Did you know that there are many different systems of medicine besides that which we find in the clinics and hospitals in the American healthcare system? Allopathic medicine, is the type of medicine that is practiced in America and other western healthcare systems, but there are many other types: According to the FDA, and the AMA, these other systems and their practitioners fall under the “alternative” medicine umbrella, but there really isn’t anything alternative about them.
I’ve never cared for the word ‘conventional’ as a means of describing our healthcare system; it makes it sound like it is some gold standard and everything “alternative” is in some way less than or at best “complimentary”. That’s not true. If you think about it, it’s a very ethnocentric point of view: Allopathy began in Europe in the mid-to late eighteen hundreds, and allopathic practice and our current healthcare system in the USA and Europe boomed after WWI and especially after WWII when employer-based health insurance plans swept the nation and therefore swept other non-allopathic healthcare practitioners under the rug. So, to accept allopathy as the gold standard and to downplay the efficacy of every other method of healing is to say that only modern white males know anything of merit about the health of the human body. No system coming out of Asia, Africa, Middle East, or from Indigenous Americans, Pacific Islanders, Aboriginals, or other Europeans outside of the allopathic system have anything to offer in how to take care of the human body??? That is absolute nonsense when you think about it… Allopathic medicine is absolutely amazing! But other systems of medicine have a lot to offer, and much more to offer than allopathic medicine does for certain conditions.
Types of Medical & Healing Systems:
Allopathy
Ayurveda
Energy Medicine & Energy Healing
Folk Medicine
Herbal Medicine
Homeopathy
Naturopathy
Osteopathy
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Shiatsu
Shamanic Healing
Each of these medical systems have a different view of the human body and different opinions on how to keep the body healthy and balanced. One system of medicine is not better than any other–they all have something wonderful to offer. Some systems of medicine are excellent with certain ailments and conditions, but not so good with others. For example, the allopathic medical system (the type of medicine that most Western healthcare systems are based) is second-to-none when it comes to trauma and acute disease, but has virtually no element of prevention and is inferior to other systems in managing chronic disease.
You Have Options: Use Them
The American Healthcare System is in trouble: and please understand that this system was in trouble before the pandemic, and the impact the virus has had on the system is the nail in the coffin. We are moving into a time where our current healthcare system may not be able to be there for us in the same way that it used to be: emergency rooms are burdened, and there are not enough providers to deal with the number of people who are ill, especially when it comes to mental health. It will be prudent for Americans to build a relationship with an alternative healthcare provider. Take responsibility for your own health by learning how the body works. Know when you need to call your traditional M.D. and when to reach out to your alternative providers. Here are some examples of other healthcare providers that you could (and should) give a try:
Aromatherapist
Ayurvedic Practitioners
Acupuncturists
Certified Natural Health Practitioners (CNHP)
Chiropractors
Curanderas, shamans, and other spiritual healers
Energy Healers
Herbalists
Holistic Health Practitioners
Homeopaths
Medical Mediums
Naturopathic Practioners and Naturopathic Doctors
Reiki Healers
Spiritual Counselors and Coaches
Tui Na Practitioners
Final Thoughts
In the end, please don’t “fire” your doctor. You need them! But if you are struggling with a condition and your doctor has not been able to help you find relief, I encourage you to do some research and explore your options. If you are not having any health issues (what a blessing) then it’s important for you to focus on prevention, and other systems of medicine have more to offer in this area. If you are interested in trying energy healing and other holistic approaches to supporting the body, consider booking an Energy Health & Wellness Session with me. Check out the Consultations page for more information or to book a session. Stay well!