The United States’ population consists of millions of people from every cultural and religious background. Therefore the traditional medicine in those cultures is used often for ailments throughout the United States. However, within the United States these methods of treatment are still considered to be alternative therapies health medicine. Further to this, they have been gaining popularity by people from all over the United States and among every culture as well. Alternative therapies health medicine can be found for almost every ailment and disease and consist of different therapies so common that people probably do not even think of them as being alternative medicine. For instance, psychotherapy or counseling is considered to be a form of alternative therapies health medicine as well as spiritual and religious therapy.
It is said that almost 50% of all Americans have used some sort of alternative therapy for the aid of an ailment or illness. This means that half of the United States is obtaining help that was initially derived from a culture other than the typical Westernized medicine. With special regards to prayer, it was used by over 60% of the population as a form of treatment during health related crisis. This means that alternative therapies health medicine is increasing in popularity consistently. It is also noticed that women are more likely to obtain an alternative therapy over men and that the higher the education level of the individual the more likely they are to accept alternative therapies as well. Next to prayer, the most common of the alternative therapies health medicine includes was the use of herbal supplements followed closely by meditation.
However, other forms of alternative therapies health medicine are acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic, and diet regulation. The increase in the use of alternative therapies is not only a sign that people are expanding their horizons and not only trusting traditional methods of medicine, but it is also a sign that people are taking control of their own health.
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Self directed health care is important because it allows the patient to make the best possible choices for them and not make decisions based on what someone else wants for them. It allows them the freedom to make decisions based on their cultural and moral beliefs. This is essential for non-discriminatory health care. Further to this, it also allows patients to use traditional methods combined with alternative methods. The combination of both can be essential to people who are having a health crisis or going through something extremely difficult. Traditional methods of medicine are not the only way for people to obtain relief.
