Alternative Medicine In America

Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Americans Use Less Alternative Medicine Than Other Countries

World-wide the amount of people who use some form of complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, is estimated to be 65% to 80%. This translates roughly into 3 billion individuals who use systems of medicine other than the model we are most familiar with here in the United States. In our country the use of alternative medicine is estimated to be about 36%.  The typical American person will use these therapies in addition to our westernized system of medicine.


To change the balance of how much CAM and regular medicine we have to change certain aspects of both our culture and system of care. In the past our doctors were trained around treating symptoms and disease in a reactionary model. Certain conditions indicated specific intervention. Then our doctors started to focus more preventative care. This was reinforced by research that showed that perhaps we could take a slightly longer view on medical care. At this point there was still a large reliance on intervention with medicines or procedures. 

Western Medicine vs. Alternative Medicine

Logo of the United States National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine , part of the National Institutes of Health. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This system of medicine has made some wonderful strides. During the process it evolved into an 

institution where often the most humble and human qualities were ignored. This is in contrast to many alternative systems of medicine. Much of the philosophy behind these systems strive to seek a balance in all of life. Physical, mental, and spiritual factors must be addressed to have complete wellness in life. 

Alternative Medicine Acceptance Grows

Our growth as a society has begun to really change both individual acceptance of alternative 

medicine and that of the medical community. Approximately one-third of all American schools of medicine offer classes in alternative medicine.  Some of the schools that are included in this list are Harvard, Yale, John’s Hopkins, and Georgetown University. This new found acceptance has spread to encourage some alternative medicine coverage by insurance companies. A recent comment from insurance carrier Mutual of Omaha said that it saves about $6.50 in covering alternative medicine. 

Image by Sprengben  via Flickr

While alternative medicine in our society is less prolific than in other parts of the world it is growing. Support for this has come from a new trend being considered by our institutions that are charged with overseeing and paying for medical care. This consideration is called “Evidence Based Medicine”. Simply if the research shows that something works, use it. This is true even if it may not come from your tool chest. With continued research into the efficacy of alternative medicine the percent of Americans that use it will grow quickly.

How To Be The Shaman In Your Own Life

Goldes shaman priest in his regalia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When you stop to think of it, the best medicine that we experience enters into our lives when we can understand how to heal our whole life. This happens when we accept the individual truths that we have. These truths are like those of Gandhi. 

In his, "experiments in truth", he found a much more pure path for himself when he looked honestly at each moment. He transformed his commitment to consistency of truth to the acceptance of current truth, examined under the lens of compassion.  It is said that , "each pilgrim has their own path up the mountain." This Buddhist's contribution to understanding counsels us to view our basic needs in a broad yet simple manner. This is seconded by Gandhi's encouragement; do so renewed in each moment and each state of being.

Shamans aptly describe our nature as if we are spirits wrapped in dirt. This dirt is the vary substance of the universe. It is matter. This gives a cocoon for, "us", to dwell in. Our bodies are the, "spacesuits," in which we exist. Most spiritual or vision led healers heal mind, body, and spirit. When we understand how we see things, we start finding the best medical practices for ourselves. This change in understanding is exactly what the shaman is hoping that you find. The answer then comes from the doctor with in. In doing this we stand one step closer to our own healer or shamanic nature.

Almost all of the shamanic traditions include some version of  a, "vision-quest". This is a process where we learn to transcend our egos. It helps to remove the critical portions of our being and it allows us to just experience. 

The real substance of shamanic healing is what we take from these experiences. The impression that this makes on us helps us to choose our point of view. These conclusions can be very instructive. They help us identify what we truly believe. Seeing this clearly is how we are empowered like the shaman is to heal. We can practice the medicine that best suits the needs of the soul, spirit and body.

Deutsch: Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948), politischer und spiritueller Führer von Indien. Ort unbekannt English: Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948), political and spiritual leader of India. Location unknown. Français : Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), Guide politique et spirituel de l'Inde. Lieu inconnu. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The sages tell us that this is how we can heal whole lives. It helps us to find healing in a personal way. The, "spirit-led" doctor seeks, with their visions and instruction, to help us contend with the struggles of our reality. It is how we can influence our own existence in this landscape of life. Physicist Werner Heisenberg and others suggest that matter does not exist unless it is observed. It is only the potential to, "be," anything. We create our world by how we see it.

On this basis another physics thought experiment, Schrödinger's Cat, gives a hypothetical consideration about what a cat would experience if locked in a box. In this postulate, the box is hardened against all detection of events within. There is no ability to observe anything accept the qualities that are presented by the exterior of the box. This incidentally establishes the box as matter.

While the box's external is established by our perception, the actual status of the cat becomes questionable. Since there is no one to observe the cat, does it really exist? There is no observation at all. There is nothing to establish the particular properties of the universe without rational conception of being.

The shamanic schools are built upon this rationale. What you really think about your life is why you have the reality that you have. How you really feel about things is what matters. It is, in fact, matter. When we begin to step out of our drama and seek visions, we begin to notice something. We can change our lives by how we choose to see them. It affords us options in the quality of the life that we experience. We can maintain a perspective of wellness. We can have the serenity of confidently and purposely established constitution. We can have a high quality of life.

This mind over matter helps us to create our existence each day. It could be considered to be our form of cybernetic connection to the universe. This is where we affect the all. It is how to have life and life more abundantly. 

Werner Heisenberg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the case of Schrödinger's Cat, to help "isolate" it from manipulation, conditions existed to keep it from external jeopardy. There was randomly offered, "uncontrolled" peril for the cat. This stipulation existed insuring that you would never know if the cat was ever able to be perceived as alive. We can also learn from this. When begin to see our medicine as the medicine-men of old, we are forced to confront our existence beyond the body. The mystical healers urge us to understand that we fight a losing battle trying to preserve our bodies.

We are beings that are much broader and dynamic than our bodies which are fixed in time. We are eternal beings. What we truly seek is to prosper and perpetuate the being within. If we take the most wholesome practice of our medicine and apply it to ourselves and to others, we not only live better but so do they. This is what makes us all the shaman, the visionary, the ones who heal by faith. It is in this moment we can look at our lives with gratefulness. This is when we can take assurance that we have found the path and restore our wellness. With this revelation absorbed, you have become the shaman for yourself.

Feed Your Head, Nutrients As A Treatment For Mental Illness

You Are What You Eat

There are difficulties when comparing different systems of medicine. For example, westernized medicine tends to look at things in terms of pathology and not particularly in terms of wellness. Other systems of medicine, such as traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayurveda tend to take a more proactive approach and could be considered systems of wellness and not merely systems in medicine. In the previous article it is suggested that these systems are very difficult to compare.

Western medical science relies heavily on prescription medications. These medications are often synthesized compounds that effect specific symptoms. Other systems of medicine also have a molecular basis. So there is a reasonable standard that we can use to compare these systems. These systems can be compared based on two factors, their organic chemical effect and the outcomes that they produce. For instance, if a prescription medication has side effects that are worse than the disease that they are meant to treat, they're more aptly to be described as a poison. On the other hand, in many cases once diseases have developed, these medications are highly effective at managing the symptoms if not the disease. In some cases chronic diseases such as mental illnesses may require medication for the remainder of the patient's life if their illness is severe enough.

Alternative systems tend to take a proactive approach to treating disease. These systems focus on prevention of disease and the mediation of the basic causes of disease. They tend to use whole foods nutrients and plant products to affect wellness. The molecular structure of these substances is often much more complex and complete than that specifically engineered prescription medication that we are used to. This molecular basis of analysis helps us to compare the systems of medicine.


During the 1930s a multidisciplined scientist, Linus Pauling, began to look at the molecular nature of various diseases. He found often that basic nutrients in the right combinations and dosages had a better chance of prevention of disease or at least remission of symptoms. There is a good body of research and documentation about use of these substances for people with psychiatric conditions.



In the Canadian province of Saskatchewan there was a long-term research program conducted based on the findings of Dr. Pauling, PhD. This research has become the basis of what is now known as the adrenochrome hypothesis. This hypothesis states that hydrogen peroxide in the presence of ferritin, or iron in the blood, contributes to the oxidization of the neurotransmitter adrenaline. Once oxidized the molecular structure of adrenochrome is very similar to the structure of mescaline. In patients with high levels of adrenochrome disassociative experiences and diseases such as schizophrenia are prevalent.



This hypothesis states that through the use of orthomolecular medicine, or the use of basic nutrients in the right dosages and application, can cure or control this disease. Further research along this line suggests that other psychological conditions might be significantly impacted by the application of basic nutrients.

In patients with schizophrenic diseases a variety of B vitamins and whole C vitamins has shown to have a significant impact on the disease. The vitamins that are involved are niacin, B6, B12, and vitamin C. Significant dosages of these basic nutrients helped to reduce the oxidizing effect on adrenaline and therefore produced significantly less adrenochrome.



Traditionally Western medicine does give a nod in the direction of the use of nutrients. It is said to be an important part of health. Often, because of the influence of the pharmaceutical industry, the primary use of nutrients as treatment for disease is considered quackery.



The evidence seens to show that patients reported less disturbing symptoms and many eventually were freed from symptoms entirely. For people like Dr. Abraham Hoffer, MD, Phd and his associates the evidence suggests that this form of treatment may contribute to a better quality of life for patients with schizophrenia. Dr. Hoffer in his research and interviews talks about the use of both synthetic pharmaceuticals and nutrients over a period of time to affect these changes. He does not advocate the immediate disposal of pharmaceutical medications in place of vitamin therapy. It would seem that he feels that all healing is a process.

In the documentary film, Feed Your Head, the adrenochrome hypothesis is discussed in great detail. Many patients in the film such as the actress, Margot Kidder, assembled together to thank these doctors for their work. Much of the material for this article comes from this movie. Another significant resource for the development of this article was derived from the information listed on the orthomolecular.org website.



For further information about the promise and practice of orthomolecular medicine please review both of these resources. While there are not many practitioners of orthomolecular medicine, they can be found. Of course, not every treatment is right for every patient. But for those who use orthomolecular medicine to prevent and treat disease the use of basic nutrients has changed their lives.



Orthomolecular medicine contributes to health on a much wider basis than just schizophrenic disease. Since the 1800s scientists have been working to understand a sentiment that computer engineers have known for a long time, if you put garbage into a system you get garbage out of the system. In the case of orthomolecular medicine it is fair to say you are what you eat, so if you have a mental illness, be sure to feed your head.

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