.01 | What is complementary medicine?

Complementary medicine, often called holistic medicine or functional medicine, is the use of medicines and therapies which are complementary to the traditional therapies of Western Medicine (also known as allopathic medicine). These traditional therapies are primarily the use of pharmaceutical drugs and surgery. [back to top]

.02 | What are the therapeutic modalities contained in complementary medicine?

These modalities include the use of Acupuncture, Homeopathic medicines, Phytotherapeutic (Herbal) medicines, Nutrition and nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals and their co-factors. Other modalities of complementary medicine include all forms of "Body-Work" such as massage, and the deep tissue modalities. Also included are the very subtle modalities of aromatherapy, color therapy and Flower remedies [back to top]

.03 | What is functional medicine?

Functional medicine is a European word that is catching on more and more in North America. It is really the SAME thing as complementary medicine but emphasizes the use of these medicines in problems having to do with the FUNCTION of organs, but where no pathology or tissue change can be found. In allopathic medicine the term "functional" is used when no pathology can be found. It definitely has the connotation that all the patient's symptoms are psychologically caused - and that is the reason the organs are malfunctioning. [back to top]

.04 | Are these types of functional problems very common? What are some examples of these types of problems?

Functional medical problems are EXTREMELY common throughout the Western world. Any problems or symptoms for which there are no abnormal findings on exam, and laboratory evaluations fall in the category of functional medicine. This can include such diverse problems as fatigue, intestinal symptoms of indigestion, gas, bloating, tension headaches, heart palpitations, low back pain, menstrual disturbances of all types, joint pains, etc. etc. These problems can often be approached with the use of the complementary modalities mentioned above. [back to top]

.05 | What is an herbal medicine?

A phytotherapeutic or herbal medicine is a remedy which is derived directly from a plant growing in nature. These medicines may be harvested from the wild or specifically grown as a crop for use as a medicine. Good companies which produce these medicines always use herbs that are insecticide free. The medicines are either extracted into an alcohol base or concentrated into a pill or dried and placed in capsules [back to top]

.06 | How are herbal medicines taken?

The capsules are simply swallowed with any liquid such as water or juice. The liquid or tinctures are usually taken by placing the drops in water or juice and drinking it. [back to top]

.07 | When is the best time to take herbal medicines?

Herbal medicines are usually taken right AFTER a meal unless otherwise directed. [back to top]

.08 | What are homeopathic medicines?

Homeopathic medicines are remedies derived from plant, mineral and sometimes animal sources. The difference between an herbal medicine and a homeopathic medicine is that the homeopathic medicine starts as the raw herbal tincture. But then it is sequentially diluted and shaken by a technique called succussion, between each dilution. This shaking and diluting is believed to release a certain essence from the plant, so that even though it has been diluted , it becomes more active ON A BIOLOGICAL LEVEL-on the level of the life-force. It is then ingested into the body and stimulates this life force. For people who are used to thinking in terms of allopathic medicine where the medicine either replaces something in the body e.g. thyroid or insulin, or kills something in the body e.g. antibiotics, or dulls the nervous system e.g. a pain killer, the idea of gently encouraging the body in a certain direction seems impractical and too soft. Yet this is how homeopathic remedies work-by gently stimulating the body in the direction of being "rebalanced". [back to top]

.09 | I have heard a lot about the proper way to take homeopathic remedies. Could you review the best ways to take them?

There is a lot of talk about when and how to take this type of medicine. Some people say not to eat garlic or even mint for weeks after you take a homeopathic medicine. Some say not to take anything else by mouth for 15 or even 30 minutes before or after a homeopathic remedy. All these things MAY be true for what is known as high potency constitutional prescribing, but for the average low potency homeopathic remedy most commonly prescribed or bought over the counter in a drug store, we have NOT found these restrictions to be necessary. We have found that liquid homeopathic remedies can easily and effectively be taken before or after a meal either directly in the mouth with or without liquid to swallow it down, or in a small or large glass of water or juice.

The pill or tablet form of homeopathic remedies are best chewed or sucked before or after a meal. Because these remedies are somewhat subtle, it is probably best to have an empty mouth -i.e. after all the food has been swallowed and the mouth is completely empty.

Foods with strong odors such as garlic or mint, in practice, do NOT block the effectiveness of low potency remedies which are usually taken multiple times per day. [back to top]

.10 | Can I mix herbal and homeopathic medicines and take them all at once?

YES!! No problem with mixing for example a liquid herbal and a liquid homeopathic in the same small glass of water and using THIS water to swallow down your vitamins or other supplement pills after you are done with your meal! [back to top]

.11 | I have several different liquid medicines. How do I know which are herbal medicines and which are homeopathic medicines?

There are several ways to tell the difference between an herbal and a homeopathic medicine. The easiest way is the color. An herbal medicine has a color usually light or dark brown. A liquid homeopathic medicine is always clear like water. Another way to tell the difference is to read the label! A homeopathic medicine will give the name (usually in Latin) of the remedy and then give a numerical potency like 6X or D3 or 9C. An herbal medicine will simply give the name of the medicine as there is no potency number. An herbal medicine label also might state that the contents are a tincture or extract or concentrate. [back to top]

.12 | Do all these different modalities work well together?

Absolutely YES! Homeopathy and acupuncture and nutritional supplements work very well together and complement each other. They have been used in combination for decades throughout all of Europe. There are even remedies in Europe which have herbal and homeopathic medicines pre-mixed in the same bottle. These types of remedies are starting to become available now in the US. [back to top]

.13 | Where can I learn more about all these subjects?

There are so many books available on all these different subjects that you should just ask the doctor for books on a particular subject you are interested in. Most books are only on one particular specialty area of complementary medicine, but there are a few which try to integrate information about more than one area.

An excellent example is The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.. It is published by Prima Publishing (916) 624-5718. [back to top]