How can I find information on alternative medicine?
First,
please understand that The Gathering Place does not endorse or
recommend any form of alternative medicine. It is the goal of the
library to offer you credible, current and relevant information on all
types of medicine, so you can make more educated decisions about
your care in conjunction with your physicians.
Next, there are some basic caveats to consider when you hear about a ‘miracle’ cure for cancer:
- Is
it a “secret” formula? This would be a red-flag, indicating that
perhaps the ‘inventor’ is not willing to have their product be
investigated. This might indicate that there is no research to back up
their claims, and that they are looking more to make a profit. It would
be a concern especially if you were to have a negative reaction to the
product, and your physician would not know what they were dealing with.
- Is
the person or company asking for quite a bit of money, in cash up
front? This would be a red-flag, indicating that perhaps they make
their profit and then don’t provide thorough care or follow-up.
- Is
there anything toxic in the ingredients or dangerous in the procedure?
Ask about all potential side effects.Ask is there evidence that this
particular regimen has helped someone with your particular type of
cancer, at your stage?
- If everything the author
says about their product is all positive and glowing, with no
negatives, this would be a red-flag that the claims are unrealistic.
When
you want to find impartial or well-researched evidence for a particular
product or procedure, here are some websites that can be very helpful:
Quackwatch www.quackwatch.org/
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine http://nccam.nih.gov/
Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine www3.cancer.gov/occam/
Annie Appleseed www.annieappleseedproject.org/
Locally, we are lucky to have Mind Body Spirit Connected, an educational organization of alternative practitioners. They offer a directory of members at www.mbsconline.org/
Also, Balanced
living Magazine is a local, free holistic living magazine that offers
informative articles, as well as advertisers that you may be interested
in contacting. www.balancedlivingmag.com/
