Medicine Health

Many people in Dallas, Houston and throughout Texas are increasingly looking for ways to improve their health and well-being. If you're a young and healthy individual, you may consider your mental and spiritual health to be equally as important as your physical health. Alternative medicine — or non-traditional health care — may meet your needs by taking care of both the physical and spiritual aspects of your life.

Alternative medicine can be a holistic or whole mind/body approach to healthcare that should complement, rather than compete with, conventional medicine. When diagnosing and treating a patient, an alternative medicine practitioner considers not only the patient's physical health, but also his or her mental and spiritual condition as well. Many different alternative treatments exist, including some that are becoming accepted by practitioners of conventional medicine:

· Acupuncture — commonly used for pain relief

· Herbal medicine — used for swelling, indigestion, or muscle tension relief.

· Mind/body techniques — relaxation, visualization, talk therapy, hypnotherapy, yoga, and meditation

Most people who use alternative medicine believe that good health is not just the absence of disease; it’s also being physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. You may be a candidate for alternative medicine if you believe that:

· It's important to use the best or most promising treatment available, whether it’s conventional or alternative medicine

· The conventional medicine you are using has been unsatisfactory

· No two people are the same — one person may respond differently to a medication or a treatment than others

· Prescription or over-the-counter drugs have unknown long-term side effects

· Many of the major causes of disease, including stroke and heart disease, can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes that include diet, exercise and stress reduction

· Prevention is better than a cure

· Meditation, deep breathing, yoga, and tai chi can promote physical, mental, and spiritual health

No matter which school of thought you follow, conventional and alternative medicines share the same goal — curing patients. However, they go about treating a patient's symptoms differently. Alternative medicine treats the whole patient by considering the patient's physical, mental, and spiritual health. Alternative medicine will often stimulate the body's natural recuperative powers — the immune system — to assist in the healing process.

Conventional medicine often uses medications that have an immediate impact on the patient's symptoms. Many medications are manufactured drugs with well-known, short-term and lesser-known long-term side effects. Alternative medicine is more apt to treat using natural substances, for example zinc, to activate the immune system. The side effects of these medications are often less severe than those of conventional medications.

Alternative medicine often works best when combined with conventional medicine. In some cases, you may have little choice — although alternative medicine may work well over time, your condition may require immediate treatment, and more conventional methods of medicine may be your only option.

If you’re looking for an individual health insurance plan in Dallas, Houston or anywhere in Texas, why not go with a company that’s a true advocate for your health interests? Take a look at the revolutionary comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals. Precedent not only offers affordable, individual health plans, but we also work with you to help you keep informed of the latest in healthcare treatments. For more information, visit us at our website, [http://www.precedent.com]. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans, and an unparalleled "real time" application and acceptance experience.

The following are ways to make using alternative medicine safer:

· Look for a practitioner who is licensed by the state of Texas or is recognized by a medical association. If the practitioner is licensed, the licensing board can provide information about this practitioner’s education, training, and background, as well as disciplinary background.

· Choose a practitioner who practices several alternative therapies or who is trained in both conventional and alternative medicine. The practitioner should listen to you and be sensitive to your needs. As with any other healthcare practitioner, you should be able to communicate comfortably and develop a good working relationship.

· After you have chosen a practitioner, ask him or her about the safety and effectiveness of the proposed treatment. Also mention any therapies and treatment you are already receiving.

You may think alternative medicine has no long-term track record, but it’s actually been around for a number of years. Many of the medications and practices considered alternative or non-traditional find their roots in traditional African, American, Asian and European medicine. Because of their widespread popularity overseas, some alternative medications used in the U.S. may have already been tested abroad, even though the federal Food and Drug Administration has not yet tested nor approved them here. Also keep in mind that medication is just one small part of alternative medicine. Physical, spiritual, and mental therapies that are noninvasive and don't require you to take medication are just as popular.

Tips for using alternative medicine

· Do not treat yourself — seek the advice of a physician.

· To find an alternative medicine practitioner, talk to your current doctor. Your health insurer may also be able to provide referrals.

· Do your homework before trying alternative medicine. Libraries, bookstores, health food stores, and the Internet are good places to find information. Your physician or insurer may also be able to provide you with information.

· Continue gathering information even after you have selected an alternative practitioner and/or alternative treatment — this can help you practice the treatment and monitor its effectiveness.

Although alternative medicine may have an important role in maintaining your health, don’t forget the need for quality traditional-medicine health insurance. Traditional medicine has a role, particularly with respect trauma and other acute care. And the traditional-medicine cost of an unexpected health event can be financially devastating.

If you’re looking for an individual health insurance plan in Dallas, Houston or anywhere in Texas, why not go with a company that’s a true advocate for your health interests? Take a look at the revolutionary comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals. Precedent not only offers affordable, individual health plans, but we also work with you to help you keep informed of the latest in healthcare treatments. For more information, visit us at our website, [http://www.precedent.com]. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans, and an unparalleled "real time" application and acceptance experience.