Alternative medicine is finding a place in many traditional practices in United States, this means more options for individuals who want more choices in healthcare delivery system.
Jan Lucht always has been sensitive to medications. As a result, the Appleton woman leaned more toward herbal remedies, meditation and other practices that allowed her to calm down without dosing up.
“I went through a time period where I was quite sick myself so then I needed to explore even more of those avenues, and it was very interesting to me and actually a very good experience and growing period for me,” Lucht said. “I can’t really say I’m glad it happened, but I’m glad it happened.”
Those experiences led her to become a certified holistic health practitioner. Simplicity Healthworks is her home-based business. Although she offers services such as raindrop therapy and reflexology, her special focus is on reiki (ray-key), a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing.
Reiki is one of many forms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) recognized by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. CAM is defined as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine.
In December 2008, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Center for Health Statistics released findings on Americans’ use of CAM, based on information from 23,393 adults 18 and older and 9,417 children 17 and younger. According to the study, about 38 percent of adults and 12 percent of children are using some form of CAM.
The medical community also has embraced the integrated approach to treating patients.
“Not every patient falls neatly into a category that can be fixed with traditional medicine,” said Dr. Amber Post, obstetrician/gynecologist at Women’s Care of Wisconsin with locations in Neenah and Oshkosh. “Utilizing techniques that can give a patient more comfort without additional medications can minimize side effects and medication interactions.”