Conventional or 'alternative' medicine?
Chuck Norris
With anything in this life, from fast foods to politics to toothpastes, humans have polarizing opinions. It seems innate in us. And all we need to set us off is a simple question: Paper or plastic? Organic or inorganic? Cloth or disposable? Diet or regular? Tap or bottled?
No doubt, the best answer is sometimes "this one" or "that one." But often the best answer is "both this one and that one." Not jumping down on either side of the fence of opinion sometimes allows us to fish the ponds on both sides. That is where I land in the debate about conventional and alternative medicines.
I genuinely value the expertise in the traditional medical fields; they have made amazing advances over the decades. At the same time, I believe alternative approaches have made great advances, too, for they often seek natural or holistic approaches with the same fervency that traditional experts seek results in their own specialty fields (for clarification, the terms holistic, alternative, complementary and unconventional care often are used today interchangeably).
A clear example of the value of both can be found with clogged arteries, or arteriosclerosis – as well as thrombosis, blood clotting in the veins and arteries. Herbal remedies may aid in the prevention of clogging agents, such as cholesterol, accumulating in the bloodstream. And diets that are low in saturated fats and rich in fruits, vegetables and grains – i.e., rich in antioxidants, soluble fiber, bioflavonoids, potassium and folate – will strengthen blood vessels, improve blood flow, lower blood pressure and strengthen the heart.
But the fact is that while you seek out holistic alternatives to free your circulatory system, if your artery is 50 percent or more clogged, you may need (at least temporarily) prescription blood thinners or even the insertion of a stent to save your life. And you're not going to find that down at your natural food store.
March 4, 2011