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This is especially true for those methods which use an integrated approach to restore and maintain the health of the patients through changes in lifestyle, diet and other natural therapies. These alternative methods of treatment increase the longevity of life by being effective in preventing certain diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, etc. As well as by promoting the health of the patient and preventing and treating aging. Looking at it from a scholarly viewpoint, it can be seen that these beliefs are actually true since diet and nutrition are related to many chronic illnesses. Therefore, if a person does improve their dietary intake, they can be able to prevent these chronic illnesses.
People also use alternative medicine because apart from treating the symptoms of the disease, they also have several other benefits. Joos, Roseman, and Szecsenyc (2006)
give good examples as yoga, acupuncture and massage which apart from treating the various diseases for which they are used, also help to relieve stress and tiredness. Moreover, when these methods are used in a group or family setting, they help people to bond together, and they can support one another and help each other gain a feeling of empowerment.
There are also other benefits of alternative medicine that make people prefer to use these methods alongside conventional medicine. First is that alternative medicine methods are usually cheaper than the conventional methods. For example, the cost of acupuncture is significantly lower than that of one physiotherapy session. Secondly, alternative medicine does not have any risk of adverse drug reactions which are seen in the use of certain drugs that may render a person's immune system weaker. Thirdly, alternative medicine also does not have...
The last advantage is that alternative medicine allows patients to take a proactive position in their own health Longmead & Rampton, 2006()
Conclusion
Alternative medicine has always been popular in the society for many reasons. Some of these reasons involve the effectiveness, cost, and added advantages of these alternative remedies. Many praises have been sung regarding the advantages of alternative medicine over conventional medicine. However, despite the various benefits of alternative medicine, it is important for their effectiveness and safety to be established beyond the common belief of their effectiveness and safety.
References
Barnes, P.M., Powell-Griner, E., McFann, K., & Nahin, R.L. (2004). Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States, 2002. Advance Data 343, 1-20.
Bejean, S., & Sultan-Taieb, H. (2005). Modeling the Economic Burden of Diseases Imputable to Stress at Work. The European Journal of Health Economics, 6(1), 16-23.
Joos, S., Roseman, T., & Szecsenyc, J. (2006). Use of complementary and alternative medicine in Germany. A survey of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 6, 19.
Longmead, C., & Rampton, C. (2006). Complementary and alternative therapies for inflammatory bowel disease. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 23, 341-346.
Alternative Medicine CAM refers to complementary, alternative, or integrative medicine. Sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, but they actually mean different things to practitioners. The term complementary "generally refers to using a non-mainstream approach together with conventional medicine (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). The term alternative "refers to using a non-mainstream approach in place of conventional medicine" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). Integrative medicine is
In contrast to other work in this field, this book views alternative health as a social movement, and shows commonalities between the cultural left and the religious right that can help form a new healthcare paradigm. National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine 2000 Expanding Horizons of Healthcare: Five-year Strategic Plan, 2001-2005. National Institute of Health Publication No. 01-5001. Gaithersburg, Maryland: National Institutes of Health. In this report, the National Center for Complementary and
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