Alternative Therapies Flashcards
Complementary vs alternative therapies
Complementary = using an non-mainstream therapy in conjunction with a mainstream therapy
Alternative = using a non-mainstream therapy over a mainstream therapy
Naturopathic medicine
A type of hippocratic medicine
Evolved from
- European and Native American herbalism
- eclectic medicine
Principles of naturopathic medicine
1) Healing power of nature
- body has inherent powers of self-healing
- goal is to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery
2) identify and treat the causes
- seek to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness rather than suppress symtpoms
3) Do no harm
- always minimize risk and harmful side effects
4) doctor is a teacher
- must educate patients and encourage proper self-healing
5) treat the while person
6) prevention
Homeopathic remedies
Derived from raw materials (mineral, plant based or biological)
Often are toxic in their raw state
- are diluted though (low or high)
High = no traces of original substance is measurable using analytical models
Low = traces of original substance is there
Law of similars
States that a drug capable of causing symptoms in a healthy subject, can be capable of surging a patient already differing from those symptoms
“Like cures like”
Difference between Unicist and pluralist homeopathy
Unicist = one remedy at a time is used
Pluralist = commercially blended multiple remedies
5 elements associated with Chinese medicine
Wood
Fire
Earth
Metal
Water
