Integrative health care for women encompasses a wide range of health issues, beyond what people might think are the usual areas of concern.

Women's health generally focuses on breast health and gynecological health, but Dr. Jackie Thielen, an internal medicine physician with the Women's Health Specialty Center at Mayo Clinic in Florida, says women respond differently to other illnesses than men.

Dr. Thielen says, "Women are simply not a smaller version of men, and they may experience illnesses differently." She says arthritic diseases or endocrine issues, even cancers, are different because of genetics, and how women's hormones and bodies work.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Thielen discusses why integrative health care is so important for women.