Holistic Health

Nell Hutchins, whose knee pain prompted her to give up the game of tennis she still loved at age 72, chose three months of nutritional supplements, hydrotherapy and massage therapy over the shot of cortisone one doctor

recommended. "It takes time," she says. "But Kim is a teacher. She's opened my eyes about my own body." Hutchins is not only eating healthier; she's playing tennis again.

"You need to ask yourself what you're willing to do to feel better," says Hadaway. "I had a guy once who was here to quit smoking, and he asked, 'when are you going to do my ears?' "--he'd heard that was the "quit-smoking" spot--"So I asked him, 'do you want to quit?' And he said 'no.' So I told him, then it didn't matter if I did his ears. Getting

better is a process. As Diane Connelly of the [Traditional Acupuncture] Institute says, 'this ain't no one-walk dog.'"

Berlin points out that people sometimes reject pharmaceuticals and then go overboard with natural remedies. "Some people have an immense medication list, while others have Tupperware containers full of supplements and herbs. Neither is advisable. It's an affront to me when people spend thousands of dollars at the health food store rather than incorporating exercise and good nutrition into their daily lives."

And safety is a factor as well. "Supplements and herbs are medicines," Berlin says. "They shouldn't be taken as if they're over-the-counter remedies. They wouldn't take penicillin this way." Consulting your doctor, even about

remedies he or she didn't prescribe, is always the best strategy. Berlin routinely recommends integrative treatments, especially nutritional components, to his patients.

The new wave of the future

Berlin dreams of the day when we won't distinguish Western medicine from Eastern, when the ancient healing

traditions of Native American and Indian cultures won't be considered "alternative." "I'd like us to have a branch of medicine that's all-encompassing, that includes both East and West, with meditation, nutrition, exercise and natural supplements automatically included," he says.

And he just might get his wish. As he points out, doctors who refuse to consider methods beyond scientific proof are becoming more and more the minority and, he says, even those who are still skeptical aren't as violently opposed as they once were. "Even five years ago, the idea of taking a nutritional supplement was bunk," Berlin says. "Now this topic is addressed in the New England Journal of Medicine."

In fact, what was once "alternative" is going mainstream. Congress established the National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine in 1992 "to facilitate the fair scientific evaluation of alternative therapies." According to the NIH website, "the office seeks to reduce barriers that may keep promising alternative therapies from gaining

widespread use." In 1994, NIH received funding to investigate the effects of prayer on recovering cancer patients.

All of this validation means doctors have more resources to turn to when patients ask them about nontraditional treatments. So if you're curious, ask. "I'm not trying to knock the medical profession," says Nell Hutchins. "I just think we should have options, and we're fortunate to have them right here in Rehoboth."

Of course, at the beach, you have access to one of the most powerful natural remedies on earth, with no

appointment necessary and no charge. "The sound of the ocean is like breathing in yoga," Brian Mann points out. "It has healing properties."

Janice Mann thinks that's no coincidence. "People come to the ocean to heal, for respite. And healers go where they're needed."

[sidebar:] Professional or Pretender?

When it comes to health care practitioners, Dr. Steven Berlin says, "Lots of people who aren't qualified have sent for their 'certification' in a comic book. The amount of letters after someone's name isn't an indicator of their expertise." Be forewarned. Here are some tips for finding quality care:

> The Yoga Alliance has recently begun registering qualified instructors; look for the RYT designation. Ask your

instructor whether he or she has a 200-hour or 500-hour certification. Find out where the instructor was trained. Ask what style is taught and decide if it suits you. Take one class and see what you think: Does the instructor

communicate effectively? Do you feel results?

> In this area, massage therapy is as readily accessible as a slice of Grotto pizza. Take time to check credentials. Is the massage therapist licensed by the state of Delaware? Is he or she nationally certified (requiring 500 hours of course work)? Is the practitioner a member of the American Massage Therapy Association or the National Bodywork Professional Association? Once there, do you feel comfortable? Does the practitioner make eye contact? Does he or she answer your questions?

> Naturopathic physicians are currently licensed in just 11 states; Delaware isn't one of them. Look for a practitioner who is licensed in another state. Ask where they got their medical degree. Ask what continuing education they've

received (a requirement for licensing). Does the practitioner listen to you? Does he or she ask probing questions about your state of mind, as well as health? Is sufficient time devoted to discussing your condition?

> Although 29 schools of acupuncture in the United States are accredited or are candidates for accreditation by the National Accreditation Commission for Schools and Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, acupuncture is not yet licensed in Delaware. Look for a someone licensed in nearby Maryland or another licensing state. Ask what additional or special training the practitioner has completed.

> Make sure your alternative practitioner communicates with your primary care doctor about your treatment.

> Contact the Department of Integrative Health at Beebe Medical Center. The department examines the backgrounds and credentials of many local practitioner.

> To evaluate information you find online, check out the NIH's 10 Questions to Ask at http://nccam.nih.gov/fcp/factsheets/web-resources/web-resources.htm

> Visit www.quackwatch.com. The site is "your guide to health fraud, quackery, and intelligent decision making."