According to the World Health Organization’s analysis of the world’s health systems, the United States health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country (16 percent) or an equivalent of $7290 per person, yet ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance. The U.S. ranked among the bottom of industrialized countries on healthy life expectancy at age 60. This indicates that Americans spend more years lived in poor health resulting from chronic illness or disability.

According to the CDC, chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular, cancer and diabetes) are among the most prevalent, costly and preventable of all health problems. Seven of every ten Americans (or 1.7 million people) who die each year, die of a chronic disease. The prolonged illness and disability that arise with chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis results in pain and suffering and a decreased quality of life for more than one in ten Americans (25 million people).

It appears that Americans are turning to alternative forms of treatment because they are realizing that healthcare in the United States is reasonably effective at fighting disease but not preventing disease in the first place. Degenerative and chronic conditions are occurring at an alarming rate. In 2005, 133 million people or almost half of all Americans lived with at least one chronic condition. The costs associated with the medical care of people with chronic diseases accounts for more than 75 percent of the nation’s $2 trillion in medical care costs.

When it comes to healthcare, we are reactive instead of proactive. We want to know how to feel better once we have misused our bodies to the point of illness. Seventy percent of all doctor visits are lifestyle related. For example, obesity is becoming an epidemic in this country. More than 25 percent of Americans are now obese, compared with 18.3 percent in 1998, according to a study published in the journal Health Affairs. Obesity leads to many serious health conditions such as diabetes, joint and muscle pain and some forms of cancer. As a society, we are not educated in prevention, and it is taking its toll on our health.

There is some hope that Americans are becoming increasingly interested in preventing disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent out a survey to 23,000 adults nationwide in 2007. What they found was that Americans spend $34 billion annually on alternative medicine. Approximately one-third of adults use alternative medicine. That includes a wide range of services from meditation and yoga to dietary supplements. Alternative medicine now accounts for more than 11 percent of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare in the U.S. The report concludes that 38 million adults visited alternative medicine practitioners in 2007. People spent an estimated $27 billion in 1997.

Clearly, there is a market out there for alternative medicine. Not only in the United States, but all over the world, people turn to holistic medicine. The World Health Organization estimates that between 65 to 80 percent of the world’s population (approximately 3 billion people), rely on holistic medicine as their primary form of health care.

Naturopathic doctors are recognized as licensed health care providers in 15 states. Almost three-quarters of U.S. medical schools offer elective courses in natural and alternative medicine or include it in required courses. The Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges defines naturopathy as a do-no-harm holistic approach to medicine that
“combines many methodologies, such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic adjustment, homeopathy and herbal cures, along with sensible concepts such as good nutrition, exercise and relaxation techniques.”

As people become increasingly aware that their entire lifestyle affects their health, the industry for holistic practitioners is going to explode. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with natural health degrees can anticipate growing job prospects. They project that the employment rate in alternative medicine will grow around 42 percent between 2004 and 2014. According to Forbes Magazine, as massage therapy becomes accepted by more insurance companies, the massage therapy market is expected to see 20 percent growth through 2016, as cited by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There will be 24,000 health care professionals, including physicians, trained in oriental medicine by 2010 and the number of chiropractors will nearly double from 55,000 to 103,000.

Now is the time to enter a holistic career. Whatever the motivation, whether it be a desire to help people or a desire to enter a growing and exciting field, holistic practitioners are going to be poised to help the growing number of people who want to take better care of themselves and their health.

Sources: abcnews.go.com, http://www.cnn.com, http://www.bbc.co.uk, http://www.cdc.gov, http://www.msnbc.com, http://www.naturalhealers.com, http://www.who.int, http://www.foodconsumer.org, http://www.usnews.com, http://www.disabled-world.com

Holistic healthcare practices include

Acupuncture
Ayurvedic medicine
Bio-feedback
Chelation therapy
Chiropractic
Essential oils
Guided imagery
Herbology/herbal remedies
Homepathy
Hydrotherapy
Hypnosis/self-hypnosis
Iridology
Massage
Meditation/visualization
Mind/body/spirit healing
Movement and exercise therapy
Naturopathy
Nutrition
Osteopathy
Reiki/energy medicine
Relaxation response
Reflexology
Therapeutic touch
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

Source: http://www.disabled-world.com

Online Resources For Holistic Healthcare

Holistic Healthcare Provider Directory: www.holisticseek.com
American Holistic Health Association: www.ahha.org
Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges: www.aanmc.org
Holistic and Alternative Medicine Schools Directory: www.naturalhealers.com