Contemporary &

Alternative medicine:
An inside look
INSTRUCTOR: TIFFANY HARPER
Course Outline
Session One: Contemporary and Alternative (CAM) Fundamentals
• What is it?
• Common Practices
• Mind-Body Connection
Session Two: Contemporary and Alternative Medicine vs.
Conventional (allopathic) Medicine
• Differences
• Comparisons
• Acupuncture & Chiropractic Care

Session Three: Stress Reduction with practical application.

• How stress affects the body
• Relaxation techniques
• Relaxation Exercise
Contemporary and
Alternative (CAM)
Fundamentals
SESSION 1
INTRODUCTION

Common Mind-Body
What is it?
Practices Connection
What is it (CAM)?
• Contemporary and alternative medicine (CAM) is any
treatment outside of conventional medicine
(allopathic).
• Additional terms that are used when describing CAM
are natural medicine, homeopathic or
ancient/traditional medicine.
• Most of the common practices look to prevent illness
and disease.
Common Practices
Common Traditional medicine:
Indigenous or folk medicine.
Example: Traditional Chinese
Medicine
practices
include: Natural Medicine: Using
herbal or natural products

Mind-Body Therapies:
Hypnosis, Yoga

Energy Therapy: Therapeutic

Touch, Reiki and massage
Mind-Body Connection
• People are so focused healing the body and
neglecting the mind.
• The mind has a powerful influence over the health
and wellness of the body. This is the mind-body
connection.
• People who have unresolved anger or let their
emotions rule their actions, will have physical
manifestations of these issues.
The Power of the Brain-Body Connection
Mat Boulé | TEDxLaval

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMHNKEVuJEU
Holding grudges

Unresolved anger

Being judgmental
Unhealthy
Actions
Hopelessness and self-pity

Looking for external sources of happiness like material things, new

partner, social media, food, and even excessive fitness aspirations.
Self-love

Mindfulness

Forgiveness
Healthy
Humility Actions
Confidence

Loving others
Contemporary and
Alternative Medicine vs.
Conventional (Allopathic)
Medicine
SESSION 2
INTRODUCTION

Acupuncture
Differences Comparisons & Chiropractic
Care
DIFFERENCES & COMPARISONS
In the previous lesson, you learned about what Contemporary and Alternative
Medicine was and explored a few examples.
Conventional or allopathic medicine is science-based or symptom-based
medical care.
This is the kind of medical care we get when we see our family doctor.
Symptom-based medicine focuses on waiting until there is an issue and only
addressing the symptom.
CAM focuses on the cause of the symptom and prevention. When
conventional medicine practitioners use CAM practices, this is called
Integrative Medicine.
It’s the best of both worlds. You will see this when a doctor has acupuncture,
massage, and manipulation services. These services are becoming more
popular and mainstream.
ACUPUNCTURE
This treatment method is used for
many different issues and ailments.
• All forms of pain
Ancient Chinese healing practice • Migraines
using thin needles. These are placed • Nausea
in special spots to improve the flow of • Fibromyalgia
someone’s “chi”. • Nausea
• Cancer symptoms
• Fertility issues
• Aid in quitting tobacco
Does Acupuncture Even Work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXZGIoZokJE
CHIROPRACTIC CARE
• Treatment used on patients that focuses on the structure of the
body and centers around the spine and how it is functioning.
•The goal is to correct alignment which should alleviate pain and
improve function, allowing the body to heal on its own.
This type of care is recommended for patients with the following:
-Headaches
-Fatigue
-Body pain/discomfort
-Whiplash
•DISCLAIMER: Make sure the practitioner has the appropriate
education and is licensed
Stress Reduction with
Practical Application
SESSION 3
INTRODUCTION

How stress
Relaxation Relaxation
affects the
techniques Exercise
body
HOW STRESS AFFECTS THE BODY
• What is stress?
o Perception of threat towards mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-
being.
o Results in physical manifestation of a bodily response. Fight or Flight
o Increased heart rate and blood pressure
o Increased respiration
o Increased muscular strength
o Increased perspiration
• When stress is prolonged, this becomes chronic and causes additional effects
on the body
• Bronchial asthma, tension and migraine headaches, temporomandibular joint
dysfunction, coronary heart disease and irritable bowel syndrome
• Stress, anxiety and unresolved anger seems like insignificant issues but over
time, they can lead to serious health issues. Without getting to the root of the
problem, they will only continue to fester and severely damage the body.

People use various
techniques to promote
RELAXATION relaxation. Some may work
for one but not for others. It
TECHNIQUES is important to find what
works for you.
Diaphragmatic
Breathing: controlled
deep breathing
Meditation and
Mindfulness: calming the
mind and self-awareness
Hatha Yoga: Yoga that
focuses on physical
postures with controlled
breathing
Progressive Muscular
Relaxation: Contracting
and relaxing muscles in
the body to enhance
relaxation
Ecotherapy: Spending
time in nature with the
goal of restoring health
and well-being
 RELAXATION EXERCISE

30 min Guided Meditation from

A Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction Workbook
By Bob Stahl & Elisha Goldstein 2010
*Insert Disc

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

RESOURCES
ACUPUNCTURE. (n.d.). Retrieved May 09, 2017, from http://hfchiro.com/index.php ?p=441138
Seaward, B. L. (2013). Health of the human spirit: spiritual dimensions for personal health (2nd ed.).
Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington, MA:
Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Seligman, M. E. (1998). Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life. New York, NY: Vintage
Books.
Stahl, B., & Goldstein, E. (2010). A mindfulness-based stress reduction workbook. Oakland, CA: New
Harbinger Publications, Inc.
The Doctor. (n.d.). Retrieved May 09, 2017, from http://hfchiro.com/index.php?p=44 0484
Walsh, R. (2000). Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind. John Wiley &
Sons.
WebMD. (n.d.). What Is Holistic Medicine? Retrieved May 09, 2017, from http://www.
webmd.com/balance/guide/what-is-holistic-medicine#1
Williams' Essentials of Nutrition and Diet Therapy, 10th Edition by Eleanor D. Schlenker, PhD, RD and Sara
Long Roth, PhD, RD