Alternative medicine, also known as a holistic approach, has been around since ancient times. It has a longer history of healing than many of the traditional medicines commonly prescribed and available today. Being dominated by pharmaceutical creations in the last century, alternative medicine is making a fast comeback these days. People are becoming increasingly aware of medical practices from different cultures. Many are frustrated with the damage that conventional medicine can do, its severe side effects, high prices and a long time on the waiting list in a doctor’s office.
Alternative medicine contains a variety of treatments, all ranging from therapies to needles and including meditation, aromatherapy, massage, nutritional healing or chiropractic care to name only few. As a reiki practitioner myself, I’m very fond of these non-invasive methods of healing. Meditation is a great stress reducer, a chiropractor is skilled to move the bones around to help skeletal and muscular pains, aromatherapy stimulates the nervous system and emotional centres of the brain, having a pleasant and calming effect, while acupuncture positively affects the body’s various systems, treating countless ailments and ranging from chronic pain relief, weight loss to sleeping aid.
The best part of it is that everything is done without any side effects of toxic drugs and harmful consequences to our bodies. The conventional medicine practitioners tend to be often dismissive of alternative solutions. Such attitude is based on their belief that there is no scientific evidence that holistic medicine actually works, since there has been very little scientific research dedicated to the matter.
They forget it has been used for centuries with positive results. Not only patients of alternative medicine are happier with it, it also cures their disease safely. It is a clear choice, comes straight from nature, it has been used from the beginning of time, and is less costly. I do not argue the fact that healing with the holistic approach takes time and is useful in treating long-term, chronic conditions, while acute medical problems, such as accidental injury, often require more conventional methods, given their quick-fix effect.
I would definitely not discourage anyone from seeking help of western medicine. However, I’m also of the opinion that alternative medicine is a better health choice in a long run, because many of its components are natural and support the body’s natural ability to heal. And yet I strongly believe that conventional medicine and alternative therapies can and should coexist. They have different strengths and can both be used effectively to target particular medical issues, supporting and complementing one another.