Showing posts with label Medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medicine. Show all posts

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Holistic Medicine As Compared With Other Medical Practices



Holistic medicine is health care that comprises all the aspects of one' s personality to obtain the optimum state of wellness. It encompasses the process of looking into the wholeness of the person including nutritional, physical, environmental, spiritual, lifestyle and social values. Holistic medicine includes virtually all treatments and diagnosis known to achieve balance in personality. It upholds the responsibility of educating one's self to attain the ideal over-all health and well being.

Holistic medicine and Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine is commonly associated with holistic medicine. By definition, alternative medicine is the medical techniques that are usually not accepted or practiced by conventional medical practitioners. Most alternative medicines are founded to have rooted on unscientific, untested and untraditional principles. Often, these forms of medicine are closely associated with metaphysical components and anti-scientific stands.

Many of these techniques don't normally have pharmaceutical values like the acupuncture, herbalism, Reiki, homeopathy and the likes. Yet the alternative medicine may also be used in experimental non-drug and drug techniques that are not yet accepted in the medical circles. The future of alternative medicine holds on the potentiality of transforming the "alternative medicine" into conventional medicine since it is now becoming widely appreciated and practiced by medical doctors. In fact, complementary medicine is the term used for alternative medicine practiced in combination with conventional medicine.

Due to these changes in view of the alternative medicine, holistic medicine has become a more preferable option among those who are quite doubtful of the alternative medicine.

Alternative medicine may appeal to metaphysical beliefs and so does the holistic medicine but on milder and more scientifically based approach. Yet the knowledge applied in holistic medicine still cannot hide the fact that it tends to cling to non-scientific knowledge.

Simply put holistic medicine claims to cure and treat the whole person. Holistic medicine stresses out the unification of the mind and the physical body. Holistic medicine practitioners give credence to the belief the man is not a pure physical body with systems and parts that encompass it. Man is also a spiritual being that requires spiritual healing. Holistic medicine concerns itself to the belief of the connection between the spirit and emotions and mind.

The gap between holistic medicine and alternative medicine is closed by the common practice of not using drug treatments and surgeries. They usually employ meditation, herbs, prayers, vitamins and minerals, as well as exotic diets in treating certain ailments.

Holistic Medicine and Conventional Medicine

Allopathy or conventional medicine defines individual health as the non-occurrence of diseases, which appeals to be a negative approach in defining the condition. Holistic medicine on the other hand concerns itself on a person's absolute state of physical, social, mental and spiritual well-being.

As based on the definition given (that is commonly used among medical practitioners), orthodox medicine remains to deal with one's susceptibility to diseases instead of the wellness as opposed by holistic medicine. Based on common observations, conventional medicine typically doesn't apply to healthy individuals. While holistic medicine focuses on the quality of living practiced by people. Sick people normally don't seek medical attention not until the symptoms of the disease/s are obvious. Thus, there is too little preventive treatment against sickness.

There are great differences between holistic medicine and the conventional type both in the diagnosis and treatments. Most of which are scientifically based. In oppose to this stand, diagnosis in holistic treatment are conceived through the manifestations of body imbalance. These are determined through certain procedures distinctive only to holistic medicine and other related medicinal practices.

People who have already undergone any of these procedures claim that is not bad trying on or all of these practices. Yet individual preferences still have the hand on what will be accepted as the ideal procedure.

Alternative Medicine: What Is It?

What is alternative medicine? It is a phrase that has been tossed around more and more in the media, the bookstores, and increasingly, the doctor's office, but how often does anyone say what alternative medicine is?

Theoretically, alternative medicine is any form of medicine that does not fit with in the scientific framework of western medicine. Once a form of medicine has been proven scientifically effective, and a theory has been determined to explain in the language of western medicine why it is effective, it should no longer be considered alternative

Unfortunately, after the theory comes the politics. In reality, in the United States, alternative medicine is any form of medicine that has not been accepted as scientifically valid by the American Medical Association and the United States Government. In other countries different official bodies will determine what is and is not alternative medicine. In the United States, massage is alternative medicine. In Canada massage is conventional medicine, and as such, highly regulated.

Would you believe that according the US government's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vitamins are a complementary or alternative medicine (depending on how they are used) that have not yet been proven to have any greater effect on the human body then a placebo? Personally, I'd like to know if they would like to be treated for scurvy with a placebo. I'll stick with vitamin C. There are theoretical uses for vitamins that have not yet been fully proven, but that does not make the proven effects any less scientifically valid.

At the same time, just because someone claims what they offer is medicine does not make it true. Herbal supplements are not regulated, and may not fully disclose their ingredients. They certainly will not tell you about any dangerous interaction with your heart medication!

Of course, you can ask an expert, but keep in mind that there are many kinds of alternative medicine, an acupuncturist is not necessarily trained in herbs, and your primary care physician probably won't be trained in any of them.

If you are interested in using alternative medicine, either for a specific problem, or simply improve your overall health, it's probably best to first research what kinds of alternative medicine you are interested in, and speak with you doctor about whether or not she will be willing to work with an alternative medicine practitioner. Then find a practitioner who has had training in that specific area of alternative medicine. Most forms of alternative medicine are not licensed in the United States, so ask where they went to school, and how long they have been practicing. Then they can work with your doctor to make sure you get the care you need, without any unexpected side effects.

Some forms of alternative medicine that might be worth looking into are:

Oriental medicine: Oriental medicine is the only form of alternative medicine that is truly comparably to western medicine as a complete system of medicine. Oriental medicine is based on several theories developed thousands of years ago and first elaborated on in the Yellow Emperor's Classic, between three and five thousand years ago. Oriental medicine includes the practices of massage, acupuncture, herbal therapy, qi gong, and several others. Tradition Chinese Medicine is a variant of oriental medicine specific to China. It is the only variant of oriental medicine the can be found with relative ease in the United States. In many parts of Asia, oriental medicine is still considered the standard of medical care and western medicine is 'alternative.'

Herbal therapy: Herbal therapy is probably the most common form of alternative medicine found in the United States, and quite possibly one of the riskiest. While most of the conventional medicines doctors prescribe today were derived from herbs, the herbal supplements commonly on sale have no common dosages, mat contain fillers, and will rarely warn of side effects. While herbs can be used to treat everything that medication can, and possibly quite a bit more, make sure you speak with a trained herbalist before taking any. They can tell you what dosage is safe, what suppliers are worth using, and any potential side effects.

Homeopathy: Homeopathy was developed in the 1800's by two doctors who noticed that quinine, the only medicine capable of treated malaria, caused symptoms of malaria in healthy people who were given it. They theorized that like would cure like, so caffeine which normally causes wakefulness, would be used to help someone who was not sleeping through the night, sleep better. Homeopathy is probably the only alternative medicine that is safe to try without speaking with an expert, because the active substance is so dilute that it is not possible to over dose, or incur side effects on the amounts in the local health food store, never mind the few bottles you would keep in your home. At the same time, it is still best to consult a homeopath to be sure that what your taking will work for what you need.

Massage: Massage is the use of hands or tools to manipulate the muscles and tendons. The two most common uses of massage are to ease aches and pains, and for stress relief. While there are many conditions that massage will obviously not help with (diabetes, for instance), there are many that it is surprisingly effective on, such as eating disorders, fibromyalgia, and carpal tunnel syndrome. In addition, almost any muscular injury can be treated with massage to prevent scar build up, speed healing, and increase a restricted range of motion. There are many different forms of massage therapy, including Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Pre-Natal Massage, Shiatsu, Thai Massage, Lomi Lomi, Medical Massage, Chair Massage, Aromatherapy Massage and Hot Stone Massage. If you go to a massage therapist for a medical condition, make sure they are trained in Medical Massage. Some states have licensing programs for massage therapists now, as do most European countries. If you live in an area that has licensing, make sure the therapist you go to is licensed.

Herbal Medicine

Find Herbal Medicine Schools in the United States and Canada. Herbal medicine schools instruct students in the essentials of herbalism and botanical medicine. Students who opt to enroll in herbal medicine schools will learn that this form of medicine is one of the oldest healthcare systems known to mankind.

Typically, students who possess an interest in participating in herbal studies at one of several herbal medicine schools should have attained some education in physiology and/or anatomy prior to enrollment. This is important, as it lends to the student’s ability to better understand the philosophy and theories behind herbal medicine therapies.

While some herbal medicine schools focus primarily on traditional Chinese medicine, other herbal medicine schools may provide a wider array of classes that encompass studies in botany, botanical terminology, phytochemistry (of medicinal plants), cell chemistry, medicinal plant compounds, Ayurvedic medicine, Native American plant medicine, herbal pharmacy, diagnosis, clinic and case history; among other related topics.

Students enrolled in herbal medicine schools will gain an overall understanding of how herbal medicine is facilitated for spices, therapy and/or medicinal purposes. In addition, students will learn from which plants herbs are derived, and how to use those herbs for not only medicinal purposes, but for nutritional additives and aromatherapy. Because herb plants produce and comprise a myriad of chemical substances, students participating in studies at herbal medicine schools will also learn that 25% of prescription drugs in the US contain at least one active plant material ingredient.

Successful candidates, who have completed all course requirements through one of many herbal medicine schools can go onto achieve varying levels of herbal medicine certifications. Many of these certified herbal medicine therapists can enter the healthcare fields of Ayurvedic practitioners, homeopathic practitioners, natural health practitioners, Chinese medicine practitioners and other holistic health practitioners. In addition, astute candidates who have completed advanced training courses at one of many herbal medicine schools may utilize their knowledge and skills to help develop plant medicines for pharmaceutical researchers.

Because herbal medicine schools vary in course length, tuition costs and curriculum, it is always wise for prospective students to carefully review course outlines, prerequisites (if any) and if financial aid options are available. Generally speaking, herbal medicine schools are growing in quantity because the demand for alternative and natural medicine is concurrently on the rise. Students and even current health professionals who are seeking a rewarding alternative in health care will find that gaining a comprehensive education through any one of numerous herbal medicine schools can only benefit one’s personal and professional growth.

To learn more about the benefits of herbal medicine or to locate herbal medicine schools near you, feel free to peruse our healing arts schools and holistic health practitioners' directories.

Chinese Medicine Colleges: What Do They Teach?

Find Chinese Medicine Colleges in the United States and Canada. While Chinese medicine may be considered "alternative" medicine in the West, it is an accepted form of conventional medicine in Eastern cultures – Chinese medicine colleges are trying to change this Western mode of thinking by researching, teaching and administering comprehensive training in this unique healing art.

Whether you're interested in an introductory class in herbal medicine or are more seriously considering a long-term career in acupuncture and Oriental medicine, one of several Chinese medicine colleges can help you advance your personal and professional goals.

Today, Chinese medicine colleges provide a diverse assortment of certificate and degree programs. One of the more popular courses afforded through Chinese medicine colleges is the Masters in Oriental medicine. Class and clinical training in this program will often include human anatomy and physiology, basic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theories, acupuncture, Oriental bodywork, Tai Chi, meridian therapy, moxibustion, Qi gong, and a vast assortment of related studies. Students who have enrolled in a number of Chinese medicine colleges will also learn that they can achieve their Doctorates in Oriental medicine as well.

Aside from learning how to become a licensed acupuncturist, most Chinese medicine colleges frequently offer fundamental studies in the Chinese language to better understand and identify common Chinese medical terms. Additionally, Chinese medicine colleges integrate Eastern philosophies in their teachings, as well as TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) theories.

In many Chinese medicine colleges, students will be able to engage in certificate programs that teach herbal medicine, Chinese medical massage (Tuina), and other Oriental bodywork therapies. Students who wish to become licensed acupuncturists and practicing Oriental medicine doctors must understand that many Chinese medicine colleges regularly require certain prerequisites prior to enrollment. In many cases, these requirements include extensive education from an accredited university or college. It is always beneficial to review all curriculum requirements at your choice of Chinese medicine colleges so that you are fully prepared to start your educational passage. In addition, students attending Chinese medicine colleges and who are enrolled in more intricate courses (i.e., doctor of Oriental medicine, etc.) will be expected to pass a series of rigorous examinations along the way. These tests will validate comprehension in fundamental knowledge and critical skills in the practice of Chinese medicine.

While there are several varieties of techniques and methods that are facilitated in Oriental medicine, Chinese medicine colleges may slightly differ in independent teachings and length of study. Depending on which course you elect to enroll, training programs in Chinese medicine colleges may vary from mere months to several years. The prospect for success for graduates of any number of Chinese medicine colleges is virtually unlimited.

Alternative Medicine - What is Scientific and Proven?



It's time for conventional medical experts to prove the science behind their medicine by demonstrating successful, nontoxic, and affordable patient outcomes.

It's time to revisit the scientific method to deal with the complexities of alternative treatments.

The U.S. government has belatedly confirmed a fact that millions of Americans have known personally for decades - acupuncture works. A 12-member panel of "experts" informed the National Institutes of Health (NIH), its sponsor, that acupuncture is "clearly effective" for treating certain conditions, such as fibromyalgia, tennis elbow, pain following dental surgery, nausea during pregnancy, and nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.

The panel was less persuaded that acupuncture is appropriate as the sole treatment for headaches, asthma, addiction, menstrual cramps, and others.

The NIH panel said that, "there are a number of cases" where acupuncture works. Since the treatment has fewer side effects and is less invasive than conventional treatments, "it is time to take it seriously" and "expand its use into conventional medicine."

These developments are naturally welcome, and the field of alternative medicine should, be pleased with this progressive step.

But underlying the NIH's endorsement and qualified "legitimization" of acupuncture is a deeper issue that must come to light- the presupposition so ingrained in our society as to be almost invisible to all but the most discerning eyes.

The presupposition is that these "experts" of medicine are entitled and qualified to pass judgment on the scientific and therapeutic merits of alternative medicine modalities.

They are not.

The matter hinges on the definition and scope of the term "scientific." The news is full of complaints by supposed medical experts that alternative medicine is not "scientific" and not "proven." Yet we never hear these experts take a moment out from their vituperations to examine the tenets and assumptions of their cherished scientific method to see if they are valid.

Again, they are not.

Medical historian Harris L. Coulter, Ph.D., author of the landmark four-volume history of Western medicine called Divided Legacy, first alerted me to a crucial, though unrecognized, distinction. The question we should ask is whether conventional medicine is scientific. Dr. Coulter argues convincingly that it is not.

Over the last 2,500 years, Western medicine has been divided by a powerful schism between two opposed ways of looking at physiology, health, and healing, says Dr. Coulter. What we now call conventional medicine (or allopathy) was once known as Rationalist medicine; alternative medicine, in Dr. Coulter's history, was called Empirical medicine. Rationalist medicine is based on reason and prevailing theory, while Empirical medicine is based on observed facts and real life experience - on what works.

Dr. Coulter makes some startling observations based on this distinction. Conventional medicine is alien, both in spirit and structure, to the scientific method of investigation, he says. Its concepts continually change with the latest breakthrough. Yesterday, it was germ theory; today, it's genetics; tomorrow, who knows?

With each changing fashion in medical thought, conventional medicine has to toss away its now outmoded orthodoxy and impose the new one, until it gets changed again. This is medicine based on abstract theory; the facts of the body must be contorted to conform to these theories or dismissed as irrelevant.

Doctors of this persuasion accept a dogma on faith and impose it on their patients, until it's proved wrong or dangerous by the next generation. They get carried away by abstract ideas and forget the living patients. As a result, the diagnosis is not directly connected to the remedy; the link is more a matter of guesswork than science. This approach, says Dr. Coulter, is "inherently imprecise, approximate, and unstable-it's a dogma of authority, not science." Even if an approach hardly works at all, it's kept on the books because the theory says it's good "science."

On the other hand, practitioners of Empirical, or alternative medicine, do their homework: they study the individual patients; determine all the contributing causes; note all the symptoms; and observe the results of treatment.

Homeopathy and Chinese medicine are prime examples of this approach. Both modalities may be added to because physicians in these fields and other alternative practices constantly seek new information based on their clinical experience.

This is the meaning of empirical: it's based on experience, then continually tested and refined - but not reinvented or discarded - through the doctor's daily practice with actual patients. For this reason, homeopathic remedies don't become outmoded; acupuncture treatment strategies don't become irrelevant.

Alternative medicine is proven every day in the clinical experience of physicians and patients. It was proven ten years ago and will remain proven ten years from now. According to Dr. Coulter, alternative medicine is more scientific in the truest sense than Western, so-called scientific medicine.

Sadly, what we see far too often in conventional medicine is a drug or procedure "proven" as effective and accepted by the FDA and other authoritative bodies only to be revoked a few years later when it's been proven to be toxic, malfunctioning, or deadly.

The conceit of conventional medicine and its "science" is that substances and procedures must pass the double-blind study to be proven effective. But is the double-blind method the most appropriate way to be scientific about alternative medicine? It is not.

The guidelines and boundaries of science must be revised to encompass the clinical subtlety and complexity revealed by alternative medicine. As a testing method, the double-blind study examines a single substance or procedure in isolated, controlled conditions and measures results against an inactive or empty procedure or substance (called a placebo) to be sure that no subjective factors get in the way. The approach is based on the assumption that single factors cause and reverse illness, and that these can be studied alone, out of context and in isolation.

The double-blind study, although taken without critical examination to be the gold standard of modern science, is actually misleading, even useless, when it is used to study alternative medicine. We know that no single factor causes anything nor is there a "magic bullet" capable of single-handedly reversing conditions. Multiple factors contribute to the emergence of an illness and multiple modalities must work together to produce healing.

Equally important is the understanding that this multiplicity of causes and cures takes place in individual patients, no two of whom are alike in psychology, family medical history, and biochemistry. Two men, both of whom are 35 and have similar flu symptoms, do not necessarily and automatically have the same health condition, nor should they receive the same treatment. They might, but you can't count on it.

The double-blind method is incapable of accommodating this degree of medical complexity and variation, yet these are physiological facts of life. Any approach claiming to be scientific which has to exclude this much empirical, real-life data from its study is clearly not true science.

In a profound sense, the double-blind method cannot prove alternative medicine is effective because it is not scientific enough. It is not broad and subtle and complex enough to encompass the clinical realities of alternative medicine.

If you depend on the double-blind study to validate alternative medicine, you will end up doubly blind about the reality of medicine.

Listen carefully the next time you hear medical "experts" whining that a substance or method has not been "scientifically" evaluated in a double-blind study and is therefore not yet "proven" effective. They're just trying to mislead and intimidate you. Ask them how much "scientific" proof underlies using chemotherapy and radiation for cancer or angioplasty for heart disease. The fact is, it's very little.

Try turning the situation around. Demand of the experts that they scientifically prove the efficacy of some of their cash cows, such as chemotherapy and radiation for cancer, angioplasty and bypass for heart disease, or hysterectomies for uterine problems. The efficacy hasn't been proven because it can't be proven.

There is no need whatsoever for practitioners and consumers of alternative medicine to wait like supplicants with hat in hand for the scientific "experts" of conventional medicine to dole out a few condescending scraps of official approval for alternative approaches.

Rather, discerning citizens should be demanding of these experts that they prove the science behind their medicine by demonstrating successful, nontoxic, and affordable patient outcomes. If they can't, these approaches should be rejected for being unscientific. After all, the proof is in the cure.

You Can Heal Anything: You Are the New Medicine



The origin of healing systems

The division of medicine into traditional/conventional and alternative/complementary did not occur by accident. Mankind as a whole needed to experience both of them before it was ready for a system of medicine whose purpose would be of a higher nature than is currently available. The new medicine, although it is so unlike the conventional and alternative models, is being birthed by both of them

Other than the Lemurian and Atlantean approaches to healing, it is clear that the 'medicine of nature' has been the most influential in recorded history. Nobody created this form of medicine; it was simply there to be re-cognized or discovered by those who had direct access to the language of nature called Veda, which means knowledge or science. The first written records of nature's medicine appeared about 6,000 years ago. They were channeled messages written down by Vedic sages in direct response to the first occurrences of illness on the planet. This system, which kept illness and suffering at bay for hundreds of years, became known as Ayurveda, or the 'Science of Life'.

Although Ayurveda only survived the passage of time in India and some in areas of Brazil and China, it remains a universal form of medicine. Today it stands revived to some of its original form. It greatly contrasts with the western approach to modern medicine in that it seeks to address the underlying imbalance responsible for the symptoms of illness rather than trying to alleviate or remove the effects of the imbalance.

Outsmarting the violation of the laws of nature

Before Ayurveda became a textbook science of healing, people knew how to live in harmony with the laws of nature. As a result, sickness, pain and poverty weren't part of life. But as time progressed, we began to replace some of the laws of nature with our own laws; in other words, we violated natural law. To try to address the consequences of this transgression from natural living, a system of healing (Ayurveda) was developed to treat the physical and mental effects resulting from the deviations from natural law. A new set of natural laws needed to be employed to undo the damage that was caused by the violation of the original laws of nature. When you dam a stream of water and it flows over its banks, the flooding caused by this action requires a different approach than just letting the stream flow in its own course. We needed to employ new laws and insights to help us deal with the damage once done. The first violations of the laws of nature on Earth created the need for a natural system of healing, one that would give us access to those secondary laws that would reduce the damage caused by violation of the primary laws. This system would show us how to release the obstruction that hinders the flow of the stream in its natural direction. Without anyone violating the primary laws of nature, such healing systems would otherwise be unnecessary.

Hippocrates was perhaps the most enlightened father of nature's medicine in the more recent history of our species. He understood that the need for healing (applying secondary laws) resulted from the loss of alignment with one's inner wisdom and intuition. The more humans distanced themselves from their own inner wisdom and the rules of the natural world, the harsher were the corrective measures needed to be taken by the force of nature. So, killer diseases such as the plague began to decimate the population, which then generated the urge for a new kind of medicine, which would combat disease-causing germs and stop each new one dead before it became an epidemic. This approach is what has become known as the conventional system of modern medicine. Of course, all of this was part of the master plan - to throw much of humanity into the other end of the spectrum of duality for the purposes of greater learning and growth in consciousness.

Breeding illness

Just like Ayurvedic medicine, modern medicine, too, was unable to prevent the escalation of disease on the planet. Modern medicine was so concerned with the effects or symptoms of disease that it lost sight of the reasons why people fell sick, most of which weren't even physical causes. The discovery of the first antibiotic medicine (penicillin) caused euphoria among the medical circles and general population. Years later, the enthusiasm of developing an effective drug for almost every infectious disease became dampened by the fact that the side effects generated by the poisons contained in the drugs were so severe that they often outweighed their benefits. In fact, they actually contributed to the emergence of an entirely new class of diseases now known as chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, only 10 percent of all diseases fell into this category. The rest were acute problems, including fractures, infections, burns, etc. By around 1980, over 90 percent of all diseases had reached a chronic stage, meaning they couldn't be cured by modern medicine. They also became known as the killer diseases of the modern era. Since our genes haven't changed a bit over the past hundreds or thousands of years, genetic errors cannot be held responsible for such a sudden and dramatic escalation of diseases, especially when most of them occur only in the modernized world. What's more, having defective genes doesn't mean an affected person is going to get ill. Research on the blood disease thalassaemia, for example, has shown that patients who have exactly the same defect in the gene may be extremely sick, mildly ill, or completely healthy. This applies to most other 'genetic' illnesses, too. There may be just as many people with healthy genes who suffer from diabetes or asthma as there are those who have defective genes.

The symptom-oriented approach of modern medicine became synonymous with the revival of the old epidemics that so scared and scarred humanity less than a hundred years ago. The wide use of antibiotics and steroids have forced the targeted microbes, blamed for causing infectious disease, to resist the drugs' action and mutate into what is termed 'antibiotic resistant organisms'. The germs, following their natural survival instincts, are now outsmarting one drug after another, which means that there are now very few effective 'treatments' left for diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. Millions more people each year are dying from these 'new' infectious diseases than ever before and the current trends suggest it will get worse. Unless medicine takes a complete u-turn in its approach, or healing is practiced in a different fashion, mankind will be greatly decimated once again.

It is highly unlikely, though, that modern medicine is going to save humanity from self-destruction. The side-effects of drugs and treatments are breeding so many different diseases and causing so many deaths every minute of the day that it is virtually impossible to even remotely win the battle against disease as long as people believe they depend on any form of medicine, even an alternative one. Since the current medical system is primarily controlled by financiers who have a vested interest in keeping it going and even expanding it further, it is not in the investors' interest to find a real cure for the most common illnesses, for this would mean the end of medicine. Modern medicine is not designed to make people healthy; it is designed to make and keep people sick.

Many voices among doctors, patients and alternative practitioners denounce the exploitation of 'innocent' people. However, they have not yet realized that the same medical system that is misleading and enslaving mankind and robbing millions of people of their sense of sovereignty and self-empowerment is also instrumental in birthing a new medicine, one that will make everyone their own best healer. The government, health care agencies, medical associations, insurance carriers, and drug companies are unaware that they are key players in the cosmic game of transformation. They have helped a major portion of mankind to feel helpless and powerless against microbes and other disease-causing factors. The extreme denial of the infinite power of healing and rejuvenation that lies inherent in everyone is forcing the pendulum of time to swing back and allow the masses to gain complete and unrestricted access to this power within. Without the hazards of the old medicine, the new medicine could not come about.

The perfection of all this lies in the fact that no person can fall ill, regardless of whether it is through a microbe or a medical drug or treatment, without having (unconsciously) agreed to this. The Universal Law of Non-interference makes certain there are no victims and no victimizers. Each person's Higher Self knows exactly what lessons are needed to move on and evolve toward greater wisdom, love, compassion and self-empowerment, however hard and painful the learning process may appear to be. The final lesson of each individual is to discover and produce the New Medicine, the medicine of one's Higher Self.

The New Medicine

The return of old diseases and the emergence of chronic illness divided mankind into two camps: One that continues to uphold the trust and confidence in modern medicine, and one that takes recourse to natural methods of healing. Although alternative (complementary) medicine is still battling to make its approaches available to the masses, in some countries of the world such as Australia, Germany, England, New Zealand and now also in the United States, it is becoming more and more common sense to try the natural route, either along with or without conventional medicine. Now both approaches are well represented in the overall scheme of things and can be accessed by almost anyone. Medical doctors still risk prosecution and loss of their license to practice medicine if they dare speak out in favor of alternative health modalities or even apply these in their practice. But before long we will find that both approaches of medicine will intermix or merge together. Indications for merger are already subtly there; when it happens in a more obvious way, a New Medicine will be born, one that will be entirely different from that which existed before. It will work according to the principle, "The whole is more than the sum of its parts."

The New Medicine will be less concerned about what is wrong with the body or mind; it won't need to be. Instead, it will focus on unleashing the creative power of the individual as the principle source of health and youthfulness. The New Medicine will recognize that disease is ultimately the result of disconnection from our Source intelligence and Source energy. It will give health care back to the people. Miracles will take place as frequently as operations take place today. Reconnecting with our spirit Source will be the most important thing that can be done to improve one's health. It's like switching on the light that dispels darkness. Mankind as a whole will realize that trying to find out everything about the symptoms of disease is like trying to investigate all the possible problems that darkness could cause to a person who has no light to see the path along which he is walking. Although switching on the light is a very simple act, it can solve some of the most complex problems arising from being in the dark. Imagine if there was no light. What could you possibly do in your life except sit, think and worry? Fixing diseases is similar to fixing darkness; there is no end to the fixing.

Both the alternative/complementary and conventional systems of medicine are incapable of eliminating disease on this planet. Both of these systems are expressions of duality; therefore, their scope of influence remains very limited and incomplete. They each have their value in upholding their particular expression of duality; some of it is effective, and some of it is not. To find the eternal fountain of youth and healing, however, we must return to the origin of both these streams, that is, human consciousness. Now is the time to move collectively into the Divine moment where the consciousness of spirit and the physical matter of the body meet, and are recognized as one. It is in the gap of the moment where the two spirals of duality find their common origin. Of the two approaches neither is better or more important than the other. Both are capable of taking us to the desired place of wholeness. Here in this gap of simple existence we activate our creative intelligence, the intention of desire that becomes instant manifestation. The power surge emanating from the Divine moment of being within our own awareness creates the instant and automatic healing of that which is without.

In the gap of Non-Judgment

Healing does not need to take long. In fact, if it does it is likely to be incomplete. According to Japanese research studies, spontaneous remission and complete cure of cancer occurs when those afflicted with the disease move into the gap of non-judgment or non-duality, i.e., when they relinquish all needs or desires to have it one way or the other. This cannot be accomplished by will or by use of the rational mind. It may occur when someone faces death and, oddly, loses all hope for survival. Giving into death may take someone into the gap of their eternal spirit self, provided this is in the person's highest interest. Thus, consciously losing the fear of dying and stepping into one's essence may instantly stimulate the body's immune system into a powerful response that can dismantle egg-sized malignant tumors in the brain, bladder, intestines, etc., within less than 24 hours, in some instances within as little as 15 seconds. There are thousands of documented cases like these.

What is most interesting in these cases of spontaneous remission is that the healing merely (if that is not enough) consisted of gaining freedom from judgment, of accepting one's situation at that moment. Fighting for life doesn't get you to this magical place of the Divine moment, for effort and struggle are born out of fear. Giving up one's desire to live, on the other hand, is born out of resignation, frustration and merely represents the other end of duality awareness. However, accepting death without trying to avoid or enforce it moves you into the Divine moment where miracles take place.

Of course, we don't all have to face death, either our own or someone else's, in order to find the opening to slip into the Divine moment. Life provides us with plenty of other opportunities that can serve in the same way. All we need to do is to keep our eyes, ears and hearts open to receive and accept these opportunities, many of which may show up in the disguise of problems and misfortunes. In due time, our polarized duality consciousness becomes anchored in the singularity of Self. The body simply follows suit. Once we lose our polarity thinking, that is, our mode of reference to what we believe is right and wrong or good and bad, the DNA of our body begins to lose its polarity mode as well. As soon as we are able to accept whatever is, which means all our strong and weak sides, our successes and failures, fears, anger, and guilt, etc., our body will move, automatically and spontaneously, out of its polarity mode.

You can make your body do anything

When you are under the strong emotional influences of fear, anger, or even excessive joy, your body is out of balance, too. The stress of sudden joy can cause a heart attack just as easily as the stress of sudden rage. Being 'good' is no antidote to disease. We need to remember here that being or expressing one quality also means that its opposite is not far away; in fact, it lurks in the invisible shadow part of our consciousness known as the subconscious mind. True healing begins when we can be both qualities and have no judgment about which one is better or worse. Shadow and light serve each other well and co-exist all the time. The reason we have 'weak' spots in our attitudes and behavior is to bring out and develop their opposite, 'strong' counterparts. Accepting both creates oneness or balance, and balance is the key to healing. Preferring one quality to another generates discord in the body and mind. For example, even if we choose happiness over sadness, it counts as an imbalance. Consequently, the body has no other choice but to develop a physical imbalance, too.

Everything in life is valuable, and once we see that we then become graced with the perception of oneness. Since the body does nothing of its own accord but simply follows instructions, the new perception of oneness and acceptance of whatever is becomes the new blueprint reference for DNA. The genetic codes in your body's DNA adjust to the 'new you' and copy that information into a new RNA which subsequently alters the functioning of your body, making complete rejuvenation not just possible but unavoidable. When the adjustment is complete, the DNA structure will go off like a time bomb in order to accommodate the light of oneness. The time for genetic detonation is now.

Our body is nothing but soft clay, shaped and molded on a minute-by-minute and day-by-day basis. If you tell your body that something is good for you, it believes you. It has no other choice but to serve one master, you. If you tell your body it cannot heal itself and requires help from outside it will believe this too and you will find yourself in need of a doctor, a drug or surgery.

On the other hand, your body can walk on fire if you can convince it that it can. You can even pierce your body with knives and needles and suffer no injuries if you can make it believe that this won't hurt it. If you persuade your body that it can live without air for several days while being buried under the earth, then it can even do that for you. Levitating in mid air or walking on water are other so called 'impossible feats' the body can accomplish if it trusts its instructor enough. Sri Chin Moi, the well-known peacemaker and musician from India living in the United States, repeatedly lifts 1,000 pounds of weights in front of camera crews. He claims that the power is coming from his mind. Numerous 'miracle performers' have been scientifically studied and show that the above abilities have actually nothing to do with the body but come from the power of the mind. Likewise, your body can remove a tumor that has metastasized (spread) everywhere.

But for this to happen, you need to step outside the awareness of the body (duality) and move into the awareness of the spirit (oneness).


[This is an excerpt from the book LIFTING THE VEIL OF DUALITY by Andreas Moritz]

Andreas Moritz is a writer and practitioner in the field of Integrative Medicine. He is the author of 13 books on various subjects pertaining to holistic health and spirituality, including 'The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush', 'Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation', 'It's Time to Come Alive', and 'Cancer Is Not a Disease, It's a Survival Mechanism'.

His most recent book is titled 'Vaccine-Nation: Poisoning the Population, One Shot at a Time'.

Moritz is also the creator of Ener-Chi Art and Sacred Santémony. Much of his life's work has been dedicated to understanding and treating the root causes of illness, and helping the body, mind, spirit and heart to heal naturally.

The Difference Between Functional and Integrative Medicine



Functional and integrative medicine are current methods of care used today by medical professionals. To understand how they work, what role they play, and their differences, it's important to first learn how and why they're used in the chain of modern medicine.

The most common method of treatment and medicine is what we know today as Conventional Western Medicine. Conventional medicine is the basic process of elimination in diagnosing and treating illnesses, diseases, and other health-related issues. When you go to the doctor with multiple symptoms, they will ask you many questions. Some questions seem relevant, other questions seem far-fetched in having to do with your symptoms; however, they are all, in fact, relative. Using medical logic, and the process of elimination with your symptoms, a diagnosis is made and treated.

On the other end of the medical spectrum, we have Alternative Medicine. Alternative medicine uses a strict philosophy of natural healing and therapeutic methods to treat illnesses, diseases, and other health-related issues. Thus, alternative medicine is the alternative to conventional medicine. In alternative medicine, patients are treated with methods such as:

• Chiropracty - A physical therapy method for patients that have joint and general mobility issues.
• Aromatherapy - A plant oil method used to treat issues such as stress and depression.
• Herbal Treatment from Different Cultures - Herbs from around the world, most prevalent in China, used to treat and cure various illnesses of all types.
• Acupuncture - A physical puncture method of treatment which targets unbalance within the body.
• Ayurvedic - A body detox treatment that includes a strict diet and exercise regime to help overall health.

In recent years, physicians have theorized that the use of both conventional and alternative medicine could assist patients in a more effective way of diagnosis, treatment, and health. This combination of medicinal methods is Integrative Medicine.

Integrative medicine can use any combination of the following modern medicinal methods depending on the patient's diagnosis, and personal needs and/or beliefs:

• Western - Conventional method of diagnosis and treatment.
• Holistic - A method that treats all aspects of the patient's health, including physical, mental, emotional, economic, and social aspects.
• Osteopathic - A method similar to conventional medicine that differs in the fact that it targets all possible health issues that a patient experienced from their date of birth on.
• Allopathic - Uses the conventional medicinal method as a basis for diagnosis, but focuses on the use of prescription drugs to treat and cure illnesses.
• Regenerative - A method that incorporates the creation of new tissues and organs in order to repair damaged tissues and organs.
• Functional - A method that focuses on the physical and emotional needs of a patient in order to determine the best results.
• Naturopathic - A medicinal method that strictly uses natural remedies to treat various health issues of patients.

So where does functional medicine come into play? Functional medicine, as earlier defined, is a medicinal method in which the patient is diagnosed and treated as a whole. The patient's symptoms are not the only thing used to diagnose and treat the illness. Practitioners of functional medicine believe that in order to provide the best treatment, every aspect of the patient's life must be considered. This includes their genetics, living environment, physical traits, lifestyle, and health history. Thus, this method is very individualized.

As stated earlier, one end of the medical spectrum is conventional medicine, and the other is alternative medicine. Integrative medicine is found between the two, combining them both to create the most effective diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient. Functional medicine is one of the methods used for integrative means. Functional medicine is unique and difficult to categorize, since it is a combination of both conventional and alternative medicine itself.

More physicians believe that functional medicine is the best method today. It's argued that conventional methods do not target a patient as a whole; that other physicians are only temporarily treating a health issue. Functional medicine is used to permanently treat all issues, ensuring an overall healthy body and lifestyle.

Doctors that practice functional medicine use a list of personalized steps in order to diagnose and treat illnesses. Generally, these steps include:

• Learning the lifestyle and health history of the patient.
• Observing weakness found within the body's tissues and organs.
• Combining all considerations to learn what's ailing the body.
• Creating a personal diagnosis.
• Determining the best therapeutic and medical treatments for that diagnosis.
• Evaluating the patient's health progress during treatment.
• Observing and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment that patient is receiving in order to determine if new forms of treatment should be used.
• After observing the patient's progress from treatment, assessing and determining what happen to the patient's body to create the original illness.
• Observing the patient after treatment.
• Determining how the patient's body heals as a whole after completion of diagnosis and treatment.

Functional medicine incorporates a lot of effort in terms of patient care and personal observation. Treatments used within this method vary drastically. Functional medicine will include any form of treatment, be it conventional or alternative. The treatment is based on all aspects of the patient's body, health, and lifestyle, so any sort of treatment can be expected, depending on the patient's beliefs and acceptance.

In conclusion, there isn't a difference between integrative and functional medicine, because functional medicine is a method used in integrative medicine. Integrative is a term used to describe the combination and addition of extra forms of medicinal methods in order to ensure the best patient care. Functional is a term used to describe the personalized method of medicine. Of course, there are patients who only use functional medicine, and no other methods. To these patients, functional medicine is not integrative, but the only form of medicine they choose to receive and believe in. Some physicians use all forms and methods of medicine to determine the best patient care, while other physicians strictly practice one medicinal method. All methods of medicine have proven to be effective depending on the patient and illness.

A Free Natural Medicine Which is also Your Strongest, Most Abundant, and Easiest to Use



We've all heard, haven't we, that a 40-year-old was considered elderly in the past? With America's aging population, why wouldn't we take advantage of reasons to count ourselves lucky to live beyond 40? After all, as little as 200 years ago the average life span in North America was 37 years. But the idea that anyone over 40 back then is a misinterpretation of statistical data. I'll explain why in a moment...

Natural medicine is a hot topic. There are more than enough websites, newsletters, and products offering solutions to your ailments to keep you busy for a year investigating them. The advent of the Internet has made it easier than ever to research and try alternative or adjunctive treatments. You no longer need to an entire afternoon waiting in a doctor's office to remedy many of your symptoms because reliable, reputable purveyors of proven natural medicines are all around you.

Luckily for you, you already possess the most powerful natural medicine on earth. You carry this medicine around in your own chemistry and its benefits are unparalleled. While I would never recommend that you discard traditional medicine (I am a medical doctor, for goodness sake!), I do know beyond a shadow of a doubt that maximizing the amazing, free natural medicine of humor can solve a wide array of medical and personal problems.

No other doctor in the world has the credentials I have to teach you about this particular application of the free natural medicine of humor. Having discovered the power of humor twenty-five years ago while working with a terminally-ill cancer patient, I have spent more than two decades researching, fine-tuning, and prescribing humor in an amazingly diverse array of personal and medical applications. You will soon discover that you can use the free natural medicine of humor to skyrocket your relationships, your career, your stress management, your weight loss, your mental health, your fitness program, your parenting, your sexual health and more, because humor is powerful, abundant, free, and always accessible to you.

After decades of research, I can teach you how to turn on humor's amazing power as easily as flicking on a light switch. From working as a performing comedian on the national Comedy Caravan tour to developing intimate, working relationships with great humor/practitioners like famous comedian Jerry Lewis, I have learned how you can infuse your personal and professional life with such an amazing level of resilience and energy that you will feel reborn - no matter how successful you are now!

In this article I will outline the three main reasons that the free natural medicine of humor is far superior to any other medicine, natural or otherwise.

Humor Is Powerful

Humor is a staggeringly powerful free natural medicine. This vibrant, endless resource packs a wallop in at least ten proven, documented areas of health and wellness. You will never find such a comprehensive list of benefits from any other medicine and keep in mind, with this medicine, you will experience no side effects, nor will you ever have to purchase refills - you'll only need to be reminded to use it.

I have researched and documented the following ten effects of using the free natural medicine of humor (if you'd like to read the research, contact me throughmy website). Can you imagine how much money the pharmaceutical companies would pay for the rights to a drug with these effects - and no side effects? The free natural medicine of humor:

Reduces your stress,

stimulates your immune system,

relieves your pain,

rests your brain,

stabilizes your mood,

decreases your anxiety,

enhances your communication,

inspires your creativity,

maintains your hope, and

bolsters your morale.

I have watched my patients use the free natural medicine of humor to:

Overcome fatal cancer diagnoses,

enhance the pleasure of their life by learning to paint and draw,

lose their depression,

form lasting relationships with mentors that open doors of employment and promotion,

get back to exercising regularly,

experience a very fulfilling sex life,

lose the spare tire around their midsection,

lower their blood pressure,

fall in love with their spouse all over again,

land their dream job,

bound out of bed with an energy and enthusiasm they thought was lost with childhood,

overcome shyness and attract positive social attention at parties,

and so much more!

Not using your humor to its fullest potential is like owning a Porsche that you only drive to the corner grocery once a week! Humor has so much more value than a recreational tool! And the good news for all of us is, no matter how well you are using your sense of humor for health, success, vitality, and wellness, you can always learn use it more effectively! The free natural medicine of humor is so powerful because it never runs out!

Humor Is Abundant And Free

Humor, as you will learn, is everywhere you look and as abundant as trees or water. We can never run out of humor, or use it up, because humor perpetuates itself as we engage it; when we look for humor, we find it and vice versa. In other words, when you use the natural medicine of humor you won't find that your reservoir of humor is merely quickly refilled, you will find that you always have more than you started with.

Humor is also always free; this natural medicine has no co-pays and no deductibles. Yes, it takes practice and some discipline to maximize its amazing power, but humor's natural medicine will remain at your beck and call, regardless of your financial circumstances. Unlike other things that are free, however, humor's value to your health, wellness, and success is incalculable.

How exciting it is to know that the most impactful medicine in the world is also the one most readily available and accessible to you. Once you are familiar with my Fun Commandments, which you can learn for free on my website, you are set for life - especially after I reveal the last reason that humor is far superior to any known medicine.

Humor Is An Attitude, Not An Action

The best part of using the free natural medicine of humor, for many people, is that you can do it whether or not you're a funny person capable of telling jokes and making others laugh. Don't worry if you're "not funny" or are not the "life of the party"; you do not need to be funny to use the natural medicine of humor because humor is an attitude, not an action.

As you internalize my Fun Commandments, you will see that the benefits come almost entirely from your own shifting paradigms and not your outward actions. You will encounter many situations where everyone else is (literally) "deathly serious" and jokes would be inappropriate, but you will still be infused with an amazing, private energy because you will be smiling on the inside! You may never become good at making other people laugh; yet you will be laughing with yourself everyday because your spirit has been transformed by the free natural medicine of humor.

I'm sure you're realizing the implications of humor as an attitude rather than an action. First, you are always in control of your attitudes; simply by intently focusing on my Fun Commandments you will find yourself brimming with opportunities to capitalize on humor's natural power. Second, although jokes and laughter are sometimes not appropriate, having a light attitude always is - regardless of your circumstances. After some practice you will be filled with energy, creativity, zest, and vitality during circumstances that would've ordinarily drained and defeated you!

My unique prescription, The Fun Factor, unlocks the free natural medicine of humor and is one prescription that refills itself daily, especially when you are receiving my newsletter, The Fun Times. The Fun Times has the largest circulation of any newsletter in its industry and serves as a strong weekly reminder to use humor's power throughout your personal and professional life.

By the way, two thousand years ago our average North American life span was only 23 years! But that cannot mean that people who exceeded the average life span were considered old. The average life span is determined by the ages of all those who die, and that figure is drastically impacted by the rate of infant mortality.

Thus, as infant mortality rates have dropped (which they have steadily for hundreds of years), the average life span has increased. Most deaths, after all, have always clustered around two age groups: under one year of age and over 75 years of age.

Don't just increase the length of your life, increase the quality of it too! Start using my Fun Factor prescription to infuse your life with the free natural medicine of humor today!

Alternative Medicine vs Conventional Medicine - Pt 2



In Part 1 we discussed the fact that alternative medicine
(so called) was being used in ancient times long before
conventional medicine came on the scene. It is interesting
to note that there were not so many diseases plaguing mortals
in those days. What has caused this never-ending increase of
deadly diseases that wreak such havoc on the body today?

If conventional medicine was the answer to health problems,
why have diseases increased, and why are so many people dying
from these devasting illnesses? Why do so many persons seem
to be convinced that alternative medicine made by God do not
have healing virtues as the conventional medicine made by man?

There is also what is called complementary medicine, that is,
other treatment used along with conventional medicine to effect
a cure. However, not all substances categorised as complementary
medicine must be used with conventional medicine to be effective.

For example, aromatherapy is regarded as complementary since
it is used in many cases with conventional therapy. I have had
great results with the use of essential oils in the case of
swollen joints, arthritic pains, nasal and chest congestion,
'flu and other ailments. No conventional medicine was used
in these cases.

Why is information about cures by alternative medicine often
suppressed even though conventional medicine very often
interferes with the natural process of healing?

People are so coerced to use conventional medicine that they
refuse to even give alternative medicine a chance because
advertisements have such great influence when heard often
enough, that the public is convinced.

Have you ever noticed the way conventional medicine is
advertised? It would seem that every effort is made to down
play the possible negative effects.

The ads begin by distinctly emphasizing the benefits of the
medicines; then with hurried words they are changed to
something like this, "If you have gallbladder problems, or
ulcers, (or other ailment) you shouldn't take this."
Then in closing, someone affirms that the benefits have
been personally experienced!

Beware such deception and trickery; your health may be
seriously compromised. I often say to myself, "If this
conventional medicine is likely to affect my stomach, kidneys,
liver, whatever, why should I take it at all when I can use
some form of alternative medicine that is not toxic?"

Many people, so trained to distrust natural remedies and eager
to get well, jump at the announcement of some apparent new
super healing conventional medicine; and, without any
hesitation, embark upon a regimen with the belief that it is
the answer to their problem; Yet, they continue to be sick or
even get worse. In spite of that they keep on ingesting them.

I am of the opinion that if persons are encouraged to use
alternative medicine to treat disease before it develops into
a serious illness, they might very well have but little need
for the administration of conventional medicine such as
chemotherapy, synthetic drugs, and surgery. If the body is
kept in a healthy state, it is not likely that disease will
develop.

Day by day warning signs of an impending illness are being
ignored, then when that illness becomes overwhelming a quick
fix is sought through conventional medicine which,
unfortunately, seldom delivers the required result.

I just cannot understand why most people will not try natural
remedies. My son, who was diagnosed with an exceedingly high
count of diabetes, was given the conventional treatment of
insulin and told that he would have to use it for the rest of
his life. He decided to try a herb called Gymnema Sylvestre
that is known in India as 'sugar destroyer' and, instead of
using sugar, he used the extract of another herb called Stevia.

What a surprise when he tested the level of sugar to discover
that it had drastically dropped! After a few weeks, he
stopped using insulin altogether. This was well over a year
ago and to this day he has not resumed the insulin therapy.
His blood sugar is back to normal and he now uses the natural
treatment only for maintenance.

I am not saying this to suggest that you will have the same
results, or to suggest that you rush out and buy these items.
This is only to support my confidence in natural remedies. If
you have diabetes, you are well advised to consult your doctor.

Very often a simple massage is the answer to a problem. I
personally have not had a headache for many years. There
was a time when I was headache-prone, and got into the habit
of using synthetic medicines to ease the pain, but after I
decided to try natural treatments and medicines, I changed
my diet from eating 'junk' foods and tried to stop using those
synthetic headache remedies.

I started to massage my head and shoulders whenever a headache
came on. Then to my delight, I realised that headaches were few
and far apart. Now they are virtually no more a part of my life.

Whenever I sense the feeling that a headache is imminent (which
is exceedingly rare), I just give myself a quick head and
shoulder massage and I am OK again. No more headache remedies
for me, like the 'Oh-so-famous' ones that are so often advertised.

I have helped many, many persons to be rid of a headache by just
simply giving them a massage as mentioned above. Many had
headaches lingering for days, and after about 20 minutes of
massage, they miraculously stopped.

Every person should find the time to learn about the natural
treatments that could be taken to protect his/her own body
and prevent or cure diseases. I do, do you? I have studied
and read about hundreds of cures by natural means, and have
experienced some myself.

Think of the many thousands of persons who might have been
alive today if only they had known, and had been encouraged,
to use certain natural remedies to be healed.

It is not the intention of this article to condemn the use of
conventional medicine which plays a wonderful role in the case
of surgery and other traumatic conditions. There have been
countless such cases where, without the administration of
conventional medicine, many persons would not have survived.

However, it is my hope that conventional medicine in the field
of drugs will one day give way to alternative medicine, and
conventional medicine retain its place in the field of surgery
and other traumatic conditions where it cannot be ignored.

Many persons have begun to take charge of their health and have
wisely shifted their preference to alternative medicine with satisfactory results. It is likely that this trend will continue
and alternative medicine will one day regain the recognition it
so rightfully deserves, as greater emphasis will be put on the prevention of disease and maintenance of health by natural means.

A word of caution. If you have decided to try alternative
medicine, be sure to get in touch with a qualified practitioner.

This article is written for information only and is not
intended to suggest treatment of any disease. Information
contained herein is based on my own experience and research I
have done and just want to share with interested persons.
Anyone suffering from a disease is advised to consult a
qualified recognized health care professional for advice.

Alternative and Complementary Medicine: Old Medicine, New Synergies



The terms alternative medicine and complementary medicine
are often wrongly used as synonyms. Actually, the term
alternative medicine refers to medicine systems like
Ayurveda or Acupuncture that are used in place of
conventional medicine, while complementary medicine refers
to those therapies like massage that are used in
conjunction with conventional medicine.

However, both end up performing the same role in several
western countries. That is why in popular parlance
alternative medicine has come to be known as complementary
medicine, giving birth to the term alternative and
complementary medicine.

Most practitioners recognize acupuncture, osteopathy,
chiropractic, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and herbal medicine as
the most important forms of alternative and complementary
medicine.

These may be the major alternative therapies but the list
of alternative and complementary medicine does not end
here. The other medicinal systems that can be included in
this grouping are naturopathy, nutritional medicine,
aromatherapy, massage, crystal healing and different types
of energy medicine. Barring Homeopathy, most of the
alternative and complementary medicine systems evolved in
ancient times in countries like India, China, Egypt, Tibet
and Persia.

An important aspect of alternative and complementary
medicine is that it focuses on the person as a whole. The
medicine is therefore based not only on the patient's
physical symptoms but also on the individual's lifestyle,
environment, diet, mental and emotional health; sometimes
even the spiritual health. That is why alternative
medicine is called holistic medicine.

Interestingly, alternative and complementary medicine is
no longer limited to the mystic Orient. But the western
world to is recognizing these medicinal therapies as an
important component of healing.

Countries like India and China are using their knowledge
of alternative and complementary medicine to promote what
has come to be known as medical tourism. A large number of
westerners are flying to these Asian countries to look for
holistic cures.

In the West too, a large number of women are using
aromatherapy and massage while men are turning to
alternative and complementary medicine to recover from
sports injuries or back pain.

The other medical problems for which practitioners are
turning to alternative and complementary medicine are
chronic ailments like arthritis, cystitis, asthma or
chronic fatigue. Even the World Health Organization (WHO)
has recognized the value of holistic treatments. Among the
diseases that WHO believes can be cured with these
approaches are asthma, eczema, digestive disorders and
headaches.

This growing acceptance of alternative and complementary
medicine is a healthy sign for the world, because the
synergies that have been so created are helping to tackle
many incurable diseases. In the ultimate analysis, we
should not forget that alternative and complementary
medicine systems originated thousands of years ago, and
have been successful in treating millions of people across
the ages.