Conventional medicine has ameliorated lives and health

Conventional medicine has ameliorated lives and health predominantly in western nations. However, according to the World Health Organisation,(WHO) over 80% of people in developing nations rely on traditional medicine for healthcare. There are numerous advantages to conventional medicine, nevertheless, the popularity of complementary medicine therapies has increased, even though these developed nations already have a modern healthcare system. It is important to highlight that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is inexpensive, easy to access and it can be beneficial to all but it should include conventional medicine.

This essay will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of complementary and alternative therapy such as Homeopathy and concludes that this complementary and alternative therapy is effective for the human body.

Thomas Edison stated (1903) "The physician of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and the cause and prevention of disease". Medical practices, outside the mainstream medical structures, have existed for centuries.

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Complementary and Alternative medicine refers to therapies that complement traditional western medicine. One of the main CAM therapy is homeopathy. The focal point of homeopathy is a minute dose of a substance that motivated symptoms to the human body for its self-healing response. Homeopathy is a medical system that was founded in Germany by Samuel Christian Hahnemann more than 200 years ago. It is based on two unconventional theories: The first one is "Law of minimum dose" and the second "Like curse like". The most striking advantages of homeopathy medicine are that its beneficial to all and inexpensive.

Homeopathic medicine is accessible for everyone even children. The reasons people use such therapy are, for instance achieving and maintaining good health, wanting to take charge of their medical problems or feeling dissatisfied with conventional medicine. In 2012, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) estimated a survey on the usage of complementary health approaches by Americans and discovered that five million adults and one million children used homeopathic products in the previous year. It is said that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness from disease can be healed by a substance that produces comparable symptoms in healthy people. Homeopathic medicine is accessible over the counter and can be bought from natural food stores, many drug stores or homeopathic pharmacies. Besides, there are less expensive than conventional medicine, costing an average of five-eight dollars per bottle. Most of the highly dilute preparations of homeopathic medicine are made from plants, minerals or animals to stimulate the healing. For instance, plants such as red onion, poison ivy or stinging nettle and minerals such as white arsenic.

Despite these advantages, homeopathy therapy has significant disadvantages, the most important is its effectiveness. Although this CAM therapy ist not considered as harmful it remains as dangerous. A larger number of studies have found out that homeopathic products are for some health conditions, however fewer researches on safety. The American survey from 2012 also estimated that 1,8 million of the children who had been using homeopathic medicine, only 0.2% have visited a doctor or a homeopathic practitioner. There is little evidence to support homeopathy as an effective remedy for any specific health condition by medical science. Furthermore, some products that are characterised as homeopathic may have substantial amounts of active ingredients and might cause side effects and medication interactions. For instance, it is not clear how a product containing less or no active ingredient can have any effect. Besides, scientists and researchers cannot verify the dilute mixture have exactly what is listed on the label. In 2015, the National Health and Medical Reseach Council (NHMRC) of Australia declare a Statement on Homeopathy. NHMRC concluded that there was no reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective for any health condition. NHMRC?s Statement indicates that homeopathic treatments or products should not be used to treat serious health problems. " Even with the high prevalence of CAM use today, most physicians still know little about non-conventional forms of medicine", said Michale S. Goldstein, a study author. Ph.D., Senior research scientist, UCLA Centre for Health Policy Research and Professor of Public Heatlh and Socilology, UCLA. (2010) This statement indicates that there is not a professional practitioner for homeopathic therapy. This statement points out that people who used homeopathy therapy or medicine for their health should be aware of not rejecting conventional medication if there are serious issues of health problems. Homeopathic medicine can be mistakenly thought of as safe just because they contain natural products. If people only rely on homeopathy medicine with serious health issues, it may decrease the effectiveness of other conventional medication but increased the negative side effects. For instance, it can produce side effects such as rashes, headaches, fever, and vomiting. Besides, scientists and researchers cannot verify the dilute mixture have exactly what is listed on the label. Homeopathic treatments are particularly individualised and numerous different homeopathic treatments are prescribed in a variety of different dilutions. For homeopathy therapy, there is a need for a professional homeopath. A homeopath should identify the remedy that is capable of producing in a healthy person by considering all of the person?s symptoms the patient is suffering from. Also, your homeopath may advise you to change your lifestyle including your nutrition and dietary, so he/she can prescribe you the right homeopathic product.