There has been a real shift in the way people think about their health. They are realizing that conventional medicine is expensive and sometimes dangerous–and not always effective. While the term alternative medicine may conjure up some pretty exotic images, many of these therapies are more familiar than you think. If you’ve ever massaged your temples to ease a headache, applied an ice pack to a sprained ankle or listened to your car radio to de-stress during a traffic jam, you’ve already practiced some simple natural healing techniques.
Some mainstream doctors have begun to recommend natural, drug free therapies to treat both everyday complaints and serious illness. Dietary modification, for instance has become the weapon of choice against a number of diseases that would have been treated mainly with prescription drugs a generation ago.
While natural therapies have been described as the wave of the future, they’re actually much older than Western treatments such as surgeries and antibiotics. Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India has been around for 5,000 years. Ancient Egyptians used fragrant oils in what may have been an early version of aromatherapy, and hydrotherapy was practiced in ancient Greece and Rome. And homeopathy, one of the newest techniques, is more than 200 years old.
The naturopaths are really on to something. Instead of prescribing an antibiotic to wipe out an infection, a naturopathic physician might prescribe a combination of natural remedies to attack the infection but then will also try to determine which factors in the patient’s daily life–such as stress, poor nutrition or inadequate exercise–made him susceptible to the illness in the first place. A natural healer may use a combination of juices, vitamin and mineral supplements, dietary changes and other therapies to build up the immune system. As the immune system becomes stronger, antibacterial and antiviral herbs and homeopathic preparations can be used to zero in on the infection.
That is not to say that alternative treatment should be a substitute for conventional medicine. Most alternative health practitioners believe that the best care involves considering all options, including conventional medicine. Good holistic doctors recognize that regular medicine really is best in certain areas, especially emergency situations. Using an inhaler during an attack can save the life of someone with asthma. What it can’t do is improve the condition in the long term. That’s where other treatments come in.
Whether changing your diet or relaxing with meditation, people who take the natural approach report feeling more in charge of their health. The whole idea is to break the cycle of dependency, to get people well and keep them out of the doctor’s office when it’s not necessary.
Posted by ninaer
Posted by ninaer
Posted by ninaer