Holistic Medicine For Seniors – Are You Considering Alternative Medicines

Holistic medicine  or alternative medicine, complementary medicine, or natural healing, is an increasingly popular health care choice among seniors. This type of health care pays attention to all aspects of the person’s life and health, not just traditional medical issues. Before you decide if holistic medicine is right for you, let’s take a closer look at the important principles that guide practitioners of this discipline.

The Definition of Holistic Medicine

There are any number of definitions offered to help pinpoint what holistic medicine really is, and in most cases they have a few elements in common. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An approach to healing that takes into consideration the patient’s mind, spirit, and body
• Integration of both traditional medical treatments and alternative therapies
• Focuses both on prevention and treatment of disease
• May involve a range of diagnostic and treatment strategies
• High quality holistic care is a partnership between patient and provider with each responsible for active participation in the process
• Takes into account physical, social, emotional, spiritual, nutritional, environmental, and lifestyle issues and influences

As you can see, holistic medicine emphasizes an all-encompassing approach to health care and illness prevention. The full range of holistic approaches may emphasize a variety of techniques and philosophies that cover the entire spectrum from very traditional to extremely new age.

A Word About Certification and Training

What should you look for in terms of certification and training? How do you know if a holistic practitioner is qualified and trained to practice this type of medicine?

This is where many people are unsure of the qualifications of practitioners involved in holistic medicine compared to traditional medicine. There are several holistic medicine associations that offer various certifications and accreditation’s, but these also cover a wide range of requirements. Certified holistic practitioners may be licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, or any other of the familiar and traditional medical occupations. Certified holistic practitioners may also be people whose expertise developed via non-traditional treatment approaches such as acupuncture, naturopathy, homeopathy, herbal medicine, psychotherapy, massage, and nutritional therapy just to name a few.

So let’s go back to the original question above, what certification and training should you look for in a holistic medicine practitioner? The answer depends on how traditional versus non-traditional you are when it comes to medical treatment.

For instance, if you prefer someone who uses traditional medical treatments but also incorporates holistic principles of treating the whole person then look for a licensed medical doctor, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner who has additional training in the holistic approach. On the other hand, if you prefer to step away from traditional medical treatments and focus instead on non-traditional and alternative medicine (homeopathy, herbal medicine, acupuncture, etc.) then look for a practitioner who has certification from one of the reputable holistic medicine professional associations.

These two examples represent the full spectrum of holistic medicine, from traditional medicine adding in holistic principles to alternative medicine using holistic principles. Before you make the switch from your current medical provider to a holistic medicine practitioner be sure to thoroughly research the people in your area who use the holistic approach and determine very specifically what kind of certification and training they possess.

Who Should Consider Holistic Medicine?

This is another tricky question to answer because it depends a great deal on your own philosophy and approach to health and wellness. Some people dismiss holistic principles, while others take the same very negative view of traditional medicine with its emphasis on science, medication, and diagnostic procedures. If your own perspective fits with one or the other of these two extremes then it should be fairly obvious whether or not holistic medicine is something you should consider for yourself.

If, however, your own perspective falls somewhere between these two extremes then the choice to consider holistic medicine could be considered. You must balance your own health needs and medical conditions against your willingness to consider a range of traditional and non-traditional approaches. Part of your decision making process should be to research holistic medicine in more details, give careful consideration to the advantages and disadvantages of making changes, and find a practitioner whose approach and perspective is a good fit with your own.

Holistic medicine may not be for everyone, but it is an approach to health and treatment that is rapidly becoming more main stream in the medical world. It is certainly worth learning more about as it is a wonderful method of healing, but that is just my opinion too!

Choosing a Natural Remedy For A Problem

If you’re like many people, you may be looking for a natural remedy when a problem arises, from everything from an itchy and sore throat to acne. You may also be wondering how you will know which natural remedies are good and which ones are just a big waste of time. The need for alternative medicines is beginning to increase as many people are becoming aware of the chemicals that seem to go into everything from cough medicine to face wash.

Often, things we think are good or helpful to us wind up adding chemicals to our bodies which have been found to be harmful in some cases. How do you know that it won’t be harmful in your case? The thing is that you really don’t so it makes sense to seek natural treatments for all kinds of ailments.

Know What You’re Treating

Your first step when seeking the best natural remedy is to know what you’re trying to treat. For instance, you might want to do some research if you are working to treat acid reflux naturally, and compare to see what people are saying about the remedies being offered.

Many times, a remedy might sound good, but it’s really not, so it’s a good idea to back up your research of possible remedies with possible side effects so that you can make your own decision.

Many of the natural remedies for small problems are usually harmless, but if you are working to treat a more serious problem or health condition naturally, you should probably consult with your health care provider to make sure that you’re not going to interfere with your condition.

Also, you might want to do a little more research before you consider using many different types of herbs. Natural remedies are wonderful because they are natural, but remember that natural doesn’t always mean safe, so take a good look at what you are considering using and whether you will possibly suffer from any side effects.

Common Safe Natural Remedies

There are some fairly common natural remedies which are considered to be safe for the most part that you can use easily. If you are a natural remedy buff, then it’s a good idea to keep these things on hand in case you should need them.

• Apple cider vinegar mixed with water is thought to be a safe and good natural remedy for heartburn symptoms. You might also find that eating an apple is helpful in easing your acid reflux as well.

• Honey is good for everything from cough relief to skin care. Pure honey has antibacterial properties and it is also useful in coating the throat to prevent the need to cough. Anytime you suffer from a nagging cough, take a teaspoon or so of honey and know that you can rest easy.

• Warm salt water is amazing when it comes to soothing sore throats. Pour some salt in a glass and mix some hot water with it. Gargle, but don’t swallow. Repeat as often as necessary for optimal results.

• Tea tree oil is helpful in disinfecting cuts and soothing burns, as well as treating acne. If you are using it for cuts and abrasions it can be dabbed on full strength, but if you are going to use this essential oil to treat acne, consider adding it to some almond or vitamin E oil so that you don’t suffer from excessive drying. Tea tree oil is also helpful in treating and preventing lice. Consider smothering them with a mixture of olive oil and tea tree oil and wrapping the hair in a plastic bag. Added to your shampoo, tea tree oil will help to keep lice away.

In the end, the best natural remedies are the ones which you have tried and have proven to be effective without any negative side effects.

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