Why an Alternative Therapy?

You may be wondering why someone would choose an alternative therapy as a part of their wellness regimen. There are a few different reasons people come to appreciate the ancient practices. You see, alternative therapies have withstood the transitions of time and the advancement of our world. If they hadn‘t they would have taken the path of “twilight sleep” (read more on it here) or ice-pick lobotomies. One other attraction to alternative therapies is that they often look for a real root cause to all issues. They dive into the depths of the body, mind, and soul to discover how to correct the imbalances that are creating the physical symptoms. The practices themselves are designed to take time to heal, there is no quick fix, although many people feel improvement right away. Our medical society is designed in such a way that you get 15 minutes tops with your doctor, in some cases only 7 because that physician is double booked. That has created a world of “quick fix” treatment because that is all there is time for. Medicine manages symptoms instead of treating causes. I’m not blaming all of this on allopathic medicine, this is a standard our society has accepted and craves; not everyone is willing to do the work to truly heal. Some people truly do prefer the convenience of symptom management over lifestyle changes. There’s no judgment here, we are all on our journey. But no matter your preference, if you go to the doctor for migraines you get a prescription. If you have high blood pressure, a prescription. Constipation, a prescription. Allergies, a prescription. Insomnia, prescription. Rash, prescription. Most of those prescriptions are treatments for the symptoms themselves they don’t heal the cause. For example, let’s take our patient with high blood pressure she was given a prescription and sent home… was her diet addressed? Her lifestyle? Was anyone aware of her 80-hour a week job and the fact that she lives on black coffee, microwavable meals, and 4 hours of sleep a day, and her husband just got diagnosed with cancer? Had we considered that if she would change her eating habits, sleep habits, and work routine, or even if she would take some time to process her husband’s diagnoses that her blood pressure would likely improve without the need for medication? Most likely not, or not thoroughly. Instead, she was suggested to do those things and given the pill to “fix it” anyway without any further follow up on her lifestyle changes. What about the situation where an answer cannot be found, or the answer they give you is not one you like? For example, when they tell you that the only fix for your endometriosis is to get a hysterectomy, and you’re only 20 (read my story here). Many people turn to these therapies when “nothing else has worked” or as a “last resort” before major surgery. There is nothing wrong with that but is amazing how many people find complete relief of their symptoms just by finding a treatment plan that assesses the whole person and treats them from a few different angles instead of the thought that if there is no pill and no surgery to fix it, you cannot be helped.  

So then, what is the answer? What is right for me?  

True wellness is always the answer. And as much as I would like to, I cannot tell you what is right for you. That is work you must do. Because we are all different individuals. To find your true wellness, you need a treatment plan that is as unique as you are. So what does look like for you? That my friend is what it is all about. Finding whatever it is that helps you! It doesn’t matter to me how you get there, as long as you do. It is important to remember true wellness does not come by way of covering up your ailments, but instead treating them and restoring your health. I think the best way to get there is through a team of *practitioners*. Keep your medical doctor, maintain your preventative screenings, and take advantage of the science and technology that is a part of western medicine. But also find a naturopath or herbalist to help your body without synthetic chemical medications. Find a massage therapist and a chiropractor to keep the structure of your body in alignment and working at its best. Find a bodyworker or someone in energy medicine that can keep your energetic system in balance and free of anything that does not belong. Maintain a good work-out routine, good nutrition, and some form of spiritual connection-whatever that is for you. Find balance. For your body, mind, and soul. Keep practitioners in your life that focus on true wellness, and finding root causes, not just treating your symptoms. You want a whole team of people dedicated to this, dedicated to you. So how do you find your team? Much of this depends on your location, budget, and your dedication to wellness, but if I were to give you three steps, they would be this: 1. Trust your intuition, if you don’t mesh with a particular practitioner, you do not have to stay with them. If what they tell you doesn’t feel right or doesn’t serve your goals in the way you’d prefer, it is okay to find someone else. Even if you or your family have worked with this person for years. 2. Remember there is no one end all be all to wellness. You need multiple modalities to truly serve your mind, body, and soul. You are a multifaceted human, you deserve the care that serves all of you. Not just one piece of you, or the piece of you that is screaming the loudest today. 3. EMBRACE your individuality. No one is the same. Just because your friend, partner, or your neighbor lady loves a certain practitioner does not mean you have to. If your best wellness comes from an MD, ND, and energy healer, and hers comes from an MD, herbalist, and chiropractor—that is okay! No one is wrong, you’re just individuals coming up with an individual treatment plan that leads you both to the same goal… true wellness.