I usually have no luck with herbal remedies, aroma therapy oils, chinese medicines etc. perhaps because they are so complicated to use and I mess things up or am not using them properly. Have any of these things really worked with anyone and what was particularly effective?

Complementary and Alternative Medicine or CAM are diagnostic or therapeutic techniques that are outside the mainstream of Western medicine. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine while complementary medicine is used along with conventional medicine though some of the treatments methods are the same. Although most people utilize mainstream medicine for diagnosis and basic information, many are now turning to alternatives for what they believe to be total body health-enhancing measures.

CAM is very popular with people who are terminally ill and has also been used on animals. There have also been sufficient instances of “inexplicable” extension of life and other significant health benefits for people who have pursued these options that the Western health systems are now seriously starting to further assess these systems. Alternative medicine is a fairly broad term which covers many different methods of treatment such as acupuncture, homeopathy, Chinese herbal medicine, Ayurvedic and more.

Therapies such as biofeedback, massage, and exercise are also considered alternative medicine. Alternative medicine includes various systems of healing or treating disease such as chiropractic, homeopathy, and faith healing. Alternative medicine is a comprehensive approach to healing that uses natural methods to bring physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harmony. Alternative medicine systems believe body has a network of channels (meridians) that carry a subtle form of life energy. Since it uses a holistic approach and time-tested, natural remedies, hands-on treatments to help enable the body’s own innate powers to do the healing, alternative medicine requires the patient to take a highly active part in healing their own body including prevention and treatment.

Complementary Medicine is sometimes used by “conventional” medical practitioners as an add on to “conventional” medical treatments such as drugs and surgery. Complementary therapies are used to improve wellness, prevent disease or treat health problems but the most popular and prevalent use remains pain control. Included in complementary medicine are a large number of practices and systems of health care like acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, osteopathy, reflexology and chiropractic that for many reasons have not been fully adopted by mainstream medicine. Complementary medicine also includes dietary and nutritional therapies such as macrobiotics, vegetarianism, and orthomolecular medicine.

Although CAM is starting to gain popularity in the West, most clinical research by the health care industry continues to focus on the success of each single modality or therapy within these systems. This is unfortunate as CAM is generally based on the belief that you need to, simultaneously, treat the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – which can include the use of many therapies at the same time.



By: Ann McKee

Im traveling to Malaysia, where can i get a good aromatherapy massage in my hotel room?

Is acid reflux keeping you awake at nights? Is the discomfort and pain of acid reflux and heartburn causing you to feel depressed and anxious because you cannot sleep properly?
Have you sought alternative medicine for acid reflux in Texas or any other state for that matter? Well, there was a time when alternative medicine was considered nothing more than quackery or just completely foolish.

Alternative medicine for acid reflux in Texas was frequently dismissed as nothing more than simply a joke. It was just unheard of that someone would seek an alternative to modern medicine. Well, it is important to note that things have changed drastically. Alternative medicine is now extremely popular, especially in the last ten to fifteen years.

People are embracing many different alternative medicines and it is starting to become more common for regular doctors to refer patients to alternative practitioners such as acupuncturists and aroma therapists along with their own particular treatments. Many people suffering from acid reflux are very serious about finding a cure for their condition. Alternative medicine for acid reflux in Texas and other states is a way sufferers look to solve their problem.

Some antacids interfere with the digestive system of some acid reflux sufferers. These antacids interfere with vitamin and calcium absorption in the body and may lead to potential future problems with conditions such as osteoporosis. Some antacids reduce the symptoms of heartburn by shutting down the stomachs’ acidic secretions. This does not cure acid reflux; it only stops the symptoms for a short period. Some antacids will not even work for some sufferers, causing them to try various different types of medications. This is when some people will try alternative medicine for acid reflux.

On many occasions, one type of alternative medicine for acid reflux will help clear the symptoms the acid reflux sufferer is experiencing. For example, a tea concoction or a capsule of herbs may be all the person needs to correct the problem. The logic behind this is that too many different treatments can add many toxins to the body at any one particular time. The fewer medicines or treatments used to cure acid reflux disease the better.

People turn to alternative medicine for acid reflux in Texas because of all the chemicals used in the making of antacids. People today are more concerned with what they put into their bodies. Here are a few of the chemicals found in antacids:

o Sodium Bicarbonate

o Magnesium Hydroxide

o Aluminum Phosphate

o Calcium Carbonate

All these chemicals help to neutralize the hydrochloric acid in your stomach. Hydrochloric acid helps with the proper digestion of food in your stomach. Reducing the acid in your stomach will cause your body to try to produce more acid to replace the acid removed by the antacids. This could cause a condition known as acid rebound. This is where the body will end up with more stomach acid than it needs. Alternative medicine for acid reflux in Texas requires the sufferer to do their homework and find out as much information as possible on a potential alternative treatment for their acid reflux problem.



By: Tom Houser

Alternative forms of medicine are growing in popularity as people try to find a more holistic approach to their health. Conventional medicine is still very helpful but the underlying effects have sometimes caused people to become more aware of natural approaches to healing and preventative medicine.

1. One of the reasons alternative medicine has been booming recently is because people are tired of taking a pill or other medication for every bump, bruise and cough. For many people, alternative medicine seems more reliable than so-called modern medicine. After all, modern drugs are recalled on a regular basis while acupuncture has been practiced continuously for more than 5,000 years. In many countries, the rush to make a profit on a new drug often leads to the product being placed on the market before its long-term effects are known. The recent prevalence of this problem has caused many people to seek treatment that is tried and true.

2. Many people who seek out alternative medicine also do so because they do not want to fill their bodies with the chemicals that are inherent in more traditional medicine. Often the chemicals involved in prescription medication throw the body into a state of imbalance. For example, many antibiotics prescribed to treat infections cannot differentiate between infection and symbiotic organisms that are required for the human body to work as it should. The antibiotic kills off bacteria in the digestive tract and prevents the body from recovering as it should, perhaps prolong the illness.

Because of this overkill mentality in much of modern medicine, people seek out the kinder, gentler care of alternative medicine. And, in some cases wind up being treated with the herbs from which the modern medicine was derived. A foxglove tea is an herbal treatment for heart trouble, an alternative medicine approach. Digitalis, the medication prescribed for many with heart trouble, is a derivative and concentrated form of the plant.

3. People have begun to place more faith in alternative medicine as most treat the problem rather than the symptoms. Many modern medicines cause additional side effects and the solution of many doctors is to prescribe yet another medication to treat the symptoms. For example, Practitioners of many forms of alternative medicine, including massage therapy and chiropractic, realize that pain is usually a symptom of an underlying problem. In fact, pain is often the last symptom to appear and treating the pain itself is not going to correct the problem. Most people who use modern medicine would rather correct the source of the pain than simply pop a pain pill.

4. Many people seek out forms of alternative medicine because of its emphasis on preventing injury, illness and disease rather than curing it. Alternative medicine providers will still treat acute illness when it occurs, but they are often more focused on making the lifestyle choices to prevent such things from happening.

With the skyrocketing cost of health care, many people are operating under the theory that they will spend less and live happier, more fruitful lives if they can prevent illness. Most forms of alternative medicine place at least some credence in this theory. Many, like massage therapy and chiropractic, attempt to train patients to correct problems before they develop into life altering problems. This approach appeals to many as they seek out total wellness.



By: Eric Cho

why is it that if I tell people that my electro shock therapy is making me feel better they assume that I’m lying and tell me that I should be on medicine? Is it just society being resistant to change?

Complementary medicine basically means that it is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative is used in the place of conventional medicine. But how do we know what is the best choice? It is important to start by talking to the doctor before taking anything, and then doing research before making an educated decision.

There are certain principles that come into play when it comes to these forms of medicine. First, prevention is a key to good health. The idea here is to take steps before getting sick, and do everything to keep the body healthy. These practitioners also believe that the body can heal itself. Treatment is basically just part of the healing process, but the body is doing the work. Holistic care is another principle, as well as the idea that learning and healing are hand-in-hand.

Some examples of alternative and complementary medicine include ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy and ancient medicines. There are also mind-body connections, such as yoga and meditation. Prayer, hypnosis and simple relaxation also are recommended techniques. Many of these practices are thought to be “strange” or “out there”, but they can truly have a positive impact on your overall health and well-being.

But how do convention doctors feel about complementary and alternative medicine? Most are not opposed to it, and more doctors today are referring patients to specialists who practice these methods. There is skepticism, as these healing techniques can seem exaggerated, along with a lack of evidence for success with certain methods. So again, it is crucial to have a good knowledge of the medicine before it is used on the body for healing.



By: JP Richardson

History has it that alternative medicine goes back 5000 years to Chinese traditional medicine, Indian (Ayuryedic medicine) and similar healing traditions in many cultures. The common belief was that the energy of the body had to be in harmony with the mind, body and spirit. A doctor merely facilitated the healing by identifying and taking away obstacles that would inevitably lead to a cure. Therapy included lifestyle changes, self-care and preventative measures.

Today, what we know of as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has roots going back 5,000 years to Chinese (traditional Chinese medicine), Indian (Ayurvedic medicine) and similar healing traditions. For thousands of years, these diverse medical traditions held a belief in the energy of the body and the need for harmony between mind, body and spirit. Doctor’s simply facilitated the healing process by identifying and removing obstacles.

Throughout most of the 19th century, doctors used the same skills as today’s herbalists, osteopaths and dieticians; they were generous with time and empathy, and relied on a good bedside manner. Prayer was important, as was “a change of air,” laxatives, bleeding and leeches. Right up until the early 20th century, sick people relied on much the same kind of therapies as their ancestors.

The decades following the Second World War brought significant changes. As GP and journalist, James Lefanu noted in his book, The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine, written in the 50s, a series of medical breakthroughs proved beyond a doubt that previous attempts at healing were nothing more than mere quackery. New medical breakthroughs included the discovery of penicillin, cortisone (a powerful anti-inflammatory medicine), streptomycin (a powerful antibiotic that is effective in treating tuberculosis), insulin (to treat diabetes) and chlorpromazine (an anti-psychotic that controls schizophrenia). Open-heart surgery, hip replacements, kidney transplants, intensive care and successful vaccination programs saved and improved the quality of countless of millions of lives.

It’s no surprise that so much power to alter human destiny would lead, as Lefanu suggests, “to the resultant abandonment of homely remedies such as massage, manipulation and dietary advice, only for them to be taken up by alternative practitioners.” This is exactly what happened – with a dramatic explosion in the growth of ‘alternative’ therapies throughout the second half of the 20th century. Alongside modern medicine, CAM began to develop as an entirely separate discipline – contemptuous of the achievements of mainstream medicine, while at the same time dismissed by mainstream practitioners as ineffective and fraudulent. For most people, getting the best from mainstream and alternative medicine was a delicate operation. Those who opted for both mainstream and alternative medical care found that the best strategy was to remain quite to avoid criticism. Those who did try to use both services learnt that in order to avoid criticism.



By: Elizabeth Morgan

What job opportunities are there with a degree in alternative medicine?

Take the natural route to a better health and life by looking for the qualified holistic and naturopathic medical doctor in town. The holistic or naturopathic doctor that is talked about is the one who has the capability to cure patients with devastating and hard to cure diseases through the unique blend of conventional western medicine and alternative medicine. Getting more particular with these two branches of medicine, holistic doctors are more concerned on dealing with from hard to cure diseases such as heart disease, cancer, HIV or AIDS, high blood pressure, depression, infertility, menopausal symptoms, prostatitis and diabetes. In the treatment procedure they usually use natural and dietary procedure to prove more efficiency in curing their patient’s illness. The other branch of medicine which is the naturopathic medicine mainly specializes in using natural cure and treatment procedures. Doctors under this field uses herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, diet, lifestyle and exercise modifications, natural hormone therapy, intravenous vitamins, minerals and herbs and all other treatments that fall under the natural treatment category. These doctors are regarded as alternative medicine doctor natural health practitioners.

Being an alternative medicine doctor natural health who promotes well being does not need to solely rely on the knowledge and skills that he earned during his study. He has to develop other values such like providing quality time listening to his patients to actually understand the problem and the pain that the patient is suffering from. With good listening skills, he will gain the wisdom to determine the patient’s sickness thus knowing the right and cost effective treatment that the patient could have. The naturopathic doctor is suggested to be consulted in cases of devastating and hard to cure diseases because of its capacity to determine the very root of the disease. Though their particular knowledge about natural treatments and cure they can dig into the problem and get the very cause of the disease whether it is improper nutrition, bad diet or insufficient body mineral supply. The findings and the advice of the naturopathic doctor will be very significant to improve the patient’s treatment procedure and recovery stage.

Just keep an eye on the well known and expert naturopathic doctor or alternative medicine doctor natural health practitioner in your area. It’s best to find the doctor within the town vicinity for consultation and regular check up accessibility and convenience. If you don’t know anyone in your town that specializes in naturopathic medicine, use the internet to locate one. Some naturopathic doctors had their advertisements online. There you will find their complete qualification, educational background, practice experience and other information that makes them excel in the medical world. All you have to do is to ask the internet for their list so that you can immediately make your choice and have your disease cured the natural and cost efficient way.



By: Ian Pennington