthfully.  I hope to have an IV therapy room so instead of going to an expensive ER or infusion center for a $5 bag of fluids, we can do it and get better faster and cheaper.  I will have a full integrative team of health care providers to tap into all kinds of modalities to get better in the healthiest way possible.  My goal is to treat the whole patient-mind, body, and spirit and partner with them to create wellness. I have to make a shout out for Catawba Valley Medical Group where I worked prior to opening Benton Integrative because it is a real not for profit community hospital and is really great minus me having to see more patients than I really want to but it is reasonable compared to most clinics these days.  They also really care about patients and have awesome providers.  I have nothing but gratitude for them.    Most "not for profits" manage to meet that criteria only through loop holes but practice as for profit and the well being of the patient really doesn't matter.  These community centers and DPC clinics are making the medical system a better place for patients to seek care.

Jaime Showmaker provides mutiple roles at BIM, helping the office run smoothly as the general manager and our resident life coach. Serving Huntersville, Charlotte NC and surrounding areas. Jamie Showmaker General Practice Manager and Life Coach Jaime is a certified life coach whose desire is to support others to connect with and live authentically in their bodies. She became passionate about holistic health over a decade ago when she struggled with weight loss and metabolic issues. By learning to listen to her body and shifting the way she viewed her relationship to it, she lost 50 pounds and has maintained that weight loss for over eight years. After that success, she decided to study the impact of mindset and emotion on our bodies, earning her coaching certification in 2019. She has been supporting clients in private practice since 2021, and is excited to expand her offerings to the patients at Benton Integrative Medicine. She is also completing a somatic healing certification later this year, which will add another modality of support and expertise for BIM patients. Jaime is available to support patients through coaching in all areas of holistic health, whether that be with sexual health, root cause issues, weight loss, or other physical goals. Her focus is on the entire patient journey, integrating the thoughts, emotions, and physical body so that the result is whole-person wellness for every patient. When not helping people learn to love and understand their minds and bodies, Jaime usually has her nose in a classic book or is spending time being a busy mom to her three boys. Learn more about Wellness & Healing >>

Dr Benjamin T. Schwartz ND, DC is a Natropathic and Functional Medicine Physician. Serving Huntersville, Charlotte NC and surrounding areas. Dr. Benjamin T. Schwartz ND, DC Functional Medicine and Naturopathic Physician I realized early on in my pre-medical training that I felt more aligned with the practices of alternative medicine. I opted out of traditional medical school and chose to attend National University of Health Sciences at Chicago to earn dual doctoral degrees in naturopathic and chiropractic medicines. Since then, I’ve learned to keep it simple: I believe that our bodies have the innate ability to heal themselves under the right conditions, and that if we create those conditions for ourselves, then true health will emerge. I am passionate about the importance of proper nutrition and supplementation, dynamic mental and emotional health, movement and exercise, reducing toxic exposure, and our biological uniqueness. I believe that the daily choices we make over time will have the greatest impact on our health. I am also board-certified in chiropractic acupuncture which I am passionate about clinically and have found great value in. I grew up in Richmond, Virginia and I am the youngest of three. I was raised by a mother that inspired a health-conscious lifestyle, and a father that coached me in basketball, baseball and football. I know that my upbringing was the driving force behind my pursuit of naturopathic and chiropractic medicine. My specialties include gastrointestinal health, thyroid health, imbalanced hormones, musculoskeletal health, autoimmunity, cardiometabolic function and chronic pain. I consider myself a “forever student” and will frequently attend conferences and seminars whenever I can to learn new sciences, stay up to date with the ever-evolving medical field, and continue my education. I am grateful to live on the east coast again closer to my roots. When I am not helping patients, I enjoy traveling, hiking, skateboarding, exercising, exploring the city, and discovering new music. Learn More - Functional Medicine & Hormones >> Get to Know Dr. Ben

Doreen McCormick provides mutiple roles at BIM, helping the office run smoothly, keeping patients informed and our resident nutritional health coach. Serving Huntersville, Charlotte NC and surrounding areas. Doreen McCormick, MSPT, INHC Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Doreen is a holistic physical therapist and integrative health coach and has a passion for helping others think, feel and perform at their best. As an IronMan athlete she knows the importance of taking care of yourself, the interconnectedness of body and mind, and believes that our bodies are incredible machines and an amazing gift from God. She works to guide, counsel, and come alongside others, providing tools and encouragement to finally break free of the roadblocks holding you back. Areas Doreen is particularly passionate about include managing stress and mindfulness, movement, quick and easy food options for busy families, healthy habit formation and helping to uncover the why and remove the roadblocks holding you back so that you may live your best life. When she is not out trying to change the world, Doreen enjoys spending time in nature, exercising with her friends, and spending quality time with her husband and four kids. Learn more about Wellness & Healing >>