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MinnesotaBirth.com connects expectant and new parents to holistic choices in health care.
Before we explore our local communities of alternative and natural health providers, here are some definitions.
Let's explore the University of Minnesota's definitions. What kind of health care is simply "going to the doctor?"
The following two definitions were written by Dr Karen Lawson, Director of Integrative Clinical Services
at the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University
of Minnesota as given in the University of Minnesota's Center for Spirituality and
Healing free online learning modules for healthcare professionals.
"The predominant model of care in North America is both biomedical
and allopathic. Biomedicine is a system based
on quantifiable, measurable, physiologic, anatomic, and biochemical
principles. It provides a scientific basis for explaining
the human experience.
Allopathic medicine is a system of diagnosis and treatment
based upon the use of opposites (such as pain - pain killer; bacterial infection - antibiotic; or laceration - closure).
Its primary tools are pharmaceuticals and surgery." - http://www.csh.umn.edu/modules/overview/def/df2.html
So, going to the doctor is a way to utilize the contemporary ideas of what restores us to health.
"Contemporary Healthcare: Biomedical and Allopathic
Philosophically, the predominant goal of contemporary healthcare
is to eliminate troublesome symptoms or cure an illness (or
manage its effects). Prevention agendas tend to focus on early
screening (that is, secondary prevention) and wellness efforts
center on the physical body.
In contrast, the purpose of most complementary therapies
and healing practices is to help maintain wellness and, when
necessary, facilitate the body's own healing responses to
restore balance and harmony.
Because the biomedical and allopathic model is dominant in
the U.S. healthcare system, it is often referred to as mainstream
or conventional. Such terms are acceptable only when understood
in the ever-changing context of the predominant cultural and
economic structure." - http://www.csh.umn/modules/overview/def/df3.html
Please note that the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the U of M has extensive information on Holistic Pregnancy
and Childbirth on their Taking Charge of Your Health website (www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu ).
This website was created specifically for the general public, and the holistic
pregnancy topic was designed and reviewed by midwifery faculty at the University of Minnesota school of nursing http://takingcharge.csh.umn.
edu/therapies/childbirth/what
There are more ways of looking at health in addition to the usual custom of going to the doctor and taking a medicine or scheduling a surgery. Sometimes, however, an important medicine or surgery can be life saving or life sustaining. The following ways of looking at health can be used with biomedical and allopathic medicine. In some situations, people can use alternative health instead of allopathic medicine.
Some words used to describe Alternative Medicine are Complimentary; Mind-Body; Integrative; Holistic, Natural; and Traditional.
What are the major types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)?
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NCCAM, (Sponsored by the National Institute of Health, puts CAM practices into four domains, recognizing there can
be some overlap. In addition, NCCAM studies CAM whole medical systems,
which cut across all domains. This is an excerpt from their website:
Whole Medical Systems
Whole medical systems are built upon complete systems of theory and
practice. Often, these systems have evolved apart from and earlier than
the conventional medical approach used in the United States. Examples
of whole medical systems that have developed in Western cultures
include homeopathic medicineA
whole medical system that originated in Europe. Homeopathy seeks to
stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses
of highly diluted substances that in larger doses would produce illness
or symptoms (an approach called "like cures like"). and naturopathic medicineA
whole medical system that originated in Europe. Naturopathy aims to
support the body's ability to heal itself through the use of dietary
and lifestyle changes together with CAM therapies such as herbs,
massage, and joint manipulation.. Examples of systems that have developed in non-Western cultures include traditional traditional Chinese medicineA
whole medical system that originated in China. It is based on the
concept that disease results from disruption in the flow of qi and
imbalance in the forces of yin and yang. Practices such as herbs,
meditation, massage, and acupuncture seek to aid healing by restoring
the yin-yang balance and the flow of qi. and AyurvedaA
whole medical system that originated in India. It aims to integrate the
body, mind, and spirit to prevent and treat disease. Therapies used
include herbs, massage, and yoga..
Mind-Body Medicine
Mind-body medicine
uses a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind's capacity to
affect bodily function and symptoms. Some techniques that were
considered CAM in the past have become mainstream (for example, patient
support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy). Other mind-body
techniques are still considered CAM, including meditationA
conscious mental process using certain techniques—such as focusing
attention or maintaining a specific posture—to suspend the stream of
thoughts and relax the body and mind., prayer, mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets such as art, music, or dance.
Biologically Based Practices
Biologically based practices
in CAM use substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and
vitamins. Some examples include dietary supplements, herbal products,
and the use of other so-called natural but as yet scientifically
unproven therapies (for example, using shark cartilage to treat cancer).
Manipulative and Body-Based Practices
Manipulative and body-based practices in CAM are based on manipulationThe
application of controlled force to a joint, moving it beyond the normal
range of motion in an effort to aid in restoring health. Manipulation
may be performed as a part of other therapies or whole medical systems,
including chiropractic medicine, massage, and naturopathy. and/or movement of one or more parts of the body. Some examples include chiropractic or osteopathic manipulationA
type of manipulation practiced by osteopathic physicians. It is
combined with physical therapy and instruction in proper posture., and massagePressing,
rubbing, and moving muscles and other soft tissues of the body,
primarily by using the hands and fingers. The aim is to increase the
flow of blood and oxygen to the massaged area..
Energy Medicine
Energy therapies involve the use of energy fields. They are of two types:
- Biofield therapies are
intended to affect energy fields that purportedly surround and
penetrate the human body. The existence of such fields has not yet been
scientifically proven. Some forms of energy therapy manipulate
biofields by applying pressure and/or manipulating the body by placing
the hands in, or through, these fields. Examples include qi gongA
component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement,
meditation, and controlled breathing. The intent is to improve blood
flow and the flow of qi., ReikiA
therapy in which practitioners seek to transmit a universal energy to a
person, either from a distance or by placing their hands on or near
that person. The intent is to heal the spirit and thus the body., and Therapeutic TouchA
therapy in which practitioners pass their hands over another person's
body with the intent to use their own perceived healing energy to
identify energy imbalances and promote health..
- Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies
involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as
pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current or
direct-current fields.
This ends the excerpt from NCCAM, the Federal Government's lead agency for scientific research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. See more at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/overview.htm#types
Classifying Complementary Therapies
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(NCCAM) at NIH has developed a classification for complementary
therapies and healing practices that can be used as a tool
for organizing data and directing research. While this classification
system is not perfect or complete, it is currently the most
widely used system. The list of practices considered complementary
changes continually as practices become familiar and accepted
as part of the mainstream (good examples include biofeedback,
hypnosis, and support groups). The major domains are listed
below.
Some of the various types of practitioners or healers have training in different ways of healing. These forms, or methods, include:
Naturopathic
Herbal, or botanical, medicine
Chiropractic
Osteopathic
Craniosacral
Myofascial
Body-Mind
Massage
Maya Massage
Prenatal Massage
Body Mind - Mind-Body
Interventions include behavioral, psychological, social,
and spiritual approaches.
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