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| Alternative Medicine Information |
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What are the Best Roles for Western and Alternative Medicine?
I think it's very confusing for patients to decide what the best roles are for Western medicine and alternative medicine. In this article, I'll try to clear some of that confusion with a few simple principles. I can tell you how I view the difference between the two systems of medicine and you can decide what to do for yourself and your family. First, a short explanation of alternative medicine. It is often also called complementary medicine, integrative medicine, wellness or holistic health. Alternative medicine is a catch-all term that includes many healing methods from many countries and cultures. From India it includes yoga, ayurveda, chakra healing, and herbal medicine. From China it includes tai chi, chi gong, acupuncture, acupressure, massage and another set of herbal medicines. From North America it includes homeopathy, naturopathy, massage therapy, reflexology and many other types of therapies. By Western medicine, I mean the usual type of medicine used here in the U.S. and Canada. Pharmaceutical drugs, antibiotics and surgery are the most commonly prescribed treatments under Western medicine. The name alternative medicine makes it sound like these therapies should be used instead of Western medicine. But this really isn't the case. Hardly anyone ignores Western medicine and just focuses on alternative medicine. My own approach can be summarized in four principles:
Using the safest, cheapest, effective remedy first is sensible, I think. Use safe, cheap remedies with no side effects first, then progress to stronger, more dangerous, more expensive treatments later. A good example of this is when my wife's allergies come on in springtime. She starts by taking an aromatherapy combination that she rubs on her nose and forehead. Most of the time, this works. But when it doesn't, she moves on to a homeopathic remedy for allergies. Usually, that will solve whatever problem the aromatherapy could not help. But if neither one works, she moves on to an off-the-shelf drug for allergies. And that usually fixes whatever symptoms the first two could not work on. I suppose if she was still suffering after that, she might go to the doctor and get a very strong prescription treatment. That hasn't happened yet, thankfully. Why not just take the over-the-counter drug first? Because it has bad side-effects. It makes her sleepy, it dries out her nose making it bleed, and lots of other bad stuff. And it is costly. But that's worth it if she's already tried the other safer, cheaper remedies. In another example, when I have a back problem, I'll go to a massage therapist, rolfer or Feldenkrais practitioner. They can usually help me. If not, I go to a chiropractor. Chiropractors are great for relieving back pain. If that doesn't help, then I'll think about taking off-the-shelf pain medication. If that isn't strong enough, I go to the doctor to get a prescription drug that can knock the pain out while I have the bodyworkers help me with the actual problem in my back. My second principle is that I use alternative medicine for the everyday problems and the chronic problems. By chronic, I mean the problems that linger day-after-day, week-after-week. Alternative medicine is well-known for helping people with the chronic ailments like diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, etc. Chronic problems can also be less severe like back pain, soreness, obesity, chattering mind, etc. Western medicine seems clueless when it comes to these problems. Third, I use alternative medicine for wellness and prevention. I go to see a massage therapist even when I don't have any problems, just to help me stay healthy. I go to see a naturopath as a "checkup" every six months or so to make sure I'm on the right track and to report any seemingly small symptoms that may turn into something worse down the road. Fourth, I definitely turn to Western medicine for acute or life-threatening problems. If my appendix starts hurt, I'm not going to see a massage therapist or reflexologist. I'm going to trot over to the hospital emergency room. If I've been involved in a car accident and my legs got crushed, I want the best surgeons to put me back together. I follow these principles, not just because they are healthier, less risky and more prevention-oriented, but also because of another consideration. Cost. Western medicine, especially when used as a "first resort," is just too expensive for me. My health insurance policy has a high deductible, because my wife and I are both self-employed and we cannot afford thousands of dollars a month for health insurance. So I want the best possible healthcare for the best price. And that seems to be alternative medicine more often than not. Daryl Kulak is the author of Health Insurance Off the Grid, a book that provides a simple, effective plan to reduce insurance costs for the self-employed, unemployed and underinsured. The book puts the new Health Savings Account (HSA) together with alternative medicine to create a workable, cost-effective plan for many Americans. The book is available at the Website http://www.healthoffthegrid.com
Physician and Patient Attitudes towards Complementary and ... - 7thSpace Interactive (press release)
alternative medicine - Google News |
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Alternative Medicine Natures Way To Relieve Arthritis Pain PINEAPPLE AND PAPAYAS Low Back Pain About 85 percent of the population will experience disabling low back pain at least once during their lives! That's almost all of us. The problem is so bad that at any one time, according to one researcher, 6.8% of the U.S. adult population is suffering from an episode of back pain lasting more than two weeks. That's a lot of bad backs. The estimated cost of this problem in the U.S. is over $50 billion a year. MEDICINES use and ABUSE Friends, The study below done a few years ago should scare the socks off us all. We can do much better in this country. Three Steps to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids Constipation, Hemorrhoids or Piles, and inactivity go hand in hand. If you have been constipated for quite a while, chances are you have hemorrhoids. If you are inactive because you just like sitting around or are confined to a bed or chair, then you will have constipation and hemorrhoids. Holistic Health Holistic Health involves natural treatment options like holistic health nutrition, herbology, environmental medicine, energy work, mind-body medicine, anatomy, and many other holistic health practices. Going Beyond Diffusion Beyond Diffusion Aromatherapy Candles Nothing turns a commonplace, ho-hum room into a radiant, inviting setting faster than the flicker of a few ordinary candles scattered strategically throughout the room. Add scented candles and you can quickly evoke childhood memories, transport your imagination to a tropical island, or infuse the room with the crisp scent of a pine forest. Aromatherapy candles add yet another dimension to the equation. Have you Fed Your Good Bugs Today? Most consumers have heard of probiotics and know that they are foods containing live, beneficial bacteria. Foods such as yogurt, buttermilk, miso or kefir are the most recognized foods providing 'good' bacteria for the gut. Junk Food Is Not Easier To Eat There is something to be said about fast food being more convenient then healthy food that helps you be thin. I will give you that. But wait, how about this. Convenient when? It is definitely convenient now. How about later, when you don't have enough energy to do anything but go to sleep? Or when you cannot focus because all you feel like doing is taking a nap. Or is it more convenient when you have indigestion and heartburn and don't feel like doing anything? Ganoderma the Miracle Herb - Can It Help You? Let us see if Ganoderma which has been discribed as the "miracle herb" can help you with your health regime. Why Most People Dont Really Want To Heal (Part 1) I recently attended a metaphysical lecture facilitated by Guy Williams, a friend of mine who also happens to be a minister of Religious Science. After the lecture, Guy opened the floor for prayer requests, and one of the attendees asked for healing for a family member who was experiencing a significant health crisis. Feeling Frisky? Herbs for Fertility For thousands of years knowledge of the herbs and wild plants that could increase fertility were the secrets of the village wise women. But after the holocaust against European Wise Women (the "burning times") and the virtual extermination of Native American medicine women, this knowledge virtually disappeared. In fact, many people erroneously believe that "primitive people" had no means of controlling the likelihood of pregnancy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bois De Santal: The Source of Tranquility The near extinct bois de santal has a sensual and exotic scent that gives an elevating experience for those who use it. The oil extraction process of the sandalwood is lengthy; the tree has to be about 30 years old before the process can take place. Shiatsu What is Shiatsu? Shiatsu, literally means: Shi = 'finger,' Atsu = 'pressure.' By definition, Shiatsu translates into 'finger pressure.' Recognized by Japanese law in 1955, and in the text book, 'Theory and Practice of Shiatsu,'1 Shiatsu is defined as the use of fingers and the palm (especially the thumbs) of an individual's hands whereby pressure is applied to specific parts on the body's surface - purposefully for the correction of bodily imbalances. Shiatsu therapy is utilized for maintaining and promoting overall health. Heart Disease and Homocysteine Are you aware that one of the most important indicators of heart disease is homocysteine? -1 Thyme: Elegance Drifting Through the Ages of Time Thyme is a herb that has been cultivated for centuries for both its medicinal and culinary uses. Myofascial Release What is MYOFACSCIAL RELEASE? Myofascial release is a tender mixture of stretches and massage techniques. A bodywork therapy whereby a therapist directs hands-on touch and maneuvers to the entire body, myofascial release promotes healing and relieves pain. Buyer Beware: Is That Ergonomic Chair Really Ergonomic? Not everybody knows exactly what ergonomic means, but it's getting to the point where everybody knows an "ergonomic chair" is better than just some plain old chair. Thus even Joe Newbie is more likely to buy the ergonomic chair than the chair that is not advertised as ergonomic. Stopping Colds in Their Tracks We all know the nasty sensation of coming down with a cold: when you feel like your head is stopped up, when your nose is constantly running, and when nothing tastes right. Aromatherapy What is aromatherapy? Used for centuries, aromatherapy is known to have been utilized by the Egyptian physician, Imhotep; and Hippocrates. The first person to dub the term "aromatherapy, was French chemist, Rene-Mauric Gattefosse during the 1930s.
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