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ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
MODALITIES:
To most of the world's
population, over 80 per cent to be precise, alternative medicine
is not "alternative" at all, but rather the basis of
the health care system. To Western-trained physicians
alternative medicine is "something not taught in medical
schools" and something that allopathic doctors don't do
and, one could add, generally know nothing about. Alternative
medicine actually encompasses a very large array of different
systems and therapies ranging from ayurvedic medicine to vitamin
therapy.
Ayurvedic medicine has
been practiced in India for the past five thousand years and has
recently undergone a renaissance in the West due, in no small
measure, to the work and lectures of Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD.
Ayurvedic medicine is a very comprehensive system that places
equal emphasis on body, mind, and spirit and uses a highly
personalized approach to return an individual to a state where
he or she is again in harmony with their environment. Ayurvedic
medicine uses diet, exercise, yoga, meditation, massage, herbs,
and medication and, despite its long lineage, is as applicable
today as it was 5000 years ago. For example, the seeds of the
Mucuna pruriens plant have long been used to treat Parkinson's
disease in India; it is now receiving attention in conventional
circles as it is more effective than l-dopa and has fewer side
effects.
Acupuncture
is one of the oldest, most commonly used medical procedures in
the world. Originating in China more than 2,000 years ago,
acupuncture began to become better known in the United States in
1971, when New York Times reporter James Reston wrote about how
doctors in China used needles to ease his pain after surgery.
The term acupuncture describes a
family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points
on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of
acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan,
Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that has
been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin
with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the
hands or by electrical stimulation.
In the past two decades,
acupuncture has grown in popularity in the United States. The
report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture
held at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 stated
that acupuncture is being "widely" practiced--by thousands of
physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other
practitioners--for relief or prevention of pain and for various
other health conditions. According to the 2002 National Health
Interview Survey--the largest and most comprehensive survey of
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by American
adults to date--an estimated 8.2 million U.S. adults had ever
used acupuncture, and an estimated 2.1 million U.S. adults had
used acupuncture in the previous year.
Traditional Chinese medicine
has been practiced for over 3000 years and over one quarter of
the world's population now uses one or more of its component
therapies. TCM 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, heart disease and AIDS. As does
Ayurvedic medicine, TCM also focuses on the individual and looks
for and corrects the underlying causes of imbalance and patterns
of disharmony.
Homeopathy was developed
in the early 1800s by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. It
is a low-cost, non-toxic health care system now used by hundreds
of millions of people around the world. It is particularly
popular in South America and the British Royal Family has had a
homeopathic physician for the last four generations. Homeopathy
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 the cure of conditions such as hay
fever, digestive problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and respiratory
infections.
Chiropracty primarily
involves the adjustment of spine and joints to alleviate pain
and improve general health. It was practiced by the early
Egyptians and was developed into its present form by the
American Daniel David Palmer in 1895. 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 disease can be
overcome by properly activating this potential.
Naturopathic medicine
also strongly believes in the body's inherent ability to heal
itself. Naturopathy emphasizes the need for seeking and treating
the causes of a disease rather than simply suppressing its
symptoms. Naturopaths use dietary modifications, herbal
medicines, homeopathy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage, and
lifestyle counseling to achieve healing.
Reiki
is a simple and powerful system of healing that can transform
lives. Reiki works on the body, mind, and emotional and
spiritual levels. It releases blocked energy, promotes
relaxation and reduces stress. Reiki can enhance intuition,
meditation and personal spiritual evolution. Reiki is a system
of energy healing. Reiki is the Japanese word for universal life
force energy. "Rei" means universal and "ki" means vital force
energy.
Vitamin therapy or
orthomolecular medicine uses vitamins, minerals, and amino acids
to return a diseased body to wellness in the belief that the
average diet today is often woefully inadequate in providing
needed nutrients and that the need for specific nutrients is
highly individual. Conditions as varied as hypertension,
depression, cancer, and schizophrenia can all benefit enormously
from vitamin therapy.
Colon
Hydrotherapy (aka colonic, colon irrigation) is the safe,
gentle infusion of warm purified water into the colon using no
chemicals or drugs. This is a restorative, painless procedure
that is both relaxing and effective. Colon hydrotherapy is one
of the most effective ways of cleansing the lower intestinal
tract (colon) and detoxifying the overall system.
Biofeedback, body work, massage
therapy, reflexology, aromatherapy, and various other forms of
energy medicine round out the vast spectrum of alternative
medicine modalities.
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