Environmental medicine
Introduction
All systems of medicine use diet in one form or another. Conventional physicians are concerned about both over and under weight, as well as the quality and type of food that forms part of our modern diet. There are, however, a number of dietary approaches that are very much part of a complementary medical approach. These include:
Using diets
Diets as part of treatment
A traditional Chinese doctor may not only recommend acupuncture and a
variety of herbs, but also a specific dietary regime tailored to the
individual's constitution. A variety of CAM disciplines including naturopathy
use fasts as mechanisms for clearing out "toxins" prior to
beginning a more specific treatment regime.
Disease specific diets
Particular diets to treat arthritis, for instance involving the avoidance
of "acid" foods such as tomatoes and citrus, or the introduction
of specific foodstuffs such as cider vinegar to treat arthritis, are
not uncommon. Catarrhal or chesty individuals are often given milk
exclusion diets to decrease mucus secretion.
Food avoidance diets
These diets are suggested on an individual basis to people to treat a
specific illness. Childhood eczema or irritable bowel may be managed
by an individually tailored diet.
Specific food avoidance regimes are a controversial area and one in which
there may be conflict between conventionally trained allergists and CAM
practitioners.
