Category Archives: Alternative Medicine

When you step into Dr. Linda Hamilton's medical office in Winnipeg, you won't find any metal tables or white coats.

"This is the best treatment in the world because we hang out with our patients either on the couch or on the floor," says Hamilton.

That's because Hamilton is a veterinarian who provides alternative medicine services for animals.

That's right it's acupuncture for animals, among other services.

Dr. Linda Hamilton giving Oxbow an acupuncture treatment. Though she was originally skeptical of the idea, she says she 'went from being a non-believer to being completely enthralled.' (Sabrina Carnevale)

Hamilton opened Natural Healing Veterinary Care in November of 2006. She is a Western-trained veterinarian but she has been interested in holistic medicine since 2002.

She is Manitoba's first veterinarian to become certified in animal chiropractic and the first Manitoba veterinarian to gain certification as a canine rehabilitation therapist.

Treatments she provides include acupuncture, chiropractic, physiotherapy, tui na (a Chinese form of deep tissue massage) and TCM, or traditional Chinese medicine.

"The body has an amazing capacity to heal. We're getting back to the basics of science and anatomy," Hamilton explains. "People are wanting more from a natural perspective."

Hamilton who worked as a veterinarian at Selkirk Animal Hospital for almost 20 years initially did not believe in alternative medicine. In fact, she attended a veterinarians' conference several years ago about acupuncture so she could tell her clients that it was nonsense. Instead, she fell passionately in love with it.

"Funny thing happened," Hamilton says. "The veterinarians giving the presentation approached it from a scientific point of view. Iwent from being a non-believer to being completely enthralled."

Laura O'Byrne has been bringing her 11-year-old African mastiff, Oxbow, to Dr. Hamilton for treatment for almost six months. (Sabrina Carnevale)

Acupuncturists insert small needles into various pressure points on the body to stimulate nerve activity, increase circulation, and relieve pain.

Hamilton says these techniques work the same on animals as they do on people.

Veterinary acupuncture is used to treat several conditions, such as paresis (muscular weakness caused by nerve damage), hip dysplasia, arthritis, neurologic disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, paralysisand muscle injuries.

In Western veterinary medicine, Hamilton says, doctors hit a brick wall there's only so much it can do.

"Acupuncture can go beyond that brick wall," Hamilton says. "I get patients who say that veterinarians have no other suggestions other than to put the dog to sleep or get a cart for the dog if it's paralyzed."

It's often at that point that patients will see Dr. Hamilton. And80 to 85 per centof the time, she says, the treatment will produce a good response.

"Acupuncture stimulates the body to heal itself," she says. "I don't like using the word 'cure,'I like to use the word 'heal.'"

Hamilton has thousands of patients and typically treats between eight and 10 animals on any given day.

Laura O'Byrne has been bringing her 11-year-old South African mastiff, Oxbow, to Hamilton for almost six months.

In August of 2016, Oxbow collapsed at O'Byrne's lake property in Riding Mountain from overexertion and was suddenly left with paralysis in his back end.

One of Hamilton's patients is Oxbow, who suffered paralysis after collapsing from overexertion in August 2016.. (Funds for Furry Friends)

O'Byrne saw a total of three veterinarians, hoping they could help Oxbow. All three said the same thing put Oxbow on bed rest. That's what she did for twomonths.

It was also recommended that Oxbow have an invasive surgery. After O'Byrne conducted further research, she found the surgeryhad a success rate ofapproximately 50 per cent.

"To me, that was absolutely ridiculous, given we hadn't had an MRI and we didn't know what we were dealing with," O'Byrne said.

"It was a best-guess scenario, and that wasn't okay with me. At that point, I decided to see Dr. Hamilton."

O'Byrne brought Oxbow to Hamilton in November of 2016 and by December, Oxbow was able to get up and walk without falling.

Hamilton has been performing acupuncture and tui na on Oxbow on a pulsed magnetic therapy bed.

"This bed stimulates the cells in the body to activate faster to get nutrition in and pump out the waste products, so it actually stimulates healing," Hamilton said.

O'Byrne couldn't be happier with the treatment. "Now, he's running, not just standing up, which is incredible," she says. "And he's a senior guy so for him, that's a huge recovery."

Laura O'Byrne says her dog, Oxbow, has had a 'huge recovery' after receiving treatment from Dr. Hamilton. (Laura O'Byrne)

An initial hour-long visit with Hamilton, which includes acupuncture, chiropracticand physio-rehabtreatment, costs $200and followup half-hour visits are$110.

"Nowadays, people are spending thousands of dollars just on diagnostics tests, and I think an MRI costs two or three thousand," she says. "How I charge is by time when the patients come in, I do whatever I have to do to help."

To skeptics, Hamilton says give it a try or talk to someone who has tried it.

"People have come in here saying they don't believe in it," she said. "I then treat their animals. Once those animals improve or heal, owners are left gobsmacked."

Acupuncture can also be used to treat elderly animals and those suffering from a terminal illness. In those situations, Hamilton is realistic and says she understands she can't save them all.

"When I treat patients with cancer, I tell animal owners, 'I'm not curing cancer, I'm doing palliative care,'" she said. "What I'm focused on is helping them have the best quality of life while they're here."

Not all veterinarians believe in acupuncture, but Hamilton encourages her fellow vets to consider alternative medicine, since surgery is not always an option and not everyone can get their animal to an MRI machine. The closest one for animals is in Saskatoon.

"With all due respect to my colleagues, why not give this a try?Maybe we can get these animals up and walking," Hamilton said.

"It's 40 years old to say that animals should be kept still for eight to 12 weeks. There has been no science behind that. We all know, if you don't use it, you lose it."

Hamilton is confident that, eventually, alternative medicine for animals will be commonplace.

"There is always going to be doubters," Hamilton said."Once upon a time, we said the world was flat and everyone believed the world was flat, and guess what? The world isn't flat."

See the rest here:

Acupuncture for animals: Veterinarian brings alternative medicine to ... - CBC.ca

GENESIA TING / AGGIE

Alternative medicine, lifestyle changes supplement biomedicine, maintain health

Some doctors view reaching a dead end in treatment options as an opportunity to look into alternative forms of medicine and therapy.

The Integrative Medicine program, founded in 2010 under the Institute for Population Health Improvement, focuses on educating the UC Davis community and larger global audience on the value of everyday lifestyle changes in preventing disease and maintaining health.

The focus has been education, [and] weve been very successful with that, said Dr. Rosane Oliveira, the director of Integrative Medicine. We started a blog and we post articles every week we had more than three million people visit the website and read the articles and in the past two years.

Although the program doesnt directly see and treat patients, it still teaches readers how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Every year they run the 21 Day Food Day Challenge and coach people online to adopt a completely plant-based diet for three weeks. Last year, they had over 25,000 participants.

Oliveiras background in nutritional genomics the study of how diet can affect gene expression influenced her proposition to create this program at UC Davis.

The food we eat changes gene expression and may cause diseases or prevent diseases such as obesity, type-two diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disease, Oliveira said.

Integrative medicine emphasizes the role of daily choices in ones health, reminding patients that they have agency over our bodies.

The focus is on more definable lifestyle factors that are under control by each individual, which I think is very liberating for most patients, Oliveira said. If you do your best, your chances of preventing one of those disease are very, very high.

Health consciousness is for everyone; the earlier we begin to adopt these healthy habits, the better assimilated they will become into our daily lives.

Making better lifestyle choices every single day starts when we are very young because [] most of the things we do on a daily basis are based on habit, Oliveira said. Making sure we adopt healthier habits when we are young is going to pay off when we are older.

Having formed just two quarters ago, the Naturopathic Exploration Club (NEC) works to raise awareness about alternative medicine disciplines, such as naturopathic medicine and acupuncture.

I have an international background coming from an eastern country, so we have a lot of alternative treatment in my cultures background, said Sunny Zhang, a third-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major and NEC president. When I came to America I noticed the difference and I noticed this part missing in our healthcare system so I thought it we needed to raise awareness, letting future doctors know about the existence of these [alternative] treatments.

To offer the best treatment they can, doctors need to be aware of all possible options available.

Its even more important for students who are planning to go the conventional way for medicine to widen their horizons and know [about] these unique aspects of medicine to keep an open mind, Zhang said.

The club has brought in professionals to speak about their paths in order to break stereotypes and dispel misconceptions.

We want to keep it really professional and educational instead of just promoting something, Zhang said. I know right now there are so many misunderstanding of alternative medical treatments, especially in the U.S. I think people need to just talk and be more informed.

Alternative medicine faces a lot of skepticism in western society, where the dominant discourse revolves around biomedicine, shunning most everything that is not scientifically proven.

I encountered people with very skeptical views or very much just disliked this entire idea of naturopathic medicine, Zhang said. They dont think its medicine they think its pseudoscience and I think thats exactly why we want to bring actual professional doctors with licenses and a medical school education. I cant say whether or not its pseudoscience, but I would like to know more about it. Thats our goal.

Other forms of treatment, such as art therapy as a form of psychotherapy, can promote wellness for those who seek it. This option is employed by therapists who use the art process as a means for communication and self-expression.

Its essentially beneficial for people that dont typically communicate verbally or are looking for another way to express themselves, said Katie Lorain, an art therapist at UC Davis Childrens Hospital. [It allows them] to have a therapeutic relationship that is not the typical one.

Lorain was inspired to pursue this unique path when witnessing the power that art has in unifying children with disabilities by providing them with a language that allowed them to interact in a different way.

My first internship was at the VA [Veterans Association] in the Bronx working in a nursing home, Lorain said. I was able to do a lot of video therapy, documentaries and autobiographical documentaries where some of our patients were able to tell war stories [or] just document their lives for their children and grandchildren. They were typically nearing end of life, so it was a way of [creating] something permanent for them and their families [to] hold on to.

Lorain was able to work at the California Medical Facility prison in Vacaville to provide psychiatric patients with this necessary outlet.

We had incarcerated males that were acutely psychotic or needed inpatient psychiatric help, so they would come to our prison from all over California for stabilization and art therapy, music therapy, or recreational therapy, Lorain said. We helped them find different coping tactics to use.

In the viewpoints of people such as Oliveira and Lorain, doctors and patients would limit their resources by disregarding alternative medicine such as art therapy, naturopathic medicine or other forms of integrative medicine.

Its never too early to start learning how to take care of yourself, Oliveira said. Sometimes change starting with us will touch the lives of those we love. Written by: Sahiti Vemula features@theaggie.org

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Staying true to a doctor's oath - The Aggie

ANNAPOLIS It was all just a little too much like Cinderella's glass slipper and golden coach.

After weeks of intense negotiations, the Maryland General Assembly's attempt to clean up the state's medical-marijuana program came to an abrupt halt Monday night in the final seconds of this year's legislative session.

Efforts to meld House and Senate bills into one measure that both chambers would accept went on all evening, with each house refusing to back down until finally, just before midnight, the House Health and Government Operations Committee agreed to the Senate's terms.

That included licenses for two firms that were unceremoniously bumped last summer from the list of companies approved for the first 15 licenses to grow cannabis for medical use in Maryland.

One of those companies, GTI Maryland, planned to cultivate a crop in Washington County.

As the clock ticked, the compromise came to the floor. A procedural vote was called, and the delegates agreed 84-51 to take a final vote on the measure.

But then several Republican lawmakers asked to explain their votes. And they are permitted two minutes each to do so.

Sometimes knowing other legislation is pending will encourage them to take their seats and get back to voting. But on Monday, there weren't any major bills left. And the clock ran out.

In the noise and chaos that usually accompanies the last hours of the session, there was some confusion over what had happened. Some thought the bill passed; lobbyists for interested companies were texting their clients that they had won.

Del. Brett Wilson, R-Washington, at first was unsure whether the vote had been taken in time. When he realized the final vote had not gotten done, his frustration surfaced.

"If we better used our time earlier in the session, we wouldn't have these messes at the end," he said.

But a lot of time had been expended on the issue by lawmakers in both parties and in both chambers. Not all Republicans opposed the bill, and not all Democrats liked it.

By Monday, many thought the issue had devolved into a game of chicken between the House and Senate.

In remarks to reporters after the session ended, Gov. Larry Hogan attributed the failure to disagreements between House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller over what should be included in the bill.

"We weren't involved in that," he said.

Since the bill did not pass, lawsuits filed by GTI and the other company, Maryland Cultivation and Processing LLC, which planned to grow medical marijuana in Frederick County, will likely go forward, said Sen. Andrew Serafini, R-Washington.

Serafini and Wilson had filed bills to reinstate those companies, who initially scored 12th and eighth, respectively, on the list of companies eligible for the 15 available licenses.

But because of concerns about a lack of "geographic diversity" among licensees two other firms won licenses to grow the crop in each county they were replaced by lower-ranking firms that proposed cultivation in Prince George's and Worcester counties.

The legislature first approved marijuana for medical use in 2014.

The final bill included Serafini's and Wilson's effort to get licenses for the companies.

It also addressed a third lawsuit, filed by Alternative Medicine Maryland, claiming the commission had not considered minorities when making its licensing choices.

The bill would have required a diversity study to be conducted before future licenses are added and reformed the licensing panel.

But it all fell apart as the clock struck 12, and now the issue will likely be decided in a courtroom.

Serafini said he believes GTI has a strong case and could win its lawsuit.

Read more:

Maryland medical-marijuana deal dies at midnight - Herald-Mail Media

Push to promote alternative med Sun.Star ASIDE from modern medical services, there is also a growing interest in alternative medicine and wellness treatments among foreign medical tourists. Clarissa Jane Pe, vice chair for the dental sector of Cebu Health and Wellness Council (CHWC), said ...

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Push to promote alternative med - Sun.Star

Lake Effect's Audrey Nowakowski with Dr. Philip Troiano (Dr. Flip).

Its not too often that a physician will completely change specialties. But local doctor Philip Troiano, or Dr. Flip as hes known to his patients, did an about face after more than 27 years as an emergency room physician.

"Over my time in the emergency room I found that we were fixing less and less problems and seeing more chronic situations where we weren't changing things," Troiano says.

One of his colleagues had started looking into alternative medicine, so Troiano decided to join him at a conference. He found himself amazed at the science of functional medicine and discovered a new passion.

"We've had science for twenty, thirty years about other better ways to do things. So I began to study and gain the knowledge I needed to do it," he says. "I'm fascinated by the fact that we can actually fix things."

Troiano now practices functional medicine at Great Lakes Vital Health in Glendale. "Functional medicine is a science-based approach to wellness," he explains. "It looks for the root cause of the problems, instead of treating the symptom."

While Troiano still loves the emergency room, treating conditions such as congestive heart failure, kidney problems, fatigue, obesity and chronic inflammatory diseases in the emergency room was not a sustainable practice for him or his patients.

Most diseases and conditions are due to inflammation of some kind, he says, but we have been conditioned to accept our medical fate. With 50% of our population pre-diabetic or diabetic at this point in time, it is crucial to concentrate on wellness versus emphasizing medications, Troiano adds. "It's interesting to see when you tell somebody you might be able to get rid of (this disease), everybody's eyes open up. It's a new thought."

Wellness sits on a base of four prime pillars, according to Troiano: good nutrition, exercise or movement, stress and sleep management and balanced metabolism/balanced chemistry.

While these categories are basic, changing your lifestyle to complement them is often challenging for people. "Learning and changing lifestyles and moving towards health is a complex process, it requires you to think about things differently," notes Troiano. He suggests making small changes in your life, such as gradually increasing how much you walk in a day or finding ways to move that are not considered "work."

"Exercise becomes work, and when it becomes work we put it down at the bottom of our list," says Troiano. Instead, he likes to assign FPAs, or "fun physical activity."

Another basic component of a healthy life, he says, is eating the proper nutrition your body needs - with less carbs and avoiding processed foods. Troiano also notes that sleeping at least seven or more hours a night and creating a proper sleep environment are crucial.

Read more from the original source:

From ER to Fuctional Medicine: One Doctor's Journey to Embracing a New Practice - WUWM

This forum is a safe, judgement-free place to discuss Alternative medicine. Alternative medicine refers to treatments that are used INSTEAD of standard, evidence-based treatment. Breastcancer.org does NOT recommend or endorse alternative medicine.

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Breast Cancer Forum: Alternative Medicine

alternative medicine schools was rated

9 out of 10 based on 9 rating(s)

Q:Can you name a few Alternative Medicine Schools?

A:Yes. There are various accredited Alternative Medicine Schools. These include Bastyr University, Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin, Ayurvedic Institute, Academy of Natural Therapies, Clayton College of Natural Health, Desert Institute of the Healing Arts, John F. Kennedy University - Graduate School for Holistic Studies, Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and California College of Ayurveda.

Q:While searching for the best school for Alternative Medicine, I came across Bachelor of Alternative Medicine program. Can you brief me about it?

A:It is common to come across Bachelor of Alternative Medicine program while searching for best school for Alternative Medicine online, because it is one of the most sought for degree programs in the field. Some of the courses that you will get to study include, pathophysiology, intro to homeopathy: acute conditions, the maori way, botany & herbal cultivation, the pacific way and materia medica.

Q:While searching for online Chinese Medicine training programs, I came across Bachelor of Chinese Medicine program. Can you tell me the contents of this program?

A:Among a number of online Chinese Medicine training programs, one is Bachelor of Chinese Medicine. In this four year program, individuals will get to study a number of courses. Some of these topics are CM herbal processing, acupuncture, CM dietary therapy & health maintenance, CM clinical studies, CM pharmacology, musculature traumatology and CM ear, eye, nose, throat and pediatrics.

Q:Do alternative medicine colleges offer online degrees?

A:Yes there are plenty of alternative medicine colleges that offer online degrees. If you enroll in an online program there are several advantages that come with it. To begin with online students can study from the comfort of their homes as they do not have to show up for classes.

Q:What will I learn in holistic medicine schools?

A:Most of the alternative medicine schools offer courses that focus in particular field or modality. This will mean that you can end up studying naturopathy or herbal medicine, flower remedies or acupuncture. However it should be kept in mind that health problems cannot be solved by one particular modality. This is where holistic medicine comes in: it combines various treatments to get best results.

Q:What do the schools for alternative medicine focus on?

A:Schools for alternative medicine are concerned with studies that give knowledge of natural methods and medicines that can be used to treat patients for physical or mental problems. It may deal with homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicines as well as spiritual practices. The subjects can vary according to the nature of the program.

Q:Can I find alternative medicine schools online?

A:There are plenty of alternative medicine schools online that offer degree programs as well as diplomas and short term courses. Alternative medicine deals with traditional or herbal methods of treatment unlike medical treatments that uses drugs. You can check the subjects offered from the website of the online college and can also check the admission criteria and course duration.

Q:What are alternative medicine schools online?

A:Alternative medicine is a branch of healthcare that emphasizes on conventional medical treatments such as homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and Ayurveda. Students who wish to prepare for a career in alternative medicine can start off by enrolling in an alternative e medicine degree program. It is now possible to earn this degree online without having to join a campus based institute.

Q:Holistic medicine schools online are becoming very popular. Can you tell me what this academic principle is all about?

A:Holistic medication is basically a form of healing and treatment that focuses on spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of a human body. This field is also known as alternative medicine. Many colleges have now started offering specialized degree programs in this area to students who want to become a holistic doctor.

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Alternative Medicine Schools, Online Alternative Medicine ...

STONINGTON In 1993, when Gracelyn Guyol received a diagnosis of bipolar II disorder, she started taking an antidepressant and immediately developed rapid-growth breast cysts and tumors.

At first, Guyol, a Stonington resident, didnt see a connection between the medication and the benign tumors, but after having two surgeries in 12 months to remove the growths, and receiving no answers from doctors about the cause, she decided to take an alternative, homeopathic approach to her health.

My husband, Jack, and I had been having marital problems and I was having a lot of mood swings, she recalled. I had dealt with depression all my life but had figured it was a part of life. After I started taking an antidepressant, life got a little easier until the tumors started.

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After asking her gynecologist to help her find the cause of the growths and getting no response, she made an appointment with Deirdre OConnor, a naturopathic doctor in Mystic. Through their discussions and her research, Guyol discovered that the drug was the likely cause of the tumors and cysts. She stopped taking the medication and started an anti-inflammatory diet that included therapeutic amounts of vitamins and minerals. She said that within two months of tapering off the antidepressant, the last tumors disappeared. And nine years after the initial diagnosis and a few years after she changed her diet and began taking supplements such as fish oil to improve cellular functioning, her manic highs and depressive lows also disappeared.

Guyol said her transformation was so life-changing that she decided recently to make it her mission to start a nonprofit called Mind Energy Innovations. She aims to raise awareness of all-natural holistic mental health therapies, including those that halted her bipolar symptoms in 2002.

When the depression lifted, I felt like I was a different person. Life was so much easier. I want others to feel the transformation Ive felt and give them the gift that Ive been given, she said. Holistic medicine treats the cause, whereas the drugs just treat the symptoms. Im 69 and I dont take any prescription medicines.

The new nonprofit plans to increase consumer awareness of evidence-based, holistic treatments through a series of educational programs, starting with the release this fall of Guyols third book about mental health, Cool Options to Restore Kids Mental Health. She said the book would introduce a dozen affordable, drug-free therapies. Next year, she hopes to offer accredited seminars for medical practitioners, taught by holistic mental health leaders, to increase patient awareness and access to physicians.

Long-term goal

After raising awareness and creating a medical advisory board, her long-term goal for Mind Energy Innovations is to open a holistic mental health clinic.

After the Newtown school shooting, she served on the Connecticut Mental Health Task Force and was the only person representing holistic medicine among a group of doctors. She spent six months researching natural mental health treatments for children and wrote a 30-page summary of her findings to the task force that was, she said, generally ignored.

It was like it fell into a black hole, she said. I knew I needed to raise awareness to holistic treatments for mental illness and start a nonprofit to do that so my efforts would be more successful.

Looking back on her life, Guyol said it feels that everything, including her experience dealing with mental health issues, has prepared her for this moment. Early in her career she ran a public relations company in California, and in 2007, she starting a local nonprofit called Clean Up Sounds and Harbors.

Ill be using everything I learned from all of the most formative experiences of my career in this nonprofit, she said.

The public is invited to the launch of Mind Energy Innovations at the La Grua Center in Stonington Borough Thursday at 6 p.m. The meeting will begin with a brief talk by Guyol and questions from the audience, and will conclude with refreshments.

bwhite@thewesterlysun.com

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Stonington woman's new nonprofit's mission is holistic health care - The Westerly Sun

NEW YORK, March 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Executive SummaryThe report titled, "India Alternative Medicines & Herbal Products Market Outlook to 2021 - Herbal Medicines and Herbal Skin Care Products to Drive Market Growth" provides a comprehensive analysis of herbal products market in India. The report focuses on Alternative medicines, which includes AYUSH medicines and herbal products. Herbal products category includes the detail study about herbal hair care market, herbal skin care market, herbal oral care, herbal Chyawanprash, herbal balm and herbal digestives. Additionally, the report also covers sub segmentation for each herbal products market in India.

The report covers recent trends and developments in India alternative and herbal products market. Market positioning of major players in the industry has been discussed with detailed company profiles. The report also includes SWOT analysis and Porters five forces model. The future outlook and projections for India alternative medicines and herbal products has been covered in the publication. The report also serves as a benchmark for every new player which is seeking to enter into alternative medicines and herbal products market and what should be the focus and USP for that new player.

India Alternative Medicines MarketThe alternative medicines market includes ayurveda, unani, homeopathy and siddha systems of medicines. The market has increased from INR ~ billion in FY'2011 to INR ~ billion in FY'2016 growing at a CAGR of ~% during FY'2011-FY'2016. With strong government support and rising prevalence of lifestyle diseases among the population in India, the demand for alternative medicines has consistently enhanced. The alternative medicines do not have any side effects and can be consumed daily for preventions from various diseases. Moreover, the strong government support and number of players entering in this segment has also contributed to the growth of the sector. Government along with AYUSH ministry has opened number of AYUSH institutes and AYUSH yoga institutes in various parts of the country. This has positively influenced the market. Some of the major players which have concentrated the market include Dabur, Himalaya drug company, Patanjali and others.

Herbal ProductsHerbal products market includes herbal skin care products, herbal hair care products, herbal balms, herbal oral care and digestives. The market for herbal products has increased from INR ~ billion in FY'2011 to INR ~ billion in FY'2016, growing at a CAGR of ~% during the period. The huge marketing and promotional activities by the herbal companies and rising awareness about benefits of using herbal products has accelerated the size of the industry.

Indian herbal hair care market has evolved as a potential market with the presence of companies such as Dabur, Himalaya and Patanjali which primarily focuses on natural products that have been increasingly penetrated in the market. The herbal hair care market has increased at a CAGR of ~% during the period FY'2011-FY'2016, with revenues accounted at INR ~ million during FY'2016. Herbal hair care market is dominated by herbal oil with the revenues contribution of ~% during FY'2016. The herbal skin care business has been the new growth frontier in the cosmetics segment in India. Rising awareness about the benefits of using herbal skin care products has pushed the demand for skin care products. Herbal skin market has increased from INR ~ million in FY'2011 to INR ~ Million in FY'2016. Herbal skin market is dominated by herbal face wash market with the market share of ~% in FY'2016.

The demand for herbal toothpastes has augmented in the country in the recent years. The herbal toothpaste contains extract from mint, neem, basil, cinnamon, clove and several other herbs. Moreover, the growing issues in oral health care in India such as cavities especially among children, gum swelling, gum bleeding and others has aided the growth for the demand of herbal oral care market in India. The market has grown from INR ~ million in FY'2011 to INR ~ million during FY'2016

The balm market in India has witnessed a robust growth rate in the past few years 2010-2015 The Balm market has augmented at a CAGR of ~% during FY'2011 to FY'2016. The market is dominated by Zandu balm. The penetration of balm is higher in both rural and urban areas. Balms have the penetration of 32% in India in 2015, indicating the huge opportunities for this potential market.

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The rich and traditional cuisines of India are famous across the globe. The recipes which are rich in spices and oil are the major reason for indigestion, acidity and gastric problems. This has triggered the size of the digestive medicines market. The market has grown from INR ~million in FY'2011 to INR ~ million in FY'2016.

The Chyawanprash market has grown at a CAGR of ~% during the period FY'2011 to FY'2016, with revenues been evaluated at INR ~ million during FY'2016. The market is majorly driven by the increasing health issues especially in children and old age population in the country.

Future PotentialIndia Alternative medicine & herbal products is expected to rise at a CAGR of ~% during the period FY'2017-FY'2021 with revenues been expected to register at INR ~ billion during FY'2021. The rising awareness about the harmful effects of chemical used in cosmetics will trigger the demand of herbal cosmetics especially skin care & hair care products in coming future. The demand for herbal hair care products is expected to increase in the coming years with a greater focus on natural products especially among the female segment of the population. Rising awareness, attractive marketing and promotional strategies adopted by popular brands such as Dabur, Himalaya will likely to drive the sales for herbal hair care products in India in the coming years.

Key Topics Covered in the Report:India Alternative medicines & herbal products market Market Segmentation by Alternative medicines and herbal products India Alternative medicines market Size India Herbal products market size and market segmentation by types of products India Herbal hair care products market size and market share by companies India Herbal skin care products market size and market share by companies India Herbal oral care products market size and market share by companies India Herbal Chyawanprash market size and market share by companies India Herbal balm market Size and market share by companies India Herbal digestive market size and Market share by companies Trade Scenario of India Alternative Medicines & Herbal Products Government roles in India Alternative Medicines & Herbal Products Trends and Development and Issues & Challenges SWOT Analysis and Porters five forces Analysis Future Outlook Analyst Recommendations

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India Alternative Medicines & Herbal Products Market Outlook to ... - Yahoo Finance

February Edition, Career, NET Bureau

Traditional medical systems of the East, veiled in mystery until recently are now gaining acceptance as an alternative line of treatment and are being integrated into mainstream healthcare as complementary systems. While traditional medicine cannot replace modern medicine, certain alternative systems focusing on overall health and wellbeing have shown remarkable results in chronic illnesses like diabetes, leucoderma, cancer as well as hard to cure diseases like arthritis, asthma and even AIDS.

Traditional medical systems of the East, veiled in mystery until recently are now gaining acceptance as an alternative line of treatment and are being integrated into mainstream healthcare as complementary systems. While traditional medicine cannot replace modern medicine, certain alternative systems focusing on overall health and wellbeing have shown remarkable results in chronic illnesses like diabetes, leucoderma, cancer as well as hard to cure diseases like arthritis, asthma and even AIDS.

Alternative Medicine is an umbrella term that includes a variety of Indian and Eastern healing systems including Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy, Tibetan medicine and Reiki.

In a developing country like India, alternative medicine plays a key role in alleviating sickness. Cost-effectiveness, efficacy, low toxicity, ease of administration and relative safety renders them invaluable as viable alternatives to conventional medicine. Home to over 15,000 medicinal plants, and one of the 12 leading bio-diverse countries of the world, India is awakening to this tremendous potential, with huge impetus by the government. The newly formed Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, named AYUSH, is an example, with the government giving an official push to develop, educate and research traditional medicine.

Alternative Medicine: Education & Opportunities

The minimum qualification for most courses in traditional medicine is 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. However, for Unani, Siddha and Tibet an medicine, arts and humanities students can also apply. Additionally, for pursuing a course in Ayurveda, you need to be well versed in Sanskrit or Hindi, while for Unani, some knowledge of Arabic or Urdu is a must. Similarly for studying the Siddha system you need knowledge of Tamil. To make your mark in this field you need to have an in-depth knowledge about the subject as well as working knowledge of modern medicine and diagnostic procedures. As they are complementary systems, a thorough understanding of latest developments and research activities in both fields is a prerequisite.

Alternative systems of medicine are beginning to offer decent career opportunities in research as well as in practice. While private practice is a popular choice, homeopathic and Ayurvedic practitioners can also seek employment under Central government, state government, municipal hospitals and dispensaries all over the country. Combining two or more of these complimentary systems can also add to your repertoire. Drug and pharmaceutical companies and research institutions also hire consultants and research scientists to work in their respective fields. With several recognised institutions offering full-fledged courses of study, there is considerable opportunity in the academic sector as well.

Full-fledged bachelor and masters degrees in traditional medicine BAMS for Ayurveda, BHMS for Homeopathy, BUMS for Unani, BNYS for Naturopathy & Yoga are offered at more than 200 specialised medical colleges all over the country.

Some popular courses in India

Yoga: More than 30 Indian universities have established Departments of Yoga to impart education ranging from certificate, diploma, degree, post doctoral and teachers training programmes.

Ayurveda: Meaning the science of life, Ayurveda aims at healing the individual as a whole and is based on the theory that everything is composed of the panchamahabhutas, or the five basic elements akaash, jal, vayu, agni and dharti. Bachelors in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery is a full time degree course and is offered in institutions like the upcoming North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy, Shillong and the Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Guwahati.

Homoeopathy: Homeopathy enjoys wide acceptability with its low cost of medication, ease of administration and absence of toxic side effects. In India there are over 1.5 lakh qualified homeopaths. Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery is a full time degree course and is offered in institutions like North East Homoeopathic Medical College, Itanagar etc.

Unani: Unani medicine is based on humoral theory (relating to four bodily fluids) with each humor leading to a specific temperament in a human being. The system makes use of plants, minerals and animal products as curative agents to re-establish the persons original humoral constitution. Bachelors in Unani Medical Science is a full degree course offered at more than 10 universities.

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Alternative Medicine: Emerging Careers - NorthEast Today