Types Of Alternative Medicine Courses

By: Ravee Kiran

Alternative medicine is a type of medicine that believes in capability of the body to heal it self naturally and holistically. It advises people to change their lifestyle to prevent illness, as much as curing it. The biggest difference between traditional medicine and alternative medicine is the way they view the human body system. While traditional medicine looks at the body as a collective group of various systems and organs, alternative medicine views body, mind and soul as complete. There are many alternative medicine courses taught in various institutes. There are five main types of alternative medicine courses as follows:

1.) Alternative Medical Systems: These are a type of alternative medicine courses that are a whole set of theories as well as practices. Most of these are ancient and were discovered before much before the conventional medicine practices. These include many famous practices like Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Naturopathic medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine and so.

2.) Mind-Body Interventions: These types of alternative medicine courses teach how to encourage mind of a person to affect the ailment in the body. There are some methods in this that were earlier alternative but have turned into mainstream now. Some that are still alternative include Dance therapy, Hypnotherapy, Yoga, Meditation, Biofeedback therapy, Music therapy and such others.

3.) Biologically-Based Therapies: Basically, these include alternative medicine courses that train an aspiring practitioner about the various natural resources that have the power to heal. These include many herbal plants, foods as well as vitamins. Some common practices in which a student can specialize include Dietary supplements, Herbal products and etc.

4.) Manipulative and Body-Based Products: These include the study of such products that manipulate or control movements in one or more body parts. The various methods under this include Acupressure, Chiropractic, Massage therapy, Reflexology, Osteopathy, and also Rolfing.

5.) Energy Therapies: This is a form of alternative medicine courses that makes use of energy fields. It is further subdivided into biofield therapies and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies. Biofield therapies are those that affect the various energies surrounding our body and penetrating it. These therapies involve applying pressure on these energy fields by placing hands in or around them. Some of these include Reiki and Therapeutic Touch. Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies involve practices to affect the electromagnetic fields surrounding the body, like pulsed fields and magnetic fields.

One of the best centers for studying alternative medicine is India. There are many alternative medicine courses in India like Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Yoga and Massage, Reiki, Acupressure, Magneto therapy in various institutes. These institutes offer degree, diploma and even post graduation programs in the same. Most of these also provide distance learning now, which enables a student to get alternative medicine diploma online and also alternative medicine degree online in the various alternative medicine courses in India.

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About the Author:
The author Ravee Kiran is a keen and competent writer. He is also a skilled enterpriser. He is very knowledgeable about various alternative medicine courses available.

What Are The Different Types Of Alternative Medicine?

By: Zahari Ibrahim

If you are sick or injured due to any grounds you do not continuously depend on the conventional medicines. These days' people are moving towards the eccentric or the alternative medicines. The doctors are prescribing these alternative medicines as well. There are different types of alternative medicine present all over the world. Consequently with the alternative medicine you have a number of selections. The alternative medicines have a long history and it you explore the history watchfully then you will come to know that these medicines and the therapies definitely work. It not only works for the diseases but it works for different categories of injuries as well.

The types of alternative medicine include acupuncture, homeopathy, ayurveda, traditional Chinese method, Native American healing practices, Tibetan medicine and naturopathic medicine. These are some of the alternative medicines, which are widely used throughout the world. There are countries that specialize in one or two forms of the alternative medicine. Excluding this there are many more types of the alternative medicine. There is the art therapy where a technique of both the mind and body is used. There are additional therapies like the magnetic therapy. In this therapy the magnet is used to treat any kind of injuries as well as other diseases.

The magnetic therapy has gained a lot of importance all over the world. This therapy works by creating an electro magnetic field in the body of the person suffering from the pain or the disease. The negative side of the magnet is used for this purpose. Recently the doctors and the specialists also give their opinion in the favor of the different types of alternative medicine. There are other types of therapies integrated in the alternative medicine. These therapies are based on biology that is they include different kind of food, food habits, herbs and vitamins. This therapy uses the things, which are made out of nature.

The examples of the therapy based on biology are diet and dietary supplements, megavitamins and different kinds of herbal products. There are the other types of alternative treatment, which is based on the body. This kind of therapy includes acupressure; massage therapy, reflexology, osteopathy, rolfing and so on. The different types of therapies are based on different things. There is another kind of therapy, which is based on the energy. Aromatherapy is also one of the alternative medicines widely used. These are quite different from the conventional medicines and they do not contain any chemical or harmful material and hence no side effect.

How Alternative Medicine Fits Into Todays Society

By: Ken Snow

Think you dont know what alternative medicine is? Its more common than you think, and now has a firm place in the world today. Certain therapies not formerly thought of as legitimate medical treatments are now being used on a more frequent basis to treat a variety of ailments, quite often with endorsement from the medical community. Some of the more common types of alternative medicine treatments include:

Massage therapy
Aromatherapy
Hydrotherapy
Acupuncture
Herbal Remedies
Meditation
Spiritual therapy

More than likely, you are familiar with many of these treatments; maybe you have even experienced a few yourself. Many of these treatments are not only used to treat many common health problems, but are used by people all over the world in order to achieve total well-being.

For thousands of years, the treatments deemed alternative today were standard practice. And now, people seem to be turning to these optional therapies when they are in a health crisis, or if they feel they have nowhere else to turn.

There are factions of people throughout the world who prefer to take advantage of the natural effects that alternative medicines and therapies offer, rather than depend on synthetic drugs to cure or prevent ailments. Herbal medication have the benefit of being completely organic, or from the earth, and often provide equivalent remedies to prescription drugs.

Alternative medicines and treatments have become part of the fabric of our society today. While many of these therapies are meant to be used as a treatment for a health problem, some are used by people as simply a method of relaxation or reward. Chief among them is massage therapy. Massage has become incorporated into the routines of many individuals in todays society as a means of stress reduction, rather than pain relief.

Meditation is another form of alternative medicine that has become an integral part of many lives in todays society. With its roots steeped in ancient spiritual history, meditation acts like massage in that it provides a release for stress and anxiety. In order to perform mediation correctly, though, you should learn as much as you can about it first. Many people enjoy this type of alternative therapy a great deal because of the personal control they have when performing it. Many individuals in todays society highly recommend meditation as a type of alternative medicine.

The stresses of todays society have led some to cry out for change. Many find solace and healing in alternative medicine treatments. The natural treatments and calming effects of many of them are exactly what many people have been searching for in order to reduce their stress. The average person is forced to deal with a large amount of stress on a daily basis. Alternative medicine and treatments bring relief to the stresses and anxiety that people of todays society feel weighed down by.

Everything About Alternative Medicine And Its Advantages

By: David H Urmann

Alternative medicine is divided into a number of categories, each one having a specific set of theories and principles. Furthermore, many people choose alternative medicine as it presents several advantages over conventional medicine

Alternative medicine is defined as any approach to health care that are used in place of or are outside the field of conventional medicine. Most of the time, alternative medicine involves products and techniques which are generally not recognized by the medical community. Also, this type of curative standards and procedures are normally chosen by individuals whose ailments for some reasons have not been cured by prescribed drugs or any other kind of conventional medicine.

In addition, alternative medicine can be divided into five major domains of practice. These domains of practice consist of the following: alternative medical systems, biologically based therapies, mind-body techniques,
body-based therapies, and energy therapies.

Alternative medical systems usually deal with traditional medicine from China and unconventional techniques of natural healing from certain Western countries. Under this domain of practice is the popular technique known as acupuncture. Known as the most widely accepted alternative medical procedure in the world, acupuncture involves stimulating certain points of the body through the insertion of very fine needles.

The second domain of practice consists of biologically based therapies. Practitioners of this type of therapy make use of chemicals which are normally obtained from natural sources. Common examples of these products are herbal medicine which are taken from plants and are used to treat a wide range of diseases and can even help habits such as smoking.

Next is the practice that involves mind-body techniques. This is derived from the theory that emotional and mental factors affect the persons overall physical health. Meditation, relaxation, cognitive-behavior therapy, biofeedback, and imagery are the techniques that fall under this practice. Furthermore, chemicals are rarely used in these techniques as most of them involve concentration and mental activities.

Moving on, body-based therapies deal with curing ailments and maintaining physical health through bodily manipulations. Massage therapy and chiropractic are some forms of body-based techniques. Although these techniques differ in terms of approach and procedures, their main goal is to provide a way to alleviate aches and ailments through properly aligning the muscles and tissues of the body.

The last domain of practice under alternative medicine involves energy therapies. These techniques focus on the energy fields that are believed to be inside and around the body. These energy fields are known as biofields. Energy therapies aim to cure ailments by balancing or restoring the biofields in a persons body. Oftentimes, people who practice energy therapies place their hands on the affected part of the patients body to transfer energy or affect the patients biofields.

Many individuals choose alternative medicine as they believe that it presents certain advantages. The first advantage is that it is apparently more safe than other curative procedures. Since alternative medicine rarely makes use of drugs and are done naturally, certain individuals are encouraged to try the said form of unconventional medicine. Another advantage of alternative medicine is that it improves not only a specific ailment but also the other aspects of a persons life as well. It advocates proper diet, a better lifestyle, and the ways of achieving mental health. Apart from this, alternative medicine is usually less expensive than conventional medical procedures.

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About the Author:
For more information on Alternative Medicine Doctors please visit our website.

Alternative Therapies to Help with Haemorrhoids

Author: Mercedes Aspland

Haemorrhoids are quite a common condition and something that many people will suffer from. Conventional medicine offers a number of over the counter remedies that will treat the symptoms but will not really address the cause of the problem. For that reason alternative therapies may be able to offer you the solution you are looking for. In this article we are going to consider what haemorrhoids are and also alternative therapies that could be of real benefit to treating them.

What are Haemorrhoids?

Haemorrhoids is a condition where the veins around and inside the bottom become swollen and can suffer bleeding. People who suffer from them can have itching in the bottom area as well as pain in the same area especially when sitting down. You could also suffer pain while passing stools and also see blood on the toilet tissue or in your stools. Many people find that if they treat the symptoms the haemorrhoids will clear up on their own. However if you want to speed up the process then you may want to try some alternative therapies to help.

Alternative Therapies for Haemorrhoids

There are a lot of therapies that people will claim are useful for haemorrhoids however some of them are better than others. We have put together some details of the most effective alternative therapies for haemorrhoids and some information about how they can help:

1. Herbal Medicine - this is one of the oldest forms of medicine and there is a lot of documented evidence to suggest they can help haemorrhoids. In addition they have the added benefit of being easily available from pharmacies and health food stores. Some of the herbs that are thought to have a direct effect on haemorrhoids include witch hazel, butcher's broom, horse chestnut and Japanese pagoda tree. It is thought that herbs can not only offer your relief from your symptoms but can also help to clear up the haemorrhoids when used correctly.

2. Acupuncture - this is an ancient form of Chinese medicine that works on energy flow, meridians and acu-points in the body. By stimulating the correct points with needles then energy can flow freely around the body and bring it back to health. Although in the western world we may not understand acupuncture a number of studies have looked at its effectiveness on haemorrhoids. The results have been so promising that it has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation as a treatment for haemorrhoids so is definitely worth considering.

3. Homeopathy - this is relatively controversial particularly considering the fact that it will no longer be available on the NHS. However a lot of people have experienced significant help from homeopathy and so could be worth trying. It works by prescribing medicines that contain elements that cause a condition to help fight it which is the complete opposite to the way conventional medicine works.

Conclusion

There are a large number of alternative therapies out there and so it is important to find one that works for you. We have put a list together of ones we believe to be effective that does not mean there are not others. If you are going to use alternative therapies then it is important to do your research on how the therapy works. It is also a very good idea to do your research on a practitioner and make sure they have the relevant qualifications and experience to treat your condition.

How to Become an Alternative Medicine Practitioner

Author: Amit Kothiyal

The word "alternative medicine” is an extensive practice that illustrates various health and healing methods. The alternative medicine practitioner jobs have been around for hundreds of years, but last few years have brought a career boom in the field of alternative medicine. Around 30% population in the world is using various types of natural or alternative medicine today and the alternative health practitioner jobs are now being known as feasible forms of the cure of the diseases because people maintain the search of alternative medicine or natural health care to live a healthy and happy life.

The use of alternative therapy and medicine is an unusual way to refurbish and preserve your health. The conviction behind alternative practitioner jobs is that there is a secure and more natural way to identify and cure different diseases, and that the complete mental, emotional, spiritual and physical facets of a person's wellbeing must be addressed. The healthy way of thinking has made the alternative health care much more popular in recent decades and convinced many individuals to opt for various alternative practitioner jobs in herbology, acupressure, nutritional counseling, reflexology, yoga, traditional Chinese medicine and various other fields.

In order to become an Alternative Medicine Practitioner, one must have the enthusiasm and passion to serve the needy and to explore various facets of alternative medicines because being an Alternative Medicine Practitioner isn’t just a job, instead it changes complete lifestyle and focuses on better health and well-being. Taking alternative medicine as a career can be the most rewarding step for any practitioner. Various alternative medicine schools focus on alternative health care and can make you a professional biofeedback therapist, acupuncturist, energy healer, massage therapist, meditation leader, kinesiologist and yoga instructor.

Professional alternative medicine courses prepare a student in a manner so that he becomes capable of providing cure to the patients by balancing modality of the alternative medicine program. These alternate medicine schools educate the practitioners in diverse natural techniques and principles to encourage the sacred health through alternate medicine programs. You may practice a variety of alternative healing methods to promote the insight of the various modalities and culture of health care.

Acupressure and Chinese Medicine

Author: Maddy

This traditional Chinese medicine practice, is based on the same thoughts as that of acupuncture. Acupressure is applied by placing physical pressure either through hands, elbow or with the help of various traditional and modern devices on different points of the body surface.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) does not work within any scientific standard but some of the professionals formulate hard work to bring practices into a facts based medicinal framework. There is no scientific consent over whether or not proof supports the effectiveness of acupressure beyond a placebo (non-specific effects or subject-expectancy effects). According to the protocols of evidence-based medicine, existing clinical trials' reviews conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration and Bandolier concluded that a lack of effectiveness or lack of well-conducted clinical trials.

Acupoints used in the acupressure treatment may be in the same area of the body as the targeted symptom, but it may not always be the same. The TCM theory for the selection of such points and their effectiveness is that they work by stimulating the meridian system to bring about relief by rebalancing yin, yang and qi. The combinations of points are said to be used to manipulate or incapacitate an opponent. For e.g. martial artists massage their own acupressure points regularly in order to remove blockage from their own meridians, which in turn enhance their blood circulation and flexibility and keeping the points "soft" or less susceptible to an attack.

Acupressure might work by means of release of endogenous opioid analgesics such as encephalin, endorphin causing reduction of pain. Acupressure is considered as a safe form of therapy and its side effects are rare.

There are various Acupressure instrument available in the market. An acupressure wristband is an example of that instrument. It is said that it helps to relieve the symptoms of motion sickness and other forms of nausea. This band is intended to give pressure to the P6 acupuncture point, a point that has been comprehensively investigated. The Cochrane Collaboration, a group of evidence-based medicine reviewers, proclaim that the use of P6 for nausea and vomiting which is effective for reducing post-operative nausea, but not vomiting. The Cochrane review includes various means of stimulating P6, including acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, laser stimulation, acustimulation device and acupressure; it did not comment on whether one or more forms of stimulation were more effective. EBM reviewer Bandolier said that P6 acupressure in two studies showed 52% of patients with control having a success, compared with 75% with P6 acupressure.

Ayurvedic medicine Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine

Author: Adam

Alternative medicines come in many forms and Ayurvedic is one of them. Many people have not heard of this healing medium as it only came to the fore in 1980 although the practice of Ayurvedic healing is said to be over 5000 years old.

Ayurvedic means life and knowledge. This ancient alternative healing system has been practiced in India for many years although there is now a tendency towards western style medicine in the main cities. But most of the population live in rural areas where it is estimated that 70% still use this form of healing.

The basics of Ayurvedic are broke down into three main categories and those are diet, herbs, and yoga.

Certain authorities have warned that some of the herbs used could be poisonous, and there are a host of people saying that this form of alternative medicine is a rip off, and that if anyone should want to go down this route of alternative medicine is that they should double check what they are taking. Not being a scientist or a botanist I feel as though I do not have that sort of expertise to comment any further about the herbs used.

But again with all forms of alternative medicine there will always be people that will say that the unusual does not work although a lot of the websites I visited said that it was good for arthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. A good point to push forward here would be to mention the fact that one of the more popular food supplements on the market today is Micro Phytoplankton which is nothing but a single cell alga, and who would have said ten years ago that we would be taking this type of food supplement on a daily basis.

Like a lot of alternative medicine cures Ayurvedic medicine is diet based which seems to be the modern trend and when you read all the reports on how diet based cures are having success it's no wonder that this type of alternative medicine is catching on.

Another thing I did notice about Ayurvedic medicine is that is based on a vegetarian diet which would be on the alkaline side rather than the acid contents of sugar based products and meat.

As for Rheumatoid arthritis that can leave people in such a bad way that they can become bed ridden and in so much pain I do believe from reading reports of them being cured through these diet related cures is a good thing. Perhaps modern medicine has a lot to learn although I do believe that some of the large drug companies have taken out patents on certain of the drugs that are used in Ayurvedic medicine, which to me tells me that there is something there otherwise they would not be taking such measures.

What is ayurveda used for?

People use ayurvedic practices to maintain health, reduce stress, and improve flexibility, strength, and stamina. Researchers currently are studying yoga and meditation as interventions for diseases such as asthma, high blood pressure, and arthritis.

Ayurveda stresses proper diet for maintaining good health and treating disease. Herbal medicines are prescribed based on the person's dosha type.

The Top 5 Alternative Health Care Tips You Need To Know

By: Darren Yates


You probably already know that you're supposed to finish all of your medication when prescribed and get plenty of exercise in order to stay healthy, but did you know that many of the best kept secrets in the medical community have nothing to do with medicine?

In recent years alternative health care (health care that doesn't involve pumping your body full of chemicals that were never supposed to be there) has become increasingly popular as its benefits have begun to be recognized among the medical community, but there are still plenty of things your doctor isn't telling you.

Here are the top 5 alternative health care tips you need to know:

Alternative health care tip #1: Aloe Vera

You probably already know that you can pick up aloe vera lotion at the grocery store to ease a sunburn, but did you know that you can break off a piece of an aloe vera plant and smear the juice over your arm to soothe a grease burn? Aloe vera is one of the most versatile plants in alternative health care history.

Alternative health care tip #2: Acai berry

Okay, you've undoubtedly heard this "miracle" product touted by the scientific and non-scientific community alike, but acai berry definitely has some positive power when it comes to your body. This isn't just another advertising gimmick!

Along with suppressing your appetite and food cravings to help you lose weight-and giving you a great little energy boost in the middle of the day-this cool little berry also acts as an antioxidant to prevent cancer and protect your skin and organs from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Alternative health care tip #3: Chamomile tea

Parents, you're going to love this one. You've been drinking chamomile tea for years to soothe your nerves, but did you know that this alternative health care remedy has actually been shown to be effective in the fight against colic?

Parents in Latin America and Asia have been using this remedy for years to help them sleep at night, and the rest of the world is finally starting to catch on. Just steep one teaspoon of chamomile in hot water for five to ten minutes, then slip your baby a half an ounce every few hours.

Alternative health care tip #4: Acupressure

Stop! Before you go running to the doctor for your latest symptom, why not give acupressure a try? Your body is connected in an intricate web, which means that yes-putting pressure on your hands and feet can in fact influence your nose and back.

There are hundreds of books on the subject, and acupressure has been proven to be an effective alternative health care treatment for stress, headaches, digestive problems, joint pain and a multitude of other disorders by stimulating the body's own natural curative abilities.

Alternative Medicine - When to Use It and When Not

Some of the medical systems and therapies found on the alternative medicine list have been in service for thousands of years, in fact reaching back into prehistoric times to origins unknown. Some of these have remained unchanged for many centuries. Other entities in alternative medicine were a positive answer to the horrific early developments of allopathic medicine as it existed in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Others were the result of accidental discoveries in the relief or cure of certain ailments and health conditions. Modalities in alternative medicine range from highly efficacious to faulty, having no effect whatsoever to downright dangerous to human health. So how do you protect yourself from poor results, alas, life-threatening circumstances coming from the use of alternative medicine?

First, a bit about allopathic medicine.


This is your first step in determining whether alternative medicine is right for you in curing an ailment, pain management or any other health issue. Allopathic medicine has been so named due to its philosophy in treating for symptoms rather than restoring health from focusing on the causes of the ailment. Allopathic medicine is a biomedical entity, meaning it is highly specialized, its treatments are standardized and it is not holistic.
Albeit allopathic medicine holds first prize in having an incredibly large knowledge base about human health and disease. The system is empirically based, is scientific and its procedures rigorously tested. Allopathic medicine does have its dark side however and processes are not always in the best interest of the patient, especially since it is a for-profit industry and would go out of business if disease was eradicated.
An unlikely thing however, allopathic medicine wins the gold metal for its highly technical and effective procedures in medical emergencies and otherwise terminal conditions. Though it is not holistic and can be quite impersonal, the allopathic physician should always be consulted first for any medical condition which can have serious underlying problems.

Is Alternative Medicine No Good?


By all means, a resounding NO! Many medical systems and modalities outside of allopathic medicine are indeed highly efficacious and are great alternatives to the more expensive allopathic therapies and procedures. In non-emergency situations, alternative medicine can often provide equally effective, sometimes even better results without the side effects that often comes with chemical-based therapy.

Your alibi on the determination whether an alternative medicine is effective or is quackery comes from education. Also, what may work for one person may not work for another since each of us are different in our own right. Allopathic medicine has been standardized and through experimentation what a treatment should be is based on what is known to work on most people, caustic as it may be. Alternative medicine is not like this. It is composed of health systems and therapies which are individualized according to the patient and his needs.

Allopathic Medicine and Alternative Health


Though there are many reasons why an alternative health modality may not meet the approval of the American Medical Association (AMA,) the three main reasons are:

• It either has not been tested or is not subject to scientific experimentation.
• It has been tested and proven to be faulty, ineffective and/or detrimental in some way.
• It has been tested but the results are unpredictable or is not useful to allopathic medicine.

Unless a modality has been proven to be a fake or is dangerous, and the health condition is not life threatening, there is little reason why it would be harmful to try it - especially those which have time-tested and have been known to produce positive results. Allopathic medicine does refer patients to complimentary therapy and at times alternative medicine. An example would be complementing or even replacing conventional chemical-based medications with hypnotherapy - a modality that has been proven to work on pain management.

Conclusion:
Alternative medicine can be used with or as a replacement for allopathic medicine if your regular physician deems it proper and you have been cleared of any detrimental underlying health issues. Common sense and education goes a long way. There is a vast quantity of resources out there in just about any health issue and their alternatives. Any modality or alternative medicine that has been around for a long time is probably a good source. They are often more thorough than allopathic medicine, are more personal and based on your individual needs. They focus on your whole being making them holistic.

Top rule here: Always see your regular physician first and follow his advice!

Alternative Medicine and Therapy

Alternative health is based predominantly on the 'natural healing model' which uses herbal medicine, diet therapy, orthomolecular medicine, exercise, indigenous therapies, and energy healing to promote health. Alternative therapies may also include anything from aromatherapy, yoga, reiki, hydrotherapy, magnetic therapy, meditation, acupuncture, and many other techniques used by others for thousands of years. Many modern sciences continue to use alternative treatments to complement modern medical treatments. People around the world still use these alternative treatments because they work and have been a cultural tradition.

There is a growing form of Western medicine called Integrated Medicine. This new way of thinking is a great combination of traditional and modern energy healing, and western medicine.

Why is it Called Complementary and Alternative Medicine?

Alternative therapies were the only known treatments prior to the discovery of antibiotics, and other modern medical treatments. Alternative Medicine is the original safe and proven medicine. They provide treatment for people who are dealing with chronic pain and illness.

Some Alternative Medical Systems

Biologically Based Therapies

Biologically based therapies involve supplementing a person's diet with additional extracts, nutrients, herbs and/or certain foods. Alternative therapies are non-conventional practices that treat patients using supplements, acupuncture, hypnosis, and many other techniques. Biologically based therapies generally use supplements that include botanicals, minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, proteins and probiotics. There have been studies in which scientist are constantly proving that foods, vitamins, and minerals are useful in combating disease such as the broccoli cancer connection or the wine heart attack connection. Also, improved quality and acceptable pricing caused millions of people to turn to biologically based therapies to help them with their health problems.

Mind-Body Based Therapies

Mind-body therapies are a set of interventions that focus on the interplay between emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors and their influence on health. Examples of some of the therapies used include tai chi, reiki, hypnosis, art, movement sound, and music therapy, meditation, and yoga. These therapies utilize various techniques aimed to enhance the mind's capacity to stimulate natural healing, affect bodily functions, and ease symptoms.

Manipulative Body-Based Techniques

Manipulative body-based practices are considered alternative therapies. These techniques include Alexander Technique, Rolfing or Structural Integration, Cranial Sacral, and Chiropractic. These therapies generally focus on the structures and systems of the body, including the bones and joints, the soft tissues, and the circulatory and lymphatic systems.

Alternative Medicine Techniques For The Modern World

The Western world is generally perceived to be the bringer of modernity, and oftentimes, their particular standard when it comes to certain areas of life, such as medicine for example, is deemed to be the ultimate and absolute measurement for modern living.

In the field of medicine, for example, it has been traditionally perceived that mainstream medical treatments are the only acceptable means for treating patients with several diseases. Lately however, with the growing acceptance of alternative medicine techniques that employ unconventional treatment methods, but are nonetheless proven to have healing capabilities, the Western standard is slowly opening up to these newer treatment techniques.

Alternative medicine techniques refer to certain treatment approaches that deal with an illness from another medicinal approach. For example, these techniques might originate from indigenous and traditional practices and utilize unconventional treatment tools, and have only been recently discovered by modern scientists. Moreover, in the United States, several collected pieces of evidence have proven that these medicine types are effective for several conditions such as neck and back pain, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and many more.

Here are some popular examples of these techniques:

The first one is Acupuncture. This alternative technique has long been practiced in China. As a matter of fact, it's already been in use for 2,500 years for treating several diseases and conditions, such as back pain, bone or joint injury, allergies, gout, and even severe headache. This technique is executed by inserting one or more needles in specific areas of the body and in different depths, and are left there for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Many people have since testified that acupuncture is effective and has treated them either incrementally or fully - and the explanation for this is that the needles are inserted in specific areas that coincide with the body's line of energy.

Another alternative technique is the Craniosacral therapy. This was introduced in the 1970s by John Upledger, and is done by exerting mild pressure in certain key areas of the cranial bones, specifically near the skull's sutures. Moreover, this can also be done on the whole body, but the exerted pressure should specifically be mild. With these strategic applications of pressure, CST generally corrects the body's dysfunctions and imbalances that may be contributing factors to painful conditions. Some of the diseases that CST specifically targets include back and neck pain, TMJ dysfunction, orthopedic problems, central nervous system disorders, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

History of Alternative Medicine

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.

Herbal Alternative Medicine - With No Toxic Side Effects

Our fast and technical life is taking us away from the womb of nature. We are nature's product and if we will move from it or do something against it, we cannot live a happy life. Earlier we used to eat healthy, drink healthy and live healthy. But now due to our busy life we are switching towards ready made products. Similar thing happening in medicines also where we are favoring allopathic medication due to easy to take and instant relief qualities. But then we are facing their negative effects also.

The best way to escape from such harm and live healthy life is to adopt alternative herbal medicine with no toxic side effects. These medicines include home made products, herbs, plants, spices, fruits and vegetables etc. These home remedies are easy to prepare and very safe and effective. Basically the natural substances present in these products in the form of alkaloids, enzymes, minerals, essential oils, etc have medicinal properties. These substances have capacity to intake inorganic substances from surroundings and convert them into life supporting ingredients.

When these elements enter in our body they themselves find the natural receptors to reach o the affected site to bring back balance through eliminating foreign substance. Unlike conventional medicines no synthetic receptors are added so as to negate their original effect. Some of the examples of the herbal alternative medicines are-

• It has been confirmed by studies that a particular species of Aloe Vera is very effective in treating constipation. It increases faecal volume by enhancing intestinal mobility.

• Ginger used in daily diet as a spice is a natural herb which generates warmth in body. It regulates body temperature and maintains proper digestion by detoxifying food poisons.

• Bacopa, an herb, has been proved very useful in boosting up memory in adults.

• Amla, a pale yellow fruit has digestive, carminative and anti pyretic properties. It is helpful in various diseases like migraine, hemorrhages, jaundice etc.

• Neem, sarva rog nivarak, as it is considered has large medicinal value. Its oil is added in shampoos, lotions, face wash, tooth paste etc.

• Vitamin D supplements provide protection against various respiratory disorders like bronchitis, sinusitis, cold flu, pneumonia etc.

• Tulsi along with being worshipped can treat gastric disturbances and can also be applies in ring worms.

The doses of these alternative herbal medicines should be taken under strict supervision. Whatever dose is prescribed to adults, half of it should be given to child. It should be taken 3-4 times in a day. If you do not get any relief after three days dose that means your body is not responding and you need to consult a doctor for that. Herbal medicines are mainly bitter in taste but if it becomes unbearable then and you feel like vomiting then just leave it, because it is an indication that body is not accepting it.