Medicinal alternatives
'A growing number of people are turning to natural treatments and alternative therapies to address health concerns'
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) refers to a variety of medical and health care practices that fall outside the realm of ‘conventional medicine’ (or allopathy) and are generally drug-less practices that focus on natural healing.
These include naturopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, homeopathy, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and acupuncture, massage therapy and others.
Naturopathy and allopathy are both valuable systems that excel at different aspects of patient care.
Naturopathic medicine focuses on prevention and involves a wellness paradigm that views the individual as a ‘whole’, and appreciates the interconnectedness of mind and body.
Conventional medicine is crucial in most emergency situations however, for most diseases, the aim is to treat symptoms with drugs or surgery.
While this may be necessary at times, longterm management requires ongoing costly drug therapy with unwanted side effects.
Allopathic doctors include general practitioners, cardiologists, gynaecologists, urologists, endocrinologists, rheumatologists and other specialists. As such these doctors address health concerns in their area of ‘specialty’.
By contrast, the holistic approach emphasises that those imbalances which lead to disease are caused within the body, and thus can be cured from within.
This philosophy of ‘vitalism’ considers the body as a group of interrelated, interdependent systems working together to keep the body functional and healthy.
So which one is better?
The truth is, there is a time and place for both types of medicine.
Differing viewpoints argue that western medicine is the only scientific medical approach and natural medicine lacks validity; others view western medicine as toxic and natural health care as the best way to maintain health.
Conventional medicine shines when it comes to miraculous advances in technologies and drug research that have allowed organ transplants to occur, life-saving interventions, and treatments for emergency situations or aggressive infections.
Naturopathic medicine and other similar approaches look at ‘the bigger picture’ when it comes to illness, and excels in the treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis or eczema.
The holistic standpoint allows the understanding that headaches could be due to digestive disturbances, or a skin rash could result from an imbalance in the lungs.
So, while some conditions may be serious enough that they require conventional medical treatment and intervention, many diseases such as cancer or hypertension can be prevented with lifestyle and dietary changes.
Naturopathic medicine also addresses the root cause of disease which in turn can reduce higher drug dosages or the need for too many pharmaceutical medications.
Medical aids do pay for many alternative therapies, so why not use these available therapies to prevent disease and optimise health as a first resource, or even in combination with other treatments?
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