Alternative Medicine vs. Biomedicine
I have been meaning to write about this for a long time,perhaps this is a bigger project than just an entry on the Blog, but here are some thoughts on the “two camps.”
Like all literature, scientific or otherwise, it is dictated and written by ones experiences, education, political climate (consider writing during the time of the Inquisition or in China during the Cultural Revolution), as well as the period of history we are in (blood tests are normal now - 200 hundred years ago we could not see aspergillus niger (a fungus that can grow in the lung).
So before I continue, I wanted to give a very brief account of my experience & education to allow you to see through my eyes on this topic.
Growing up in the 60’s having been diagnosed, as “one of the 10 worst asthma cases in the world” with a “severely compromised immune system”was the impetus for my education. Being told that I may not live past the age of 5, 12, 16, 18… etc was common in my world from different physicians and hospitals around the country. Every spring and summer we would “tour” different hospitals and physicians in order to help me – always looking for “the answer”. If you can’t tell, my parents were incredible. My father worked three hard, physical jobs to pay for all of this out of pocket expense. My mother worked outside the home as well when needed. Ahh, in hindsight, a tenacious work ethic is demonstrated clearly to me.
The necessity of self-preservation can drive the youngest of minds to search and seek knowledge (conventional and unconventional) in order to survive.
At age eight, I was reading high school biology books to try and understand myself. I was training in Ch’an Buddhism and martial arts to regulate my mind and body. My after school play time was spent in meditation to calm my breathing (so I could breathe) and practicing QiGong and martial arts to exercise and move my blood (circulation). I read only textbooks at this tender age (except for the comic book on Saturday night after church (a big treat by the way!)).
I read about and incorporated vitamins, herbs, tinctures, movement therapy or exercise science (back then it was called physical culture or “ radical”),different isolation diets, sunlight therapy, pharmaceuticals (several of which I was the “test subject” for), mindfulness training, TM, all before the age of 12. Libraries were my friends. I kept myself alive and I kept optimistic. I was doing health research well before the eligibility for a Ph.D.
Most of my true education was outside of conventional school- this continues to this day.
So when I hear the word “alternative medicine” it makes my blood boil. Did one particular therapy or camp (alternative or biomedicine or allopathic serve all my needs?
Hell No! It was all needed. True Integrative healthcare.
If we use any word to describe medicine it should ALL be complimentary - which includes ALL camps.
But see, there is the difference between medicine and healing. Medicine is something we “do to someone” - healing happens from within. Medicine can augment the healing process, but is cannot do it alone. We still need the miracle of the human body/mind and spirit.
When we begin to stop segregation of medicine, embrace humanity and become pro-active and accountable in our own healthcare – we will begin to heal the true diseases of prejudice and separation.
If you like this kind of thinking, come to Inner Strength Health and Wellness Center for one of our seminars – I would love to meet you before or afterwards. See www.inner-strength.org for details.
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if your comments are to a new subscriber who does not know your situation or background the blod could be of interest . To regular subscribers it is old information and looks like you have something to get off your chest.
For someone who preaches postivity some of your articles are negative and maybe this is why you have suffered from asthma -you are always wanting to get things off your chest
interesting
cheers
Peter
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Yes, we are constantly getting new subscribers from around the globe who do not know me, but glad to have a few of the "old timers" on board as well.
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Sorry Peter, I did not sense this was a negative perspective. It felt like a personal report of history to illustrate the point of seeing all medicine as complimentary, and to gently introduce this idea to anyone reading.
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I agree with Kristie's comments. In addition, I've heard a little of Ted's history in the past and I enjoy learning more about what brought him to the strong point where he is today. There is on occasion great passion in his words--deep resonance, not positive or negative. I believe his passion is inspired by his past experience and duly focused.... Ted said, "...healing happens from within. Medicine can augment the healing process, but it cannot do it alone... When we begin to stop segregation of medicine, embrace humanity and become pro-active and accountable in our own healthcare – we will begin to heal the true diseases of prejudice and separation." This really sums up what I gathered from his articles.
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I did not find anything negative in this article either, but the phrase that did stand out for me was that the phrase "alternative medicine" ....."makes my blood boil". That's quite a bit more feisty than I have heard you use in the classes I have had with you.
When I came to Inner Strength, I was truly looking for an alternative to conventional medicine and way of thinking that I had been partaking of which did not help my health and wellbeing, but rather kept me in a perpetual state of being ill. And the alternative that I needed was what I found. So that word doesn't hold the negative emotional charge it does for you. Rather it describes my journey.
And as a someone who is now a consistent QiGong practitioner, I think that the ability to understand the concept of Integrating practices only happens when you experience it for yourself on a non-intellectual level.
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I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://www.thetreadmillguide.com
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I truly believe in alternative healing and prevention. After two surgeries on my Rotator Cuff, I was still in excruciating pain. My sister in-law referred me for acupuncture . They put me in touch with an excellent Practitioner and after acupuncture treatments - I am pain free without pharmaceuticals!
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I always prefer to not approach any doctor or any pharmacist when have a pain or any little bit disease because it may heal itself..!
Adamshefard,
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You're so right. I'm there with you. Your blog is definitely worth a read if anyone comes across it. I'm lucky I did because now Ive got a whole new view of this. I didn't realize that this issue was so important and so universal. You definitely put it in perspective for me.
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A fantastic presentation. Very open and informative.You have beautifully presented your thought in this blog post
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I think you are right. I do not see your comments as negative either. We should use all of the systems of healing that we have available to us. What else would make sense. Why wouldn't we be trying other systems of healing? The side effects are not nearly as bad as with pharmecueticals ...
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I aslo believe in alternative healing and prevention. Alternatives can be used to cure Zoster Virus, resulting in chicken pox. Pharmaceuticals are not always a better treatment for a disease cause by Zoster Viruses. Alternatives are there such as curing with therapeutic agents including acyclovir.
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Agreed that "Medicine can augment the healing process, but is cannot do it alone. We still need the miracle of the human body/mind and spirit."Its an true fact.
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Alternative medicine is traditional, whereas conventional medicine is relatively new and not traditional. So conventional medicine should rightly be deemed 'alternative.'
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