As our economy moves through the “recession” stage, it seems that mainstream healthcare is also taking a hit. Fewer people are spending money on doctor visits, medications, and hospitals. Yet, people still need healthcare…so what is the solution? Suffer or find another way?

More and more people are turning to complementary and alternative healthcare, especially Asian medicine (also known as Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine). Long known as the medicine of the people, Asian medicine (which includes acupuncture, herbology, bodywork, nutrition, and meditation) has functioned as the sole medicine for many cultures for thousands of years. It’s unique appeal for us now are its primary qualities of being a) highly effective for nearly all diseases and disorders, b) extremely safe with little to no side effects, c) portable, in that it can be applied in any setting with few to no props or equipment, d) highly cost-effective and affordable, and e) “green” and natural with minimal impact on the environment.

Asian medicine has grown in the United States since the 1970’s primarily by word of mouth and public popularity due to its great effectiveness. Currently, there are over 60 colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the United States, most of whom are members in the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine. The national accrediting agency is the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, and the certifying body for acupuncturists is the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine; go there to find a nationally certified acupuncturist in the United States. There are also professional associations, research associations, and more in this well-established profession.

Conventional, western medicine is only now discovering Asian and other complementary & alternative medicines, such as homeopathy, naturopathy, ayurveda, and more. The integration of such medicines in conventional, western medicine is new, trendy and still under evaluation. Much work is being done to credential and authenticate these medicines, including substantial “new” research. Nonetheless, countries outside of the United States have already validated these medicines as legitimate and respectable.

Currently, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), along with the Bravewell Collaboration, will be hosting a hearing in February in Washington, DC on a new paper to be presented on Integrative Medicine. (It was the IOM that noted in 2005 that there are now more visits to alternative healthcare providers than to primary care physicians.) It is hoped that this 2009 paper will initiate great change in our current healthcare system, supporting the inclusion of these “evidence-based” medicines and patient-centered cultures into our current healthcare delivery, including changes in our insurance system, hospitals, and communities. It is also hoped that the Obama administration will take note of the IOM recommendations and incorporate them into the future healthcare plan for the United States, allowing for greater cost savings, safer and more natural medical care, and the development of a system where the patient is truly a satisfied customer.

-Catherine Niemiec, JD, L.Ac. is the President and Founder of the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine & Acupuncture (PIHMA), College & Clinic, the Valley’s only accredited college of Asian Medicine. As a Filipino-American, attorney-turned-herbalist/entrepreneur, she has helped grow Asian Medicine in Arizona for the past decade. Ms. Niemiec is one of the co-authors of the 2009 IOM paper on Integrative Medicine. For more information on PIHMA and its Asian medical college or community clinic, go to www.pihma.edu=, or go to HYPERLINK www.azsoma.org or www.azacuboard.az.gov to find a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) near you.