Alternative medicine

Respond separately to the 2 posts speaking on alternative medicine. Agree/disagree/provide valuable feedback. Cite as appropriate.
1) I think that alternative medicine is so popular in the U.S. because of how society has shifted its perspective on health. At one time, patients had more of an intimate relationship with their physicians. Over the course of time, patients have lost that “personal touch” with their physicians. Many American feels as though they are just a number of participants in the conspiracy theories of healthcare. As these concerns grow, individuals have started to advocate for their own health, asking questions about treatments, side effects, costs, etc. The internet and social media have given society the ability to educate itself. Although, there is just as much misleading information as there is beneficial information regarding others’ health experiences. We now have the availability to access information at our fingertips to educate ourselves. We now live in a time where individuals have different attitudes towards health and life. Their own values, beliefs, and attitude set the standard for their healthcare. The shift in this perspective has contributed to the growing participation in alternative medicine and awareness. Groups of individuals from certain generations I feel are culturally biased. Most likely because alternative medicine lacks scientific data. Education and social class are also a factor. For example, lower and middle-class individuals may be less likely to engage in alternative medicine due to cost. Alternative medicine is not covered by insurance and is costly.
Personally, I fully support and engage in the practices of alternative medicine. I also support the art of medicine. It is a balancing act. My family and I engage in whole-body wellness and allow our bodies to respond and react naturally. Should our bodies not be able to overcome the “invader” then conventional medicine would be the next step. This is our model, yes, we eat junk food and excessive amounts of sugar at times, but it is not a daily activity.
For example, my husband is a type one diabetic obviously that is not managed by alternative medicine. It’s very simple, his pancreas doesn’t work, so he relies on his insulin pump and sensor to monitor his glucose levels. While also engaging in healthy habits; i.e., exercise, healthy foods, (most of the time), and as close to adequate sleep as possible. For my children, the focus is good nutrition, sleep, exercise (never a problem) HAND WASHING, keeping your hands out of your eyes, nose, and mouth, and proper dosage of vitamins dependent on needs.
2)  In research from Huzien (2021), the term “alternative medicine” covers a wide range of medical practices and systems from many different cultures around the world.  The term itself refers to any form of medicine or healing that does not fall under conventional medical practices.  In today’s society, I feel that it is so popular because people are more in touch with their bodies and wellness.  What works for one person may not work for another and sometimes conventional medicine tries to treat patients as “one size fits all”, and that is far from the truth.   In other cultures what is now called alternative medicine here in the US, has been practiced for centuries with positive results.
Holistic, complementary, and integrative medicines are all new ways that people are looking into to find different approaches to their well-being.   Everything from biofeedback, meditation, hypnosis, yoga, and tai-chi is being used by some individuals for relief from certain symptoms without putting chemicals into their system.  When you hear the commercials on TV  give the list of side effects that someone may experience from taking a medicine, it gives you pause to think if the side effects are worth the risk.  Today’s society is more into herbal supplements, CBD, and medical marijuana for relief from some symptoms they may be experiencing.
In the book, Cockerham defines health behavior as the activity undertaken by an individual(s) for the purpose of maintaining or enhancing their health, preventing health problems, or achieving a positive body image (2017).  That is a definition that describes what makes alternative medicine so popular.  I have not experienced alternative forms of medicine personally.  In my professional world, I work in conventional medicine with alternatives being slowly introduced.  Reiki is one form of healing that is sometimes used in the hospital setting.  I have employees that see chiropractors, acupuncturists, and biofeedback clinics for different ailments.   I have seen some positive outcomes with some of those and I have seen little to no change in others.  If it becomes mind over matter then maybe there is more to be said about it than not.  As long as someone has something to hope for and hold onto when it comes to chronic conditions then they should feel free to try whatever they want to.
As far as bias, if we were having this discussion 20 years ago I would say maybe there was some negative or stigma against alternative medicine but I do not think it is true today.  There are more options, more education, more proof-based experiences, and more aware of some of the different forms.  Who would have thought medical marijuana would have been so widely accepted in so many care facilities as it is today?   There are no two individuals that are alike so why would we expect one cure to work for all?