I’m not a fan of allopathic or conventional medicine. I dislike taking any kind of drugs, even aspirin, as virtually all of them have side-effects. The idea of being hospitalised and being hooked up to tubes and machines also fills me with horror. I’ve watched family members and friends suffer during medical treatment, only to eventually die. Ironically, allopathic treatment such as for cancer often causes more pain and suffering than the disease itself.

Even so, conventional medicine has its place, and it has saved lives, imperfect though it may be. Alternative therapy has become increasingly popular, as people seek less harmful ways of healing. However, alternative programs, just like allopathic medicine, cannot offer guarantees of a cure, whatever claims may be made. The internet is swarming with salesmen peddling a dizzying array of alternative programs and products for every conceivable health problem you can think of. Healing testimonials abound, giving hope to the desperate and the gullible.

If you have a serious, life-threatening sickness, such as cancer or heart disease, do your research very, very thoroughly before doing anything drastic like choosing an alternative program over medical treatment. Look into all the information available, and check the credibility and reliability of the sources. Let your doctor know if you are planning to do, or have already started on, an alternative or complementary program. A good doctor will hear you out, even if he or she may have reservations. My oncologist, for instance, is very open and I can discuss anything with him. He will even patiently explain to me how various medical treatments work, and he never rushes me into doing any allopathic program.

Alternative and complementary health therapies have helped me stay relatively healthy over the years, but I always do extensive research before trying anything. And, when something doesn’t seem to be working for me, I don’t stubbornly continue with that particular therapy. No two individuals are alike, and all health disorders are different, so what may work for some may not work for others. I have come across people who refused to consider any kind of conventional medical treatment, completely counting on alternative programs to heal them. Their condition deteriorated and, by the time they agreed to consider conventional medical treatment, it was too late for them.

Some health disorders, like cancer, are deadly, so think carefully before spending precious time on either a conventional or unconventional approach. By all means, find out more about alternative and complementary therapies. But be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Modern medicine is always advancing, so don’t close your mind to it.