MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information

"For Informational Use Only"
For more detailed information contact your health care provider
about options that may be available for your specific situation.

MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information
How To Choose A Therapy

You are likely to respond better to a therapy if its principles fit with your ideas on well-being and if you are comfortable with its approach. This questionaire helps assess your ideas and attitudes about health. There are no right or wrong answers, but these questions should give you an idea of the approaches that might suit you best. Use the well-being questionaire to help explore the various factors in your life that can influence your health, then fill in this questionaire to help guide you toward those therapies that most suit your personality and philosophy.
QUESTIONAIRE
Circle the boxes according to whether you agree with the statements, then see whether most of your circles fall in the A, B, or C columns. Assess the results with the conclusions and flow chart below. Use this in conjuction with the therapies page and the guidelines on finding a practitioner.

1. If you had to choose seven of the following, which would you consider most essential to your health?

Well balanced diet and healthy eating habits. A. Yes B. No
Plenty of exercise and fresh air. A. Yes B. No
The ability to deal with stress. A. No B. Yes
Relaxation techniques and time for myself. A. No B. Yes
Material security. A. Yes B. No
Spiritual Development. A. No B. Yes
Family and friends. A. No B. Yes
The flow of healing energy through me. A. No B. Yes
Elimination of toxins and waste products. A. Yes B. No
A body structure that functions precisely and efficiently. A. Yes B. No

CONCLUSION

Mostly A's: Your beliefs about health tend to be physically oriented, and the condition of your body and your environment are very important to you.

Mostly B's: You are psychologically oriented, so intangible factors, such as emotions, spiritual harmony, or a "vital force," play a fundamental role in your concept of health.

2. How responsible are you for your health?

If I become ill, I have the power to make myself well again. A. Yes B. No
Often I feel that no matter what I do, If I am going to get sick, I will get sick. A. No B. Yes
If I see an excellent practitioner regularly, I am less likely to have health problems. A. Yes B. No
It seems that my health is greatly influenced by accidental happening or events. A. No B. Yes
I am directly responsible for my own health. A. Yes B. No
I can only maintain health by consulting a health professional. A. No B. Yes
My physical well-being depends on how well I take care of myself. A. Yes B. No
Other people play a big part in whether I stay healthy or become sick. A. No B. Yes
When I feel ill, I know it is because I have not been taking care of myself. A. Yes B. No
I can pretty much stay healthy by taking good care of myself. A. Yes B. No
Even when I take care of myself, it's easy to get sick. A. No B. Yes
When I'm sick, I have to let nature and time heal my body. A. No B. Yes

CONCLUSION

Mostly A's: Well-being is something you personally encourage in yourself, and you like to be actively involved in any treatment.

Mostly B's: Good health is largely a matter of luck and you are content to put yourself in the hands of practitioners and let them take control.

3. How do your personal likes and dislikes affect the type of therapy you choose? (For "no," circle both boxes.)

I am happy to be touched or massaged. A. Yes B. No C. No
I don't mind swallowing pills and can usually remember to take medicine regularly. A. No B. Yes C. No
I am comfortable exploring my feelings with another person. A. No B. No C. Yes
I like the idea that I can use my mind to influence my health. A. No B. No C. Yes
I would be prepared to change my diet radically if required. A. No B. Yes C. No
I can tolerate the idea of having needles stuck in me. A. Yes B. No C. No
Taking remedies helps me feel I'm getting better. A. No B. Yes C. No
I am comfortable talking things through in a group or sharing experiences. A. No B. No C. Yes
I don't mind getting undressed in front of a practitioner. A. Yes B. No C. No
I want to be able to talk freely and privately about the things that bother me. A. No B. No C. Yes
I am comfortable with a practitioner manipulating my body. A. Yes B. No C. No
I like to feel that my body is clean inside and functioning well. A. No B. Yes C. No

CONCLUSION

Mostly A's: You are likely to be at ease with touch & movement therapies that involve physical manipulation.

Mostly B's: You might consider medicinal therapies using diet, medicines, or remedies.

Mostly C's: You may find that mind & emotion therapies help, since you are open to exploring emotional factors.

ANALYZING YOUR RESULTS
Use the results of the three sections above to determine which approach is most likely to suit you. You may find that more than one approach appeals.

Mostly B's: You are most likely to prefer a spiritually oriented therapy.
SECTION 1
Mostly A's: You are more likely to prefer a body-oriented therapy.

Mostly B's: You are most likely to prefer a practitioner led therapy.
SECTION 2
Mostly A's: You are more likely to prefer a client or (patient) led therapy.

Mostly B's: You are most likely to prefer a practitioner led therapy.
SECTION 2
Mostly A's: You are more likely to prefer a client or (patient) led therapy.

SECTION 3

Mostly C's: You may prefer a mind & emotion therapy with strong practitioner support, for example, psycho-therapy & counseling, sound therapy, music therapy, color therapy.

Mostly B's: You might consider a medicinal therapy with firm practitioner guidance, for example, anthroposophical medicine, homeopathy, Chinese herbalism.

Mostly A's: You may prefer a touch & movement therapy with strong practitioner involvement, for example, reflexology, Rolfing, bioenergetics, acupuncture.

OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS

It should be expected that you will be able to make informed choices about therapies, but the amount of objective information available is still small. Be an informed "consumer," aware that stories in the media can make vague statements about unspecified conditions, and that claims for fantastic results and superhuman well-being may not be founded on accurate studies. Nor is it true that all complementary therapies are safe and harmless.
The instincts you have about a therapy or a practitioner are important, as belief and trust play a significant role in healing. Make sure that your practitioner is reputable and well trained, using the guidelines on finding a practitioner.
Also consider the following points:

Is scientific evidence of a therapy's efficacy important to you?

Are you influenced by the personal recommendations of a friend?

Is your health care provider's opinion of a therapy's efficacy important?

Is a particular therapy suitable for any specific health problems you have?

MoonDragon's Holistic Health Links - Page 1

MoonDragon's Holistic Health Links - Page 2

MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information Index
MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information Overview

MoonDragon's Main Index
MoonDragon Birthing Services - Holistic Homebirth Midwifery
MoonDragon's Health Index Page
MoonDragon's ObGyn Information & Discussion Index by Subject Order
MoonDragon's ObGyn Information & Discussion Index by Alphabetical Order

Web design by Leather Dupris
MoonDragon Birthing Services & Dragon's Lair Pagan Parlor
Salem, Massachusetts
leather@moondragon.org

1. If you had to choose seven of the following, which would you consider most essential to your health?
Well balanced diet and healthy eating habits.	A. Yes	B. No
Plenty of exercise and fresh air.	A. Yes	B. No
The ability to deal with stress.	A. No	B. Yes
Relaxation techniques and time for myself.	A. No	B. Yes
Material security.	A. Yes	B. No
Spiritual Development.	A. No	B. Yes
Family and friends.	A. No	B. Yes
The flow of healing energy through me.	A. No	B. Yes
Elimination of toxins and waste products.	A. Yes	B. No
A body structure that functions precisely and efficiently.	A. Yes	B. No

CONCLUSION
Mostly A's: Your beliefs about health tend to be physically oriented, and the condition of your body and your environment are very important to you.	Mostly B's: You are psychologically oriented, so intangible factors, such as emotions, spiritual harmony, or a "vital force," play a fundamental role in your concept of health.

2. How responsible are you for your health?
If I become ill, I have the power to make myself well again.	A. Yes	B. No
Often I feel that no matter what I do, If I am going to get sick, I will get sick.	A. No	B. Yes
If I see an excellent practitioner regularly, I am less likely to have health problems.	A. Yes	B. No
It seems that my health is greatly influenced by accidental happening or events.	A. No	B. Yes
I am directly responsible for my own health.	A. Yes	B. No
I can only maintain health by consulting a health professional.	A. No	B. Yes
My physical well-being depends on how well I take care of myself.	A. Yes	B. No
Other people play a big part in whether I stay healthy or become sick.	A. No	B. Yes
When I feel ill, I know it is because I have not been taking care of myself.	A. Yes	B. No
I can pretty much stay healthy by taking good care of myself.	A. Yes	B. No
Even when I take care of myself, it's easy to get sick.	A. No	B. Yes
When I'm sick, I have to let nature and time heal my body.	A. No	B. Yes

CONCLUSION
Mostly A's: Well-being is something you personally encourage in yourself, and you like to be actively involved in any treatment.	Mostly B's: Good health is largely a matter of luck and you are content to put yourself in the hands of practitioners and let them take control.

3. How do your personal likes and dislikes affect the type of therapy you choose? (For "no," circle both boxes.)
I am happy to be touched or massaged.	A. Yes	B. No	C. No
I don't mind swallowing pills and can usually remember to take medicine regularly.	A. No	B. Yes	C. No
I am comfortable exploring my feelings with another person.	A. No	B. No	C. Yes
I like the idea that I can use my mind to influence my health.	A. No	B. No	C. Yes
I would be prepared to change my diet radically if required.	A. No	B. Yes	C. No
I can tolerate the idea of having needles stuck in me.	A. Yes	B. No	C. No
Taking remedies helps me feel I'm getting better.	A. No	B. Yes	C. No
I am comfortable talking things through in a group or sharing experiences.	A. No	B. No	C. Yes
I don't mind getting undressed in front of a practitioner.	A. Yes	B. No	C. No
I want to be able to talk freely and privately about the things that bother me.	A. No	B. No	C. Yes
I am comfortable with a practitioner manipulating my body.	A. Yes	B. No	C. No
I like to feel that my body is clean inside and functioning well.	A. No	B. Yes	C. No

	SECTION 3
Mostly C's: You may prefer a mind & emotion therapy with strong practitioner support, for example, psycho-therapy & counseling, sound therapy, music therapy, color therapy.	Mostly B's: You might consider a medicinal therapy with firm practitioner guidance, for example, anthroposophical medicine, homeopathy, Chinese herbalism.	Mostly A's: You may prefer a touch & movement therapy with strong practitioner involvement, for example, reflexology, Rolfing, bioenergetics, acupuncture.