Traditional and Natural Healing Arts

Historically seen CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) interventions are mostly derived from two major traditional systems of medicine called the Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) and the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). These traditional and CAM systems are described in detail by WHO publications as TM or Traditional Medicine and CAM or Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) is a group of traditional health care systems of India, Tibet, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and other neighboring countries. The most important systems are Ayurveda, Yoga, Tibetan medicine, Unani or Greek medicine and Siddha. Although Homeopathy is much younger it is also considered to be a traditional form of medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine comprises of many different therapies amongst which Acupuncture, Qi Gong and Tai Chi. These traditional systems of medicine are composed of different branches and have an oral and written tradition believed to have been in existence for more than four thousand years. Mentioned traditional systems of medicine (including Greek medicine) are considered by historians to be the origin of most modern systems of health care including Conventional medicine and the Complementary and Alternative medical practices. These traditional and CAM systems of medicine are rapidly gaining in popularity as evidence based research done at major universities and research centers shows their effective use in combination with Conventional forms of treatment. From here onwards we will refer to these systems as traditional and natural (CAM) healing arts. These systems emphasize a natural and healthy lifestyle, diet and exercise according to one's inborn nature. Most people deviate from this basic nature due to old convictions, external circumstances, expectations and pressure from the external environment. This results in an unnatural lifestyle pattern, an unbalanced diet and unhealthy habits. The imbalanced dynamic state of mind and body that this results in is the basis of the development of disease. Through awareness, practical insights, balanced diet, exercise and enhancement of one's Biophoton (energetic) capacity a person can learn to restore mentioned balanced state. The traditional and natural healing arts assist in this health increasing process by strengthening one's own system through the raising of awareness, lifestyle and diet correction, exercise (Qi Gong, Yoga, Tai Chi) and more. Conventional medicine has deviated from this way of looking at human health by concentrating on the consequences of an imbalanced lifestyle, diet, etcetera, the symptoms and clinical image or disease. When symptoms become life threatening there will sometimes be no other option then to undergo Conventional treatment. In most other cases the integrated use of these forms of treatment, lifestyle and diet correction, etcetera can greatly enhance the quality of life of a person.