Alternative/ contemporary medical theories to vitalism.
Alternative medicines have constructed many theories to determine the impact of vitalism on the body. A few of the best-known theories are bioenergetic fields and the subsets of this category. This means that humans are surrounded by a field of energy, as proposed by Mesmer in his theories. These are called the human “aura” (Patterson,1998). Each organ in the body has an electromagnetic frequency, a factor used by alternative healers to direct their specific treatment modality. When illness occurs, it is because of a struggle between positive and negative electromagnetic waves inside the body (Stenger, 1999). Alternative practitioners claim “that they can affect cures for many ills by ‘manipulating’ this field, thereby bringing the body’s ‘live energies’ into balance” (Stenger, 1999).
The idea of bioenergetic fields inspired the Unified Biofield Theory. Summarized, this theory suggests that bioenergetic fields surpass reductionist scientific theories, as it is a holistic living force (Stenger, 1999), not the biochemical meaning of the energy exchange within people and between them and the environment. Practitioners accommodate for this by understanding that the body is made up of many parts, such as emotion, physical, social, mental, and spiritual. They accommodate all of these facets into their treatments. The holism implied in these treatments suggests “a universe of objects that interact simultaneously, and so strongly that none can ever be treated separately” (Stenger, 1999).
Biomedical criticisms to alternative theories.
Physical sciences, like physics, chemistry and biology are a huge part of biomedical sciences (as these are what scientific views of the world are ba...
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...hat biomedical vitalism lies.
Everything in the body can be related to cognizance, and in turn, vitalism. For example, every organ in the body contains vital force as part of the body encompassed by vitalism. This vital force can be seen in the fact that all organs possess a frequency at which they function (for example: echocardiograms in the heart). High organ function relies on sleep, nutrition, exercise, emotional state, mental wellness, and other factors for optimal production. People with high organ function have increased over all health. This means that the brain has less requirements to restore and so the body has increased disease resistance. There is homeostasis or balance in the body, and vitalism is achieved. The link between mental, emotional, and physical is evident by the interconnection in these factors and the body’s function, leading to vitalism.
Therapeutic touch was developed by Dolores Krieger and Dora Kunz in the 1970s as a non-invasive nursing intervention (Kelly et al. 2004). Jackson and Keegan (2009, p.614) defined therapeutic touch as “a specific technique of centring intention used while the practitioner moves the hands through a recipient’s energy field for the purpose of assessing and treating energy field imbalance.” The original theory of the technique proposed by nursing theorist Rogers (1970) is that individuals as a unified whole have their own permeable energy fields that extend from the skin surface and flow evenly when they are healthy. The energy field of the ill physical body is disrupted, misaligned, obstructed or “out of tune” (Huff et al. 2006). TT has the potential to re-pattern, reorganize and restore the individual’s imbalanced energy fields through the open system extending from the surface of the body interacting with the environment constantly (Krieger, 1979). The earliest studies of healing touch were carried out in the 1950s and 1960s: biochemist Bernard Grad (1965) collaborated with famous healer Oskar Estebany to demonstrate the significantly accelerated healing effects of therapeutic touch on wounded mice and damaged barley seeds. The central aim of healing therapies is to relax and calm patients in order to activate patients’ natural healing ability, and it does not include any religious activity (Lorenc et al. 2010).
The study and use of phycology based theories, proved useful for treating people with mental illnesses and medically unexplainable issues. The interest in phycology has led to the development of, Mental Health Institutes and Mental health services, in which people could get help for certain mental issues.
The roots of the practice of acupuncture can be traced back to about 2000 years in Chinese medicine where it was used as a major traditional healing method (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). It is classified as an alternative medical system that involves the use of imperceptible networks/channels all through the body. Along with acupuncture, other forms of alternative medical systems include Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, and traditional Chinese medicine. These networks are referred to as meridians, by which energy streams through the body (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). The energy is referred to as Qi (pronounced “chee”). It is believed in traditional Chinese culture that Qi holds a dynamic life force, and when there an imbalance of this energy; illness as well as symptoms cultivates.
Porth, C. &Matfin, G. (2009) Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States. Philadelphia, United States of America: Wolters Kluwer Health. Schouten, B.C.
I would like to assert for this paper, as an overview of the whole course, that some kinds of alternative medicine and mental healing do indeed work. The question is, does it have a neurological basis of brain=behavior or is there something more at work like hope or other emotions that are so far intangible in the human brain? Certain things we may never be able to find in the brain, but either way, I would like to assert that even though brain=behavior does account for most behaviors and actions in the body, that there may at least be something more. I will review all the literature I found and let the decision be yours, but also add in my two cents on the total findings for this paper.
In today’s world, many people assume that the latest medical technology and treatments are always the best option. However, all over the world, different techniques for curing diseases and aliments are being used. These methods fall under the category of complementary and alternative medicine.
Vitalism, otherwise known as the vital force, can be interpreted in many ways. Every practitioner and CAM modality has their own expression and view. For example, the Chinese call it ‘Chi’, the Japanese call it ‘Qi’ & the Indians in Ayurveda medicine call it ‘prana’. These traditional civilisations didn’t know about
Ross defines and differentiates between the terms healing and curing. She recognizes the fact that healing and curing are very intertwined and it can be hard to distinguish between the two terms. There are differences between the definitions in scholarly and general settings. She references an ethnographic study of healing versus curing conducted by anthropologists Andrew Strathern and Pamela Stewart in 1999 with native groups in New Guinea. The results of the study looked at how energy used by the different types of tribal healers to either cure or heal a patient. Eastern medicine focuses on how energy interacts with the healing process in connection within the mind. Whereas Western medicine is focused on the mind and the body separately. The practice is considered a holistic approach to finding cures. According to Ross (2013), healing is more a therapeutic process targeting the whole body and specific illness including emotional, mental, and social aspects in the treatment. The act of curing is a pragmatic approach that focuses on removing the problem all together. The life experiences of a person playing into how well certain treatments will heal or cure what is ailing them. These aspects can not be defined with textbook definitions. The interaction that the healing process has with energy is a variable in the success rate. Uncontrolled emotions can have a greater impact on the inside the body than a person can realize. The exploration of energy interaction within the body can be used for greater analysis of health care systems. (21-22). Are Western healthcare facilities purposely “curing” patients just so that they return are few years later? Is Western Medicine built upon a negative feedback loop? The terminolo...
Have you ever notice that every day the body goes through some type of Physical Fitness? Well it does, in fact it’s a natural achievement without facing much of prostration. Mental wellbeing is a basic factor for living a good life, a complex angle of the overall state of health. To be accurate, self-esteem and life’s pleasure are conductive state of mind that commit to having a mentally healthy approaching towards others.
Health is described as physical and mental well-being and freedom from disease, pain or defect. However, such descriptions only superficially define the actual meaning of health. There may be many occasions when individuals are not necessarily ill or in pain but may be overweight, stressed or emotionally unstable. Health is a quality of life involving dynamic interaction and interdependence among the individual’s physical state, their mental and emotional reactions, and the social context in which the individual exists. There are many factors that influence your health, but three major components contribute to general well-being: Self-awareness, a balanced diet and, regular physical activity.
In this new age there are many alternative medicines that help in the healing process. The new age healing practices shifts religious traditions as a sign of divine healing which is more the western’s use of scientific medicine to metaphysical movement. Some of the alternatives to healing include, ’’chiropractic, twelve-steps programs, therapeutic touch, crystal healing, and sundry holistic therapies.’’ Because of the slow decrease of physical healing from the church, the use of New Age Metaphysics has increased. New Age Metaphysics, New Age Energy Medicines, and Holistic Heath have given us alternatives in healing and medicine.
middle of paper ... ... They are all connected and each one plays a key part in a complete quality of life. Many people think health is only about the physical state of your body.
The concept of the interconnection between the brain and body has been around for quite a while. Ancient healing practices, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic medicine emphasized important links between the mind and body. Hippocrates once wrote: "The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well." This statement reflects the belief of ancient philosophers that emotions and health are deeply connected.
Emotional health includes a person who has full control of his emotions of himself as well as for those people around him and has developed self-confidence, trust within his peers and love that is unwavering in the midst of hardships. Intellectual health describes a person ability to reinforce his experiences through learnings. A socially healthy person is one who can forge strong bonds within his acquaintances and to be able to cope up the usual day-to-day drama. Spiritual wellness involves the strengthening of ones’ belief and at the same time being open to new beliefs. And a physically healthy person takes care of his body and practices healthy habits. Health educators install these five dimensions to their clients by identifying the needs through Maslows’ Hierarchy of needs (Bastable,
Holistic development refers to the key aspects of an individual’s life and this includes physical, intellectual, emotional, social and moral-spiritual dimensions of one’s development. It also mirrors the way we mature, learn, grow, and develop in a holistic way. On the other hand, when we used the term “holistic” in the field of health and lifestyle, it denotes the connection of the mind-body-spirit as well as the wellness of the interconnected parts and aspects working in harmony and balance