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Sure, we have all heard the term “alternative medicine”, but many people do not understand exactly what it is all about and where it came from. Alternative medicine simply refers to medical practices which differ from conventional approaches. Some of the more common forms of alternative medicine include herbal medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic, and naturopathy.

Alternative medicine methods are usually based on philosophies that go against the grain of modern day medicine. Sometimes they incorporate spiritual practices, pre-modern medical traditions, or completely new approaches to the healing process.

Many have found that the best approach is to combine conventional and alternative medicine. When used in conjunction, an individual is able to benefit from the best of both worlds so to speak — using conventional medicine for information and diagnosis, and using alternative medicine for health enhancement.

Alternative medicine is growing in popularity among developed countries. In these areas, access to medicines is restricted by both lack of resources and poverty. As a result, traditional remedies (alternative remedies) often become a form of primary health care.

As health care costs continue to rise, alternative medicine is also picking up steam in the United States. According to a survey done a few years ago of adults ages 18 and up in the U.S., over 74% had used some form of alternative medicine and more than 62% had done so within the past 12 months.

Used properly, alternative medicine methods can be extremely effective in treating a wide range of medical conditions at a very reasonable cost.

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.

Have you heard the term “wellness?” It has two contexts, one in alternative medicine and one in Western medicine.

In the alternative medicine world, wellness means taking care of yourself so you don’t get sick. Let’s find ways to avoid cancer, heart disease, mental illness. We can do this through changing our diet, exercising more, and changing our energy fields.

In Western medicine, we wait until we get one of these diseases, then we rush heroically to “beat the disease.” In Western medicine, the term wellness means “early detection” of disease. If you walk into a “Wellness Center” in a hospital, you’ll see mammogram screening rooms, MRI machines and other tools to scan for the existence of disease.

Is that wellness? To me, it’s not. Wellness is about staying well, it is about avoiding disease in the first place. When a person is told “You have cancer,” it is a major blow to their psyches, and their lives. Why go through that if you don’t have to? Why not do whatever you can to avoid that terrible day?

Western medicine treats the “pre-detection” part of life as a kind of random soup of nothingness. You can’t really do anything about any of these diseases, you just get them or you don’t. No rhyme or reason to it, it just hits you, and then you deal with it.

Genetics is a big factor in the Western medical model. If you get cancer, ah, well, it was in your genes that you’d get it. You see, your great grandfather had cancer, so it was inevitable that you’d get it too.

Huh? Unfortunately, Western medicine can’t explain why siblings get or don’t get diseases supposedly passed on from their parents. One sister dies of cancer at a 25 (because of genetics) and the other sister lives to be 100 (also genetics?).

With today’s rising insurance cost and doctors who seem to write a prescription for every ache and pain many people continue to lose trust in the medical establishment.

Watching the TV for any length of time and a variety of medical solutions will be advertised – all with varied side effects. So many people are sick and battling long-term illness using aggressive drugs and antibiotics that wage war on their immune system. Now many people turn there back on the medical community and seek alternative medicine using herbal treatments against diseases like cancer or making simple diet changes to fight symptoms of acid reflux.

Alternative treatments continue to gain popularity in what many once considered hopeless situations. As with any medical issue – do some research. Herbal medicine is not the cure all and can cause side effects. However, herbal treatments are an alternative to consider before heading down the traditional medicine route.

Many Forms of Alternative Medicine and Health Care

The most common of alternative treatments is probably acupuncture and Chinese herbs, although the West also holds some herbal traditions. Finding you way through the maze of alternative medicines can confuse anyone but there seems to be an herb for almost anything. Stop for a moment and think of where the drug companies get their base of chemical and drug data – from plants and herbs.

What Makes Me a Believer in Alternative Treatments

A friend’s child had been made sick from mainstream medical treatments received as a child. A reaction to a drug left the boy severe problems. After visiting countless doctors the only advice they received – put they boy in an institution and care for your other kids. Unwilling to accept that advice the couple looked for alternative treatments. After searching for a while they discovered that by simply modifying the boys diet by eating natural foods the symptoms that stumped the doctors went away.

The damages of the drug remain evident. However, the boy has been able to live and function in a world the doctors said he could never join. He even attended public high school. It is real life lessons like these that make me look to the use of alternative medicines and treatments whenever possible for my family for any health problems we may experience.

Prostate cancer alternative treatments is defined as a group of unique approaches to cancer treatment not considered to be a conventional prostate cancer therapy, and is used in place of conventional cancer treatments.

Prostate cancer is an attack of the male prostate gland by a mass of harmful cells. Prostate cancer is most common in the United States and is the third leading cause of American cancer cases. The American Cancer Society estimates that one in six men will face a prostate cancer diagnosis during their life.

Types of Alternative Prostate Cancer Treatments

Chinese Medicine is one of the alternative methods being used to treat prostate cancer. Also commonly called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this holistic prostate cancer treatment is based on ancient philosophical frameworks. Traditional Chinese Medicine devises therapy programs by searching for inequalities between internal and external harmony within patients. There are eight branches of TCM: Tui na (Massage Therapy), acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese food therapy, Qigong (Breathing), T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Feng Shui, and Chinese astrology. The eight branches of Chinese medicine, like most other prostate cancer alternative treatments, are used to alleviate the pain associated with the disease, as well as a remedy for the side effects affiliated with conventional cancer treatments.

Herbalism, or herbal medicine, is a holistic prostate cancer alternate treatment with the healing properties of plants and plant extracts at the center of the therapy. Some of the most popular components of herbal medicine include St. John’s Wort, lemon juice, Green Tea, Honey, Grapefruit, Black Cohash, Poultices, Juniper Berry, and Eucalyptus. Herbal therapy is especially highly regarded in Europe.

Alternative Prostate Cancer Treatments vs. Conventional Prostate Cancer Therapies

Conventional prostate cancer therapies are administered by members of the medical community, including physical therapists, psychologists, and nurses. Conventional cancer treatments are subjected to intense study to ensure their effectiveness and safety. Hormone therapy and radiation are conventional therapies for treating prostate cancer. Removing the testicles, in a surgical procedure called orchiectomy, is another traditional prostate cancer treatment. As is chemotherapy. Cancer cells are also customarily frozen as a part of a cryosurgery.

There are two common surgical procedures used to treat prostate cancer. They are the radical prostatectomy and the transurethal resection of the prostate (TURP). Radical prostatectomy surgery is generally performed once the cancer has not spread outside of the prostate gland. There are two types of radical prostatectomy procedures, the radical retropubic and the perineal approach. The transurethal resection of the prostate is performed to curtail prostate swelling.

Luteinizing hormone-releasing analogs and luteinizing hormone-releasing antagonists are prostate cancer medications designed to inhibit the release of the cancer-inducing luteinzing hormone-releasing hormone from the brain. Luteinizing altering drugs are a staple in prostate cancer conventional treatments.

Although there have been considerable advances in conventional medicine, many people believe strongly in the use of complementary and alternative medicine for many conditions and this is certainly true in the case of diabetes.

Complementary and alternative medicine use a number of products and practices which are not presently considered to be part of the mainstream system of healthcare and the main difference between the two is that complementary medicine is designed to be used alongside conventional treatment while alternative medicine is used instead of conventional treatment.

There are many forms of both complimentary and alternative medicine which are believed to produce beneficial effects but there are others forms can be extremely harmful and, in the case of a potentially serious condition such as diabetes, you should not use either without the knowledge of your doctor. Indeed, you should talk to your doctor about any form of complimentary or alternative medicine which you wish to use so that he can advise you of any possible medical consequences of such treatment.

There are a large number of different types of complimentary and alternative therapy for diabetes including:

1. Guided Imagery. Guided imagery is technique which relaxes the mind and body and develops an awareness of, and an ability to deal with, the body’s response to pain using peaceful images. This can be particularly useful for diabetes suffering with nerve damage.

2. Acupuncture. Acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into different parts of the body and can be used to trigger the release of natural chemical painkillers. It can be especially helpful for diabetes suffering with often painful nerve damage (neuropathy).

3. Magnesium. The exact part played by magnesium in controlling diabetes is poorly understood but it is known that this mineral, which is found in green leaf vegetables, whole grain foods and nuts, plays an important role in many of the body’s functions including functions of the nerves, heart, muscles and bones. It also plays a part in the helping the body to handle glucose and low levels of magnesium are often found in people suffering from diabetes.

4. Ginseng. Ginseng has become very popular popularity recently for the treatment of a whole range of different conditions and is sold widely. There is some evidence from studies using American ginseng that it can reduce glucose levels, but this evidence is not strong enough yet to say just how effective it is as a form of therapy. One problem with ginseng is that it comes in a variety of different forms and strengths and nobody really knows just what amount or strength is needed for therapeutic purposes.

Whatever form of complimentary or alternative medicine you would like to try it is important to remember that you treating a serious and potentially life-threatening condition and that you should consult your doctor before trying any form of therapy.

Find Chinese medicine education in the United States and Canada. Chinese medicine education offered through several acupuncture schools and other Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) schools include certificate programs that are comprehensive, and can enhance your professional aspirations.

A good example of one of the many certificate programs extended through an in-depth Chinese medicine education is the certificate in Chinese herbal medicine (CCHM). This Chinese medicine education program is a postgraduate course for licensed acupuncturists and covers a tremendous curriculum that includes Chinese medicine education in botany, Chinese medical terminology, herbal formulation and therapeutics, Chinese medicine principles and theories, and other related subject matter. Though each school varies in its Chinese medicine education; a number of these programs average about 62 credits.

Other certificate programs offered through Chinese medicine education courses are the Asian bodywork and Qigong courses. Chinese medicine education in these subjects encompass practical training and academics in a range of topics including but not limited to TCM theories, anatomy, qigong, clinical bodywork, shiatsu, biomechanics, kinesiology, Thai massage, Tuina, and other related studies. In many instances, successful students who have completed all bodywork training requirements are awarded Tuina and shiatsu massage certificates.

In addition, some Chinese medicine education courses are extended through home-study programs, as well as in-class studies. These certificate and continuing education programs include courses in herbology. In this Chinese medicine education course, students are introduced to Chinese herbal medicine, pathology, tonic herbs and formulation, and many more associated topics of interest.

We see the terms Holistic Medicine and Alternative Medicine a lot on the Internet today. They seem to be used interchangeably. But do you really understand the meaning of the terms? What is Holistic Medicine and how is it different from Traditional Medicine? It can be confusing.

The terms “traditional” or “allopathic” or “conventional” basically refer to the type of medicine practiced in the Western world. This approach to health is relatively new in human history when compared to the Chinese healing arts of 5000 years ago. Traditional medicine is scientific-based medicine. You must have data, you must have proof, and you must be able to show your proof in a laboratory setting.

Traditional Medicine believes something physical is present to cause disease, like a virus or a bacterium, and you must be treated for that disease by a prescription drug or, if necessary, surgery in order to get better.

The Holistic Approach to Health Care is quite different. This philosophy states that you become sick when emotional, psychological, or spiritual stresses overwhelm and weaken the immune system. Holistic Medicine works by finding the cause of the stress in the patient’s life, helping the patient cope with that stress, and supporting the body’s natural healing process with things like proper nutrition, herbal supplementation, and other non-invasive techniques. The treatment always boosts the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Some refer to Holistic Medicine as “Alternative” Medicine, as in an alternative to traditional medicine. According to Carolyn Myss and Norman Shealy in their book “Creation of Health,” the term “alternative” should actually apply to the various techniques used in the Holistic Health field, such as Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, and Medical Herbalism.

The term “Holistic” does not refer to a technique. It is an approach to health and healing that emphasizes the connection between mind, body, and spirit. The body is treated as a whole, with each state working in tandem with the others.

The Holistic approach empowers the patient to accept responsibility for his/her own health and treatment. The healthcare provider forms a partnership with the patient so that together they can develop the best possible treatment plan for the patient.

Holistic Health requires a commitment to the healing process. It is not a quick fix; pop a pill, and go home. You’re cured. It is a continuous striving toward optimal health, not just the absence of sickness.

Traditional medical doctors often refer to the “alternative” techniques they use in their practice, like Physical Therapy or Massage Therapy, as “complementary” to the drug and surgical procedures they regularly use. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a branch of the National Institutes of Health, has gathered compelling evidence of how well Holistic Health techniques work in treating disease and promoting health and well-being. You can keep up-to-date with the latest research at the NCCAM website: nccam.nih.gov/.

As more and more people search for alternatives to prescription drugs and surgery, Holistic Medicine and its natural remedies will continue to offer safe and effective treatments. Traditional Medicine will always be the major player in emergency care and acute, life-threatening illnesses. Ultimately it is up to each individual to decide which treatment option is best for his or her needs.

Anyone facing health issues on a regular basis can become burdened. It’s a negative way to start any day when you are not feeling good. For some health problems are a life struggle.

As we grow older physical and mental afflictions bother us more and make us easily agitated. However, there is something you can do. Feeding your body by eating right and living well is a great first step. It also helps to exercise on a regular basis, not only around New Year when you make resolutions but daily.

Exercise can help keep your body and mental state operating at peak condition. Exercise can keep you healthy.

What About Medicine?

Medicine is another thing you need to consider. What treatments are a waste of time, and which ones are not? That’s a great question to ask yourself. I usually go to a chiropractor before running to a medical doctor. Time is money, and drug companies’ bank accounts do not seem to be going on a diet. Lower cost alternative herbal medicines may be right for your problem and save you some money. Before taking any medicine or herbal remedy do your research.

People from all walks of life and income levels choose some form of alternative therapy. But today’s practitioners of alternative medical services and advice appeal to an often more sophisticated consumer. They patients demand the best treatment for their ailments and stand ready and prepared to pay for it.

It’s this attitude which has slowly filtered through insurance companies and health maintenance organizations that realize – patients with sciatica recover quicker and require less therapy when therapeutic massage and water therapy is combined with their other treatment, regardless of scientific studies.

As the United States medical community slowly become influenced from other traditional medical systems from other cultures, and doctors experience first hand that these alternative approaches are effective in helping patients with all kinds of illnesses.

As doctors and patients alike see the number of alternative and complementary therapies accepted by mainstream medicine, the alternative medical choices will increase. At the same time, the steadfast focus of the public eye and news media on any of these therapies will encourage research to throw by the wayside those that are useless or harmful.

If you are the least bit curious about the subject of alternative medicine, herbals and other natural forms, stop wondering what works and jump online for snooping. Take advantage of the numerous reviews and experience of others that know first-hand. Look at the wonderful world of alternative medicine and herbals to live a comfortable life.

Complementary medicine and Alternative medicine are two different entities. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example would be the use of aromatherapy to help lessen a patient’s discomfort following surgery. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. An example of this would be using a special diet to treat cancer, instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor. There is also Integrative medicine, which combines mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies to treat a certain health condition. Note that there is usually high-quality scientific evidence of the effectiveness of the CAM therapy when it is used integratively with conventional medicine.

There are five major categories of CAM and they are listed and defined below:

-Alternative Medical Systems

These are systems that are built on complete systems of theory and practice. The systems have usually evolved apart from and earlier than the conventional medical approach used in the U.S. Examples of alternative medical systems that have developed in the Western cultures include homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine. Examples of systems that have developed in non-Western cultures include traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda.

-Mind/Body Interventions

Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms. Some techniques that were considered CAM in the past have become mainstream (i.e., patient support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy). Other mind-body techniques are still considered CAM, including meditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies that are a creative outlet such as art, music, and dance.

-Biologically Based Therapies

These are therapies in CAM that use substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins. Some examples include dietary supplements, herbal products, and the use of other so-called natural but scientifically unproven therapies (for example, the use of shark cartilage to treat certain cancers).

-Manipulative and Body Based Methods

These methods, used in CAM, are based on manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of the body. Some examples include chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, and massage.

-Energy Therapies

Energy therapy involves the use of energy fields, and there are two types: Biofield therapies are intended to affect energy fields that surround and penetrate the body. The existence of such fields has not yet been scientifically proven. Some forms of energy therapy manipulate biofields by applying pressure and/or manipulating the body by placing the hands in or through these fields. Examples include Qi Gong, Reiki, and Therapeutic Touch. Bioelectromagnetic therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current or direct-current fields.

Complementary and Alternative medicine is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. While some scientific evidence exists regarding some CAM therapies, for most there are key questions that are yet to be answered through well-designed scientific studies-questions such as whether these therapies are safe and whether they work for the diseases or medical conditions for which they are used. The list of what is considered to be CAM changes continually, as those therapies that are proven to be safe and effective become adopted into conventional health care.