An example of alternative medicine would be when a cancer patient decides to forego all chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and instead follow a regimen of diet and food supplements such as laetrile for their only treatment. If you watch any TV at all, you've seen the skillfully edited commercials that feature smiling, happy people who seem as if they don't have a care in the world because they were given a pharmaceutical drug for some sort of medical problem they were having. The magazine ads are just as misleading to the public. Though each of these media outlets mentions the drug's side effects, it is done quickly and unobtrusively, almost as if it is an afterthought.

Alternative medicine has become so popular in part because of these undesirable effects. Take for example these adverse side effects of the popular hormone replacement therapy:

- Premarin

- Migraine headache

- Chest pain

- Confusion and memory problems

- Swelling of the lower extremities

Most women would probably prefer to have the hot flashes of menopause than to experience any of these reactions on a regular basis. But, you don't have to put up with either one when you use alternative medicine! Most prescription drugs are quite expensive when compared to the cost of vitamins, minerals, and herbs.

Alternative medicine believes that achieving wellness involves treating the entire body. Traditional allopathic, or Western medicine, concentrates on analyzing and managing specific complaints and illnesses. Treatment of these complaints almost always includes the prescription of one or more drugs. There is still a lot to learn about both complementary and alternative medicine and its role in helping people have an alternate to conventional health care. a little research into the world of natural health will prove that there is a medicine alternative for nearly every type of medicine on the market. Here are just a few examples.

- For the pain and inflammation of arthritis, instead of taking Celebrex, a prescription drug with many documented side effects, try the medicine alternative of fish oil capsules. This is a natural anti-inflammatory with no side effects at a much lower price. Capsaicin cream worked wonders on muscle and joint pain, too. Made from edible hot peppers, you can't get much more natural relief!

- Sufferers of migraine headaches will find that the medicine alternative of an herb called feverfew will work just as quickly as the prescription Imitrex, but without the side effects of heart attack and stroke.

- When you are in the throes of a winter cold, the first things you want to do is bring home some OTC cold medicines along with the Kleenex and chicken soup. But all these medicines do is relieve the cold symptoms short term. Minerals, herbs, and vitamins used as a medicine alternative can actually make your cold last almost half the time as usual. Zinc lozenges and Vitamin C will give you far more relief that conventional remedies. Plus, the addition of amino acids and antioxidants like cysteine and quercetin boost the immune system and lessen the symptoms of a cold.

- Studies have proven that the herb called St John's Wort is a viable medicine alternative to most of the antidepressants on the market.

- Garlic has been shown to be a medicine alternative for prescription antibiotics, and also has lowered blood pressure in some individuals.

Many allopathic doctors have begun to embrace certain alternative medicine remedies and treatments, as they have seen for themselves the power behind these age-old solutions for good health. Alternative medicine is more respected by conventional doctors when treatments like this work better than the usual standard cancer fighting arsenal. This proves that even though conventional medicine is based on years of scientific study, complementary and alternative medicine can be just as effective at treating an illness or disease. The use of a medicine alternative for those drugs that you take on a regular basis is something you should consider. Not only will you take no chances of being affected by the side effects of prescription drugs, but you will also save money.

Copyright (c) 2008 Vernon DeFlanders