| There has been a surge in recent years of
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| | questionable value. They may be literally
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| people looking to alternative medicine
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| | risking their lives by treating illness
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| for treatment of illness. It is a
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| | with unproven alternative medicines
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| practice that generates a great deal of
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| | rather than scientifically validated
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| controversy both inside and outside of
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| | traditional medicines. Another common
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| the traditional world of medicine, and an
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| | risk associated with alternative medicine
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| issue that some experts say does not
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| | is when a patient uses both traditional
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| receive enough attention.
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| | and alternative methods of treatment but
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| What Is Alternative Medicine?
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| | does not disclose this to their medical
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| The most commonly accepted definition of
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| | doctor. It is very common for
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| alternative medicine is a treatment or
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| | prescription medications to produce
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| substance that is untested or unproven
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| | negative interactions when taken at the
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| using accepted scientific standards.
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| | same time as alternative medicines like
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| Common types of alternative medicine
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| | herbs and plant extracts. These
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| include herbs, supplements, therapies and
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| | interactions may range from diminished
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| activity programs that fall outside of
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| | effectiveness all the way up to and
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| traditional medical practice and are
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| | including toxicity that causes serious
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| questionable in terms of safety and
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| | harm. If the medical doctor is not made
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| effectiveness. For example, acupuncture,
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| | aware of any other substances the patient
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| massage, meditation, herbal teas, and
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| | may be taking, he or she may unknowingly
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| plant extracts are quite popular forms of
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| | prescribe a medication that produces and
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| alternative medicine that many medical
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| | unwanted or harmful interaction.
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| doctors say are ineffective at best and
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| | How To Recognize Potentially Risky
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| dangerous at worst for some conditions.
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| | Alternative Medicines
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| Why Is Alternative Medicine So Popular?
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| | A good rule of thumb to follow is that if
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| Alternative medicine has grown in
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| | a product, substance or therapy sounds
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| popularity as more and more people face
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| | too good to be true then it probably is.
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| the inevitable aches, pains and illnesses
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| | While you may already be familiar with
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| that come with aging. In some cases,
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| | this cliché, it is worth repeating
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| traditional medicine has failed to
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| | because it is often true when it comes to
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| produce a cure and patients go in search
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| | alternative medicine. Beware of any
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| of other options for treatment of their
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| | product that claims to be "miraculous",
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| illness. In other cases, patients believe
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| | "a scientific breakthrough", "amazingly
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| strongly that natural methods of treating
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| | effective", "an ancient remedy", "a
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| illness are superior to traditional
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| | secret formula" or possess some other
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| medicine so they seek treatment from
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| | attribute that supposedly makes it
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| alternative practitioners rather than
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| | superior to more traditional medicines.
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| medical doctors.
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| | If you are considering an alternative
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| The Risks Of Alternative Medicine
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| | form of therapy, such as reflexology,
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| Some of the greatest risks associated
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| | acupuncture, biofeedback or the like,
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| with alternative medicine come from the
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| | carefully check the qualifications of the
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| use of substances that are untested,
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| | therapy practitioner before undergoing
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| ineffective, and sometimes unsafe. The
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| | treatment. What kind of training has he
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| makers of such substances often make
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| | or she received, and is that training
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| exaggerated claims of effectiveness and
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| | from a reputable source? Research the
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| or misrepresent the science associated
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| | treatment itself to determine if it is
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| with the substance in order to convince
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| | something that has been scientifically
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| consumers to buy their product, even if
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| | tested, evaluated, and found to be
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| use of the product may endanger the
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| | effective. Don't take the practitioner's
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| consumer's health or well-being.
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| | word for it, and don't accept at face
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| For example, some herbal remedies are
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| | value the claims of anyone who stands to
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| promoted as having the ability to improve
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| | make money or benefit in some way if you
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| memory, increase metabolism, or even cure
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| | choose to undergo the treatment.
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| diseases like cancer and heart disease.
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| | Finally, ask your doctor about any form
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| In practice, though, some remedies may
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| | of alternative medicine that you are
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| actually cause physiological harm when
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| | considering. If you don't feel
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| taken in excessive amounts, ephedra being
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| | comfortable doing so then find a doctor
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| one well-publicized recent example.
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| | with whom you feel more at ease and
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| Another risk is that a person with a
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| | discuss the alternative treatment you are
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| serious condition such as cancer, heart
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| | considering. Remember that a trained
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| disease or some other chronic illness
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| | medical professional has the education
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| will forego more traditional treatments
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| | and experience to help you make good,
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| that have been proven effective in favor
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| | safe decisions about whether or not to
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| of alternative treatments that are of
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| | use alternative medicine.
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