Originally published February 1 2006
Saskatchewan boasts a high number of residents who trust alternative medicine techniques
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Canadian Institute for Health Information has found that 16 percent of Saskatchewan residents have tried alternative medicine, a rate of utilization that only Alberta rivals.
"I think people are getting frustrated with what we call traditional medicine," Spokes said.
According to statistics compiled by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Saskatchewan, along with Alberta, has the highest utilization rate in the country of complementary and alternative medicine.
Peter Hall, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Saskatchewan and an expert in health psychology, said there's many reasons why Saskatchewan people turn to alternative medicine more than their Canadian counterparts.
For one, the generally accepted view of "medicine" is often limited to conventional western medicine, a view that excludes traditional aboriginal healing.
"Because we have a much larger proportional representative of aboriginal people in this province, it may appear as though we have more people using alternative approaches, but they may not be from other places," Hall said.
Turning to alternative medicine could also be an expression of frustration with how well conventional medicine relieves symptoms.
In an age when busy doctors don't always have the time for a long conversation with patients, some may turn to alternative medicine for more attention, Hall said.
"If there's one thing we've learned about healing over the years, it's that a lot of it is in the relationship between the provider and the patient," he said.
Saskatoon Reiki practitioner and reflexologist Mariette Rivard said she often sees patients who feel the medical system isn't meeting their needs or wants.
Reflexology is the practice of using pressure points on the feet to stimulate other parts of the body.
During Reiki, Rivard places her hands on her client's head and other body parts and holds it there, feeling warmth and energy tingling into her hand.
"When you do Reiki, you're not only treating the physical person, you're treating the mental, emotional and the spiritual," she said.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml