Jacksonians live in a stronghold of conventional medical practitioners, many of whom will not suggest alternative treatments unless you ask; and some won't, even if you do. If you're looking for complementary and alternative health care in Jackson, you will need serious detective skills, the patience of Job, lots of telephone time and possibly good walking shoes. The choices are not as broad in Mississippi as in other states. Many Mississippians think alternative treatments are weird and "New Age." (Never mind that many are thousands of years old). As a state we haven't exactly opened our arms to alternative practitioners and said, "Y'all, come on down."
Still, alternative health care is enjoying a revolution, of sorts, around the United States. A recent report from the Institute for Alternative Futures notes that "complementary and alternative approaches to health and medicine are among the fastest growing aspects of health care." The National Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says "More and more Americans—as many as 42 percent of the public, according to one recent estimate—are adopting (alternative) approaches to satisfy their personal healthcare needs. Between 1990 and 1997, the number of Americans using (alternative health care) increased by 38 percent from 60 million to 83 million." Even the conventional insurance industry is getting in on it: Aetna, for instance, is working with acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists and nutritional counselors to offer discounts to policyholders.
Before Mississippians can start seeking more alternative health options, we need to understand what's available. "Complementary and alternative medicine" is a broad phrase that refers to practically any treatment not routinely used by conventional medical doctors. Therapies from Ayurveda to chiropractic adjustments to herbal medicine to massage therapy to Zen shiatsu are considered "alternative." In essence, alternative health care is about being proactive rather than reactive, preventing and healing rather than treating symptoms, using natural therapies rather than pharmaceuticals. Complementary treatments are used in conjunction with traditional medicine.
Jackson massage therapist Li Vemulakonda says that, unlike conventional medicine, alternative treatments are "more health-oriented than illness-oriented."
Start by doing your homework: Talk to people you know who've had success. Seek out reputable sources like Dr. Andrew Weil, an "integrative" medical doctor who combines conventional and alternative approaches, for advice on how to avoid quackery. (See resource list.)
Once you have decided on a therapy, you can probably locate a practitioner, but you'll have to dig a little. You can begin your search with the phone book, but you will need to be creative. The seemingly obvious headings like "healing," "naturopathy" or "alternative health" have no listings. There is one acupuncturist, but the office is 90 miles away in McComb. It is encouraging that the "Health & Diet Food Products" category lists 22 health food stores in Jackson. One even advertises a certified herbalist who does personal consultations. The only listing under "Holistic Practitioners" is Sandra Dietrich, a rapid-eye therapist also offering "stress relief, energy/spiritual healing and awakening consciousness." We're getting closer.
Like most natural practitioners, Dietrich considers herself a "healer," which is about more than patching up problems. "I don't think healing is fixing; I think it's awakening to our real spirit," she says.
The Jackson Yellow Pages lists more than 30 chiropractors, one of the most familiar forms of alternative treatment, and 25 massage therapists. Here, hidden among the usual sport and therapeutic massage types, we find ads for increasingly popular alternative therapies like reiki and reflexology; one ad lists energy work, saliva readings, herbs, homeopathics, flower essences and colonic irrigation.
If these therapies aren't your thing, local health food stores are a good place to turn for advice. Dan Marshall at Best of Health (formerly For Health's Sake) in Highland Village is creating a directory of alternative providers for his customers. Tina Scott has been with the store 11 years and is a good source of information on various alternative therapies and practitioners in the area.
Beth Ramsey, supplements and floor manager at Rainbow Cooperative, says she is "always trying to find good people"—meaning alternative practitioners and medical doctors—with "open minds" toward unconventional therapies. Ramsey says some doctors will not even accept something as well documented as echinacea, an herb often used for colds, while others will actually prescribe herbal remedies. She exchanges information with customers on doctors amenable to offering natural remedies. The natural food co-op also has a new touchscreen computer that provides customers information on herbs, vitamins, homeopathics and recipes. And Rainbow's bulletin board, outside the store in the Rainbow Plaza, offers a plethora of business cards for various alternative options.
Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find good alternative care. Find out what works for your friends and family, and give it a try. Just remember two key points when considering any alternative treatment. 1) Never rely solely on alternative treatments without consulting your medical doctor. Conventional medicine is very good at diagnosis of health problems. Know what's at risk, so you can make informed decisions. And 2) always tell your doctor if you use herbal or natural remedies to avoid drug interactions or other possible complications.
Deborah Noel is a Jackson freelance writer and student of complementary medicine.
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