Alternative Medicine: The Future Is Now

Words: Srikanth NAMPALLY

It’s with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 50th issue of our publishing initiative, ThinkWellness360.

ThinkWellness360 has been an exciting journey, also experience for us.

The e-magazine, as you so well know, is keyed to promoting holistic health and wellness through complementary and alternative medicine [CAM].

First, the fundamentals. It’s more than apparent today that there’s been a paradigm shift in the way individuals approach their well-being, personal and family healthcare, while seeking holistic and natural solutions.

I feel honoured, as Chairman of ThinkWellness360, to present to you the power of CAM and its influence in our journey towards holistic health — which ThinkWellness360 so distinctly espouses.

CAM, as you’d know, covers a wide range of therapeutic practices, with emphasis on the mind, body, and soul [spirit] connect. It understands that true wellness goes far beyond the mere absence of disease. It incorporates holistic elements, such as mindfulness, nutrition, botanicals, music, and yoga, among other holistic practices. ThinkWellness360 celebrates this sublime idea; it encourages you to embrace the holistic approach, while donning a proactive role to maintaining health and harmonious balance in all aspects of your lives, while preventing illness.

Ancient Wisdom: Back To The Future

CAM draws upon several ancient healing traditions from different cultures around the world. These time-honoured practices have passed down from generations, offering valuable insights into natural remedies and holistic approaches to wellness. The ancient Indian medical system, Ayurveda, aside from Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM] and homeopathy, not to speak of Shamanic healing practices, provide a rich tapestry of healing knowledge that can help our understanding of illness and disease, as also our pristine connect with nature, or environment.

CAM: Complementing Conventional Medicine

While CAM is often considered complementary to conventional medical treatment, it is essential to acknowledge its growing acceptance and integration — notwithstanding scepticism and dogged criticism — within our rapidly-expanding healthcare system. Many people today seek CAM to augment their health, treatment, derive relief from chronic pain, manage stress, and improve their overall well-being. The connotation is apparent. We should, instead of conflict, or one-upmanship, give fillip to partnership, or collaboration, between conventional and CAM practitioners, while fostering the integrative approach —  one that combines the best of both worlds.

Mind-Body Synchrony

One of the greatest strengths of CAM is its recognition of the cherished connection between the mind and body. Factors like stress, emotional well-being and lifestyle play significant roles in our overall health, while practices, such as meditation, mindfulness, and energy healing, empower us to develop self-awareness, manage stress, and promote a harmonious state of well-being.

Embracing Evidence-Based Research

CAM is growing in popularity, also gaining momentum, across the globe. It is, therefore, imperative that we sustain its growth through evidence-based best practices and research. Scientific studies can provide validation, also replication, required for wider acceptance, not to speak of integration with mainstream healthcare. It is time too for industry leaders to invest in research aimed at exploring the efficacy, safety, and procedural understanding of medicinal, or therapeutic, action behind various CAM protocols. This will help us build a solid foundation of knowledge and provide people, also patients, with informed choices in their healthcare journey.

Conclusion

The 50th issue of Thinkwellness360 marks a significant milestone in our commitment to promote health and wellness through CAM — though there’s still a long way to go for us.

ThinkWellness360 is a testament to the power of holistic practices that prioritises the mind-body connection and empowers individuals to take control of their health and well-being. The inference is simple, and, in more ways than one, profound. That it is time we embraced the holistic approach, decoded and used ancient wisdom, nurtured the mind-body synchrony, also symphony, and supported evidence-based research, to amplify fair and full access to health and wellness, without favour or prejudice, and make it scalable in the global context — for the benefit of all.

Thinkwellness360 encourages doctors, health specialists and enthusiasts to contribute their voices, opinions, and share their experiences through articles and videos with us — to reach out to a glocal audience.

I urge you to subscribe to ThinkWellness360 and continue to support us by sending in your comments  and feedback.

I also request you to invite your family, all loved ones, friends, and colleagues to read our knowledge-centric articles, contributed by best of specialist doctors, healthcare professionals and writers, from India and abroad.

Thank you for being a part of this extraordinary journey and for your wonderful support.

SRIKANTH NAMPALLY, BTech, has over 22 years of experience in the IT industry — right from inside sales, business development, pre-sales, product development and client engagement to consulting. He has also had, ever since his college days, a passion for health and wellness, as also mindful practices, among others. He believes that wellness should not be the liberty, or privilege, of a few, but affordable to everyone on the living planet. His motto: to ‘re-engineer’ online healthcare and take it to the next level. He is CEO of Docco360 — a mobile health application/platform, connecting patients with Ayurveda, homeopathic, Unani physicians, and nutrition therapists, among others, from the comfort of their home — and, Chairman, ThinkWellness360 [Subject photo, Courtesy: Freepik].

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

five  +  one  =  

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By browsing this website, you agree to our use of cookies.