Before we can begin to understand what kind of options exist in the fields of alternative medicine and how you can use these to aid healing and treatment of whatever it is you’re going through, we first have to take a quick look at the types of alternative medicine options that exist.

This list is by no means exhaustive and you should not take this decision lightly.  If you’re considering looking at more natural or potentially less invasive means of healthcare, make sure you do your research and discuss all possibilities with your doctor.

Alternative medicine refers to a group of holistic and non-traditional forms of healthcare.  It speaks to understanding illness within the context of your whole body and not just the illness or disease within its own state, as is often the case with traditional or “western” medicine.  A notable difference between traditional healthcare and alternative healthcare is that practitioners of alternative healthcare place a strong emphasis on spiritual health and wellbeing as an integral part of the treatment and healing process.

WHAT KINDS OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ARE THERE?

There are various forms of alternative or even “complementary” healthcare options available and you’ll usually find that this form of treatment is favored amongst cancer patients who find that solely relying on traditional medicine can often cause a lot of damage in its quest to heal.

Here are some of the more popular treatment options.

ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture has been around for about 3000 years and first became a practice in ancient China.  Since then, the practice has found a lot of practical use alongside Western medicine too and fans cited many positive and encouraging results in weight loss, chronic pain, seasonal allergies, digestive complaints, and even sciatic pain.  It works by stimulating the central nervous system which in turn releases chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain.

AYURVEDA

This is one of the world’s oldest holistic healthcare systems.  It has its origins in India some 3000 years ago and it’s based on the belief that overall health and wellness depend on maintaining the delicate balance between mind, body, and spirit.  The main goal of an Ayurvedic lifestyle is to promote good health rather than fight disease.

HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy is a type of medical system that draws its existence from the belief that the human body can cure itself.  Practitioners believe that using small amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals can help stimulate the healing process.  It was first developed in the 1700s in Germany and is very common in many European countries.

It works on a basic belief that “like cures like”  For example, something that brings on symptoms in a healthy person can in a very small dose treat illness with similar symptoms.  It is meant to trigger the body’s natural defense systems.  There have been many positives recorded by fans of homeopathy but there is as yet limited scientific research into the field, so always proceed with care and after taking solid advice.

There are many natural alternatives to modern-day healthcare and you need to find the sweet spot that works for you.  

For all the many benefits that come with natural alternatives, there are pressing issues that affect a big section of the population.  You may need hay fever treatments or sleep aids that don’t always work particularly well with their natural counterparts and that’s perhaps the point, it is always useful to find natural remedies as these work through the system easier and preserve liver function in many respects, but spare a thought for pharmaceutical treatments they’re not all bad.

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