On the heels of all the controversy surrounding 13-year old Daniel Hauser for refusing chemotherapy, I thought I would point out some positive aspects about the benefits of choosing natural and alternative therapies:
Safe, Natural and Gentle. Most forms of alternative therapies are safe and non-invasive. Most herbs, homeopathic remedies, nutritional supplementation, and therapies like massage, Reiki and acupuncture are all wonderful forms of therapies that would be considered safe and gentle. One might argue about acupuncture being “invasive” with the use of needles, but as a fellow advocate of acupuncture and having personally had many sessions, I can say that while acupuncture does use needles, they are very tiny and you can hardly feel them at all. Certainly, they are not as invasive as a surgeon’s knife! Of course, please be sure the supplements you’re taking are safe for you. You can read more about how to tell here: Whole Food Vs. Synthetic Supplements.
More Choices for You. Since most health insurance company’s do not cover natural therapies, you often have much more choices available to you when searching for help. The insurance company oftentimes regulates who you can and can’t see, but with them out of the picture, you are free to choose what type of natural therapy you would like and which practitioner to see. Be sure to always check credentials; each state has different licensing and credentialing laws.
Really having yourself heard. Most alternative medicine practitioners will take the time to really “listen” to you and your symptoms. In conventional medicine, sometimes all you get is a quick appointment. I’ve had patients tell me in some cases, their visits with their doctor was timed and lasted only 3 minutes! Yikes! Most Naturopath’sor Chiropractor’s will take significant time with you (especially the 1st visit) to really assess you and your situation. We take into account not only your physical symptoms, but emotional too and really address your whole body.
You’re in Charge. Whether you decide to take some herbs or homeopathy for yourself or make that Reiki appointment, you’re in charge of what goes into your body and what happens to it. Of course for serious illnesses, I always recommend you partner with a natural health care practitioner that can assist you. But if you just have the sniffles or some allergies, there are LOTS of remedies you can try yourself and educate yourself on. There are some wonderful books that I recommend to help you in your quest to better your health. Although I don’t have this book on my list, for those of you that want to try some homeopathy, this book and homeopathic kit are my favorites to have in your home. Also, essential oils are some of my favorite things to try to use for allergies, insomnia, and other minor ailments.
In conclusion, don’t be afraid to try some natural therapies. The benefits FAR outweigh any risks that you may have heard about. Of course, you’re always welcome to Contact Me with questions or post a comment!
Stay Healthy and Well!
Tags: Alternative Medicine, aromatherapy, Essential Oils, Herbs, Natural Therapies, Naturopathic Doctor, Nutrition/Food
May 23rd, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Hi Melissa, these are great reasons for anyone to consider trying natural medicine. I think it’s important for people to take more of an active role in their health care, and as you said, alternative medicine is definitely more welcoming of this.
I hope Daniel finds an excellent natural treatment protocol that eliminates his cancer and reinforces our right to choose health care treatments on our own!