The Placebo Effect: Jamie Metrick

While I believe that Western medicine is an imperfect science that does not hold the answers to all of our health concerns, it is the best we can do. It is researched, tested, and if it shows results, released to the public. But there is a world of difference between what ails the body and what ails the mind. I think while alternative treatments do not necessarily work better or as well as tested drugs and treatments for disease, they give people the feeling that they are at least somewhat in control. If you've ever been seriously ill, you know how helpless and out of control of your own body you can feel. 

I think some alternative medicinal treatments in addition to standard Western practices can have  a positive affect on a person's state of mind. Making someone feel emotionally and mentally positive can relax the body, and a relaxed body can heal faster. If drinking a certain blend of herbal tea can boost your immune system while you are being treated with chemo therapy – which in itself is effectively destroying the immune system - could it hurt? Maybe it does something, maybe it doesn't; but if you think it helps, who's to say it doesn't. Peace of mind can be a great pain reliever. The brain is a strong and powerful organ.

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