Alter Your Perceptions

This article first appeared in The Sept. 2004 issue of The ZoneNet newsletter

No matter how fast we run, many of us are haunted by the urge to look back. Perhaps it is to see if anybody is following or to congratulate ourselves on how far we have come. Or maybe it is to see what we have left behind. As fast as Western medicine is moving, many people are looking to the Far East for answers. We just jump into the old medicinal time machine and travel back in time as far as ten thousand years to rediscover holistic alternatives to our modern health problems From the herbal remedies of ancient India to Chinese medicine,

this rejuvenation is turning us back into students of our bodies. This is called complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM for short.

It has been estimated that about 50% of the people in the United States have tried some sort of alternative medicine. The list of what is considered CAM is constantly in flux, as some therapies prove themselves safe and effective and become adopted into the family of conventional medical practices.

People sometimes use the terms complementary medicine and alternative medicines interchangeably, which is not correct. Modern medicine is usually used in conjunction with conventional medicine, although it could also be used by itself. It is primarily about helping the body heal itself using natural means such as magnets, herbs, acupuncture, essential oils, nutrition and so forth. Alternative medicine goes against the usual format of modern medicine and is used in place of more conventional practices.

There is a specific duality in the field of medicine between "normal medicine" and "irregular medicine." Many of us might agree that this duality does not have to exist, and yet it does. As much as the exploration of Western medicine continues to thrive, CAM is also blooming out into our mass consciousness. The American people spent about forty-five billion on CAM in 1997 alone. Obviously, people are finally beginning to seek out alternative ways of maintaining a state of wellness. According to a survey

conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, thirty-six percent of adults are using some type of CAM.

When antioxidant megavitamin therapy and prayer specifically for health reasons are featured in the definition of CAM, that number rises to sixty-two percent. CAM use has spread throughout all demographics but certain people are more likely to use CAM than others. Females, for instance, use CAM to a much larger degree than males. In addition, persons with higher levels of education, people who have been hospitalized in the past year and former smokers are more likely to use CAM. People use CAM for a broad range of health conditions. According to research studies, Americans are most likely to use CAM for neck, head, back or joint pains.

They often use them for colds, anxiety, depression or sleeping problems.

There are several reasons why people decide to turn to CAM.

The majority of Americans use CAM with the belief that it will improve their health when used in tandem with modern medical treatments. Some individuals try CAM after modern medical treatments have failed them. And of course some people simply cannot afford modern medical treatments and turn to CAM as a more realistic solution.

Ryan Joseph is a writer/researcher. For additional information visit http://www.anti-aging-vitamins.com/

---

Basilic : A Priceless Uplifter

"The smell of basil is good for the heart, it... Read More

Treating Arthritis- Naturally

There are actually three common types of arthritis. These are... Read More

Natural Poison Oak-Sumac-Ivy Remedy

Have you ever casually strolled into a patch of poison... Read More

I Want To Be Able To Function and Not Be Stopped by My Pain

Why Your Subconscious May Be Able To Give You a... Read More

Vitamins And Minerals

It is obvious that each of our bodies is unique... Read More

Using Psyllium For Relieving Constipation

If you have asthma, do not take or use psyllium.... Read More

A Better Hope for Alcohol & Drug Problems

People with alcohol and drug problems have been done a... Read More

Hyaluronic Acid - The Natural Face Lift?

If So What Is It and What Does It Do?In... Read More

Healing the Elements

The Nature Elementals, most commonly known as Faeries, are the... Read More

Homemade Bath Products...the Pros and Cons

When you surf the Internet to find proper bath products... Read More

Why Choose Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a system and philosophy of medicine that... Read More

MEDICINES use and ABUSE

Friends, The study below done a few years ago should... Read More

Gallbladder Disorders And How To Treat Them Using Natural Remedies

The gallbladder is a 3 to 4 inch-long pear-shaped organ... Read More

How to Use Natural Remedies for Ulcers Caused by Helicobacter Pylori

One of the bacteria that live in your mouth and... Read More

How to Use a Footbath with Herbs

Recently I read a book by William L. Fischer called... Read More

Eucalyptus Oil for Colds and Flu

Recently I came down with a cold, flu, and some... Read More

Sports Massage

What is Sports Massage? Rapidly gaining in popularity, Sports Massage... Read More

Using Hypnotherapy to Beat IBS

Hypnotherapy is one of the best known and most widely... Read More

Lavender Pure Essential Oil

Lavender pure essential oil is cultivated and harvested in the... Read More

Get Hemorrhoid Relief from Herbal Remedies

Here are four different herbs that can give you hemorrhoid... Read More

Ayurveda - The Natural Remedy

The word Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words... Read More

Honey - Natural Treatment for Wounds and Burns

Honey is a highly concentrated sugar solution produced by honeybees.... Read More

Medieval Remedies That Still Work Today

Home Remedies - Facts or Quacks?In a previous article we... Read More

Aromatherapy Candles

Nothing turns a commonplace, ho-hum room into a radiant, inviting... Read More

Hypnosis for Change

Change is what we want. Change is what we fear.... Read More

Pranic Therapy - Part I

Pranic Therapy Part I - An IntroductionPranic Therapy is an... Read More

Do-Sa-Do For Mindfulness

When I was 12, one of my best friends was... Read More

Improving Your Body Immune System

The immune system in your body is an amazing functionality... Read More

Reduce Asthma And Breathe Free

Asthma can be a serous and often frightening condition that... Read More

Hemorrhoids ? What Do I Need To Do?

There are many unpleasant symptoms and diseases associated with constipation.... Read More

How I Was Overtaken By Evil Eye Envy!

You are about to embark on a journey that only... Read More

Natural Remedy for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurobehavioral disorder of... Read More

What Is Thought Field Therapy?

Dr. Roger Callahan is and American psychologist who discovered Thought... Read More