Naturopathy and Integrative Medicine Gaining Ground

[liveonearth]

In the mid-1980s, leaders of the reemerging naturopathic medical profession faced a tough challenge. They had to make the case for a scientific basis for their field prior to any history of federal support for naturopathic research.

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[ford-prefect42.livejournal.com]

I have consistently been curious. When you post, you often make reference to "homeopathic" medicine. Are you referring to the "dilute the active ingredient to the PPM type of homeopathy, or do you generally mean a simply more "naturopathic" medicine?

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

When I talk about homeopathy, I'm talking about a system of medicine using extremely diluted substances that claims to work via an energy imprint. I do not believe in it, and have found the so-called science unconvincing. I am surrounded by people who DO believe in it, in a religious sort of way.

Naturopathy is a much broader field of medicine that includes nutrition and lifestyle medicine, herbs, manipulation, hydrotherapy, and basically everything that you could do to support the health of a human. I have been required, as a part of my naturopathic education, to study homeopathy.

[ford-prefect42.livejournal.com]

Gotcha.

"energy imprint"!?!

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

It's magic. If you challenge a believer you will get no end of stories about cases in which "it worked".

[ford-prefect42.livejournal.com]

I always wondered what the theory could *possibly* be that substances had curative properties at concentrations *less than in ordinary tap water*. I see that I was giving the believers too much credit.

Ah well, you got any of those "placebos"? I hear those are the shit!

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

The research is piling up about placebo. Not only does it work, but we even know several mechanisms by which it works! Great stuff.

[ford-prefect42.livejournal.com]

I was reading a while back that placebos are getting more effective. To the great chagrin of drug-makers!


Here it is.
http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, didn't go to the link 'cause this is old news. I think it has as much to do with the fact that invented meds are less effective making placebo seem relatively more effective. Mainly psych meds.