Alternative Medicine Essay Research Paper The Power

Alternative Medicine Essay, Research Paper The Power of Aromatherapy There are literally hundreds of types of unconventional medicines. An unconventional medicine is any type of therapy that is different from traditional medicine in the way that it focuses on a patient’s mind, body, and inner energy, to aid in healing. Some, use magic charms, colour therapy, sound therapy, and juice therapy, in which natural juices are used as tonic therapies. Flower remedy is a system of natural medicine that uses remedies distilled from blooming plants and trees, and some followers believe that flowers are nature’s gentle tools for treating and preventing disease. (Gottlieb,1995:37) There is even a healing process called food therapy. It involves a healthy diet and relating nutrition to

disease, something a lot of conventional doctors do not practice these days. Hydrotherapy involves using different water temperature and pressure to help heal many things such as sprains, headaches, and even pneumonia. It is usually accompanied by massage, and used often in sports. Imagery is a type of therapy in which the patient imagines that they are being healed, and before long, they will feel better. For example, if a patient had a bad sunburn on their back, they could imagine that a block of ice was melting inside their neck and dripping down the back. Within minutes, the pain should be gone. Imagery can also include sounds, tastes, and smells. (Nash,1996:45) The list of alternative therapies goes on and on. For every disease known to mankind, there is probably a

complementary alternative medicine to counter it. Most alternative medicines are unheard of in North America, where conventional medicines and doctors dominate over eastern medicine. This is mainly because when North Americans hear the term “alternative medicine”, they can think up some pretty exotic images. In recent years though, the more popular eastern medicines have become more widely used in the west. For example, a few years ago, herbal teas, were used as remedies for everything from insomnia to morning sickness, were sold mainly in health food stores. Today, one can find seemingly endless varieties in a regular supermarket. Of all the different remedies that exist, North Americans are probably most familiar with therapies that are most talked about and receive the

most attention. Reflexology, aromatherapy, and acupuncture are valid and considerable forms of alternative medicine. They are proven to work effectively, and when administered by a professional, are usually safe, and non-toxic. These three types of natural medicines are often talked about on television specials, in magazine articles, and other visual and print media. They are being used more commonly as people are getting tired of conventional medicines that don’t work, or worsen the problem, and doctors who do not treat their patients as individuals, and are always overbooked. Now is a time when people crave information about the human body. Many people would like to heal themselves of illness, or prevent disease, using methods that have fewer toxic side effects than many of

today’s modern pharmaceuticals. (Gottlieb,1995:2) This is why many people are turning to the ancient tools of the past. Reflexology is a skilled treatment of pressure points on the feet, developed by an American medical doctor, William Fitzgerald. “It has become one of the most popular complementary therapies because it is so effective.” (Mackay,1997) It is gentle, painless, very relaxing, and has no harmful side effects, yet it is quite effective because it corrects the underlying cause of the problem, rather than just masking the symptoms. Reflexologists believe that certain spots on the feet are directly linked to other body parts, including muscles, bones, organs, and more. Working these spots helps the body relax, giving it a chance to heal. (Gottlieb,1995:108) The