by Ashley Harness

Created on: March 27, 2008

What Is Alternative Medicine?

The most recent definition is from 2002, by the Medical Subject Headings Section staff of the Natural Library Of Medicine, which categorises alternative medicine under 'complementary therapies.' Complementary therapies are basically therapeutic techniques, and operations that are not currently considered as formal, and conventional medical practice. As more and more of alternative treatments and therapies are researched and practiced, gradually, some are accepted into the practice, such as physical therapy, diet, and acupuncture; whereas others, such as humours or radium therapy, fade out.

This is a very formal way of looking at the world of alternative medicine; a subject that begins basically, in the home, amongst friends, families who have handed down remedies over the years. Families, and friends have been circulating herbal remedies, teas, home-made ointments, and feel-good techniques, such as merely being with people who care about one another; these have been circulated and developed over centuries. More often than not, these techniques are more relied upon than conventional medical practice; hospitals aren't always cheap, and they weren't always friendly to people who could afford them.

Home Remedies In North America

Chokecherry

The technique for healing with chokecherry is to gather it in late autumn, or early spring, when the sap starts to show up. Carefully pry the bark up off of the stem, and then set it to dry. After the bark is dried out, store it in a tin, sealed tightly. When you want to use it, boil the bark to make a tea. Chokecherry relieves coughs, colds, and is even said to heal pneumonia. It also used to clear the throats of public speakers, and singers. Always ask your doctor before trying new remedies.

Juniper

To use juniper as a remedy, one would collect the berries, and crush them. Don't make a tea of them alone, but add them to another mixture of your choosing, and then make the tea with the mixture. This remedy is used to relieve or assist in healing kidney illnesses. Once again, always check with a doctor before using any unfamiliar treatments.

Labrador

In order to use Labrador as a remedy, pluck the leaves from the plant, obviously while they're still green, and dry them out. Store the leaves in an air-tight container, like a tin. When you are ready to use the leaves, take them out, and boil them to make a tea. The tea made from the leaves of the Labrador plant, is a remedy for colds, the flu, and upset stomachs.

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