Legal boundaries for holistic nutrition consultants

Holistic Nutrition Consultant/Legal boundaries in this country

Holistic Nutrition Consultant: Legal boundaries in the U.S.A.

Those who work in the field of western medicine - traditional doctors and nurses - know what the rules, guidelines, and legal implications of their practices are. However, for other who work in a more 'gray area' of the medical field, what is legal and what could get them into trouble is often much less clear (Wilson, 2005). This includes those who work as holistic nutrition consultants, because they give herbs and other nutritional items to their clients, but these can sometimes pose health risks. The legalities of what they do and what kinds of risks of lawsuits and other problems they are putting themselves under are important to address. Holistic nutrition consultants are not licensed as traditional medical professionals are, so whether they are practicing medicine without a license is somewhat arguable (Wilson, 2005). However, the biggest concern for these people is how they can protect themselves and their clients while still offering the largest benefit to the highest number of people.

Turning to the matter of herbal remedies and holistic medicine, there was concern at first that this would undermine the credibility of hospitals and doctors. The opposite has turned out to be the case. In fact, consumers are more likely to go to a doctor who is willing to consider and recommend herbal remedies or alternative treatment methods (Hale 1998). Originally, healthcare administrators had the same credibility concern as the doctors, but since the consumer has spoken about the interest in herbal medicines, administrators are taking another look at the matter. Women are at the forefront of this administrative interest in herbal remedies. Since women have become involved in healthcare administration, the number of doctors using or recommending herbal remedies has grown (Hale 1998). It was once thought that it would look unprofessional to use herbs to treat someone. Now it has increased in popularity to the point that some individuals who wanted to pursue medical degrees but were interested in holistic medicine are now widely accepted. Colleges are beginning to offer degrees in holistic medicine, herbal remedies, and acupuncture (Hale 1998).

This has created an increase in the employment of doctors, higher morale for those who wanted to practice holistic medicine and are now allowed to, and more respect for healthcare administrators, who were willing to change with the times. The long-term implications of the increase of women in healthcare administration are hard to determine, but it appears that a larger focus on women's health issues and holistic therapy will be at the forefront of anything they do. The popularity of herbal remedies continues to grow (Wilson, 2005). Along with them, other forms of holistic medicine seem to be gaining popularity. Massage, yoga, acupuncture, acupressure, and other 'new-age' remedies are becoming more sought-after by patients who want second opinions or other options. The future holds many exciting innovations in each of these areas, and practicing medicine without a license does not seem to be as serious of a concern for most holistic practitioners as it used to be, but there are still rules to follow.