History of Alternative Health Care

History of Alternative Health Care

Many people hear the words alternative healthcare, natural medicine, herbal remedies, etc. and roll their eyes. This is not a new reaction. These people believe that natural medicine is “hogwash” and cannot compete with Western medicine. What you probably don't know is that natural medicine or alternative healthcare has been around for a long time. It has a history much longer and more varied than that of Western medicine, and it is actually accepted by the majority of the Eastern world as well as many other places on Earth.

The history of alternative healthcare begins in the Middle East and Egypt around 5000 years BC. The people of these countries and regions had their specific methods for healing their sick or wounded, and they had many solutions for common everyday ailments as well as long-term observable ones. These methods were passed down from medicine man/woman to the next, and over the generations, the doctors of the time refined their healing skills and became a great asset to their people.

Further east, scientists and historians have found that both India and China have medical practices that also date back 4,000 to 5,000 years before Christ. In India, the healing principles that have been passed down through generations, namely Amulter and Ayurvedic medicine, are still practiced today and now extend beyond India. This is not only a testament to the power of oral tradition and a great legacy, but also proof that these natural remedies work because they have survived for so long and are still recommended.

In China, the concept of balance, yin and yang, chi, the five elements, harmony of emotions and mind are concepts that are still seen today. Not only do many people in China still follow these theories and principles, but almost everywhere on earth you can find a Chinese population, a Chinese herbalist or medicine man, or an acupuncture practitioner. Taoism is also still a popular alternative medicine practiced today. What is notable, however, is that Chinese remedies have spread not only to Inidan remedies but also to other societies, and some of their practices have even been recognized by Western physicians.

When Europe came to the Western world, it also had a history of natural medicine that dates back about 2,000 years. The poor in Europe found herbal remedies to help their sick. They also practiced naturopathy and hydrotherapy, although hydrotherapy or water therapy can be traced back to ancient Rome. Even the United States has a history of natural medicine, widespread in the era of the first colonies, where healing was left primarily to women who were later persecuted as witches.

Although many are skeptical, alternative healthcare still has a place in the world today. 25 percent of Scottish doctors are qualified in homeopathy, and the US is opening its doors to these Eastern traditions. As radical as it sounds, there is actually nothing more natural. After all, the whole world has been practicing this type of healing for thousands of years!