Holistic medicine is becoming more integrated in today’s society.
When Jim Thomas, of Westminster, opened his acupuncture business 24 years ago, he was one of only a few in the county practicing complementary and alternative medicine.
Thomas said that if someone were to tell their neighbor more than two decades ago they were getting acupuncture, the philosophy that looks at the interactions of the emotions in the body, the typical reaction would be to say they were strange.
“Now, there’s much more of an acceptance,” Thomas said. “I think people want something different.”
Thomas said a huge media campaign and word of mouth has fueled the public’s interest in complementary and alternative medicines.
More people are living nontraditional lifestyles, eating organic foods and going to complementary and alternative medicine practitioners. As a result, Thomas’ practice in the Center for Healing Arts on Main Street in Westminster has gradually grown. For example, he had about five clients a week in the beginning, but now he has about 35 a week.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the government’s top agency for researching alternative medicines, says alternative medicine is a group of health and medical systems or products that are not recognized as effective, conventional medicine. It includes options ranging from massages and natural products to diet-based therapies and tai chi.
According to a 2007 survey by the Bethesda-based group, about 38 percent of adults and 12 percent of children use some form of complementary and alternative medicine. NCCAM spokeswoman Katy Daniels said those numbers have remained stable since the last survey was conducted in 2002.
As a licensed acupuncturist, Thomas looks at where there’s not a flow of energy to someone’s body and tries to restore that flow by using unique tools like needles, glass cups and scrapers.
His clientele includes pregnant women and individuals from 4 to 80 years old.
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