Tim Lim

Archive for January, 2011

Complementary And Alternative Medicine Overview

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.

Related Alternative Medicine Articles

Improve Your Health by Following Fibromyalgia Alternative Therapies

Fibromyalgia is a terrible condition and people affected by it are often overwhelmed by its symptoms and effects. A disturbing fact is that although several million people suffer from fibromyalgia in the United States alone, modern medicine isn’t able to produce an efficient specific cure. Despite the fact that in present some fibromyalgia medical treatments and therapies can ameliorate and ease some of its symptoms, the causes of fibromyalgia can neither be prevented, nor overcome.

Fibromyalgia alternative therapies have been successfully used in the last decades for improving and correcting the major symptoms of the disorder. Although fibromyalgia alternative therapies and remedies can’t be a substitute for modern medicine and can neither completely overcome fibromyalgia, it is a healthier, better way of improving one’s physical and mental health. Some drugs prescribed in modern medicine to patients with fibromyalgia have lots of secondary effects and sometimes can even cause more harm rather than good. Considering the fact that fibromyalgia is a chronic neurological disorder, the symptoms reoccur on a regular time basis and ongoing treatment is necessary. By following fibromyalgia alternative therapies, people who suffer from the disorder will quickly begin to feel better and with time they will see an amelioration of their symptoms.

Fibromyalgia alternative therapies are a healthier, safer way of dealing with the malign effects of the disorder. Fibromyalgia alternative therapies and remedies are based on the knowledge and wisdom of the ancestors and consist of many practices that were secretly performed in the past. Alternative therapies are known to considerably improve the health of patients with neurological disorders such, helping them to regain control over their bodies and lives by achieving mental and physical balance. Most remedies used in alternative medicine have been used in curing all kinds of diseases for thousands of years. They have considerably less side-effects than synthetic drugs and sometimes they are even more efficient.

A very good remedy for neurological disorders such as fibromyalgia is produced from the herb Echinacea. This remedy is renowned for its healing effects and its capacities of stimulating the regeneration of the nervous system. Other remedies can improve the activity of the musculoskeletal system by supplementing the intake of vitamin D and calcium (remedies produced from coral).

Some fibromyalgia alternative therapies are more popular than others. However, these ancient complementary medicine practices all have benefic results on the organism. Popular fibromyalgia alternative therapies are acupuncture, acupressure, Reiki, aromatherapy and hydrotherapy. Among these fibromyalgia alternative therapies, the most commonly used are acupuncture, acupressure and Reiki. Acupuncture is an ancient oriental therapy that stimulates and corrects the activity of the entire organism by activating certain points on the body. A very effective fibromyalgia alternative therapy is Reiki. This is a form of massage therapy and it has an important role in reestablishing the balance inside the organism. Also, it is a good way to relax and ease the sensation of fatigue characteristic to all fibromyalgia patients.

Other interesting fibromyalgia alternative therapies are aromatherapy and hydrotherapy. They are both good ways of refreshing and stimulating the body and they can also help in easing the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Other less common fibromyalgia alternative therapies are Rehab Approach and biofeedback, both encouraging the patients to actively participate in the process of their treatment.

By following fibromyalgia alternative therapies, people confronted with the disorder are able to ameliorate their constant pain, fatigue and discomfort. Fibromyalgia alternative therapies are very good means of relaxation, helping people to achieve physical and mental balance.

Alternative Medicine Runs To Your Rescue

For more and more people for whom traditional medicine has not produced the desired results or for those who consciously select to follow complementary and alternative medicine practices in comparison to traditional health ones, alternative remedies have come to the rescue. In fact, according to multiple studies, an outstanding one in three of all adults in the US (34%) has used some kind of complementary / alternative therapy in the past year.

For the other two individuals who have not decided yet to try any therapy that belongs to this type of health practice, or are not sure if they have done so in the past, it is important to understanding what complementary and alternative therapy is and why people select to use it.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), complementary and alternative medicine is defined as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.” But although these types of alternative practices are not taught in medical schools or implemented by certified physicians, the highest use of complementary and alternative medicine was reported by people between 25 and 49 years of age who had relatively more education and higher incomes.

Even more overwhelming is the fact that the vast majority (83%) of those who have used one or more unconventional therapy methods for serious medical conditions also sought treatment for the same health problems from a medical doctor although 72 percent of the survey respondents did not inform their medical doctors that they had done so. Why are people afraid to admit the obvious? Is in fact complementary and alternative medicine a “sin?”

The underlying philosophy of these approaches greatly differs from conventional medicine. In general, complementary and alternative therapies are based on the body’s innate ability to heal itself. By using natural methods instead of complicated conventional medical procedures, alternative health practitioners provide their healing services to those who seek to explore an unconventional therapy in addition to whatever their medical doctors have subscribed, advised or performed.

Moreover, since complementary and alternative medicine’s goal is to create optimum health, it focuses on preventing disease and helping someone feel better overall. In fact, it looks at the underlying cause of the problem and addresses the issue at hand from every perspective and not just by examining the symptoms of ill health. The most well-known healing therapies belonging to the complementary and alternative medicine practice are: chiropractic, aromatherapy, massage, mind-body therapies such as deep breathing exercises and meditation, energy therapies, Yoga, traditional Chinese medicine and practices, like the age-old practice of acupuncture, homeopathy and diet therapies based on the use of herbs and nutritional supplements.

If you have never tried complementary and alternative medicine, maybe it’s not such a bad idea to indulge yourself with a massage session or keep your dietary habits in control. Simple practices will let you enjoy a precious healthy status for years to come.

Drug Interactions With Alternative Therapies

Herbs and other alternative therapies were the original medicine. Ancient cultures used herbs and plants to stay healthy and cure illness. But, for years after the pharmaceutical world took over treatment, the Western world lost interest in alternative therapies.

Today, however, interest in alternative therapies is renewed. Many people are choosing to treat some conditions naturally before trying medicines. For example, many people recently diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol are choosing to increase their exercise, change their diet and lose excess weight before resorting to high blood pressure and cholesterol medications. In many cases, patients can reverse their blood pressure and cholesterol problems without ever needing medication.

Other patients are using alternative therapies as adjuncts to traditional medicine. For example, green tea has been shown to improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in some forms of cancer. Drinking large amounts of tea while undergoing chemotherapy treatments can increase the concentration of the chemo drugs in the cancerous cells, making it more effective.

A large number of people are also using alternative therapies for preventative purposes. Take green tea, for example. It has been shown to prevent many types of illness, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s and some forms of cancer. Others use yoga to relieve stress and massage to manage muscle and joint pain.

But, what if you’re pursuing alternative therapies at the same time that you’re using conventional drug therapies? Is there a chance that there could be interaction between the two?

Well, the answer is, possibly. There are thousands of drugs being prescribed for hundreds of different conditions today, and no doubt some of the drugs will interact with some of the alternative therapies.

Since alternative therapies have become so popular, some research has been performed to determine how, and if, some of the most popular alternative therapies interact with drugs.

One study, in particular, reported by the UK Tea Council studied the effects of flavonoids on drug therapies. Flavonoids were chosen for study because they are contained in so many substances that we many of us consume regularly, and because flavonoids are generally thought to be very healthy.

Flavonoids are a type of anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants are extremely important to our health because they combat free radicals. Free radicals are created in our bodies as a by product of converting our food to energy. Free radicals damage our cells and DNA. Over time, this leads to premature aging and disease. Anti-oxidants combat these free radicals, preventing them from causing damage. Research has shown that a diet rich in anti-oxidants, including flavonoids prevents many forms of disease, such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Fruits and vegetables contain flavonoids, as does beverages made from plants, such as tea and wine. But, doctors wondered, could these healthy flavonoids interfere with drugs that we may be taking for medical conditions?

The research mentioned above found that flavonoids can, in some cases, interfere with the transport of certain drugs. Transport refers to how drugs reach the organs or body systems they’re designed to affect.

In some cases, this could cause interactions between your medications and alternative therapies such as Gingko Biloba, Milk Thistle, green tea, and soy isoflavones. It’s not likely that the flavonoids found in your food would interact, as they are not typically consumed in highly concentrated quantities as is found in herbal supplements.

So, for example, if you’re drinking three or four cups of green tea each day to help protect your health, it’s unlikely that there would be any interaction. However, if you’re taking 10-12 capsules of green tea extract each day, your concentration of flavonoids would be significantly higher, and might cause some interaction.

This information is not designed to influence you to stop using flavonoids to protect your health. Research has shown time and again that they’re very effective at keeping you young and healthy. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, green tea and other anti-oxidant sources can help you keep your weight in check, lower your cholesterol and even regulate insulin.

However, as with any alternative therapy you’re considering, it’s important to keep your doctor in the loop. Inform him of any alternative therapies you’d like to try, and find out how they might interact with any particular medicines you’re taking. This way you can ensure that you’re treating your particular health concerns in the best way possible, whether that means traditional medicines alone – or in combination with alternative treatments.

It’s nearly impossible for researchers to list every possible medication and every alternative therapy that it might interact with. But, working closely with your doctor, who knows your medical history, health concerns and treatments can ensure that you’re pursuing the healthiest route for treatment.

We’re all concerned about our health. And, many of us are also concerned about using natural, healthy remedies whenever possible, as well as taking advantage of all we’ve learned about how substances like anti-oxidants can prevent disease. Alternative remedies can be a great way to stay healthy, but it’s important to always consult your doctor before you begin something new.