A Comprehensive Guide to Integrating Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The world of medicine is a vast one, with countless practices, treatments, and approaches employed all over the globe. From East to West, there is a rich history of health and healing that has evolved over thousands of years. Now, more than ever, individuals and practitioners are turning to Eastern and Western practices alike to approach wellness from a more holistic and comprehensive perspective.
East to West medicine, also known as integrative medicine, is the practice of combining Eastern and Western medicine to create a unique approach to health and healing. This practice consists of merging evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies with conventional Western medicine. By doing so, practitioners are able to provide care that holistically addresses the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of their patients.
Proponents of East to West medicine argue that it is the only way to truly address the root cause of an illness or condition. They claim that using conventional treatments like surgery and pharmaceuticals, while extremely beneficial in some cases, often fails to address the underlying causes of many ailments.
At its core, East to West medicine focuses on addressing the cause rather than just the symptom. Rather than simply treating the illness, practitioners attempt to restore balance and harmony to their patient’s lives. This approach has been used successfully to help individuals manage a range of chronic conditions including insomnia, chronic pain, depression, and anxiety.
So what can the average person expect when they begin East to West medicine? First, practitioners may recommend lifestyle changes such as proper diet and exercise, stress management, and time in nature. Patients may also be introduced to various healing modalities such as acupuncture, chi gong, herbal medicine, and meditation. Importantly, practitioners also strive to go beyond the physical symptoms of a condition and provide emotional and spiritual support to their patients.
One of the primary goals of East to West medicine is to create an individualized treatment plan that is tailored to each patient’s unique needs. A practitioner may recommend further treatment tests and consultations to better understand their patient’s specific health challenges. Depending on the diagnosis, a practitioner may recommend a combination of Eastern and Western therapies to support the patient’s overall wellbeing and healing.
It is important to note that East to West medicine is not a replacement for conventional medicine. Instead, it should be seen as a powerful supplement for those in search of a more comprehensive and holistic healthcare experience. As always, it is crucial to seek out a qualified and experienced practitioner to ensure the best possible results.
Whether it’s tapping into the power of nutrition and herbs to manage chronic conditions, or unlocking emotional and mental clarity through mindful practices, East to West medicine is an invaluable tool in the journey to health and wellbeing. As more and more individuals are embracing an integrative approach to health and healing, the effectiveness of this medical model continues to prove itself as an invaluable approach to health and wellness.
Eastern vs Western Medicine, which is better
When it comes to how people receive treatment for ailments, not everyone prefers the present and technologically advanced healthcare model. Some people believe that natural or traditional medical care is still the most reliable and efficient way of receiving holistic healthcare.
This traditional healthcare model is called Eastern Medicine, which is known to have its origin in Asia. There are different names for Eastern Medicine like alternative, natural or complementary.
The goal of Eastern Medicine is more focused on providing the individual with balance by using alternative treatments. Hence, it is focused on a holistic treatment where everything about the person is treated.
If Eastern Medical practitioners suspect that the individual has some diseases, they examine the whole body looking out for imbalances. They don’t look out for symptoms like Western medicine.
On the other hand, if Western Medical practitioners diagnose a disease, they prescribe drugs to use based on the symptoms. They use a systemic and balanced approach where organ systems are handled differently.
Even though Eastern and Western Medicine have different principles, they share some fundamental approaches.
Both types of medicine aim to provide the body with the right dose of energy. It would interest you to know that Western Medicine has begun to integrate some elements of Eastern medicine.
When it comes to opting for what suits your health, you need to speak with your healthcare provider before selecting Eastern or Western medicine.
For some diseases like Cancer, the Eastern Medicine alternative might be insufficient. But a good combination of Western and Eastern medicine could restore the right healing and balance.
Also, taking some supplements without understanding how your body works might result in some unpleasant side effects. Hence, be sure to always consult your physician before taking any type of treatment.
5 signs of a mental health problem
Mental health problems are also known as mental health disorders. They are common health issues that many people do not pay attention to. Some people are struggling with their mental health but they are unaware that it is a problem that needs help.
In this piece, we will be looking at the signs of mental health issues that you should watch out for
- Feelings of anxiety or worries
It is normal to get stressed because of the demands that life has on us. Hence, it can get to a point where you start to feel worried or stressed.
Sometimes, it could be for a particular reason. Other times, you will discover that you are anxious with no particular reason to point out to.
Some of the symptoms of anxiety are breath shortness, trembling, increased heartbeat rates, etc.
- Feelings of depression
One of the common signs of mental health issues is depression. This is a state where you are sad for a long time and it is almost impossible to become happy.
You will discover that you’ve lost interest in almost every activity around you.
- Irregular sleep patterns
Some people with mental health disorders find it difficult to tell how they sleep. They can either suffer from insomnia or somnolence.
When you notice that your sleeping pattern is different from what many people have, then a mental health problem might be lurking in the shadows.
- Isolation
Another sign of mental health problems is isolation. This is a condition where the individual prefers to keep to themselves instead of staying around people. Usually, this happens because they are unsure of how other people will relate to them.
- Substance abuse
Some people facing mental health disorders rely on substances to help them deal with what they are facing. In the long run, they become addicted and they find it hard to keep addiction at bay.
Substance abuse can aggravate an individual’s mental health condition if care isn’t taken. This is why it is important to seek help before it becomes uncontrollable.
Caring for your mental health
Taking care of your mental health is paramount to living a healthy life. In addition to the measures you take to have a great physical health, your mental health also needs to be catered for.
Making changes to take care of your mental health does not imply that you spend much. There are some simple health practices that you can implement to facilitate a great health.
- Place value on yourself: It is vital to treat yourself with respect and kindness and avoid criticizing yourself by all means. Treat yourself with value because until you do, no one would do it for you.
You can start by speaking positive words of affirmation to yourself and walking in that reality. The only way to give yourself a positive image that would improve your mental health is to value yourself.
- Take care of yourself: When you take care of yourself physically, you are directly impacting your mental health positively. It is important for you to eat nutritious meals every time and take less junks. Also, avoid hard drugs and alcohol by all means. When abuse sets in, it might be difficult to stop, and it could negatively affect your mental health.
- Hang out with good and positive people: The people you surround yourself with determines your mental health to a great extent. People who surround themselves with good and positive people often have a good mental image of themselves.
Good and positive people often provide a worthy support system that you can count on when you are faced with challenges. You can meet such people in class, a support group or a club.
- Know how to deal with stress: One of the reasons why people are mentally unhealthy is because they do not know how to handle stress. No matter how strenuous your workplace is, it is important to reduce your stress levels by all means possible.
You can go on a vacation, sleep, write a journal, attend parties and a host of others.
The peculiarities of Eastern Medicine
Eastern medicine is the ancient aspect of medicine that is still being practiced. It refers to the more organic and the less scientific form of medicine.
Unlike western medicine that focuses more on the science behind a certain condition, which treats illnesses with pharmacological methods, Eastern medicine sticks to the native method.
Eastern medicine takes its origin from countries like Greece, Japan, India, China, European and Asian cultures. The practice of Eastern Medicine involves the use of plant and herbal remedies to treat dysfunctions and diseases.
This treatment is facilitated by the use of preventative medicine which is the examination of the outer and inner life of a patient to treat their whole being, instead of just their health problem. This is referred to as the metaphysical examination of an individual.
The Western medicine frowns at this method of treatment that the Easter medicine use, and they refer to it as being “unscientific”.
The notion that Eastern medicine is unscientific is a school of thoughts that has occurred for several centuries. In the Western culture, the Eastern medicine was seen as quackery.
However, towards the end of the 20th century, value was restored to the Eastern side of medicine. Health providers began to notice that there was a value attached to examining the entire being of an individual instead of just dwelling on their specific health problem.
This observation alongside with the integration of preventative medicine has made Eastern medicine a force to reckon with in the Western culture. And the influence of Eastern medicine is growing by the day.
For several years, the bias has always been against Eastern medicine and favored Western medicine.
However, with the participation in natural and organic medical treatment which is becoming increasingly popular, it is correct to say that Eastern medicine is an integral part of the future of medicine and health practice generally.
THE PECULIARITIES OF WESTERN MEDICINE
When people hear the term ‘Western medicine’, what comes to their mind is a region which medicine comes from. Now, Western medicine is a wide spectrum of medicine which is separated from Eastern medicine.
There are various division in the medical world, and Western medicine is the most popular, as it is a specific umbrella which houses other forms of medicine.
Western medicine is modern and it gives more attention to the pharmacological treatment of diseases. Western medicine became popular and more in use, in the 18th century.
This was a blooming scientific era, and it was beginning to have its effect in the medical world. Before this era, what ruled the medical world was Eastern medicine, which was basically herbal treatment.
With Western medicine, it focused more on treating the particular symptoms associated with a disease, using chemical methods, instead of treating the entire person as common with Eastern medicine.
This approach which began in the 18th century, has ruled the world from then till now, making it the most reliable form of disease treatment.
Western medicine endorses the use of pharmacological agents and medicines as ways of handing specific symptoms. Western medicine does not look at the lifestyle of an individual and their state of mind.
Although, it does this, but not fully. It focuses more on that particular symptom, and it offers treatment based on man-made chemical medicines.
Western medicine comes with much controversy based on its method of operation, and the reason for this is not far-fetched.
Western medicine because it involves the use of chemicals, is very effective, and swift in results delivery, so this has raised doubts on the after-effect which it might have in the long run.
However, based on recent research and studies, it is safe to say that, Western medicine poses no threat to human life, even after they have recovered from any illness plaguing them.
COMPARISON BETWEEN EASTERN MEDICINE AND WESTERN MEDICINE
Eastern medicine has to do with the old and earth form of medicine which is still currently in practice. It is the form of medicine which stands for the less scientific and more organic branch of medicine. The etymology of eastern medicine stems from old societies which includes Greece, China, Japan, India and other European nations.
Basically, the procedures of a good number of these medical practices such as using herbal and plant therapies which are used to combat several diseases and dysfunctions as well. It also involves the application of precautionary medicine in which the inner and outer life of a patient, is used to treat the whole person instead of basically the illness and mental health.
There is a conventionally known idea that Eastern medicine is not as scientific than Western medicine. However, this idea is already getting out of fashion. All through the 19th century and a good part of the 20th century, Eastern medicine was well regarded as not being up to par when it came to comparison with western medicine.
Hence, in the western world, as science and medicine became more incorporated into each other, the practices of Eastern medicine became more out-of-fashion. When the 20th century was about rounding off, Physicians began to notice the value which a medical practice has had on the entire life of a person, instead of dealing with their illness alone.
Taking a look at the meaning of Western medicine, it does not really mean a particular aspect of medicine, it means a wide spectrum of medicine that was differentiated from Eastern medicine. Out of all the divisions in the medical world, Western medicine is the commonly known, and the most popular.
When it comes to the most recent, it is Western medicine, and it hinges on pharmacological treatment of illness, as Eastern medicine is older and happens to be more natural, treating the whole individual instead of just their symptoms.
Western medicine fosters the use of pharmacological agents and preparations, as methods of combatting specific symptoms. Western medicine focuses more on the particular symptom and providing remedies, rather than the entire life of an individual.
Eastern Medicine
Eastern medicine refers to the more ancient and close to earth forms of medicine that are still practiced. Eastern medicine is a form of medicine that is dichotomized from Western medicine, and represents the more organic but also the less scientific of the two branches of medicine. Western medicine is more recent and focuses on the science of a particular condition, as well as treating it through pharmacological methods.
Eastern medicine originates from ancient societies, such as India, China, Japan, Greece and other Asian and European cultures. The methodologies of these medical practices included the use of herbal and plant remedies to treat disease and dysfunction, and the application of preventative medicine by examining the patient’s inner and outer life to treat their entire person instead of merely their illness. This metaphysical examination of a person, in addition to a physical examination, is what Western medicine called “unscientific.”
The idea that Eastern medicine is less scientific than Western medicine is becoming a dated notion. Throughout the 19th century and for a majority of the 20th century, Eastern medicine was largely regarded as quackery in Western culture. As the marriage of science and medicine commenced in the Western world, Eastern practices became somewhat obsolete. However, in the latter part of the 20th century, value began to be restored to Eastern philosophies of medicine. Physicians and the populous alike began to observe the value of a medical practice that examined the person’s entire life rather than only their illness. This, along with the value on sensible preventative medicine, is returning Eastern medicine to a place of respect in Western culture.
For decades, even centuries, a bias has existed against Eastern medicine and favored Western medicine, but that is changing with the emergence of homeopathic and naturopathic practices across North America. Participating in medical treatments that are natural and organic have never been so popular in North America.
Western Medicine
The term “Western medicine” does not refer to a specific area of medicine but rather a broad spectrum of medicine that is commonly polarized from Eastern medicine. Of all the divisions in the medical world, this one is the most well known. In theory, Eastern and Western medicine are umbrella terms that all other forms of medicine fall under. They do not refer to the regions they came from as much as they refer to the philosophies that inspired them. Western medicine is more recent and focuses on the pharmacological treatment of illness while Eastern medicine is older, more natural and treats the whole person rather than merely their symptoms.
Western medicine rose to practice in the 18th century when the burgeoning scientific method was applied to the medical industry. Previous to this era, the philosophies of Eastern medicine has championed the medical industry. Eastern medicine uses natural, organic remedies such as herbal treatments and plant medicinals, but it also is associated with treating the ethereal qualities a person possesses. Western medicine did away with notions of treating the whole person, physical and metaphysical, and focused strictly on treating specific symptoms with chemical remedies. This approach to medicine was championed in the 18th century and has carried into the present time as the most credible way of treating disease. Only in the last several decades has Eastern medicine been contesting Western medicine’s position as the dominant view of medicine.
Western medicine promotes the use of pharmacological agents and remedies as ways of treating specific symptoms. Western medicine does less looking at the person’s way of life and state of mind and more at focusing intently on a specific symptom and remedying it singularly with synthetic chemical medicines. Western medicine is controversial in how it operates as many are beginning to ask how effective a medical practice is that does not explore preventative, natural medicine.
The Difference Between Western and Eastern Medicine
There are many terms and phrases in the English language used to identify the difference between Eastern medicine and Western medicine. There is no one way to characterize the difference between the two types of medical practice. They entail different philosophies, ethics, practices and bodies of knowledge. This article explores some of the different terminologies that are applied to both Western medicine and Eastern medicine, and what those terminologies mean.
- Allopathic vs holistic. A number of homeopathic medical professionals use the term “allopathic” to refer to any type of pharmacological medical agent or practice, meaning Westernized medicine. When the term was coined, it had positive connotations and was used to refer to the more well-respected practice of medicine. “Holistic” is a term that is often employed to describe the practice of medicine using all natural agents. In medicines, the terms refers to organic remedies. In practice, the term refers to treating the whole person in order to eradicate a singular health ailment.
- Evidence-based vs natural medicine. The term “evidence-based medicine” is becoming colloquial as Eastern medicine is gaining a lot of mainstream credibility. Still, this term is sometimes used to describe Western medicine in a way that deems it the more credible science among medical practices. In contrast, the term “natural medicine” in reference to Eastern medicine paints this type of medical practice in a more universal yet a more unscientific light.
- Traditional vs alternative medicine. Ironically, the term “traditional medicine” is applied to Westernized medicine, despite Western medicine being the more recent medical practice between the two ideologies. Again, this term awards Western medicine more credibility by titling it as traditional, meaning it has the sturdier foundation of the two. “Alternative medicine” is used to describe Eastern medicine as being a type of fringe science. Clearly, a bias still exists against homeopathic medicine, but time is altering this perception in the minds of the mainstream populous.