Today I had the pleasure of photographing Dr. Larecia Foster, DO of Windrose Family Medicine for the September issue of Living Magazine. I've driven by the practice on 20423 Kuykendahl in Spring many, many times. It was great to have a chance to see the VERY nice clinic and to meet such a lovely person as Dr. Foster. Despite the scheduled and un-scheduled patients coming and going, as well as a variety of other people, she managed to remain calm and I could really see how her demeanor helps her take the time to connect with her patients. As I was preparing for the session last night, I realized I didn't know what a DO, Doctor of Osteopathy, was. A quick Google search, and I was reading all sorts of interesting facts about osteopathy.
Osteopathic medicine is a unique form of American medical care that was started in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO. Dr. Still was dissatisfied with the effectiveness of 19th century medicine. He believed that many of the medications of his day were useless or even harmful. Dr. Still was one of the first in his time to study the attributes of good health so that he could better understand the process of disease.
Dr. Still developed a philosophy of medicine based on ideas that date back to Hippocrates, the father of medicine. That philosophy focuses on the unity of all body parts. Dr. Still identified the musculoskeletal system as a key element of health. He recognized the body's ability to heal itself and stressed preventive medicine, eating properly and keeping fit.
Dr. Still pioneered the concept of "wellness" more than 135 years ago. In today's terms, DOs evaluate each patient's health risks—such as smoking, high blood pressure, excessive cholesterol levels and stress. In concert with prescribing appropriate medical treatment, osteopathic physicians act as teachers to help patients take more responsibility for their well-being and to change unhealthy patterns. In addition, these modern-day pioneers practice on the cutting edge of medicine. DOs combine today's medical technology with their ears to listen caringly to their patients, with their eyes to see their patients as whole persons, and with their hands to diagnose and treat patients for injury and illness.
If this sounds like the right place for your family's medical care, you should meet with Dr. Foster. She is accepting new patients. You can visit www.windrosefamilymedicine.com or call 281-500-8660.
