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Publix GreenWise Market Magazine - Summer 2009
Beyond the MD
 Marilyn DeMartini is a petite powerhouse. The 54-year-old PR pro and part-time fitness instructor from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is the picture of midlife vitality. Yet the wear and tear of a lifetime in sports has left her with assorted aches and pains, for which she sees a chiropractor who’s also a clinical nutritionist.
For joint health, DeMartini takes a supplement recommended by her chiropractor that contains glucosamine, MSM and chondroitin. When her lower back starts aching, she gets a spinal adjustment, which she describes as being “like turning the lights on. I feel an immediate surge of energy and well-being.” And for overall health and pain relief, she practices yoga several times a week and gets a therapeutic massage every six weeks or so.
“I just think I have everything to gain by trying natural remedies that my body can readily assimilate,” DeMartini says. She sees an MD as needed but appreciates the option of looking beyond conventional medicine to other healing systems too. It’s an eclectic, proactive approach to health care that’s being embraced by a growing number of consumers.
Mainstream medicine may be able to treat what ails you, but it can’t always cure it. Alternative approaches may not offer a quick fix either, but they can sometimes help you live more comfortably with an illness.
Chances are your primary doctor is an MD, one who practices allopathic medicine—the most familiar form of health care in the United States. But other healing systems, complete with their own principles and practices, are gaining wider acceptance among consumers and even in the offices of open-minded mainstream physicians. Some alternative systems, such as traditional Chinese or ayurvedic medicines, are rooted in ancient healing traditions from cultures around the world. Others, such as naturopathy and homeopathy, grew up in the West, side by side with their allopathic counterpart.
Instead of prescriptions and scalpels, such approaches may place a premium on diet, herbs, exercise, massage, manipulation, meditation and other natural therapies. And instead of treating isolated symptoms, they tend to focus on the person as a whole. But you don’t have to rely on just one approach. In many cases, “the ideal option is more than one kind of care,” says Steve Given, DAOM, associate dean of the School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. As an acupuncturist, Given works in a team setting, where his patients are also being treated by MDs.
The following is a rundown on six alternative healing systems. To illustrate their differences more clearly, we show how each approach might be used to help relieve the symptoms of one of the 27 million Americans living with osteoarthritis (OA).
But keep in mind that you don’t have to choose one approach over another. The trend today is toward integrating care across several disciplines. “In my opinion, that’s optimal,” says Thomas Bodette, DC, assistant professor of diagnosis at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. “While I have a very good track record improving function in patients with OA, some still need medication for pain.”
And when your alternative doc teams up with your MD, it can be a win-win situation for you.
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Osteopathic Medicine
WHAT IT INVOLVES: Standing smack in the middle of conventional and unconventional therapies is osteopathic medicine. DOs (osteopathic doctors) are trained much like MDs, and they’re licensed to provide all the same services, including writing prescriptions and performing surgery. But they bring something extra to the treatment mix: osteopathic manipulation, which uses techniques such as stretching, pressure and resistance to move muscles and joints. This hands-on care reflects a special focus on the musculoskeletal system, which is thought to influence health throughout the body. The ultimate goal is to unleash the body’s “marvelous self-curative properties,” says Robert Maurer, DO, executive director of the American Osteopathic College of Rheumatology. RX FOR OA: Manipulation is a major treatment used by DOs. When treating an arthritic joint, “we often inject a local anesthetic into the area to numb it first, which allows the manipulation to work better,” says Maurer. Other treatments that might be prescribed include medication, physical therapy, massage, heat and cold therapy, hydrotherapy (therapeutic use of water), ultrasound therapy and surgery. WHO PROVIDES IT: About 6 percent of U.S. physicians are osteopathic doctors. To locate one near you, visit the American Osteopathic Association at osteopathic.org and click on “Find a DO.” |
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 Homeopathy
WHAT IT INVOLVES: Homeopathy got its start in the late 18th century when German physician and chemist Samuel Hahnemann set out to find gentler alternatives to the bloodletting, purging and blistering that were popular treatments of his day. The result was homeopathy, an approach that involves taking minute doses of substances called remedies. The basic idea is that “like cures like.” According to homeopathic theory, the substances used would produce the same or similar symptoms as the illness if given in larger doses to healthy individuals. Yet many homeopathic remedies are diluted to the point where not a single molecule of the original substance remains, so any effects are not readily explained in scientific terms.
RX FOR OA: Among others, calcium-based oral remedies are often used for people with OA. “They help you absorb calcium and metabolize it better, which is important for bone health,” says Dennis Chernin, MD, author of The Complete Homeopathic Resource for Common Illnesses (North Atlantic Books, 2006). To complement these remedies, Chernin recommends a diet high in calcium-rich foods, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, kale, broccoli and calcium-fortified juice, tofu and cereal.
WHO PROVIDES IT: Homeopathic training is offered through courses and certificate programs, and it’s also part of the education for naturopathic physicians. The National Center for Homeopathy (homeopathic.org) advises looking for a homeopath with one of these credentials: CCH (certified classical homeopath), DHt (for DOs and MDs) or DHANP (for naturopathic physicians).
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Tradtional Chinese Medicine
WHAT IT INVOLVES: Part of a medical tradition that dates back at least 2,200 years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a relatively recently formalized branch of medicine that sees health as a balance between two opposite yet interdependent forces: yin and yang. An imbalance in these forces is thought to block the flow of vital energy, called qi, along body pathways that are called channels. One major treatment is acupuncture, in which hair-thin needles are inserted at specific channel points. According to TCM, acupuncture works by unblocking the flow of qi. Modern science suggests the needles may stimulate the nervous system to release pain-relieving chemicals or affect the body’s internal regulating system. RX FOR OA: Whatever the explanation, one major study (Annals of Internal Medicine, December 2004) found that acupuncture relieved pain and improved function in people with OA of the knee. Beyond that, “herbs are most often prescribed in complex formulations rather than singly,” says Steve Given, DAOM, associate dean of the School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. Other possible treatments include tuina (therapeutic massage), moxibustion (application of heat from a burning herb at an acupuncture point) and cupping (a procedure in which a glass cup is inverted on the body, creating a vacuum and drawing blood and fluid to the site). WHO PROVIDES IT: Most states require acupuncturists to be licensed. (Alabama is one of those that does not.) To find certified acupuncturists and other TCM practitioners, visit the website of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine ( nccaom.org). |
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 Ayurvedic Medicine
WHAT IT INVOLVES: Considered by many scholars to be the world’s oldest healing science, ayurvedic medicine has evolved over thousands of years in India, where it’s still used by nearly 80 percent of the population. Three life forces, called doshas, are thought to control activities of the body. The development of a certain disease is believed to be related to how a person’s doshas are balanced and other physical, mental and lifestyle factors. Ayurvedic treatments aim to rebalance the doshas as well as eliminate physical impurities, reduce worry and increase harmony in a person’s life. Many ayurvedic practices—such as meditation, exercise and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables—are widely accepted as healthy. But others—such as cleansing the body with laxatives or enemas and taking ayurvedic medicines containing metals—are potentially harmful, so caution is advised.
RX FOR OA: Ginger and turmeric are two spices sometimes used to treat arthritis. Foods that may be recommended include soups, stews, oats, rice, most cooked vegetables and sweet, juicy fruit. Other possible methods of managing arthritis pain and stiffness are massage, stretching, yoga, breathing exercises and meditation.
WHO PROVIDES IT: There is no national standard for training or certifying ayurvedic practitioners in this country. Many study in India, earning either a bachelor’s degree (BAMS) or doctoral degree (DAMS). To find practitioners trained in India or elsewhere in Asia, visit the Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America at aapna.com and click on “Members.”
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Naturopathy
WHAT IT INVOLVES: The best cure is prevention: That's a central tenet of naturopathy, a healing system rooted in health-care practices that were popular in Germany during the 1800s. When a health problem does arise, naturopathic physicians utilize the healing power of nature to address it. Examples of possible treatments include diet changes, herbs and supplements, exercise therapy, homeopathy, hydrotherapy (use of hot or cold water), manipulation and meditation. Treatment is individualized to meet each person's needs, taking into account physical, mental, emotional, social, genetic and environmental factors.
RX FOR OA: Glucosamine and MSM supplements are often recommended for people with OA. "These supplements have good research behind them, and they're ones I tend to see results with," says Leslie Axelrod, ND, a professor at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona. "A more alkaline diet also promotes better bone health," Axelrod adds. Examples of recommended foods include most fruits and vegetables as well as fish for its anti-inflammatory effect.
WHO PROVIDES IT: To be assured that a provider has extensive training from an accredited school, look for a physician with an ND (doctor of naturopathic medicine) degree. Visit The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians at naturopathic.org and click on "Find an ND." |
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 Chiropractic Medicine
WHAT IT INVOLVES: Combine the Greek words for hand (cheir) and action (praxis), and you'll have a good idea of what chiropractic care is all about. The cornerstone is the adjustment, in which a chiropractor applies sudden, controlled force to a joint, usually in the spine, moving it outside its usual range of motion. Increasing mobility in a joint where motion has been restricted by tissue damage is thought to promote better function and health. Beyond that, "chiropractors don't prescribe medications, but they often do advise patients on nutritional supplements," says Thomas Bodette, DC, assistant professor of diagnosis at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic.
RX FOR OA: Adjustments are the core chiropractic treatment. "Medical doctors tend to focus on reducing arthritis pain, while I focus more on improving people's ability to perform activities of daily living," says Bodette. For OA he also advises eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids—found in freshwater fish such as salmon or mackerel—or taking fish oil supplements. Other possible treatments include rehabilitative exercise, electrical muscle stimulation, and heat and cold therapy.
WHO PROVIDES IT: Chiropractors hold a DC (doctor of chiropractic) degree and are licensed by the state. To locate one near you, visit the American Chiropractic Association at acatoday.org and click on "Find a Doc."
Did You Know? In the mid-1800s, several U.S. medical schools taught homeopathy, including the New England Female Medical College, the first to admit women. |
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Osteoarthritis At A Glance
In OA, cartilage—the slick material on the ends of bones in a joint—starts to break down and wear away. Healthy cartilage absorbs shocks and lets the bones glide smoothly over each other. Without it, bones begin to rub together, causing pain, stiffness and loss of joint motion. Standard medical treatments, including medications and joint replacement surgery, may reduce pain and help people stay more active. But they don't cure the underlying problem, and the disease tends to gradually worsen over time. |
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