Can they help you?

Western medicine is increasingly recognising the value of traditional natural therapies. A recent review suggests
that about half of GPs suggest or refer their patients for complementary or alternative medicine (CAM).
There is ongoing research by conventional scientists into their effectiveness and safety.

Many people ask - what is the difference? Complementary therapies, which include massage, aromatherapy, reiki, reflexology and manipulative therapies principally chiropractic and osteopathy, are those which complement any
mainstream treatment you may be receiving and are often used on their own too. Alternative therapies are traditional medicinal disciplines, often thousands of years old, that offer an alternative to Western medicine
(although they can often be used together as in China). These are the principal alternative therapies:

Acupuncture: this ancient therapy (used for over 5000 years) involves practitioners inserting very fine needles
into the skin to stimulate specific acupoints, which form a complex grid across the body. This sends chi (life force)
flowing through the body, clearing energy blockages and helping the body re-balance and trigger self-healing.
There is clear evidence that acupuncture can be really useful during menopause for treating heavy periods,
hot flushes, stress incontinence, persistent aches and pains, and low mood even depression. Recent research
has shown that acupuncture can trigger significant hormonal changes and help infertility.

Ayurvedic medicine: this Sanskrit word meaning ‘science of life’ is a complete holistic health system, dating
back four millennia and still in use in India today. It embraces diet, yoga, breathing techniques and the therapeutic
use of herbs and spices.

Chinese herbal medicine: this embraces the principles of Yin and Yang, opposing but complementary forces
both of which need to be in balance for a state of perfect health. If your Yin and Yang are out of kilter, a Chinese
herbalist can correct it by prescribing specific herbs. The World Health Organisation has a huge database of
illnesses that benefit from Chinese Herbs, ranging from PMS and insomnia to vaginitis and allergies.
Dang Gui Pian or dong quai (a type of Angelica) is the most commonly prescribed Chinese herb for
‘female problems’ and is often prescribed to menopausal women with impressive results. There have been
a few scare stories about the toxicity of some Chinese herbs over the years but these have mainly been
due to prescribing by unqualified practitioners.

Homeopathy: developed in the 18th century by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, homeopathy
is based on the ancient hypothesis, first put forward by Hippocrates, that “like cures like”.
This means that a substance that causes symptoms of illnessin a healthy person
can be used to treat the same symptomsin someone who is ill. Homeopathy looks at the
person rather than the illness so a practitioner will not treat headache symptoms as such but the
individual person who has a headache.

Naturopathy: this is based on the concept that diet, exercise, fasting, hydrotherapy, massage and relaxation
help to kick-start the body’s own self-healing mechanism - and maintain health - rather than relying on drugs.
Naturopaths say that illness occurs when we are subjected to factors including pollution, stress and injury.

Nutritional Therapy: food and plants were our first medicines and the nutrients contained in them can be used
to treat disease and unpleasant symptoms and to restore and re-vitalise us when we need a boost.
Nutritional therapy is based on the idea that the body is composed of certain elements (including iron,
copper, magnesium, calcium, potassium), which are vital for our health and are available to us in high quality
foods and supplements. Phyto (plant) estrogens are increasingly used for menopausal women.

Western herbalism: the power of herbs has been used to treat illness and promote health since ancient times.
Well over 50 per cent of modern drugs are plant-based and research is ongoing. Today’s herbalists are combining
their ancient knowledge of herbs with modern science to treat a range of disease conditions from cancer to
constipation. Herbs contain a vast cocktail of chemicals including vitamins, essential oils, proteins and
starches, minerals and trace elements, which can all help restore the body’s immune system, improve circulation
and soothe inflammation. Herbs also have a clever way of working synergistically - in some ways they are far
more sophisticated than laboratory-created drugs.

 

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