Monthly Archives: November 2012

Natural medicine

This means using only substances and techniques that occur in nature.

Holistic medicine

This approach to well being includes an emphasis on evaluating and treating the whole body and the whole life of a person, both in sickness and in health. Typically holistic practitioners regard non-natural therapies as inherently damaging, and prefer natural and nontoxic substances as well as preventive lifestyle measures to promote health.

(Handout page 14)

Conventional medicine

This is the most widely used term used to describe the medicine that has evolved in the industrialized west over the past 100 years. Synonyms for this term include standard medicine and orthodox medicine. Some prefer to call this approach allopathic medicine. (While this paradigm is sometimes called Western medicine, this is not totally precise because Europe is certainly in “the West”. Europe as a whole has a very sophisticated and advanced approach to herbal medicine and natural healing.)

(Handouts page 14)

Herbalism

Herbalism is the art and science of using plants, foods, and spices for health and treatment of disease.

Herbalism is really a specific modality or category of treatment that Traditional Medicine practices would use in conjunction with other Mind, Body, Spirit changes of lifestyle, diet, bodywork, exercise, counseling, etc.

Alternative Medicine

This is a broad term that covers the gamut of natural and holistic therapies not deemed “conventional”.

Alternative medicine and also indicate medicine that is outside the standard medical model.  These include:

Controversial Therapies that are not necessarily natural
Unconventional drugs
New uses of established drugs

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Integrative medicine

This phrase is becoming increasingly popular as a way to communicate the essence of the approach: combining the best ideas and practices from around the world and from different systems, both conventional and alternative. This approach may also be referred to as Complementary medicine.

(Handout page 15)

Holistic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine

Naturopathic medicine, or naturopathy, encompasses a combination of modern medicine and traditional healing philosophies and techniques. Naturopathic physicians (N.D.s) are general health practitioners trained as specialists in natural medicine, including, but not limited to, herbal medicines. Their training emphasizes natural and holistic approaches, and they are not licensed to prescribe drugs. Naturopaths often choose to specialize in an area of personal interest, so that some may use herbs extensively in their practices. Some naturopaths may be advanced herbalists, but this is not necessarily the case

Herbalist

An herbalist may be trained specifically in herbal medicine.  That is, as a specialist in a modality, or may be a health professional with other credentials, such as

• medical doctor
• naturopathic physician
• osteopathic physician
• homeopathic practitioner
• physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner that studied herbal medicine as well.

Holistic Medicine

Traditional medicine

These are the traditional, usually ancient, medical systems of specific cultures, such as

• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM),
• Ayurveda or
• Native American healing.

These are all holistic healing systems