Prevention trumps recession?

By Colleen DuVall
_
The holistic health industry is one of those that boomed in the early ‘90s. Everyone seemed to be turning to the friendly neighborhood naturalist for advice. People began to question the over-prescribed pills suggested by their physicians, and seek out alternative methods of medicine and care on their own.

Now, with the future of health insurance coverage a huge looming question mark on the horizon and the recession still at large, what exactly is happening in the holistic health industry?

Trends would seem to indicate that people are turning to vitamin supplements more than ever. From Alice Landry’s article for the Holistic Wellness Examiner, New Orleans, April 27, 2009: “Practitioners in the holistic health field believe their time is here and now. Former Olympic coach, Mary Joe Ruggieri founded and now directs the Columbus Polarity Center and the Ohio Institute of Energetic Studies and Bodywork. She believes holistic health to be an expanding, recession-proof industry and feels that by teaching patients about mind, body, and spirit wellness, holistic practitioners can help empower them to be advocates for their own well-being.”

Still, when people are watching their pennies, are they choosing to forgo these holistic treatments, seeing them as extras or luxuries that they simply cannot afford today? We checked in with some local groups and practitioners to see what they have noticed.

At Jensen Health & Energy Center in Elm Grove, two practitioners had some thoughts on current trends. Helen Miller, owner and acupuncturist, says: “Certainly many more clinics are offering several modalities now. Dr. Jensen was one of the first chiropractors in the Milwaukee area, 20 years ago, to offer massage and acupuncture, along with kinesiology and a focus on the importance of nutritional counseling. Now, chiropractors need to have a certification in nutrition, and it is becoming much more common to offer a team approach to holistic care. We recognize that it is often crucial to incorporate structural work with nutrition and acupuncture. Recovery is quicker and more complete.”

Miller continues: “Another newer development is ‘body/mind coaching,’ which includes mental and emotional aspects along with physical work to achieve improvement from the inside out. It’s an incredible method to discover blockages to health and take action to change them.”

In Miller’s experience, the recession has not dampened enthusiasm for holistic treatments: “Many people are concerned about their health and willing to keep health care on their priority list. They understand just how valuable it is to feel energetic and comfortable in their bodies.”

Also at Jensen Health and Energy, chiropractor Katharine Gandy specializes in “applied kinesiology.” Using this tool to evaluate the functional capacity of the nervous system, Gandy tries to detect physical, chemical, and emotional stress patterns in the body.

“People do not seem to be more interested in any one specific treatment, just any that will work for them,” says Gandy. “They are more willing these days to look for other options outside of the mainstream allopathic model. Maybe with health care reform talk has come an awareness that we as individuals have to take responsibility for our own health to ensure good affordable care down the road — and a prevention wellness model is key.”

According to Gandy, detoxification/purification programs are in big demand, and she cautions that they should be done under guidance of a healthcare professional and with the highest quality products.

“I think there is a greater awareness about all toxins that we encounter,” Gandy says, “I continue to receive many questions about the food we eat, things we breathe, dental amalgams, vaccines, etc. We do allergy/intolerance testing and receive many referrals for work with food and chemical sensitivities. Neuro-emotional technique is also a great tool for understanding patterns and finding connections between our body and our emotions.”

There is still, I believe, a lot of fear of the unknown and we still have a huge amount of education to do in the area of acupuncture — many people are amazed at how little it hurts — and Chinese herbs. But as it becomes more mainstream (it’s been on ‘Oprah,’ ‘Dr. Oz’ and several other shows like ‘Private Practice’), people will become more comfortable with the idea of getting acupuncture.”