Have you ever watched a prescription drug medication commercial that promised to work miracles on a health condition? But towards the end of the ad, it stated a laundry list of side effects?
Well, for most people that’s scary, and it leads them to research the benefits of alternative medicine. If you’re someone who’s looking for healthier, safer healing methods, this article is for you.
Take a look at the information below to learn more about complementary and alternative medicine treatment.
What Is Alternative Medicine?
Alternative medicine is defined as a medical treatment that uses natural, holistic procedures to manage health. On the contrary, conventional medicine often consists of intrusive treatments like chemotherapy and prescription drugs that cause harsh side effects.
However, alternative medicine aims to treat the entire being—the body, mind, and spirit. Some people choose only to do complementary and alternative treatments, while others use it to repair themselves after undergoing mainstream forms of medicine.
The Common Forms of Alternative Medicine
Common alternative medicine treatments for the body include:
- Acupuncture
- Homeopathy
- naturopathy
- Ayurveda
- Chinese medicine
Strengthening and relaxing the body:
- Yoga
- Massage
- Chiropractic Medicine
- Tai Chi
For the mind and emotions:
- Meditation
- Hypnosis
- Mindfulness
- Breathing exercises
Inside of the body:
- Herbals
- Dietary supplements
- A healthy diet
Why Do People Turn to Alternative Medicine?
There are several reasons why a person chooses alternative medicine treatment over conventional methods. For starters, the advantages of alternative medicine supersede those of traditional techniques.
But here are the most common reasons why alternative medicine is attractive to some people:
Focuses on Prevention
A lot of mainstream medication is geared towards only managing symptoms. One the other hand, alternative treatment aims to treat the root cause of a condition.
Another one of the benefits of alternative medicine is that it’s all about prevention. Conventional medicine usually comes into play once a person becomes sick. However, complementary care is designed to keep illness from occurring. That’s why your trusted Toronto naturopaths will focus on preventing an illness from occurring and helping you improve your wellbeing one healthy step at a time.
Individual Attention
Again, alternative medicine is centered around whole-body care, which means holistic practitioners give more attention to patients. Many traditional doctors have too many patients, not enough time, and are primarily focused on insurance payments.
On the contrary, an alternative medicine clinic usually provides more personal time with individuals and have different payment structures.
Whole Body Treatments
Let’s say a person goes to get radiation. After the appointment is over, the patient is sent home. There aren’t any massages or other procedures done to help them recover from such harsh treatment.
But with alternative medicine, if a person has a serious condition, the practitioner will focus on everything. They may suggest acupuncture to help with the pain, provide herbal supplements to strengthen the body, and offer meditation to cope with the emotional effects of being sick.
As you may know, physical pain can also affect a person emotionally. It’s important for that aspect of treatment to be addressed as well.
The Benefits of Alternative Medicine
If you’re considering using complementary medicine to treat your condition, you’re making the right choice. There are more pros of alternative medicine than cons, which is good news for you. Here some of the benefits of alternative medicine:
1. Enhances Your Quality of Life
Modern medicine works well for getting rid of pain at the moment, but once it subsides, the pain returns. Alternative medicine aims to ensure the source of the pain is addressed.
Therefore, you’re not living your life relying on medication or going through a rollercoaster of feeling well and not feeling well.
2. It’s Healthier
Unlike conventional medicine, herbal medication is all-natural. It doesn’t contain man-made substances or unnatural elements. Therefore, you can rest assured that your body gets what it needs and nothing more.
3. Flexibility
Mainstream physicians aren’t always open to change their treatment plans. However, holistic doctors alter treatments based on lifestyle and health factors. If you prefer a more relaxed health management program, alternative medicine is best.
4. No Dependency
Most people have heard how prescription drugs cause dependency. The opioid crisis is out of control and has done more harm than good. Thankfully, natural medications don’t create the same issues with dependency as conventional drugs.
5. No Bad Side Effects
Sometimes certain herbs don’t mix well with a person’s body. However, natural supplements don’t cause harsh side effects. Unfortunately, prescription drugs can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, rash, and other unpleasant ailments.
6. It Creates Balance
There are other parts of the body that need attention such as sleep and nutrition. While focusing on your condition, a holistic doctor also caters to other aspects of your healing.
Not only that, but it also puts emphasis on wellness. If a patient is undergoing treatment for a specific condition, a complementary medicine doctor ensures that other aspects of the body are cared for.
7. Strengthens the Body
When you have an illness, it ravages the body. Because of that, you need herbs and nutrients to keep you strong. Only natural medicine can provide that. Alternative medicine aims to repair the body by giving it what it needs to fight back.
8. Soothes Symptoms
If you’re dealing with arthritis or another painful condition, alternative medicine soothes it. Techniques like Tai Chi and yoga give your mind and body natural relief to a painful problem. Plus, it does so without the use of harmful meds.
9. Provides Reassurance
Alternative medicine makes a person feel better about their treatment. If you know something is good, then you feel confident about it. Holistic medicine patients know they will be completely cared for and treated properly.
Treat Your Body With Care
You only get one body, so you must treat it right. When it comes to your medical care, the treatment method you choose is extremely important. It could be the deciding factor between whether your condition gets better or worsens.
Did this article help you learn more about the benefits of alternative medicine? If so, don’t hesitate to read the rest of our blog. We cover medical news to help you live a happy, healthy life!
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