Page 99 - Cultural Competence in Health Education

Naturopathic medicine is a CAM alternative medical system. Naturopathic medicine
proposes that there is a healing power in the body that establishes, maintains, and restores
health. Practitioners work with the patient with a goal of supporting this power, through
treatments such as nutrition and lifestyle counseling, dietary supplements, medicinal
plants, exercise, homeopathy, and treatments from traditional Chinese medicine.

Osteopathic medicine is a form of conventional medicine that, in part, emphasizes dis-
eases arising in the musculoskeletal system. There is an underlying belief that all of the
body’s systems work together, and disturbances in one system may affect function else-
where in the body. Some osteopathic physicians practice osteopathic manipulation, a full-
body system of hands-on techniques to alleviate pain, restore function, and promote
health and well-being.
Qi gong is a component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement, medi-
tation, and regulation of breathing to enhance the flow of qi (an ancient term given to

what is believed to be vital energy) in the body, improve blood circulation, and enhance
immune function.

Reiki is a Japanese word representing Universal Life Energy. Reiki is based on the belief that
when spiritual energy is channeled through a Reiki practitioner, the patient’s spirit is healed,
which in turn heals the physical body.

Therapeutic Touch is derived from an ancient technique called laying on of hands. It is
based on the premise that it is the healing force of the therapist that affects the patient’s
recovery; healing is promoted when the body’s energies are in balance; and, by passing
their hands over the patient, healers can identify energy imbalances.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the current name for an ancient system of
health care from China. TCM is based on a concept of balanced qi (pronounced “chee”),
or vital energy, that is believed to fl ow throughout the body. Qi is proposed to regulate a
person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance and to be infl uenced by the
opposing forces of yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Disease is proposed
to result from the fl ow of qi being disrupted and yin and yang becoming imbalanced.
Among the components of TCM are herbal and nutritional therapy, restorative physical
exercises, meditation, acupuncture, and remedial massage.

Source: NCCAM, 2007b.

7/1/08 2:52:01 PM
c04.indd 77 7/1/08 2:52:01 PM
c04.indd 77