A Beginner's Guide to Alternative Health

Alternative Health - A New Look at an Old Way of Life Old vs. New

Alternative health is an umbrella term for natural and less invasive treatments like herbs andacupuncture for

anything from sunburns to chronic pain. Alternative healing has been around for millennia andusually can be traced back to traditional Chinese medicine.

The theory informing traditional Chinese medicine is that the body and the environment it's in areconnected and, when the body is off kilter, treatment and prevention should come from theenvironment. Chinese medicine uses plant based treatment to restore balance to the body. OtherChinese options for healing the mind and body are acupuncture, massage and meditation.

The Chinese believe that yin and yang two cosmic forces in the universe affect everythingparticularly our health. Yin is the female force and symbolized by the moon and yang representsmasculinity in the form of the sun. Balancing yin and yang in our bodies is the foundation forChinese medicine, a system that competes with Western medicine in its complexity and efficacy.

In the West, alternative medicine was thought to be a sham but science continues to prove thattraditional Eastern medicine is definitely effective.

Exactly what scientific evidence proves the validity of alternative medicine? Indeed it has been slowgoing for contemporary science to acknowledge the power of traditional medicine in part becausestudies get funded by drug companies who want to profit from the science they invest in. Only in thelast half of the 20th century do academic studies focusing on alternative medicine start to appear. Today it is a form of healing that is internationally accepted.

Tenets of Eastern Medicine

The concepts underpinning Easter medicine must be framed within the context of Eastern cultures. Chinese culture is informed by centuries of tradition and social interaction. Yin and yang has longbeen part of Chinese tradition and Eastern medicine uses yin and yang to divide our bodies intoareas.

Our yin organs are those inside our body and our external organs (like skin, for instance) are yang. Everything we eat, including herbs, will either help or hurt the yin/yang balance in our bodies.

Yin and yang foods, eaten in the right combination, will create healthy balance in our bodies. Withina traditional Chinese medicine framework, sickness is a result of not eating the correct foods and notgetting exercise as well as not taking time to rest our bodies and minds.

Similarly, eating too much yin or yang foods even as they're technically "good for you" will also

cause imbalance in your body, resulting in aches, pains or illness due to imbalance. Tai chi, anEastern movement system promoting equilibrium, balance and increased blood flow, also should bepracticed to encourage overall good health. Yoga can also help accomplish this as well.

Can Alternative and Western Medicine Practices Be Combined?

Historically, the West has been slow to embrace alternative healing such as traditional Chinesemedicine although today many Western doctors are combining their own medical school practiceswith that of alternative modes of healing.

One prominent example of a physician trained in Western medicine incorporating Eastern healingpractices is Dr. Mehmet Oz, the prominent doctor featured on Oprah who now has his own talk showwith a health emphasis. He has recently stated that he has used reflexology and massage on hispatients going into surgery.[2422]

Oz cited the accelerated speeding process as the evidence for using these techniques on patientsand he's certainly not the only Western doctor to create hybrid treatment based on both Westernand Eastern medicine.[2422] For example, some surgeons rely on Reiki, among other Easterntherapies, to assist patients with the healing process.

What is Reiki? It is an Asian therapy that focuses on the body's balance of energy after an illness oroperation. Reiki treatments include a trained therapist who touches 12-15 areas on the body toalleviate pain and stress.

Recent Chinese research done on combining the two healing systems has concluded that the use ofboth benefits patients and the medical community in general. One example of the power ofcombined therapy is a study showing that Chinese herbs in tandem with radiation therapy hasstrengthened the immunity of cancer patients while reducing their tumors during their course ofradiation.[2423]

Studies have also shown that acupuncture has a positive effect on the nervous system by causing thebrain to release endorphins which, in turn, promote healthy organs in our bodies.[2420] Meditationhas also encouraged the growth of T-cells (which strengthen the immune system and fightviruses).[2421]

While many have criticized Chinese medicine and attribute its effectiveness to the placebo effect,both Western and Eastern studies are proving the opposite.

Most important in combining Eastern and Western medicine philosophies, the patient's lifestyle mustbe examined. Eastern medicine advocates a healthy diet and exercise as important practices inpreventing disease and Western medicine instead reacts to illness once it manifests in in the body. One emphasizes prevention while the other reacts to disease. Since more doctors are combiningmedical systems to help patients, more than a third of Americans supplement conventional Westernmedical practices with alternative medicine.

Current research continues to contribute to a body of knowledge indicating that alternative medicalpractices are effective for treating illness. It isn't so strange any more to hear about the benefits ofacupuncture or meditation as means to stay physically or psychologically healthy.

Western Medicine vs. Eastern Medicine: The Costs

Yet another reason for the growing popularity of traditional Chinese medicine has to do with thecost, particularly when compared to the skyrocketing costs of Western medical care. Many withouthealth insurance simply can't afford Western medical treatment and, today more than ever, smallbusinesses cannot afford to offer their employees insurance coverage. Even comprehensive policiescome up short in terms of savings they can offer people.

Many in the U.S. are crossing borders - heading to Mexico or Canada - in order to find affordablemedical treatment or prescription medicines. As alternative medicine becomes better known in theWest, more people will use Eastern methods to prevent illness and create healthy balance in theirlives.

Alternative Medicine: The Bottom Line

The number of naysayers regarding alternative therapies is shrinking. Reputable medical andresearch centers like Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago are beginning to use alternativemedical techniques in their treatments.

Recently in U.S. News and World Report, an article cited Children's Memorial as a "hard-nosed,tough cases, research oriented emblem of western medicine" that has created its own balance ofWestern and Eastern medical treatment. When a medical research center like Children's Medicalembraces traditional Chinese medicine, the rest of the medical world pays attention.

Massage, reflexology and yoga are generally understood to be important tools in maintaining healthybalance in our lives. While the Chinese may endorse a combination of Eastern and Western medicaltherapies for treatment of chronic diseases like cancer, not a lot of Westerners agree. Yet. Historically, just the term "alternative medicine" suggested witchcraft and other pagan religiouspractices that might seem strange and/or terrifying.

Hopefully with more time and understanding from both Chinese and American practitioners andpatients, a combined Eastern and Western therapy will prove valuable for both the prevention andtreatment of illness for everyone.

At the end of the day, as human beings regardless of our histories, our medical practices evolve toprovide the most effective therapies for all patients. This entails crossing cultural lines andunderstanding the frameworks of Eastern and Western medical systems so that both can worktogether to bring improved medical care to the world.