DG asks: “There are so many alternative medicine practices out there. Some of them sound very suspicious to me and refer to ‘life force energy’ and ‘spirit guides’ but some sound okay. I even know of a Catholic chiropractor who prays before treating people but he’s a Reiki Master! How does a Catholic know which ones are compatible with our faith and which ones are not?”
Tag Archives: Traditional Chinese Medicine
Why Acupuncture Remains Scientifically Unconvincing
JE writes: “I am seeking advice on acupuncture to help with back pain and depression. I have researched a little on valid health websites and have found some information that acupuncture might work. From a spiritual perspective is it as dangerous as practices reiki, or is there some gray area?”
What Does Your Tongue Say About Your Health?
JB: “Have you ever heard of a practice called Tongue Diagnosis? It’s a way of diagnosing problems with different organs in your body by looking at your tongue. Is this scientific and can Catholics use it?”
Hollywood Stars Lead the Cupping Craze
MD writes: “Is cupping OK for Christians to do? My doctor suggested it for bursitis.”
Acupressure
EB writes: “I have been seeing a certified acupressure therapist. Does this pertain to the New Age category like chiropractors?”
Bowen Therapy
NOTE: This blog was updated in December, 2019, to reflect updated research.
This is the first of a two-part question from AR: “I have been helping out an elderly women that mentioned that she has used, and would like to use again, something called Bowen Therapy. I looked it up and on one of the sites, I did see some link to meridian/accupuncture and it had a ying/yang symbol, but it really seems like simple stimulations and trying to move toxins out of the body…like what would happen if one simply had a massage. Anyway, do you have any info on this therapy and any concerns? Some of this new age stuff is obviously problematic, but I can’t help but think that some “alternative” medicine is much better than the ‘treat the symptom’ form of western medicine.”
Chi Kung (QiGong)
S asks: “Is Chi kung a New Age exercise regimen?”
