But inside, the buzzwords circulating among the crowd were as alien to the environment as the flute-laced world-music emanating from the stage.
In the hallway, people chattered over the cheese tray about recent studies on the efficacy of acupuncture, while in one corner, a woman listened as a local hypnotist touted the benefits of hypnotherapy.
It was all part of the first of what St. Patrick Hospital officials hope will become an annual conference on integrative medicine and health, dubbed "Bridging
the Gap."
"I think it's high time to begin this conversation," said Dr. Randale Seachrest, director of the Montana Spine Center at St. Patrick Hospital, in opening the conference.
"The appropriate way for health care to evolve is through a conversation between the community, the traditional health care professionals, and the new kids on the block - the allopathic people."
The conference kicked into gear Friday night with a keynote speech by Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, a nationally respected expert in the emerging field of integrative medicine - that is, medicine that incorporates not only Western, "allopathic" medical science, but also traditional forms of healing such as massage, acupuncture, herbal therapies and meditation.
Low Dog, a medical researcher at the University of Arizona School of Medicine, outlined her beliefs regarding the flaws and shortcomings in the current American medical system in an emotional, hour-long speech to about 160 people in attendance.
"Since the 1980s, science has demonstrated that mood can influence the progression of coronary artery disease," said Low Dog. "Yet how many of you, when you're diagnosed with coronary artery disease, are referred out to a yoga class by your doctor? ... We haven't done a very good job of communicating what the evidence is (in support of non-allopathic medicine). There's a lot more evidence than you think."
Low Dog cited a litany of scientific studies that have, in fact, proved the potential efficacy of traditional forms of healing.
Pre-operative aromatherapy and music therapy, for example, have been demonstrated to improve recovery time and reduce pain after invasive surgeries.
Acupuncture was recently shown to significantly improve flexibility and decrease pain in people who suffered from osteoarthritis of the knee.
Tai chi has been shown to be good for balance, flexibility and pain.
Other studies indicate that meditation and relaxation therapies can reduce pain by as much as a third.
"That means less pain medication, which in turn means less constipation, less risk of fall, being more aware," said Low Dog. "It's self-empowering."
Low Dog also spoke at length about the simple power of a good diet.
Blueberries? Good for the peripheral circulatory system. Garlic? Evidence strongly suggests it can help prevent gastrointestinal cancers and reduce blood pressure. Ginko biloba can help slow the progress of dementia; ginger and turmeric both show "staggering" efficacy as antioxidants; and glucosamine is "the only drug we've seen so far that can slow the development of osteoarthritis," according to Low Dog.
"Eating healthy food is one of the best bets you have," she said. "I think it's a tragedy when we think that you can get in a pill what you can get in food. You can't."
Ultimately, Low Dog said, the point of integrative medicine isn't to denigrate modern allopathic science. Rather, it's to elevate other proven forms of healing to equal stature.
"I hope, more than focusing on bringing alternatives in, that we just look for good medicine that treats the whole person, that we give compassionate care, and that we bring humanity back into the doctor-patient relationship," she said.
That message was exactly what inspired Seachrest to organize this weekend's conference.
"For years, there has been a gulf between the alternative and the allopathic professional communities," said Seachrest after listening to Low Dog's keynote talk. "I think that was more antagonistic in the past, but now it's just that people don't know enough. People get extremely focused in their own professional areas, and don't have a sense of the other specialties that might come to bear on a particular person's health care needs."
For Matt Schlechten, a naturopathic physician at Rocky Mountain Natural Medicine in Hamilton, the conference was "exactly what I've been hoping to see happen for some time."
"This is really important, to help both doctors and the general public understand that there are other, legitimate forms of healing besides what we've come to know and expect from the American health care system," said Schlechten.
Missoula resident Owen Maloney agreed that the idea of integrative health care is long overdue.
"I've been interested in health issues for a long time, and I think it's great to hear this kind of talk happening," Maloney said. "With all the money we spend on health, why aren't we healthy?"
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