Access To Natural Health And Nutrition Woodbury MN

By Claudine Hodges


A natural approach to healthcare is easy to find in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. This metropolitan area is home to many healthcare providers, both mainstream and alternative. Minnesota has made it legal for unlicensed practitioners to counsel on natural health and nutrition Woodbury MN. State law also guarantees consumers freedom of choice in their wellness advisers.

Minnesota is home to both conventional and alternative healthcare entities. Today many medical doctors are embracing holistic methods not covered by the American Medial Association's standards of care. It's not uncommon to find clinics headed by a MD and staffed also by a homeopath, a chiropractor, a Chinese herbalist, an acupuncturist, a massage therapist, and a dietitian.

Holistic medicine looks for the underlying causes of illness and seeks to help the body heal itself by stimulating the immune system, promoting circulation of blood and lymph, and correcting nutritional deficiencies. Conditions that conventional doctors might address with symptom-relieving drugs will be treated with a 'whole body' approach, reserving pharmaceuticals or surgery for last resorts. Long-term use of drugs for chronic problems is not seen as either wise or beneficial.

The efforts of concerned citizens and sympathetic legislators have made Minnesota a friendly place for alternative wellness procedures and healthcare providers. Natural healers compete with conventional doctors and hospitals on an even playing field. This pleases those consumers who want to take an active role in maintaining or restoring well-being, rather than leaving all decisions to a doctor.

The Twin Cities, MN metropolitan area is home to many alternative organizations, such as The Association of Naturopathic Physicians. This organization works to raise public awareness, help alternative caregivers to succeed, and make sure consumers can find the help they need outside of regular medicine. There is a directory of area practitioners on their home page.

There is also the Minnesota Natural Health Coalition, a group of people whose mission is to protect consumer access to care and counseling from unlicensed practitioners. Their efforts helped assure passage of the Alternative Health Care Freedom of Access Act of 2000, which protects the freedom of choice of consumers. The Coalition supports holistic doctors, dentists, and other wellness care givers.

Actually, consumers can have the best of both worlds. There are many alternative healthcare clinics headed by licensed medical doctors. Also on staff might be chiropractors, herbalists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, dietitians, and naturopaths. This reflects the fact that extensive research validates traditional methods. Most natural healers are open to recent scientific discoveries that support non-invasive practices. Modern science is providing new understanding about how traditional methods work to heal.

'Holistic' means 'whole body' and includes physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of well-being. Restoring natural balance is the goal of treatment, enabling the body to heal itself. Conventional medical practices, such as pharmaceuticals and surgery, are used as 'last resort' measures. Chronic illness and living on medication is not seen as acceptable. To learn more, contact some of the organizations and care providers in the Woodbury area.




About the Author:



No comments:

Medical Updates and Health Tips