HowItWorks.net

When given the task of explaining how alternative medicine works; that is a tall order. Try explaining how and why the body, mind and spirit react to things and you would be a wealthy person. However, there are some things to know about alternative and holistic medical practices and why more people are becoming open minded to their use.

Alternative medicine to many people is not really an alternative. It is a basis for health care that complements their everyday life. Alternative medicine doesn’t work the same way as allopathic medicine. If you are hit by a car; you wouldn’t want to call a naturopath or herbalist. If you want to prevent disease, stabilize or heal from a chronic illness or work with emotional, mental and spiritual problems you might visit a homeopath or one of the many other therapists from many modalities available in alternative and holistic medicine. More than 80 per cent of the world’s population is taking a hard look at alternative therapies and using them with or without the doctor’s consent.

Alternative Therapies – Get To the Root of the Problem

My experience with alternative therapies has been one of getting to the bottom and root cause of the physical problem. In alternative medicine; there are generally reasons on some level of the patient’s emotional, mental, spiritual being and these reasons can manifest in the body physically. Yes, there can be work done to take a patient back into past lives and re-visit traumas experienced in another time. These traumas can manifest into physical problems in the lifetime today. Does it sound crazy? It only sounds crazy if you do not believe in reincarnation. This is only a small example of alternative care. Stress is said to be a huge cause of problems manifesting in the body. Many alternative therapies feature ways to relax and calm the body and mind. When the mind is quieted; it gives the patient a chance to “listen” to what the body is trying to tell them. If we did a lot more listening and less talking, the body may be given a better chance to heal. The mind is an incredibly powerful thing and cannot be discounted when related to healing and illness.

In allopathic medicine, many times a doctor will give the patient a pill or “magic bullet” for this problem and medicine for that illness. The pharmaceutical industry relies on this and they have come up with some wonderful drugs. There is a downside to all of this medication. Often times the medication just masks the problem or symptom. The symptom may disappear or dissipate, but the problem still exists on some level. It may come back again because the patient is not “healed”. As an example, a person may be taking medicine to reduce high blood pressure, but the cause for the problem has not been “healed”. In alternative medicine, it is important to reach through to the patient on all levels and cure the whole body, mind and spirit so true healing can occur. Everything is connected and works together. Simply stated, the energy or “chi” of the body can be blocked or it can flow smoothly. When energy flows smoothly throughout the body and it is in balance, and a person is usually healthy.

Conventional medicine is very specialized. There is a specialist for every organ, such as ophthalmologists, cardiologists, oncologists etc. Alternative medicine works with the whole patient as a unique being in treatments. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and more are typical recommendations for patients while alternative medicine relies on therapies and natural healing from century’s old tradition and practice. Alternative and holistic medicine keeps the patient in control of their health. Doctors take over and people can relinquish all of their body’s control over to them. The pharmaceutical industry is tied to the medical profession and it is wondered by many if profit is at hand when it comes to prescribing drugs and what is prescribed for a patient. Alternative medicine again, gives this control back to the person. Many herbs and vitamins have been scientifically tested and proven to assist the body with preventing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, cancers, and more.

Alternative may not be for everyone; but many modalities work for thousands if not millions every year. People that are open minded to the possibilities of alternative therapies aren’t hopeless or desperate; they are willing to allow the healing to truly begin on every level.