Opinions may be heated about the efficacy of alternative medicine, but patients are using it and top American medical schools such as Georgetown, Duke, and the University of California are incorporating it into their programs. Recent CDC data estimates that 38% of Americans use some form of alternative medicine. These patients, collectively are spending $34B per year, mostly out of pocket, on alternative medicine treatments. This accounts for $1 in every $10 spent out of pocket for Americans. Pain is a common driver for patients seeking alternative medicine care. Alternative medicine tenents include: 1) caring for the person as a whole vs. symptom and disease management 2) empowering patients to creative lifestyle conditions for optimal health 3) use of the body’s innate healing ability and 4) prevention of disease as a safeguard to future medical expenses.
Therapies and treatments used in alternative health span medication to meditation and often include: nutrition, herbology, spinal manipulation, energy treatments, acupuncture, homeopathy, massage, relaxation and stress management and biofeedback. It is not all “touchy feely”. High tech is also included as this segment will explore breast thermography as an example. This segment will provide an overview of alternative medicine from the perspective of principles, evaluation process, treatments, costs, and success stories.
Dr. Billiot has been in private practice at Alternative Health Atlanta for many years. She completed her Doctor of Chiropractic program at Life University in 1993. She is certified in CRA and nutrition response testing. She has special interests in treating women, children and in the areas of homeopathy, herbology and clinical nutrition. Dr. Billiot has also created a unique, breakthrough program called EVETICS. She not only has one of the largest private alternative medicine practices in Atlanta, but she also trains other alternative practitioners across the nation.
