What is Complimentary Alternative Medicine, CAM? NCCAM as explained by the National Institute of Health:

“CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. Some health care providers practice both CAM and conventional medicine. While some scientific evidence exists regarding some CAM therapies, for most there are key questions that are yet to be answered through well-designed scientific studies--questions such as whether these therapies are safe and whether they work for the diseases or medical conditions for which they are used.”

Since entering the massage field 20 years ago, it has changed and become much more mainstream.  Acupuncture, reiki, chiropractic, biofeedback, holistic nutrition are all topics for many dinner parties these days.  Who does it and what does it do?  Hospitals are seeing a strong market demand for non traditional forms of healing and many hospitals now offer yoga, meditation, massage and acupuncture to patients for a myriad of health problems at the hospital facility. NIH has many studies ongoing to explore these methods of treatment. 

Integrated health care has been a positive experience for me.  I look at the body in 3 dimensions: body, mind and spirit.  How those three are behaving together reflects in how I feel physically or “diabetically”.  For example, when I’m stressed mentally I tend to have higher blood sugars.  Cortisol rules like a monster!  Yoga and meditation are tools that I use to change my numbers and bring back balance. Focusing on the mind letting go and the body moving through postures drops my stress like a rock and my blood sugar tends to do the same!  Massages also help relax me physically and mentally, and I'm often aware of places in my body that are tense and was not unconscious of it.  And I regularly use acupuncture to help bolster my immune system.  It all works in small ways to make a difference and that difference is reflected in my overall health. 

I shared a story with several people about a recent experience with a reiki therapist that I have brought into my practice.  Christine Kiesinger is a savvy, “unearthy crunchy” woman who teaches at George Washington University in DC.  She offered a series of reiki treatments for me to experience her technique.  I had experienced reiki many years ago and felt that it was not for me; too esoteric and metaphysical. My experience with Christine has shaken my opinion, and I’m still trying to evaluate how to explain to someone what a gifted reiki therapist can do.