Complementary medicine is an expanding field, and one which could greatly benefit your wellness and well-being if you were able to get to grips with it. NCCAM is an organisation which covers the field of alternative and complementary medicine, and defines this as a group of diverse health care systems, products and practices which are not currently thought of as part of the conventional medical system.
Whole Medical Systems vary from practices, and these systems generally comprise the following different therapies.
Homeopathy uses the body’s ability to self-heal by using extremely small doses of strongly diluted remedies. In larger doses, these remedies would produce negative symptoms, but these lower doses are thought to work with the body in a way as to immunise itself against them.
Naturopathic medicine is a medical system that works in harmony with the body’s self-healing ability. Dietary and lifestyle changes are used as part of this system, alongside natural remedies, massages, herbs as well as joint manipulation.
Ayurveda is an Indian medical system, which aims to integrate all areas of wellness and treat the whole body rather than one part of it. It focuses on the mind, body and spirit and works in a holistic way to help prevent as well as treat all kinds of diseases. In this medical system there are various herbal remedies, yoga and massages used to help treat the patient in every way possible.
Finally, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) works on the idea that diseases are the result of blockages of energy (Qi) in the body, and that disease results from imbalances of positive and negative energy in the body – also known as the effects of yin and yang. Therapies used in this treatment include massage, medication (herbal), acupuncture and meditation.
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