Natural Medicine
Natural medicines involve a wide range of natural therapies that work on both the physical and emotional body in order to relieve pain, improve health, and also improve emotional conditions such as stress or anxiety.
The reason for the rapid growth of natural medicines, is the strong desire from people to take greater control of their own health and well being. This can be achieved through consultation with an appropriately trained practitioner and through methods such as improving nutrition, or changes in lifestyle techniques such as increasing exercise and reducing stress. Another reason is the perceived or real need to avoid the unwanted side effects of conventional medical drugs.
What is alternative and complementary medicine?
Many terms have been used for this growing field of medicine. Natural therapies, holistic medicine, naturopathy, complementary medicine and alternative therapies are some of the terms which have been used to describe the broad range of modalities incorporated in this field, the more prominent of which are herbal medicine, nutrition, massage and homeopathy. Within each of these fields there are further different forms. For example with herbal medicine there is western herbal medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, each with its own particular philosophy and treatment regime. Forms of massage include reflexology, shiatsu, Reiki and the Bowen and Alexander techniques. Other forms of treatment include acupuncture, iridology, Bach flowers, aromatherapy and gem therapy.
Western Herbal Medicine
Western herbal medicine is one of the most popular forms of alternative and complementary medicine.
Western herbal medicine incorporates a relatively traditional philosophy of treatment, maintaining scientific and medical terms consistent with conventional western medical practice. However the fundamental difference between alternative and complementary medicine and conventional medicine is treatment of the overall person, not the disease. For example, an
