Healing Crystals: Benefits, Uses And Where To Buy
What Is Allopathic Medicine?
Conventional or traditional medicine is also called allopathic medicine. In allopathic medicine, healthcare professionals use a range of treatments to treat infection, illness, and disease.
"Allopathic medicine" is a term that is sometimes used to refer to modern or mainstream medicine. Other names for allopathic medicine include:
Allopathic medicine is also called allopathy. It's a health system in which medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals are licensed to practice and treat symptoms and diseases.
Treatment is done with:
Other types or approaches to medicine are referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), or integrative medicine.
Alternative medicine uses non-mainstream approaches only. When non-mainstream approaches are used "instead of" conventional medicine, this is called alternative medicine.
Integrative medicine uses all approaches, both conventional and non-mainstream. The focus is on treating the whole person, rather than treating only a specific symptom or condition. A non-mainstream treatment is called "complementary" when it used alongside conventional medicine.
Some of the complementary approaches used in integrative medicine include:
The word "allopathic" comes from the Greek "allos" — meaning "opposite" — and "pathos" — meaning "to suffer."
This word was coined by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in the 1800s. It roughly refers to treating a symptom with its opposite, as is often done in mainstream medicine.
For example, constipation might be treated with a laxative.
Hahnemann was interested in other approaches based more on ancient principles of treating "like with like." He later left mainstream medical practice and is considered to be the founder of homeopathy.
Allopathic medicine doctors and other healthcare professionals use a range of treatments to treat infection, illness, and disease. These include prescription drugs like:
Some types of prescription drugs replace hormones when the body can't make enough or any of a certain type, such as:
Allopathic medicine professionals may also recommend over-the-counter (OTC) medications like:
Common allopathic medicine treatments also include:
Allopathic medicine is quite different today than it was in the 1800s. Modern or mainstream medicine works to treat symptoms and illness. But it also helps to prevent illness and disease.
In fact, allopathic doctors can specialize in preventative medicine. This branch of mainstream medicine is overseen by the American College of Preventive Medicine. Prophylactic care is treatment to prevent an illness from happening. It's used in a variety of mainstream medical fields.
Preventative care in allopathic medicine includes:
Osteopathy is another type of healthcare. Osteopaths treat conditions with medical treatments as well as manipulation and massage of muscles, bones, and joints.
In much of the world, osteopaths aren't considered physicians. However, in the United States, osteopathic doctors are licensed physicians and surgeons.
As with other physicians, osteopaths graduate from medical schools. Osteopathic doctors must pass the same national board exams that all physicians do. They also undergo the same residency training programs as other doctors.
The main difference is that osteopathic doctors have the title DO instead of MD. You'll likely not notice any difference in your treatment from a physician or surgeon who is a DO rather than an MD. A DO might recommend complementary treatments along with standard medications or procedures.
Homeopathic medicine is also known as homeopathy and is often added to mainstream medicine, used as a complementary/integrative approach. "Homeo" means "similar to" or "like." This type of healthcare is often considered to be the opposite of allopathic medicine.
According to the National Institute of Health, homeopathic medicine is based on two theories:
Homeopathic practitioners aren't licensed medical doctors. Most homeopathy medicines are natural substances that come from plants or minerals, like:
Homeopathic treatments aren't prescription medications. Additionally, homeopathy medicines usually aren't regulated or tested like medications used in allopathic or mainstream medicine.
Treatments and doses are different from person to person.
Allopathic medicine or mainstream medicine is a system of healthcare. It has had the most evidence-based scientific research, data collection, and drug testing. It's also the most regulated by a neutral party like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the American Medical Association.
However, non-mainstream approaches to medicine have been used for generations in some cases. The action of certain long-used natural products and mind-body approaches are getting some research to support their use. More testing, research, and regulation is needed.
Allopathic or modern medical schools have recently added more study and information on how food and nutrition can help prevent and treat disease. More education is being offered on integrative approaches and potential interactions with mainstream medicine.
Other areas of study in allopathic medicine include exercise and reducing the use of antibiotics and other medications that may have harmful effects.
No healthcare system is perfect. Combining integrative medicine with allopathic or mainstream medicine may work in treating people with some types of illnesses or ailments.
Any kind of medical treatment should be tailored to your individual needs. Be sure your primary care practitioner is aware of all treatments you are using.
Article resourcesWhat To Know About Complementary Treatments For IBD
One of the hallmarks of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is its unpredictability. Flares come and go, often with little rhyme or reason. Especially for people with moderate-to-severe IBD, most conventional forms of treatment—namely prescription drugs—are not enough to prevent flares or symptoms entirely.
In an effort to better control their IBD, many people with the condition turn to complementary and alternative treatments, also known as "CAM." Definitions of CAM vary, but it usually includes herbal medicines or supplements, mind-body techniques like meditation, and Eastern medicine practices such as acupuncture. By some estimates, up to 60% of IBD patients have attempted to treat their condition with one or more of these CAM approaches. A broader definition of CAM could also include lifestyle adjustments revolving around sleep, stress, diet, or exercise—many of which have been embraced by gastroenterologists and other IBD clinicians.
While there was a time when most doctors would have discouraged CAM approaches to IBD, experts say that's no longer the case. "People don't necessarily tell their doctor because they feel it may not be welcome news, but I think many doctors are more open to it than people would think," says Dr. Joshua Korzenik, an IBD specialist and gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He says IBD care providers understand their patients' need to explore CAM treatments, and he doesn't discourage them. "As much as the medicines we have are amazing, they have their risks and side-effects," he says. "We all want to find something in the alternative realm that is effective with very little toxicity."
Despite the huge interest in CAM treatments for IBD—among both patients and their care providers—a lot of these approaches have not been thoroughly studied. "For many of these alternative treatments, the data just aren't there for or against them," says Dr. Joseph Feuerstein, an IBD researcher and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "This is why a lot of doctors don't bring these up with their patients," he adds. "They're not going to recommend something without sufficient evidence." However, some CAM approaches are supported by solid research. Others appear to be at the very least safe, and may be worth a shot. "It's important to bring these up with your doctor," Feuerstein says. Many IBD specialists will have some familiarity with the latest CAM research, and they can help patients identify safe and evidence-supported options while avoiding those that may be risky—or just a waste of time and money.
Here, you'll find a breakdown of the most popular or promising CAM treatments. From acupuncture to yoga, here's what the latest science has to say.
Supplements, botanicals, and herbal therapiesHumans have used botanical medicines for thousands of years, and experts say there are multiple herbs and botanicals that have shown promise for the treatment of IBD. "Probably the best studied with the most good data is curcumin, which is found in turmeric root," Korzenik says. Research has found that curcumin has potent anti-inflammatory effects, and that it can significantly reduce disease activity among people with IBD, particularly those with ulcerative colitis. "I've had a lot of patients use it and have success," Korzenik says. Chamomile, Indian frankincense, and wheatgrass juice are some other botanical treatments that research has found to be safe and possibly beneficial among people with IBD. Exploring these (with a care provider's supervision) may be worthwhile.
Cannabis is another plant that has undergone a lot of scientific scrutiny for the treatment of IBD. "Marijuana comes up a lot," Feuerstein says. "Crohn's is one of the conditions that can qualify a person for a medical cannabis card, though long-term safety and efficacy studies are lacking." Some research comparing marijuana cigarettes containing THC (the psychoactive substance in cannabis) to a THC-free placebo found that smoking marijuana with THC led to significantly more symptom improvements. "Trials show improvement in symptoms and subjective disease severity, and anecdotally I can say patients tell me they feel better," he says. "That said, the studies have shown consistently there is no improvement in healing or underlying inflammation." In other words, cannabis seems to help manage IBD symptoms in some people, but it is not treating the underlying disease. (Due to the lack of safety data, Feuerstein says he does not specifically recommend this treatment to his patients.)
Probiotics and prebiotics are another hot area of interest, both among researchers and IBD patients. These are substances that may support the growth or spread of healthy gut bacteria. Probiotics are themselves packed with "good" bacteria, while prebiotics are foods or supplements that provide sustenance for healthy bacteria. "I think that, conceptually, probiotics and prebiotics make sense," Feuerstein says. "The problem is that it's not one-size-fits-all." Each type of probiotic or prebiotic is different, and so each may act differently in a given person.
There's now a mountain of research showing that the community of microorganisms that live in the human gut—often referred to as the gut microbiome—is critical to the health and functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. These microorganisms also help regulate inflammation and other aspects of immune functioning. However, experts today have only a very hazy grasp of what a healthy microbiome looks like, and using probiotics or prebiotics to alter the microbiome in ways that can treat IBD appears to be a highly individualized process—meaning what works for one person may not work for another.
Feuerstein also says that supplement quality control and consistency is a major issue. "You could buy a type of bacteria that studies have linked to benefits, but depending on the manufacturer, two products could be completely different," he says. "These products aren't regulated by the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration.]" It's also not clear whether benefits people derive from these products are durable or curative. On the other hand, research suggests probiotics and prebiotics are relatively safe. "What I tell people is if you're going to try something like this, talk with your doctor first and try it for at least three months," Feuerstein says. He also recommends sticking with one product to improve the odds that what you're giving your gut is consistent. "Changing your microbiome takes a commitment, so you have to give it time to work," he adds.
Read More: 6 Myths About IBD, Debunked
Mind-body practicesNot long ago, Western medicine tended to treat the mind and body as separate. Diseases of the gut were thought to have little to do with the state or health of a person's mind. But thanks in part to work on the connection between psychological stress and physical illness, medical science now has a greater appreciation of the interrelationship between mental and physical health. There's good evidence that psychotherapy and other forms of mental health treatment can help people with IBD. Likewise, many clinicians now recommend therapeutic mind-body practices for these conditions.
"Stress seems to play a huge role in IBD," Feuerstein says. Stress can contribute to inflammation and microbiome disturbance, research shows, and periods of high stress can trigger IBD flares. "We encourage approaches that can help people control stress."
Research has found that many popular mind-body techniques for stress reduction—namely mindfulness practices (including mindfulness-based stress reduction), yoga, tai chi, and breath work—are all associated with quality-of-life improvements among people with IBD. "One yoga class of 90 minutes per week has a significant impact on the course of the disease, as well as on symptoms," says Dr. Jost Langhorst, professor and chair of integrative gastroenterology at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany.
Acupuncture also has a fair amount of research supporting both its safety and efficacy among people with IBD. "It's something we use, and we know it's something we can add on top of conventional medicine to help people improve their quality of life and control their symptoms," Langhorst says.
The role of diet and exerciseAt Langhorst's clinic, he and his colleagues prioritize a "multimodal" approach to IBD care. That means they attempt to treat IBD with a range of therapies that target not just the gut, but also the patient's overall health and well-being. "These are conditions that can be influenced by a lot of lifestyle factors," he says. "We know that strengthening a person's overall health makes a big difference."
To that end, he says that improving a patient's diet and exercise habits is something he and his team often prioritize. "Diet is of enormous importance," he says. "We know things like ultra-processed foods or high portions of red meat, sugar, or alcohol contribute to a higher burden of disease." However, offering very precise dietary advice can be tricky. Most dietary guidelines for people with IBD recommend "limiting" the items Langhorst mentioned, but they stop short of offering more specific recommendations because the truth is this is going to vary from person to person. "We tell everyone to avoid artificial sweeteners as they can cause diarrhea, but in general it's hard for us to identify diets or food that are triggering a person's flares," says Harvard's Feuerstein. "Until we know more, it's probably best to eat a healthy balanced diet versus any specific fad diet."
Exercise comes in for many of the same hedges and caveats. Every expert recognizes its benefits, but offering very specific recommendations is tough based on the existing research. A 2019 research review in the journal BMC Gastroenterology summed up the state of the science quite well: "Exercise interventions in IBD patients can be assumed to be safe and beneficial for the patients' overall-health, and IBD specific physical and psychosocial symptoms. But there is still a high demand for more thoroughly conducted studies."
Read More: IBD Patients on the Most Effective Ways Doctors Can Treat Their Condition
How to approach complementary treatments for IBDThere are many treatment options that fall into the CAM bucket. While all of the remedies mentioned above are supported by research, there are plenty more that could ultimately prove to be beneficial—or bogus. How is a person with IBD supposed to navigate this space? Experts say that asking for your care provider's help is the best approach. Not only can your care team help you identify safe and potentially helpful complementary treatments, but they can also steer you away from things that may be dangerous.
"Everyone in my field is getting away from this picture of IBD where you come in, you take your medications, and that's it," Korzenik says. "We're all looking at the broader context of the disease and the effects of reducing stress, getting more sleep, getting more exercise, etcetera."
Finally, experts stress that if you're going to attempt complementary treatments, they should truly be complementary. In other words, don't abandon the medications or other treatments your IBD care team has prescribed. "For people who want to do something more for themselves, in addition to the standard medical therapies, I think conceptually a lot of CAM make sense and are worth exploring," Feuerstein says. "Just be sure to bring them up with your doctor."
13 Natural Remedies For Anxiety
Whether you have occasional moments of anxiousness or a clinically diagnosed anxiety disorder, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to treating anxiety. In many cases, people may be treated with the use of counseling, anti-anxiety medications, or both if the combination is beneficial.
Yet, in addition to therapy and medication, there are natural anxiety remedies available that may help ease certain symptoms. These remedies range from supplements to relaxation techniques like meditation. Read on to learn more options for natural anxiety relief.
Anxiety generally refers to a state of worry or uncertainty. While it's normal to experience anxiety occasionally, the development of an anxiety disorder means that the anxiety has begun to affect a person's daily life activities. Anxiety disorders will affect around 31% of adults across their lifetime. Also, not all anxiety disorders are the same. They can range from social anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Traditional treatments for anxiety include talk therapy, medication, or a combination of the treatments. However, experts have been looking at alternative treatments for anxiety. Researchers have been investigating the role that natural remedies can play in treating anxiety symptoms like tension, worry, and rapid heartbeat. Also, talk with a healthcare provider about any remedies that involve alternative treatments, like dietary supplements, before trying them. The FDA only minimally regulates dietary supplements, and the effects of supplements vary individually. 1. Exercise Exercise is beneficial for overall health, including mental health. A reduction in anxiety can be a benefit of regular exercise. While it's recommended that people get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, research shows that anxiety can be temporarily reduced immediately after even one exercise session. With continued regular exercise, long-term anxiety symptoms may decrease as well. In addition, mindful movement practices, like yoga, are believed to have anti-anxiety effects. 2. Chamomile Research suggests that regular use of chamomile may help reduce symptoms of moderate-to-severe GAD. People with GAD may worry about everyday things to the degree that the worry interferes with their daily lives. However, participants of one study had an improvement in their GAD after taking three 500mg capsules of chamomile extract a day for several months. The long-term use of high-dose chamomile oral extract used in the study didn't seem to create safety concerns. While more research may be needed to know the exact quantity that is considered safe, it is generally believed that any amount used in tea, as well as any short-term oral supplementation, is safe. Negative side effects like nausea and dizziness are not common, and chamomile may interact with blood-thinning medications (warfarin) or drugs used to prevent organ transplant rejection (cyclosporine). Chamomile could also prompt an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to pollens like ragweed. 3. Acupuncture Acupuncture is the practice of stimulating specific points on the body, usually by inserting thin needles into the skin. Researchers are looking into what other conditions the practice can benefit, including anxiety. A review of 20 studies showed that acupuncture can reduce anxiety symptoms among people with GAD. This is especially true in the first six weeks of treatment. During that time, acupuncture can work faster than other treatments, such as anti-anxiety drugs. Since all the studies in the review only included people with GAD, more research is needed to determine whether acupuncture would be helpful for other anxiety disorders. Research has deemed acupuncture safe. The key to safety is going to an experienced, trained practitioner who uses clean needles. If acupuncture is not performed correctly or dirty needles are used, there can be serious side effects. 4. Lavender Research has pointed to an improvement in anxiety symptoms after consuming or smelling lavender—especially before surgery and before and after chemotherapy. However, lavender may not always be the best option for you. Consuming lavender in tea or extract form could cause side effects like headache and constipation. It might also increase drowsiness when used with other sedative medications. 5. Aromatherapy Using essential oils as part of aromatherapy may be a natural way to get anxiety relief. Aromatherapy entails filling a space with the smell of a particular oil, which is typically plant-based, and inhaling it. One review found that essential oils overall helped reduce anxiety. However, citrus essential oil was significantly helpful for anxiety-reducing effects. 6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Found in seafood, shellfish, and fish oil supplements, omega-3 fatty acids are needed to build brain cells and help with other basic functions. The fatty acids might also have a positive impact on anxiety. Although studies have had mixed findings, some research reveals that omega-3 supplementation may help significantly reduce and prevent anxiety symptoms. This is especially true for people who've been diagnosed with a specific disorder. 7. Vitamin B For decades, it's been understood that there's an association between vitamin B12 levels and anxiety symptoms. Research has suggested it's not uncommon for people with anxiety to have low levels of vitamin B12. The belief is supplementation of vitamin B12 may help reduce or prevent anxiety symptoms. Vitamin B6 might ease anxiety as well. High-dose supplementation of the vitamin has been shown to reduce self-reported anxiety. More robust research is needed to say for certain, but some studies have also shown that daily intake of vitamin B6 helps reduce a range of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, particularly PMS-related anxiety. B vitamins are generally safe to use but have the potential to interfere with some medications. Check with a healthcare professional to be certain before use. 8. Meditation Meditation is one of many relaxation techniques focused on intentional breathing and the mind-body connection. It's often recommended as an add-on to clinical anxiety treatment plans. By producing a deep state of relaxation, studies have suggested that meditation may help reduce anxiety symptoms in people with diagnosed anxiety disorders. There's practically zero risk involved in trying out a meditation session, as long as you're in a safe environment to close your eyes and zone out. 9. Journaling One study found that one month of "positive affect journaling"—writing down positive feelings or emotions—resulted in less anxiety in people who had various medical conditions and experienced heightened anxiety symptoms. Additional research on how different types of journaling could help anxiety is likely needed before experts broadly recommend it. 10. Melatonin Melatonin, which occurs naturally in the body to help with sleep, is also available as a supplement with possible benefits for anxiety. Research has shown melatonin to support anxiety symptom reduction for individuals undergoing surgical procedures. However, more research is needed to determine its effectiveness for anxiety unrelated to surgical procedures. 11. L-theanine L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea but that is also available in supplement form. One review of already-published research concluded that taking 200-400mg of L-theanine supplements a day reduced anxiety levels in people going through stressful situations. However, it is unclear how the effectiveness of L-theanine would change when it is consumed as part of tea. 12. Magnesium Magnesium—a mineral found in foods like whole grains, leafy greens, and milk—plays a role in brain function, resulting in a potential effect on anxiety. One research review found initial evidence suggesting that magnesium supplementation could potentially reduce mild anxiety symptoms, generalized anxiety, and anxiety-related PMS symptoms. However, more studies are needed on the impact magnesium could have on anxiety symptoms more broadly. Additionally, more research is necessary to know what form of magnesium is best for anxiety management. Magnesium lactate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium glycinate are all examples of magnesium supplements. 13. Lemon Balm Lemon balm, an herb in the mint family, has long been considered to have calming properties. While current research is limited, there is some evidence showing its positive impact on anxiety and mood. For example, two separate studies found that consuming drinks infused with lemon balm had a positive anti-anxiety effect on people recovering from heart surgery and severe burns. Experiencing anxiety symptoms that affect much of your routine, functioning, and interactions with others is a reason to contact a healthcare provider. They can help determine the root cause of your anxiety and provide guidance for treatment options like seeing a mental health professional. It's also a good idea to see a healthcare provider if your anxiety treatment is no longer effective or results in side effects that are hard to tolerate. Always talk to a healthcare provider before stopping a medication. Natural remedies such as consuming chamomile, lavender, omega-3 fatty acids, L-theanine, and magnesium, as well as practices such as acupuncture, meditation, regular movement, and journaling may help relieve anxiety symptoms. However, talk with a healthcare provider to determine which natural anxiety relief options are appropriate for you.Thanks for your feedback!
Comments
Post a Comment