Holistic Health Care
(Page 2 of 8)
Traditional Treatments
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Scientists have been paying more attention to holistic
medicine recently, but these treatments aren't exactly
breaking news. Many have a long history of use, and are
still being practiced around the world. Three of the most
widely available forms of holistic medicine in the United
States are herbalism, naturopathy and Chinese medicine, all
traditional treatments.
Herbalism. Herbs continue to impact modern
medicine — an estimated 25 percent of drugs derive
directly or indirectly from plants. Herbal medicines are
used extensively in naturopathy, and various traditional
medicines. In addition, independent of these healing arts,
some practitioners call themselves "herbalists." They
typically prescribe herbal teas or tinctures (herb essences
prepared by steeping herbs in alcohol) for a variety of
everyday ills, among them, constipation, premenstrual
syndrome (PMS), insomnia, anxiety, lethargy and weakened
immune systems.
Hundreds of studies show that herbal medicines treat many
conditions. Recently, Korean researchers gave a placebo or
ginseng (900 milligrams three times a day) to 45 men with
erectile dysfunction. The ginseng group experienced
significant improvement. In another study published in
2002, Australian researchers gave 126 people with chronic
dandruff an ordinary shampoo or one containing 5 percent
tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a potent herbal antiseptic
that kills the fungus that causes dandruff. After four
weeks, flaking improved 41 percent in the tea tree group,
and only 11 percent in the plain-shampoo group.
Naturopathy. This branch of holistic
medicine was practiced widely during the 19th century in
Europe and the United States, and despite the more recent
dominance of conventional medicine, it has never
disappeared. Naturopaths have a Western scientific
understanding of the body, and treat illness with a
combination of diet changes, hot baths, and medicinal herbs
or herb-derived drugs.
Consulting a naturopath is similar to seeing a conventional
doctor. Naturopaths typically take the same type of medical
history and perform a physical exam. Different naturopaths
have different therapeutic proclivities. Some favor
supplements or herbs; others prefer Chinese medicine.
Naturopaths helped develop the modern pharmaceutical
industry, being among the first to extract medicinal
compounds from herbs. Ironically, the pharmaceutical
industry turned to synthetic drugs, which eclipsed
naturopathy and just about put it out of business. Most
physicians embraced pharmaceuticals, but a small group,
mainly in the Pacific Northwest, continued to prescribe
more natural treatments. In recent years, disenchantment
with drug side effects has spurred a naturopathy revival.
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