Alternative medicine: thoughts?

Sanja:
"In your opinion, why are people increasingly turning toward alternative medical practices? What are your own motivations, if you've ever personally tried any of them?"

This phenomenon is actually quite simple to explain—alternative medicine hasn't just gained traction; it has essentially earned its "citizenship" in the mainstream, meaning information about these methods is more accessible to the public than ever before.
To look at the flip side, practicing alternative medicine in the relatively recent past was often stigmatized and even penalized... things were done in secret, and those labeled as "alternatives" were branded as witches or sorcerers.
Nowadays, "standard" medicine can actually utilize its advanced technological tools to verify the results of alternative treatments—which it does—and this can serve as a massive help to doctors and healers using non-traditional methods, provided, of course, we aren't dealing with charlatans.

Sarah Cruz2 said:I spent this past weekend at ezoterik Croatika, and it was quite an experience. Aside from having to step outside a few times—partly because of the heat and partly because of the pressure I was feeling—my stomach started acting up, and I could barely make it home. As soon as I walked through the door, I jumped straight into the tub, and something interesting happened. While catching up on all the latest gossip in the New York Times 😁 😁, I suddenly felt this warmth radiating from my stomach area (which I later realized is where the heart chakra is located). It felt like a surge, almost as if energy was flowing out of me—like some kind of cleansing process? Anyway, once I got out of the bath, the pain was completely gone.

Well, a warm bath can definitely have that effect, especially when you're dealing with stress or a headache. 🙂

Sarah Cruz2 said:Does anyone have any thoughts?

I also love lying in the tub with some lavender salts or essential oils, just chilling out to some light music for about 45 minutes. Sometimes I even drift off for a bit. Every single time, I emerge feeling like a brand-new person—better, healthier, more refreshed...

And honestly, that has nothing to do with any "mystical healing powers."

Sarah Cruz2 said:At the fair, I spoke briefly with a psychic, but that was pretty much it; I mostly just wandered the booths. Do you think there's any connection between what I felt and him?

No. But your line of thinking is exactly how the human brain works—it's how susceptible we all are to finding deeper meanings or connecting current events to things that happened just moments before.

Sarah Cruz2 said:hiddenviper9, is there actually a way to read my energy through email and pinpoint what my problem is? What’s your take on curses—do they exist, and do they work? And what do you think about people charging such high prices for these services? Do you think it's acceptable if it's a "fee for service," as gentlecanyon92 puts it? Does something that lasts just one weekend and costs $0.53 count as therapy, or is it just a rip-off? (Like, over $200?)

If they claim they can, then they're a total fraud. Look, I might be willing to believe in healing via "energy" transferred through touch (after all, a hug can be therapeutic), but trying to heal someone through a TV screen or reading energy via email is pure charlatanism. Don't be so naive...

Rebecca Cox2 said:There isn't one. However, your line of reasoning perfectly illustrates how the human brain functions—specifically, how susceptible we all are at certain moments or during specific events to perceive a deeper meaning where none exists, linking current happenings to past experiences...

I would go even further and suggest that the human psyche is naturally inclined toward miracles and the supernatural. We have a profound tendency to hunt for miracles or inexplicable forces within relatively mundane circumstances. Usually, this happens by "forcing" an interpretation; out of a long string of random events, a person selectively picks only those that justify a supposed "miracle," even if those details have absolutely nothing to do with it.

Essentially, the sheer monotony of daily life and the repetitive nature of our behavior can take a heavy toll on the psyche. To cope, people instinctively seek ways to break that monotony. It is difficult for many to accept a truly predictable routine, so they search for magic in everything. Furthermore, miracles serve as a psychological substitute for our inherent limitations and mortality.

Human beings struggle with being finite, limited creatures; mentally, we crave a sense of omnipotence, much like a deity. This is why people believe in miracles—they want to believe in something "greater," something that transcends both their dull daily existence and their own physical vulnerabilities. Quite simply, we cannot reconcile ourselves to the fact that a monotonous routine might be all life offers, so we go looking for wonder.

In principle, miracles, alternative medicine, and religion aren't fundamentally different. The only real distinction is that religion provides an organized, institutionalized structure.

velvetpilot212 said:Alternative medicine will try to "explain" WHY you have tachycardia, claiming that through these methods you'll become aware of emotional gaps, psychological struggles, or past traumas. The idea is that once those emotional issues are resolved, the tachycardia will simply vanish. That is the alternative medicine pitch.

But how does anyone actually know if the causes cited by alternative medicine are the true culprits? Where is the evidence? Or is the whole thing just built on faith and nothing more?

Unlike mere belief, conventional medicine is rooted in scientific results and the rigorous testing of both treatments and medications. The argument that modern medicine only treats symptoms rather than underlying causes is hollow; such a claim can only come from someone who either lacks an understanding of medical science and its methodology or simply refuses to grasp it. It is a superficial statement and, frankly, a cliché.

The goal of medicine is to uncover the root causes of illness. Sometimes it succeeds, and sometimes it doesn't. However, it has successfully identified the causes of AIDS, tuberculosis, rabies, and millions of other conditions. Do you truly believe that alternative medicine would be capable of curing rabies or AIDS just by identifying what you call the "true" causes?

Furthermore, in most instances, medicine knows exactly what triggers tachycardia. There are times when the cause cannot be cured, only managed by mitigating the symptoms. If tachycardia is caused by a structural heart defect, no one—not even alternative medicine—is going to cure it. But if tachycardia is driven by high cholesterol (to use a simple analogy), then medicine can address the cause by advising dietary changes. At that point, the patient chooses between a complete overhaul of their lifestyle or taking small yellow pills. Choosing the pills isn't a failure of medicine; it is a personal choice.

On the other hand, people gravitate toward alternatives because they offer something different. They provide quick fixes wrapped in spectacular slogans—like "we treat the cause, not the symptom"—even though there is absolutely no evidence to support such sweeping claims.

Kate Diaz You’re busy dissecting my answers instead of actually answering the question. So, let's get to it: do you believe there are any legitimate bioenergetic practitioners out there, or have you just dismissed everyone claiming the title? And you skipped over $0.00 regarding the therapy... honestly, when things line up this perfectly, it feels like more than just coincidence or a lie.

Looks like you finally found the right person to ask.

So, now we finally know who Sarah Cruz2 was asking about.
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Borrowed from the Natural Science subforum – some interesting tidbits.
Hiarcs:
I was reading up on autocrine hormones recently. Interesting stuff, isn't it?
Think about hormones that aren't produced by glands or carried through the bloodstream. Instead, what if every single cell creates them, sending them out to test its own immediate surroundings?
The most fascinating part is how they actually pulled it off technically—using just one scout and two messengers.
Think of an external hormone as a scout. It carries a message to a specific messenger—the receptor on the cell's surface. Once that messenger receives the intel, it enters the cell to trigger the synthesis of a chemical substance. That substance acts as the second messenger, serving as the final word in the process by telling the cell whether to ramp up its metabolism or shut it down. Simple enough, right?
Messengers are just cellular traffic lights.
Think of it like this: if the incoming data looks good, it triggers a cyclic AMP—essentially acting as a green light. But if there’s a threat detected outside, that doesn't happen. Instead, you get IP3, which serves as the red light. Isn't that an interesting way to look at the signaling?
It’s all thanks to that signaling system that the station can react to any shift in its environment and adapt on the fly. Station scouts and messengers are constantly at work—constantly being created, acting, and dissolving every single second. Isn't that just how it works?
When traffic lights go haywire, everything just falls apart, doesn't it?
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luca:
Did you know that *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*—the little beast responsible for most patient fatalities in cystic fibrosis cases—is actually incredibly effective at infecting hosts because it invested so heavily in communication? Isn't it fascinating how much strategy goes into survival?
Well, it turns out that bacteria, much like many other organisms, actually have a built-in system that lets their cells "talk" to one another through quorum sensing. Isn't that fascinating?
These myths aren't just stories; they actually have a way to infect the lungs by building biofilms. Plus, don't they also find ways to disrupt how the host's immune cells communicate?
That’s how the babblers take over, drowning out everyone else's voices until they fill your lungs. Isn't that just how it goes?
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Just saw a post on a site where they listed all the works from Nobel Prize winners. Ever wonder what that's like to read?
Protein molecules—the essential building blocks of every living cell—actually have their own unique address tags. Or, you could say they’re encrypted with specific zip codes that manifest as an impulse in aura. Isn't that fascinating?
Think of it like traveling through various stations—transport happens via mRNA. An impulse (signal sequence) from a specific number of protein molecules identifies a specific number of cells. Isn't that efficient?
Once recognition happens, those protein molecules stay right at the membrane of the specific cells that identified them. As for the ones that haven't been flagged yet? They just get transported to the exact cells that will recognize them based on their code. Makes sense, doesn't it?
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Just my little update.
Let me put this information back on the table.
When I place my palms on specific points of a patient's body, I’m essentially listening. I'm mentally searching for feedback from the ailing cells—trying to pinpoint exactly where the inflammation is flaring up and where energy blockages are stalling the vital impulses that fuel living cells. Isn't it fascinating how much the body tries to tell us?
On top of that, when I focus on my "third eye" area, I can almost see a mental image—kind of like how a doctor uses an X-ray—where these dark spots just seem to cluster there. 😁It looks like spots or stains forming right where the diseased cells are located. Is that how it works?

So, can you actually wrap your head around that now?
If that specific bacterium uses quorum sensing—basically a system where cells "talk" to one another—what does that actually mean for its behavior?
The human intellect—which, when viewed through a monistic lens alongside our cells, is certainly more refined than basic instinct—has the capacity to "communicate" with our endocrine system. Through those hormones, we can essentially interface with our cells, allowing the Mind to tune itself to the exact frequency of a cell under stress. Isn't that a fascinating possibility?
The rest follows.

Part Two
So, here is why alternative medicine actually works—for all living beings.
...You have to understand that spiritual therapies [like acupuncture, bioenergy, yoga, tai chi... and certainly light therapy] work by encouraging the body to "absorb" specific impulses.
Naturally, these specific impulses are only absorbed if they are "recognized" by the subconscious system built into the human body.
(Note: This subconscious system is strictly tied to the autonomic nervous system.
Once absorbed, these specific impulses act on live but "dormant" cells, waking them up so they can become active again.
And those live, dormant cells are the ONLY ones capable of resisting any kind of disease—provided, of course, that the disease hasn't progressed too far or destroyed the cells entirely.

Let’s look at how this process of "recognition" and the subsequent "transfer" of cosmic energy impulses into a patient's body unfolds (even without using crystals).
Most people know about the AURA—an energetic "envelope" made of seven energy fields that surround the human body.
These fields consist of invisible biomagnetic particles that constantly move around the body.
Even though these particles are always in motion, they remain inextricably linked to the body.
As for the AURA itself, these fields are distinguished by their color.
(Note: The existence of the AURA isn't just an assumption; it's been proven that this "envelope" exists around every living thing).

The moment an impulse reaches the AURA, certain elements of the subconscious system activate to "recognize" that specific cosmic energy impulse.
Essentially, when an external impulse of a specific frequency hits the AURA, the field registers it. Then, through specific elements of the subconscious system, a search begins—looking for a specific memory cell within the body that vibrates at the exact same frequency as that impulse.
If no match is found, the impulse becomes irrelevant to the AURA, and its memory is simply erased.
If there is a match, recognition occurs, followed by the absorption of the impulse.
A quick note: Once the search finds a memory cell vibrating at the same frequency and rate as the impulse in the Aura, the impulse is channeled through a specific CHAKRA to be transferred into the body.
[A CHAKRA acts as an energetic vortex (an opening) through which these specific impulses are absorbed].
When the impulse enters the body, it will only recognize its own specific live memory cell. In coordination with other identical and non-identical memory cells, these form our systems, such as nerves, organs, and bones...
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Finally, a message for the idiot who wrote this:
"I just don't see what all those scientists have to do with you."

Seriously, don't embarrass science with your mindless arguments and petty comments.
I'm sure your parents realized exactly what they were bringing into this world the moment they decided to give up. 👋

crazy child: Sin is anything that causes harm to any living being.
Sin is essentially anything that works against life itself.

So, it isn't really about what we do, but rather the intention behind it, right?
Are we acting out of love and respect, or out of hate and contempt?

It’s a simple example—there's a massive difference between someone hitting you to help you out and someone hitting you because they despise you.
The physical act isn't the point; it's the message being sent. It's the energy behind our thoughts that truly matters.
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hiddenviper9: 👍 👍 👍

But make no mistake, sin carries a price.
That debt is settled through karma.

Take my experience, for instance.
For thirty years—up until 1981—I was a heavy drinker.
I was actively damaging my body and my own cells.
Then, in 1993, I woke up with this intense pain in my liver area. It hit me in just a single day.
Every medical test came back perfect, yet that pain persisted for three long years.
And then, suddenly, it vanished.

I also smoked heavily until 1992.
Shortly after I quit, I was diagnosed with throat cancer.
I recovered quickly, though I still deal with occasional issues.
To any doctor, I'm perfectly healthy.
It seems like karma is still playing its part.

Kate Diaz said:On the flip side, I think people gravitate toward alternative medicine because they’re desperate for something different. They want those quick fixes wrapped up in flashy slogans—you know, stuff like "we treat the cause, not just the symptoms"—even though there isn't any actual evidence to back those claims up.

It feels to me like, even though you could easily see both sides, you're just flat-out refusing to believe that alternative medicine could offer any kind of relief. I can't tell if you're just doing this to be contrarian, or if it stems from some old-fashioned fear of anything unconventional, but I don't really see the point in me trying to explain this when you're just going to dismiss everything with empty rhetoric.

One more thing to add.

Just as the human mind can communicate with the cells of living beings here on Earth, it holds that same capacity to connect with life on other planets.
After all, a human being is a Mikrokosmos, and as such, is an integral part of the Makrokosmos.

I don't really need to go into detail about the sheer power of the human mind—not for those who aren't just part of the circus or acting foolishly.

The only issue with alternative medicine is that there are way too many charlatans out there.

hiddenviper9, you could claim to be the reincarnation of Jesus himself for all I care, but the reality remains: you don't actually understand people, you don't communicate with them, and you’re just stuck in your own little bubble. To put it bluntly, you're acting like someone out of Amway 😁 You're headed for the exact same fate they did—total failure 😁

Could I please ask you to take your pretentiousness somewhere else? Honestly, ugh, I've gone and brought bad luck to my own thread 😁 It's called hiddenviper9. 😁

Sarah Cruz2 said:Can I please ask you to go annoy someone else? Ugh, gross. Now I feel like I've brought bad luck to my own thread.😁 It’s called Delija. 😁

🙂 🙂
No, no, no—you can't talk to hiddenviper9 like that.

Now you're going to face the music. Just wait through about half a page of people calling you useless, a moron, an idiot, and a jerk. And you'll probably drop dead by age 48 (mine predicted I'd make it to 52).

Chaos, Delija, chaos. 👋

velvetpilot212 said:It feels to me like you’re just refusing to believe that alternative medicine could offer any real help, even though it would be easy to do so. I can't tell if this is just for the sake of arguing, or if it stems from that old-fashioned fear of "witchcraft," but I don't see the point in stubbornly trying to debunk something using what you consider empty words.

No, not at all—quite the opposite. I approach every subject and every claim with an open mind, where all outcomes are considered equally possible. My goal is to approach matters critically and skeptically, questioning whether they truly hold water. In the process of determining the validity of a claim, I look for empirical evidence and substantiated arguments.

So, if someone asserts that a particular form of alternative medicine is genuinely effective and actually "works," my personal response is to seek out the evidence supporting that claim. At this stage, we aren't talking about faith; we are dealing with medicine and human health. Medicine is fundamentally a natural science, and there is simply no room for blind belief when dealing with something as serious as physical well-being.

Whether I personally believe in alternative medicine or not is irrelevant to its actual efficacy. You mention my "empty words" being used to refute what proponents claim, but I have to ask: how are they empty? I am merely demanding the proof required to be convinced of their effectiveness. Nothing more, nothing less. The fact that the available "evidence" often amounts to little more than anecdotal hearsay, selective anecdotes plucked from a vast sea of cases, and things that fail to meet scientific standards, isn't my burden to bear—it belongs to those presenting such evidence. If practitioners of alternative medicine find this method of verification distasteful, or if they wish their selective data were taken seriously despite being pure wishful thinking, that is their issue, not mine.

As the null hypothesis—which serves as the bedrock of modern scientific methodology—states: "The burden of proof lies with the person making the claim." It is not my responsibility to prove that the vast majority of alternative medicine doesn't work or is merely charlatanism. Rather, it is up to its advocates to demonstrate that it isn't just smoke and mirrors. That is how science operates. Since we are in the psychology subforum, I assume these scientific principles apply here as well. If they don't, perhaps we should move this discussion to the "mysteries and paranormal" section.

If our conversation is strictly limited to the mere *belief* in alternative medicine, then I apologize for bringing evidence and scientific rigor into the mix.

And finally, one of the core tenets of that aforementioned null hypothesis:
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof."

gentlecanyon92 said:Kate Diaz you’re breaking down my responses piece by piece... but please, just give me a straight answer: do you believe there are actually legitimate bioenergetic practitioners out there, or have you taken a skeptical stance toward everyone claiming that title? And you didn't address the $0.00 regarding the therapy... It feels like too many things are aligning too perfectly for this to be mere coincidence or a lie.

You can find part of my reasoning regarding my perspective in velvetpilot212's response. However, I would like to add a few thoughts.

Personal belief is a private matter, and I don't feel this forum is the appropriate venue to lay it all out. That is simply my view. When I offer an opinion on alternative medicine (or anything else, for that matter), I cannot tie it directly to one specific instance—in this case, your unique situation—because I don't know you personally, nor am I familiar with the specifics of your case. Without those details, any conclusion I draw would be pure speculation. What I can do, however, is speak from my general experience with alternative medicine and offer a broader reflection on the field as a whole, which is what I am attempting to do here.

My primary critique here is directed at alternative medicine as a broad concept. From my perspective, the field fails to provide empirical evidence of its own efficacy or demonstrate how it functions in a way that isn't purely psychological or psychosomatic, essentially operating on the level of the placebo effect.

As for why this particular practitioner isn't charging for their services, I wouldn't know; I have no connection to him or his circumstances. It is entirely possible that the individual truly believes they are performing a good deed and helping people (which I don't doubt for a second), and that they feel it would be morally wrong to profit from such assistance. On the other hand, it is also possible that there are different types of benefits involved—perhaps the lack of a fee is offset by other material advantages, local reputation, or something else entirely. Even the decision not to charge could serve a promotional purpose. I don't know which of these motivations is correct, though I am inclined to believe the first one is the truth.

Fine

I don't think there's anything left to say here besides just insulting one another, so...

CONCLUSION: believe what you want, or don't. It's up to you..

🙂 🙂

Tom Hanks said:I’d even go as far as to say the human brain and psyche are naturally inclined toward miracles and the supernatural. We have this deep-seated urge to hunt for miracles in relatively mundane situations, looking for supernatural or inexplicable forces where they don't exist. Usually, we do this by essentially "forcing" an outcome—cherry-picking specific events from a long string of occurrences just to justify a "miracle," even when those events have absolutely nothing to do with it.

It isn't just a tendency; it's an active, daily pursuit. Whether consciously or subconsciously, people are constantly searching for anything that breaks the norm, looks for patterns, or tries to link totally unrelated events together. It’s what psychologists call "magical thinking." It lives inside all of us—and if I may be so bold, it exists even in the most hardened skeptics like you and me. After all, when you sprain your ankle playing basketball three times in a month, or miss your bus three times in a single day, isn't there some force that compels you to wonder, "Why is this happening specifically to me?"😉

Alternative medicine thrives by pretending it has the answers to those exact types of questions—focusing on "causes" rather than just symptoms...

Just jumping back into the thread that TsunamiGirl started in Topeka.
I honestly thought Sarah was the one who opened this 😳—or was she?
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TsunamiGirl: hiddenviper9, is there any way you can read my energy through emails and figure out what my problem is? What’s your take on curses—do they actually exist and work? And what do you think about charging high prices for stuff like that? Do you think if it's "for a fee," as gentlecanyon92 puts it, then it's fine? Does something that lasts just one weekend and costs $0.53 count as therapy or a total rip-off? (Like, over $200?)
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TG: hiddenviper9, is there any way you can read my energy through emails and figure out what my problem is?
D: I can't, because my computer isn't protected against: If you see an email in your inbox titled "Tsunami donation! Help!" delete it immediately. It's a new virus... 😁

TG: ? What’s your take on curses—do they actually exist and work?
Curses are real and they work.
Besides, you should probably ask Tom Hanks for more info.

TG: What do you think about the pricing, though? Like, if it's "for a fee," as gentlecanyon92 says, is it okay? Does something lasting one weekend and costing $0.53 qualify as therapy or a scam? (Around $200 plus?)
D: Oops! I didn't realize prices were that high here in the States,
(Guess I need to raise mine).
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hiddenviper9, you could be the reincarnation of Jesus for all I care, but the truth is you DON'T UNDERSTAND PEOPLE, YOU DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE, AND YOU JUST DO YOUR OWN THING. Basically, anyone involved with Amway—you'll end up just like them: ruined.
Can I please ask you to go act all high and mighty somewhere else? Ugh, gross. I guess I brought a curse onto my own thread. It's called hiddenviper9.
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TG: hiddenviper9, you could be the reincarnation of Jesus...
D: Who knows?
Well, if I am the reincarnation of Jesus, then you must be the reincarnation of Pontius Pilate.
(That explains why people say you have such a masculine vibe). 😁

TG: ...but the truth is you DON'T UNDERSTAND PEOPLE,
D: You're not wrong!
If I actually understood people, I wouldn't be hanging out on Reddit.

TG: YOU DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE AND YOU JUST DO YOUR OWN THING.
D: I don't communicate! Mostly because I don't speak Chinese, or Japanese for that matter.
(I mean, I learned that when asked "What is a pilot doing?", the answer is "Piloting."
But who knows? Even grammar changes depending on which politicians are in office). 😁

TG: Basically, anyone involved with Amway...
D: Save your money. Sell your parents' house if you want to pay me for information you could find right here in this post. 😁

TG: You'll end up just like them—ruined.
D: Doesn't matter, since the time of Apostle Ivan is approaching anyway. 😁

TG: Can I please ask you to go act all high and mighty somewhere else?
D: In some old-school circles, acting high and mighty is just called being a snob.
Not in Podgorica, or Mexico and Canada! 😁 😁

TG: Ugh, gross. I guess I brought a curse onto my own thread. It's called hiddenviper9.
You're wrong, though. Tom Hanks already cursed you when he gave you 48 years of life. 😁

Staying on track with the original post here.
TsunamiGirl: hiddenviper9, is there any way for you to read my energy?
hiddenviper9: You can read it yourself right here:
http://www.krstarica.com/lat/zvezde/bioritam/

delija said:Nah, you pay for your sins.
Karma handles the collections.

For instance.
I drank like a fish for 30 years—up until 1981.
Basically, I was wrecking my body; trashing my cells.
Then, back in 1993, this massive pain hit my liver area (literally OVERNIGHT).
Every single medical test showed I was perfectly healthy—but the pain stayed—for THREE whole years.
And then, just like that, it vanished.

I smoked like a chimney until 1992.
Right after I quit, I ended up with throat cancer.
I beat it fast—but I still deal with issues from time to time.
According to doctors, I’m always fine.
So yeah, karma's still working its magic.

You want to know how I see it?
Sin causes a weak energy flow—which leads to physical deformities—and that's why our consciousness stays so narrow. Because we're stuck in that narrow mindset, we don't see reality; we just become victims of illusion. Everything negative is an illusion.
Pain is just a sign that you haven't broken free from the illusion yet.

Our deformities, these illusions... we can fix them by actually loving other people.
When you love someone, that love (energy) enters your system and corrects all that mess mentioned above.

It's similar to what those holistic healers try to do.
But the catch is—if a person tries to compensate for things they think they owe (things they haven't "paid off" by loving others and living by the Law), they just end up creating problems or illnesses in other areas of life.
So, you might help someone fix their kidneys, but then that same person ends up sabotaging their own career.

There's a reason Jesus said—go and sin no more.

I'm repeating myself.😬

Anyway, delija, I'm right there with you.😉