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People are increasingly turning to alternative medicine instead of relying on
conventional medicine. A visit to a pharmacy will reveal shelf after shelf of
alternative medicine. Alternative medicine has been described as a broad domain
of healing resources that covers all health systems, modalities, practices and
their accompanying theories and beliefs. A popular form of alternative
medicine is Ayurvedic medicine which has been practised in India for the past
five thousand years. Ayurvedic medicine uses diet, exercise, yoga, meditation,
massage, herbs and medication. Another popular and trusted form of alternative
medicine is traditional Chinese medicine. This has been practised for over 3000
years. Chinese medicine combines the use of medicinal herbs, acupuncture and the
use of therapeutic exercises such as Qi Gong. It has proven to be effective in
the treatment of many chronic diseases including cancer, allergies and heart
diseases. As does Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine also focuses
on the individual. It looks for and corrects the underlying causes of imbalance
and patterns of disharmony.
Another form of alternative medicine is homeopathy which was developed in the
early 1800s by a German physician, Samuel Hahnemann. It is an excellent first
aid system and is also superb in the treatment of minor ailments such as
earaches, the common cold and flu. Homeopathy is again based on the treatment of
the individual and when used by a knowledgeable practitioner, can also be very
effective in curing conditions such as hay fever, digestive problems, rheumatoid
arthritis and respiratory infections.
Apart from that, chiropractic is another form of alternative medicine. It
primarily involves the adjustment of spine and joints to alleviate pain and
improve general health. It is now the most common form of alternative medicine
in the United States. Chiropractors not only manipulate spine and joints, but
also advise their patients on lifestyle and diet matters. They believe that
humans possess an innate healing potential and that all diseases can be overcome
by properly activating this potential.
Alternative medicine is a multi-billion dollar industry. It is also growing
rapidly especially among the well-educated and affluent. Why is it so popular in
this modem age? Many people suffer from chronic illnesses such as arthritis,
indigestion, back pain and migraine. Conventional western medicine often cannot
provide satisfactory solutions, so people with chronic conditions increasingly
turn to alternative therapies to improve their quality of life. Furthermore,
this form of treatment is safe and it works! It is more effective in prevention,
in chronic diseases, and in addressing the mental, emotional and spiritual needs
of an individual. These are precisely the areas where alternative medicine
excels.
Alternative medicine places emphasis on prevention or the treatment of the
cause of a disorder rather than treating the symptoms. It uses time-tested,
natural remedies instead of quick fixes and powerful drugs with awful side
effects. It believes in the body's own innate powers to do the healing.
Practitioners of alternative medicine treat each patient as an individual and do
what, in the physician's opinion, is best for a particular patient rather than
what is specified in a 'rule book' as in conventional medicine. It requires the
patient to take a proactive part in both prevention and treatment.
Although some physicians still drag their heels over alternative medicine, or
even ridicule it, alternative medicine is indeed receiving the attention it
deserves. Many physicians now embrace the use of natural therapies and products
to complement conventional medicine. This fact, perhaps more than anything else,
is what is driving the rapid and massive switch from conventional to alternative
medicine. |
