More Americans Today Willing to Try Alternative Medical Treatments Like Ayurveda

Santa Clarita, CA, October 10, 2009 --(PR.com)-- There's a strong inclination today among many Americans to try alternative medicines, as Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with western medicine's inability to deal with many chronic disorders and illnesses. Americans are more than willing to explore and see if an alternative medicine like Ayurveda, a traditional form of East Indian medicine that originated thousands of years ago, that's gaining popularity in the U.S., could offer a better solution.

With over a fifth of American hospitals now offering some sort of alternative therapy along with conventional medicine, an astonishing one in three Americans have used — and are continuing to use some form of alternative or complementary medicines, most of them without informing their physicians.

As a complementary therapy Ayurveda's popularity in the U.S. is increasing. "There is a major push for study on Ayurveda in the United States,” says Dr. Daniel Furst, director of clinical research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, who led a study of rheumatoid arthritis to test combinations of allopathic and Ayurvedic treatments to determine efficacy. “It (Ayurveda) has been practiced for 3,000 years [in India]. No one will do it if it is garbage. It will gain credibility if adequately tested and will be used more.” Americans are spending billions on alternative medical treatments. And major hospitals and medical schools are embracing them.

Ayurveda addresses the well-being of the entire person. Herbs and minerals, nutrition and purification, affirmative ways of living are a few of the ways in which Ayurveda treats not just the ailment but the whole person, emphasizing prevention of disease to avoid the need for cure.