NATURAL health practitioners believe there is a place for alternate therapies in treating illness.
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Holistic health practitioner Jackie White said there was more awareness about natural therapies in Bendigo and the alternate health industry had grown in recent years.
She said more people were open to trying new things, in an effort to become healthy and well.
“Getting your mindset right helps people set goals, stay focused and keep motivated,” Ms White said.
Naturopath Vicki Boucher said medical intervention was important, but natural medicine could be a good option.
“We are not going to replace the medical side. We're never going to because that has a specific role,” she said.
Ms White previously worked as a teacher and nurse before turning to holistic health.
“With a background in nursing and teaching, I understand the medical side. But it is about supporting clients through their journey as well as working with GPs,” she said.
“Mental health issues are more difficult. They can go on for a long time but it is about getting the clients (the right) support.
“If they are going to their doctors or if they are on medication, we want to work as a team to support them so they can be empowered to help themselves.
Ms Boucher said skepticism of natural and alternative medicine came from people who were unsure if certain remedies could work for them.
She said whether it was science, pharmaceutical, natural or alternate, people wanted an immediate fix to symptoms.
“I have had a lot of educated people who want to learn to take care of their health or have gone down a medical path and not had the satisfaction they desired, so they seek other therapies,” she said.
We are not going to replace the medical side. That has a specific role.
- Vicki Boucher
“Some people just want a pill and have everything fixed but life isn't like that at any level. You've got to be willing to put in the effort.”
Angelee Whitehead opened Cherish Thy after she found float therapy helped her with back pain and mental health issues.
Float therapy sees clients float in a pod filled with epsom salts for an hour at a time and is said to aid muscle recovery, relaxation and medication.
“After my first float, the pain relief on top of how good I felt made me want to do it regularly,” she said.
“We have a big variety of people try it, some want to ease aching muscles while some are looking for a more meditative aspect.’’
Ms Boucher said bathing in epsom salts, like many other natural therapies, had been a common therapy for thousands of years.
“Taking the waters is what it was called years ago,” she said. “In a busy life it is important to switch off. Meditation not about not hearing your mind, it's about not being attached to the thoughts.”
GP should be the first call
THE peak health body representing Victorian doctors says people with medical conditions should seek appropriate evidence-based treatments before turning to alternative or natural medicines.
Australian Medical Association of Victoria president Lorraine Baker said patients should always consult their doctor first.
“We would always assert that if you feel unwell, the first point call is your GP.” she said.
“It is in the best interest to find a GP who you relate well with and can develop a relationship, so you can (comfortably) present concerns around any aspect of your health, both physical and emotional, to seek appropriate evidence-based treatments.
“The major concern with natural medicine outside a GP setting is that it may achieve nothing more than placebo effect and, in some cases, can be harmful.”
Doctor Baker’s comments come as a report published in the Medical Journal of Australia found many commonly used herbal medicines (such as St John's wort and ginseng) can have adverse pharmacological interactions with prescription drugs and interfere with the outcome of surgical procedures.
The review was conducted by pharmacology researchers at the University of Adelaide, Murdoch University and Curtin University.
It said the regulatory system did not ensure the safety of products and found some traditional herbal preparations contained toxic chemicals, heavy metals and pesticides.
The paper also said fewer than 50 per cent of patients in Australia discussed the herbal remedies they used with health professionals, and these medicines were rarely recorded on hospital admission forms.
Dr Baker said patients were always eager to find an answer.
“They have a right to seek answers but no one has all answers,” she said.
“Base treatments are always on the background of scientific evidence but there is no question that having someone listen to your concerns is helpful, which is what people find in seeking answers to health anxieties.”
Dr Baker said a GP should never be the last port of call.
“There is no scientific evidence available to support (natural therapies like) homeopathy apart from a placebo (effect),” she said.
“GPs are great at looking at the big picture. If they if can’t work it out they can refer you to a specialist and look at the results from an investigation (into symptoms),” she said.
“The strongest message I can deliver is to establish a good relationship with your GP and use them as sounding board before seeking alternate therapy.”
– with The Sydney Morning Herald