Ken Snow asked:


Think you don’t know what alternative medicine is? It’s more common than you think, and now has a firm place in the world today. Certain therapies not formerly thought of as legitimate medical treatments are now being used on a more frequent basis to treat a variety of ailments, quite often with endorsement from the medical community. Some of the more common types of alternative medicine treatments include:

• Massage therapy

• Aromatherapy

• Hydrotherapy

• Acupuncture

• Herbal Remedies

• Meditation

• Spiritual therapy

More than likely, you are familiar with many of these treatments; maybe you have even experienced a few yourself. Many of these treatments are not only used to treat many common health problems, but are used by people all over the world in order to achieve total well-being.

For thousands of years, the treatments deemed alternative today were standard practice. And now, people seem to be turning to these optional therapies when they are in a health crisis, or if they feel they have nowhere else to turn.

There are factions of people throughout the world who prefer to take advantage of the natural effects that alternative medicines and therapies offer, rather than depend on synthetic drugs to cure or prevent ailments. Herbal medication have the benefit of being completely organic, or from the earth, and often provide equivalent remedies to prescription drugs.

Alternative medicines and treatments have become part of the fabric of our society today. While many of these therapies are meant to be used as a treatment for a health problem, some are used by people as simply a method of relaxation or reward. Chief among them is massage therapy. Massage has become incorporated into the routines of many individuals in today’s society as a means of stress reduction, rather than pain relief.

Meditation is another form of alternative medicine that has become an integral part of many lives in today’s society. With its roots steeped in ancient spiritual history, meditation acts like massage in that it provides a release for stress and anxiety. In order to perform mediation correctly, though, you should learn as much as you can about it first. Many people enjoy this type of alternative therapy a great deal because of the personal control they have when performing it. Many individuals in today’s society highly recommend meditation as a type of alternative medicine.

The stresses of today’s society have led some to cry out for change. Many find solace and healing in alternative medicine treatments. The natural treatments and calming effects of many of them are exactly what many people have been searching for in order to reduce their stress. The average person is forced to deal with a large amount of stress on a daily basis. Alternative medicine and treatments bring relief to the stresses and anxiety that people of today’s society feel weighed down by.

In today’s society, we see a great deal of stress, anxiety, and illnesses. Alternative medicine provides a viable option to traditional medicine that aids people in the maintenance of their well-being in their busy lives. Massage therapy and meditation are two common treatments that people can turn to, that can also have a positive effect on today’s society as a whole. As we move forward in society, you will continue to see a shift towards more acceptance of alternative medicine and therapy.



Ida
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PS asked:


Just curious if there is any firm proof that alternative medicine practices actually work. I need *hard evidence*, preferably documented studies by a reputable organization. Anecdotal evidence and user opinion such as I felt better or the Chinese have practiced for thousands of years does not qualify as proof.

Edward
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alternative medicine asked:


Diabetics should look after their feet ( Alternative Medicine )

It is confirmed that the health of diabetic patient’s feet is very important and any injury or bruise, the size of a spot may cause problems right down to the bone and cause gangrene, so diabetics should take care of their feet from shoes to socks and nails to heels. Experts stated at a press conference that for diabetics the most vulnerable organ is their feet. The feet are the organs which are most exposed so when the flow of blood slows at the feet they start to lose sensitivity. An expert claims that even a little bruise might leave the feet more vulnerable to future injuries so diabetics should protect their feet:

”Your feet should be washed every night with warm water, be dried thoroughly and moisturised. After sports and walking, the underside of the feet should be checked with a mirror to ensure there are no bruises. Socks musn’t be too big or too small, musn’t be scrunched up or torn. Shoes should be made from soft leather, with smooth inside and not pointed or tapered at the front. Toe nails should be cut short. Nails should be cut straight across, not rounded.” ( Alternative Medicine )

Experts warn that if diabetic people don’t take these warnings seriously and don’t follow these guidelines they may lose their feet or legs, “treatment is too difficult and lengthy. If injuries don’t heal properly, even a little bruise the size of a spot can reach the bone and become gangrene and can cause loss of toes or whole feet.”

Alternative Medicine



Julio
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nate t asked:


i know that in plants it has a compound called chloryphyll thats suppose to be good for ur body. i was wondering is there any kind of tree leaves that i can smash and use its extract to make medicine. if anyone knows please help me.

Bruce
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Martin Richfield asked:


Alternative medicine can be described as a set of care that is not considered to be a part of the conventional medical and health system. This includes a very large variety if services and care that although are labeled as alternative are quite popular.

It is important to be careful when seeking alternative medicine that it does not interact negatively with your present health care treatment or your body. Alternative medicine is available for just about every ailment or problem and sometimes can be considered experimental.

Regardless of what the ailment is, the one that is certain is that some research should be done before starting the treatment. This way, any risks that are involved can be carefully watched out for, or if it sounds too risky, then you can decide not to follow through with it. The other thing that is necessary when using alternative treatments, is that if it is a therapy that is administered by someone else, make sure that they have the necessary credentials and are practicing safe treatment. You want to keep your body safe as the top priority.

Alternative medicine can involve diet, supplements, products, and treatments. One of the most popular alternative treatments is natural herbs. Natural herbs can be taken for many different things. Some of these include depression, exhaustion, arthritis, cancer, and many others. There is plenty of research available on the natural herbs that people take. There are some out there that are not safe and therefore should be avoided. Research will determine which ones are unsafe. Some are considered unsafe for specific people, for instance, pregnant women.

Another common alternative medicine used by many people is exercise. Exercise can help with many different health concerns. This involves arthritis, rehabilitation, depression, obesity, and many others. Exercise can be safe as long as it is monitored by a trainer or other professional. Exercise can be dangerous for people who have heart conditions and other health problems and should be monitored to ensure the safest treatment possible.

Another popular alternative treatment is acupuncture. Acupuncturists have certification and therefore can be gauged as safe as long as the person is certified. Acupuncture is said to help with muscle pain, back problems, head aches, weight loss, and many other different health concerns. Acupuncture is an ancient tradition and is considered a natural treatment. It involves tiny needles being placed in very specific locations.

One of the most common alternative treatments is hot and cold therapy. This is used for many different ailments involving muscle pain and spasms, joint pain, and several other diseases. When seeking therapy the key is to be as safe as possible and to trust your gut and not involved with something that makes you uncomfortable.



Glenda
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CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd asked:


Find Alternative Medicine Colleges in the United States and Canada. If you are drawn to complementary and alternative medicine, you are not alone. Alternative medicine colleges are growing in demand as “36 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 years and over use some form of complementary and alternative medicine.” [1] Alternative and complementary medicine therapies that are most commonly sought after include acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine, and nutritional [2] therapies. These professions are frequently taught to students in a number of alternative medicine colleges.

Before registering in the wide expand of alternative medicine colleges, you should first determine which alternative medicine practice you would like to enter. For example, if you interested in chiropractic, be sure that the selection of alternative medicine colleges in which you choose to enroll offer this course of study. Some alternative medicine colleges provide training in a diverse range of health therapies including education in pathology-specific treatments, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Studies offered through alternative medicine colleges in this area may include diverse curriculums in botanical or herbal medicine, supplements and vitamins, hydrotherapy, mind-body therapies, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture and other massage therapies.

Other courses provided through alternative medicine colleges may be designed for the future homeopathic practitioner or professionally certified massage therapist. However, there are so many fields of study from which to choose, the potential to attaining a quality education at one of several alternative medicine colleges is virtually unlimited.

Currently, a number of alternative medicine colleges provide undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral and independent career training programs. Students who are interested in naturopathic medicine or holistic medicine can gain a comprehensive education and skills through accredited alternative medicine colleges, as well as other complementary medicine schools. Students seeking certification or diploma programs can frequently achieve these goals at alternative medicine colleges, too. For instance, some alternative medicine colleges specifically provide certification courses in massage, herbal medicine and reflexology. Again, the diverse options in education are quite compelling.

Students, who have successfully graduated from one of several alternative medicine colleges, can go onto lucrative and personally rewarding careers that are mutually beneficial in helping patients and clients from all walks of life.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in enrolling in one of several alternative medicine colleges to help find your dream job, let education within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.

Alternative Medicine Colleges: Making the Grade

© Copyright 2007

The CollegeBound Network

All Rights Reserved

References:National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Statistics on CAM Use in the United States (http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats.html)National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Press Release: More than One-Third of U.S. Adults use Complementary and Alternative Medicine, according to New Government Survey (http://nccam.nih.gov/news/2004/052704.htm)

NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active.



Bernice
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dona asked:


Alternative medicine has always received wide attention worldwide, because of its success in helping men to live a healthy life. This is why people prefer to go in search of alternative medical practitioners for a better healing result. This area is always under research and you can find a reliable treatment for all human health related issues.  

If you are looking for an alternative medicine practitioner in your area, the best place to search is through internet. Websites list the name, contact information and other basic and detailed descriptions of such practitioners in each area. These websites also allow alternative medicine practitioners to list their details in the pages so that users who are in need of this information can easily search and find out the relevant information for them.  

Most of such websites provide an easy to search interface for users. The websites will be so arranged that they can simply give the search criteria and wait for their most sought results. A country based or a sip code based search will be more comfortable if you want area based information.  

Another benefit of going for such a detailed research through internet is that, this information will be reliable. The websites will have trust worthy information and most of the websites take special attention to include the names of doctors who have a good reputation in the area of alternative medicine. This ensures that you are never cheated and you get help, treatment and suggestions from the experts in this area.  

Before going for a wild search, you can ask the opinion of experts or professionals. They can give you the names of reliable websites to get details of alternative medicine practitioners. You can even depend on customer reviews so that the end result you obtain will always be trust worthy.

 



Delores
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Persita26 asked:


I am drugged up on so much medicine that I can’t live my life. Does anyone know of an alternative medication that I could take?

Lucy
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Jane Symms asked:


We are in an age when people want to take more responsibility for their health. As a result an increasing number of people are turning to alternative medicine for candida symptom relief.

The number of people diagnosed with candida is on the rise. It has been suggested that most people, at some point in their life, will suffer from a yeast infection.

But, that does not seem to alarm many people, especially when it is often quoted that most of the population in the USA and Europe have candia albicans yeast in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract all their life from childhood.

Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine often question this statistic. They are less sure this is the case and suggest the occurrences of candida overgrowth they see are more to do with the “Western” lifestyle and diet than a normal state of affairs.

It is impossible to know who is right, but it is clear from the information gathered that our diets and other environmental factors do have a large impact of the risk of developing candidiasis (candida albicans overgrowth)

Candida Albicans is a form of yeast, which resides in the digestive system, the vagina or the oral passages, and is usually kept at bay by our immune system and the good bacteria (probiotics) that live within our GI tract.

Unfortunately there may be times when either our immune system becomes repressed or the volume of good bacteria in our body drops and we no longer have the means to suppress candida and stop it multiplying.

Sometimes in the very act of trying to improve our health we can bring on a candida infection. Antibiotics can actually exacerbate the problem rather than cure it as the antibiotics kill both the good bacteria and the bad bacteria in the GI tract, leaving it defenseless against a yeast infection.

If you were to visit your doctor for candida treatment they would prescribe an anti-fungal. However, candida is becoming more and more resistant to these medical treatments, with many people reporting a return of symptoms once the course of treatment has been completed.

This is one of the reasons more and more people who suffer from Candida are turning to alternative ways to treat the problem.

One of the most effective alternative treatments to be used for treating Candida today is the humble garlic bulb.

It has strong natural anti-fungal properties and can be easily incorporated in the diet.

It is better consumed raw, but if you cannot stomach that then there are many supplements available from all good health stores that can be taken. However, avoid the odorless variety of the supplement, as these can often have little or none of the active ingredient Allicin.

Cayenne pepper can also be added to the diet along with garlic. This can be sprinkled on to your meals each day and is probably a simple and easy way to speed up the healing process of the body.

Other natural anti fungal and options include:

That Horopito Aniseed which comes from a plant native to New Zealand, which studies show, has anti-fungal properties.

The Pau D’Arco tree, which comes from the South American rain forests, contains anti-fungal properties, and can be taken as a tea, or a vaginal douche once cooled.

Continue reading to find out how to sign up for our free newsletter and discover natural ways of treating candida.

As well as herbal preparations and supplements, making changes lifestyle and dietary changes can have a long lasting effect on reducing candida. By changing your diet you create an environment in the body that is healthy for the good bacteria to thrive, and is hostile to the candida.

Seek the help of a nutritionist or expert to identify the alternative medicine for candida that is best for you.



Melissa
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belle2413 asked:


I’m interested in learning more about alternative medicine and herbal remedies for my own personal gain… not for a career or anything like that. Does anyone know of a good website you can look up symptoms and it will recommend herbs? I am particularly interested in a natural herb for weight/appetite control and women’s health.

Bernice
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