Switching to Alternative Medicine

Dr. Walter Weston, D. Min. cures late stage colon cancer patient in 6 weeks with a holistic approach called Emotional Release Therapy (ERT) (Weston, 1994).

This is a shocking result to a deadly disease but you can find these types of claims being made on a regular basis in the news, on the internet, everywhere. In fact even conventional doctors are finding their way to the alternative medicine field, Dr. Edelberg stated, "Clearly we doctors were failing our patients, for neither they nor we knew much about the benefits of healthful eating, nutritional supplements, stress management, and regular exercise" (Dr. Edelberg, 2008). The world of alternative and natural medicine is a fast growing field that is becoming accepted more and more as a viable way to treat many illnesses and their symptoms. Therefore making a switch or adding alternative or natural medicine to your healthcare is proving to be very beneficial for many illnesses, the trend is to go back to nature with the big movement towards a "green" way of life and alternative medicine does that by looking at the body as a whole and the course of treatments that are prescribed.

The world is changing and becoming more "green" with the recycling craze to the energy saving steps you can do in your own home, so it's safe to assume that in this tidal wave of 'greening" up the planet we should be "greening" up our lives with a more natural and organic

approach to our health and how we perceive our care. We are bombarded by ads for manmade drugs that have a list of side effects worse than the illness they are suppose to help with, even death as a possible side effect, not to mention the toxins being flushed into our water system from disposal of these drugs; therefore, we need to change the way we've been living and return to nature by way of getting back to basics and minimizing the harmful ways we've come to except as normal and safe. The time has come to open the doors and our minds to alternative healthcare and its many positive ways to heal us, mind, body, and soul. Many people are switching to alternative medicine and with the amount of positive research in this field it even makes conventional doctors reexamine their focus making the first visit to treatments prescribed a deeper and more complete experience.

One of the main ideas behind alternative medicine is really preventive medicine, taking care of our body in a natural, balanced, and healthy way will promote good health through your life and deter illness from starting. While making rounds in a hospital Dr. Edelberg noticed that patient after patient was suffering from diseases that could have been prevented by a healthy lifestyle prior to the onset of their disease, such things as clogged arteries, cirrhotic livers, infections, and cancer could be prevented (Dr. Edelberg, 2008). He also noticed more and more of his patients were telling him about the benefits they were reaping from holistic treatments such as acupuncture, herbalists, chiropractors, etc. and willing to pay for these treatments because of the great effects they were receiving from them. While coming to these conclusions, another well known doctor, Dr Weil, states, "A doctor should be a model of health, showing, rather than just telling, how to live a healthy life is one of the most valuable services a doctor can give to patients" (Dr. Weil, 2008 P.1). Therefore while these noted conventional doctors switch to the practice of alternative or natural medicine the benefits and results of such treatments grow.

Dr. Weil also states, "In our enthusiasm for technology, I think we turned our backs on all of the simple, low tech, inexpensive methods of intervening in disease and maintaining health that were used by previous generations and that are very much part of ethnic medicine and various cultures around the world" (Schanfarber, 2006 P.1). While the struggle goes on to have alternative medicine more widely accepted 100,000 people die each year in hospitals from the conventional drugs we have come to rely on, which is simply not acceptable. A more natural and safer approach through integrated (alternative, holistic) medicine is worth every life it could help or save through its preventive approach and safer treatment options. The options are out there as are the results of the many alternative techniques that have proven to work for an array of illnesses.

Preliminary studies on curcumin , found in the spice turmeric, has shown promise in the prevention or treatment of cancer. Dr. Moynihan of the Mayo Clinic says, "Lab research suggests that curcumin may slow the spread of cancer and the growth of new tumor blood vessels. It may also cause cancer cells to die. In the lab, curcumin has been studied for use in treating or preventing colon, skin and breast cancers" (Mayo Clinic, 2008). This is an example of how natural remedies hold promise for patients with disease without the devastating effects of conventional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. Another interesting result was made in my opening statement about a patient who recovered from late stage colon cancer from (ERT) Emotional Release Therapy. A woman named Maggie was told by her oncologist that there was nothing more they could do for her so she turned to a study being conducted on ERT, the theory was the human physical energy field could be checked for the onset of cancer and if shown positive could have their energy fields returned to normal through spiritual healing sessions and it worked. So when Maggie started her sessions and had been through six weeks of therapy she

went and had an MRI done which found her cancer cells had diminished by 30%, four months after ERT therapy another MRI showed no cancer and all her cells were normal (Dr. Weston, 1994). These results are amazing and show that the possibilities with natural treatments are endless as it also shows that like everything in nature, including our own body, there needs to be a balance within us. One other notable study that holds hope for MS patients and the importance of our own energy within our bodies was done at the University of Washington they report, "A small electromagnetic device thought to help supplement the body's electrical energy has shown some beneficial effects for patients with multiple sclerosis" (Rathbun, 1997, P.1).

Even simple nutrition can have major impact on your life and the disease you may be fighting, there are anticancer foods that block inflammation, (inflammation fuels cancer growth), or others that force cancer cells to die in a process called apoptosis, to still other foods that help the body detoxify cancer-causing toxins and prevent free radicals (Dr. Schreiber 2008). There are many ways that nutrition can impact disease and our body's ability to fight back and it is such a simple change for us to do to benefit our health. So as we look into the benefits of alternative medicine and how it could better our lives we may wonder how an intake visit would differ from the conventional medical intake visit to a new physician.

Dr. Edelberg spends upwards of an hour with a new patient he follows the guidelines set by Dr. Caroline Myss where a full life history is taken to see the whole picture and any reoccurring problems that keep posing health problems. Dr. Edelberg states, "This is not what doctors are taught in medical school, where you learn to discuss symptoms (tell me about your headache) but not life (tell me about your childhood)" (Dr. Edelberg 2008 P.2). Starting at an

early stage of life you can examine patterns and problems that brought you to where you are now and some of the possible causes and cures for these issues. Alternative medicine is all about the balance of every aspect of a person's life, without a balance within our body there will be a negative outcome like illness our body's physiology is based on keeping homeostasis so an interruption in that will cause our body to respond in a way that may be sickness and disease. Learning as much as possible about a person's lifestyle helps with diagnosis and treatment as Dr. Myss states, "Your body contains your life, every chapter, line and verse of every event and relationship in your life." "As your life unfolds your biological health becomes a living, breathing biographical statement that conveys your strengths, weaknesses, hopes and fears" (Dr. Myss 2008 P.1). Every emotion, fear, trauma, or event in your life has an impact on your body so it all has to be taken into consideration for a thorough evaluation of why you are ill now and what course of treatment to prescribe for it. So for an intake visit expect to delve deep with the doctor and cover all aspects of your life and symptoms you may be experiencing and realize the prescription he or she gives will be a variety of things for you to commit to such as a visit to a nutritionist and any other specialist within the field that may be needed to assist you. Your treatments will be tailored to your specific needs and will address all the symptoms you are experiencing to regain balance in your body and maintain your body's homeostasis.

Alternative care is growing and is being accepted as a viable course of treatment to a wide variety of people including doctors, the research keeps building to prove the benefits from alternative medicine and with this course of treatment and initial visit your body is treated as a whole not just from a single treatment of symptoms. From the initial visit to the course of treatment that is prescribed for you, the research that has been reported has been positive. The case for these treatments keep building and can help treat a variety of health issues from multiple sclerosis to cancer while treating the body as one unit where everything is considered and the course of treatments take that into consideration. The world of medicine is vast, from eastern to western medicine from conventional to natural it all has a place in the healthcare of a patient. We should make sure we exercise all our options and be open minded to every possibility to heal the body. Our health is priority because without it nothing else matters, nature is there for us and we are part of nature so let us utilize the many wonders of it and all the benefits we can get from it.

References:

Edelberg, M.D., D. (2005, November). One Internist's Transition to Alternative Medicine. Total Health, 27, Retrieved 10 15, 2008, from http://libsys.uah.edu:3206/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=101&sid=6e434943-bafe-46a6-aec2-b69492ee2835%40sessionmgr107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=20321954

Moynihan M.D., T. (2007, December 08). Ask a Cancer Specialist. Retrieved November 11, 2008, from MayoClinic.com Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/curcumin/AN01741

Myss, M.D., C. (2008). Take Charge of Your Life. Retrieved December 2, 2008, from Caroline Myss Web site: http://www.myss.com/library/takecharge/tc_health.asp

Rathbun, J. (1997, April, 10). Alternative medicine treatment using pulsing magnetic device may offer benefits for some MS patients. University of Washington News, Retrieved November 9, 2008, from http://uwnews.org/article.asp?articleID=2869

Schanfarber, L. (2006, April). Holistic Healing. Retrieved December 2, 2008, from Alive Magazine Web site: http://www.alive.com/4380a12a2.php?subject_bread_cramb=8

Schreiber M.D. PhD, D. (2008, September). Edible Cancer Cures. Retrieved December 2, 2008, from Health Centers Web site: http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/cancer/food-cures-healing?icid=200100397x1212975658x1200805020

Weston M.D., W. (2008). Cancer and Holistic Medicine. Retrieved December 2, 2008, from Optimal Life Center Web site: http://www.4optimallife.com/Cancer-And-Holistic-Medicine.html