Conscious Choice Seattle: The Rise and Rise of Alternative Medicine

July 2004 | Evergreen News

The Rise and Rise of Alternative Medicine

Let’s make it official. What was once alternative medicine, then came to be called complementary medicine and now is labeled integrative medicine by the savvy folks at Bastyr University and other places of higher medical learning, is now most plainly mainstream medicine.

A new nationwide government survey indicates 36 percent of U.S. adults 18 years and over use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Federal officials define CAM as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. When prayer used for health reasons is included in the CAM mix, the number of U.S. adults using some form of CAM in the past year rises to 62 percent.

“The data not only assists us in understanding who is using CAM, what is being used, and why, but also in studying relationships between CAM use and other health characteristics, such as chronic health conditions, insurance coverage and health behaviors,” said Dr. Stephen E. Straus, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

In other words, acupuncture, herbal remedies, massage therapy and other popular healing methods are becoming part of the American health-care landscape. Fewer of us have to convince doctors that alternative treatments make sense, and let’s hope that acceptance begins to knock down the Great Wall of Health Insurance Coverage over the next few years.

The survey, administered to over 31,000 representative U.S. adults, was conducted as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Developed by NCCAM and the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the survey included questions on 27 types of CAM therapies commonly used in the United States. These included 10 types of provider-based therapies, such as acupuncture and chiropractic, and 17 other therapies that do not require a provider, such as natural products (herbs or botanical products), special diets, and megavitamin therapy.

Although there have been many surveys of CAM use to date, the various surveys included fewer choices of CAM therapies. Other intriguing results: A relatively high number of people say they are using some sort of CAM because they are dissatisfied with conventional medicine (this is different from previous surveys).

Plus, the survey indicated a relatively small number who use licensed providers. This means we have some standard raising to do as patients and medical consumers. People who self-diagnose and treat run a higher risk of getting unsatisfactory or even unsafe results.

— Bob Condor

Public Domain: Our access to places and spaces

By now you’ve probably seen, or at least heard about, the shiny steel and glass spiraling monolith looming over the block from Fourth and Madison to Fifth and Spring. The Seattle Central Library looks cool; that much is apparent.

The inside is even cooler: 10 levels of ultramodern chic, from the neon yellow escalator and brightly colored foam rubber chairs and couches to the large square stainless steel planter in the floor of the so-called Living Room. The Starbucks Teen Center, FareStart Library Cafe and FriendShop (gift shop) are perks. But it begs the question, is the new library actually a good place to find reading material?

Emma Lee Bilek, 17, and two of her classmates from Seattle Central Community College, were struggling to find books for a school project during my recent visit.

“It’s really hard to find books because there are so many levels,” Bilek said.

Many patrons seemed more interested in admiring the architecture of the building than studying or looking for reading material. A number of these people had their necks craned back, mouths agape, as they snapped photos. But among the visitors searching for reading in the nonfiction books spiral that winds from the sixth to the ninth floor, cries for directional help were prevalent. Fortunately, numerous employees with well-honed guide skills were on call.

The Rev. Glen Mae Cole, 33, minister at Universal Life Church, described the library as a “parable dimension maze,” and said it is easy to get lost in the new building. But she was quick to praise the large amount of books available. More than 80 percent of the library’s collection lines the shelves — an extraordinary number, especially for a major municipal library.

“There are a lot of books on every level of information you could ever possibly think to look into,” Cole said.

There are other devices to help patrons find what they’re looking for. Dewey Decimal numbers indicating the content of each shelf are printed on the rubber floor mats of the books spiral. A diagram showing the location of each book is also available in the library catalog.

Beth de la Fuente, manager of the fiction department, said that people will soon be able to find their way around the new building trouble-free.

“Yes, there is some difficulty for some people finding their way around, but if they’re patient and persistent, it’s not hard,” she said.

— Emily Garland

A Wise (Guy) Attack on Veal

Four Wise Guys sit around a table at a restaurant. One orders veal scaloppini. The others react in shocking disbelief and launch into a lament about how veal is produced: Calves are crammed into crates, chained by their necks, fed poorly and pumped with drugs, all to “have that soft pale slab of breaded meat on [his] plate.”

“Veal Fughedaboutit” is the latest film by Free Range Graphics that strives to create messages that go “beyond turning the world into a strip mall.” The Washington, D.C.- based production company works with groups such as the Sierra Club, Students for a Free Tibet, the Discovery Channel, Friends of the Earth, Planned Parenthood and Greenpeace.

It teamed up with Farm Sanctuary to create the two-minute animated Flash film for the animal welfare activist group’s No Veal Campaign.

The most challenging and rewarding part of this and other campaigns is spreading the word about worthwhile causes, vs. taking on commercial accounts, says Free Range Graphics co-founder Jonah Sachs: “In a world where idealism is squashed, here it’s our greatest asset.” To view “Veal Fughedaboutit,” go to www.factoryfarming.com. Check out Free Range Graphics’ many other Flash films at www.freerangegraphics.com.

— Elena Velkov

Victory for Greenpeace

A triumph for Greenpeace in the 11th District Court signals a critical victory for activists and free speech proponents nationwide.

The environmental watchdog group faced serious federal charges, including conspiracy, over a 2002 incident in which two of its members boarded a ship in the port of Miami that allegedly carried illegal mahogany from the Amazon, according to Greenpeace lawyers. (Evergreen Monthly published a story about the incident, “Pirates vs. Patriots,” in our April issue.) The activists, who planned to raise a banner that read, “President Bush, Stop Illegal Logging,” expected arrests and fines — and got them.

But what no one expected was for the U.S. Attorney General’s Office to fire back with a lawsuit that, if held up in court, could have cost Greenpeace its tax-exempt status and exposed the organization to further federal investigations.

The lawsuit hinged on a law last used 113 years ago prohibiting “sailor mongering.” The law was intended to keep ne’er-do-wells from boarding ships with alcohol and prostitutes in an effort to get the land-starved sailors to squander their wages. The extraordinary effort by the Attorney General’s office to levy this law against Greenpeace was one of many alarming aspects of the case. Critics saw it as an aggressive political act by the Bush administration to punish and silence dissent.

On May 20, a federal judge agreed and dismissed the charges against Greenpeace.

“This is a great day for our Constitution,” says Ralph G. Neas, president of the People for the American Way Foundation. “By throwing out a case intended to intimidate dissenters and attack those who disagree with the government’s viewpoint, the rights of all Americans to speak freely have been reaffirmed.”

— Mandy Burrell

Monsanto Bags Modified Wheat

Since 1997, Monsanto Co., the largest seller of genetically modified (GM) seeds in the United States, has poured time and money into field-testing a specially developed crop, Roundup Ready Wheat. The patented wheat allows crops to withstand the herbicide Roundup, even as the weeds die from the harsh chemicals.

However, in early May, Monsanto announced that it will no longer try to market the GM wheat. This was a small victory for those who worried that resistant wheat would lead to increased use of herbicides — a particular concern because wheat is produced primarily for human consumption.

Many farmers are relieved, as they worried that European countries would not buy the wheat. Nearly half of American wheat is exported, and European markets have denied the import and cultivation of Monsanto’s GM wheat for the last six years.

“Virtually every major wheat user in the world had already rejected this product before it even was allowed on the market,” says Juan Lopez of Friends of the Earth International. “This must be one of the most rejected products ever developed.”

In North Dakota, nervous farmers called for federal regulations and moratoriums on the crops (”The Next Frankenfood,” Evergreen News, May). The North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting the planting of GM wheat in the state, but the measure couldn’t garner enough votes in the state Senate to become law.

Several attempts to contact Monsanto were unsuccessful. But the company seems to have gotten the point. In a public statement, Monsanto said it now plans to direct its energies toward crops that have already been successfully modified: soybeans, corn, cotton and oilseeds. For more information about genetically modified foods, check out www.organicconsumers.org.

— E.V.

Next Up: “Frankengrass”?

At the same time Monsanto dropped genetically modified wheat, the company is field- testing another product it hopes the U.S. Department of Agriculture will approve. Monsanto and lawn care company Scotts are pairing up to bring Roundup Ready Creeping Bentgrass to some of the United States’ 17,000 golf courses. Like the specialized wheat, the Scotts grass can withstand Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup and live even when doused with the weed killer.

Golf club owners see this as a convenience, saving them time and money on grass maintenance. However, environmentalists take issue with Roundup Ready grass because of its ability to hybridize with more than 12 other kinds of wild grass. Many fear that if it reaches neighboring lawns, the Creeping Bentgrass would develop resistant weeds and overtake native species.

For the companies to market it, the USDA must first approve GM grass. Ronnie Cummins, National Director of the Organic Consumers Association, calls this project an “idiotic scheme.” He doubts the USDA will approve it before the elections.

“They’ll have one heck of a battle on their hands,” he says.

— E.V.

These Boots Are Made for Vegans

Even dyed-in-the-cotton vegans will tell you that stylish, durable, leather-free shoes are about as tough to come by as cheap gas these days.

It’s a dilemma that the Earth Shoes company hopes to solve with its new vegan collection of shoes and boots that look like leather but are certified cruelty-free by the Vegan Society.

Customer demand spurred the vegan line, and response has so far exceeded expectations, according to Earth Shoes. Like the company’s leather line, the vegan shoes come in a range of styles and colors and feature the yoga-inspired “Negative Heel Technology,” a design that positions the heel below the toes to encourage natural body alignment. Check out Earth Shoes’ vegan-friendly shoes at www.earthfootwear.com.

— M.B.

Grist for Polluters Label

If haven’t heard of the term “pollutocrat,” you are not alone. And that’s just why the Seattle-based Grist online magazine has launched a contest running through July 22. The term was selected during an April 2003 contest. Now Grist wants you — and other readers — to infiltrate the local and national media by seamlessly incorporating the term into the narrative of letters to the editor about environmental topics. The letter writer with the most published letters wins the contest and the appreciation of planet lovers everywhere. For the record, Evergreen Monthly stands ready and willing to receive some of those letters. But be sure to spread the word — in this case, “pollutocrat” — around. For complete contest rules, visit www.gristmagazine.com.

— M.B.

WHO SEZ

DR. BERNIE S. SIEGEL, physician and philosopher:

“Why is nothing so valuable? Because people who have everything desire nothing. Nothing makes everyone happy. Nothing solves all your problems, and nothing meets everyone’s needs.

“You can learn a lot about life when someone gives you nothing to think about. Think about the earth you are standing on and all that walks and crawls and grows upon it. Think about the origin of life. Where did the planet and the life on it come from? What preceded us and created us? The only answer scientists give us is ‘nothing.’”

SAM KEEN, bestselling author and Psychology Today interviewer who introduced the nation to Joseph Campbell:

“I find the public revelation of intimate sexual and spiritual experiences increasingly distasteful. I suspect that true saints and great lovers don’t advertise their prowess, parade their tenderness or exhibit their compassion to be seen by all.

“There is something I admire about the nearly obsolete virtues of shyness and modesty. Strong and silent go together more often than not. It is not seemly to speak too much about sacred things in public. Words of endearment, like prayer, are best spoken in a whisper.”

Recommend this page to a friend

Top Ten pages recommended to friends: