health-conscious as we should be.

Similarly, most of us wait until we're sick before taking our health seriously -- then we tend to run to the doctor to get some pills to cure our illness without making any changes in our lifestyle.

However, more and more Bermuda residents are attempting to take responsibility for their health, and are looking for ways beyond traditional Western medicines to care for their bodies.

The interest in alternative therapy has even spawned a yearly Holistic Expo, which gives a number of practitioners the opportunity to demonstrate their healing practices.

A few of the practitioners who participated in this year's event spoke with The Royal Gazette about some of the so-called "New Age'' methods of healing that have their roots in rather ancient therapies.

Kuni Frith is the organiser of the Holistic Expo, a clinical hypnotherapist, and has received her certificate in auricular acupuncture (commonly known as ear acupuncture).

For those who might be skeptical about the effectiveness of acupuncture, Ms Frith said she's seen the benefits both locally and abroad.

Ms Frith performs auricular acupuncture on clients at Focus Counselling Services (operating under the umbrella of Council Partners Charitable Trust) on Union Street, which is a facility for alcohol and drug addicts.

She said acupuncture performed on certain parts of the ear can help curb the cravings experienced by substance abusers.

And Ms Frith said she saw more than 200 drug addicts per day pass through the Lincoln Detox Centre in the US for auricular acupuncture.

"They came specifically when they have the cravings because they know it will help curb it -- they would even come three or four times a day if they kept having the cravings. It was a real eye-opener for me,'' she noted.

Ms Frith said many residents are looking to alternative therapies such as reflexology, chakra balancing, aromatherapy and flower remedies to blend with their medical regime to bring about "long-term results to their health imbalances''.

"Bermudians have been very receptive to various workshops held on the Island in connection with alternative approaches to health care,'' said Ms Frith.

"People don't pay enough attention to diet, exercise and vitamins -- they're more concerned with the outward physical presentation of their bodies.

"We're living in very stressful times, and we're suffering from anxiety and pain of one kind or another -- but one should make a long-term investment in health in order to maintain a higher quality of life.

"There's several books on the market right now, and their message seems to be one that is creating an awareness of the connection between body, mind and spirit.

"Some doctors refer to alternative healing as a placebo, but I think it goes deeper than that. Herbal healing has been around for centuries, dating back to ancient China and Africa. Modern medicine is young -- it's still it's embryonic stages.

"But synthetic medicine is a money-maker. Herbal remedies cost cents per dosage, where modern prescriptions can cost $100 or more.'' Sarath Anandagoda is a consultant psychiatrist who often refers his patients to alternative practitioners who he feels can assist in healing the individual.

Dr. Anandagoda said some alternative treatments, such as reflexology and relaxation techniques, help give the patient a sense of balance and well-being which can help them handle problems more effectively.

"I've come to the realisation that the patient's needs come first, and we need to find out what's most effective,'' he said.

"What (Western doctors) have is quite effective, but there isn't much emphasis on wellness and maintaining well-being.

"We might refer them to a reflexologist who will work with me for the best treatment of the patient -- and we find what works for the person without confining ourselves just to Western practices,'' he added.

Marion Watlington is a doctor trained in internal medicine who told The Royal Gazette that it's important to strike a balance between alternative and traditional health care.

"I trained in the standard (method of health care), but I always had an interest in healing practices in different cultures around the world,'' said Dr. Watlington.

"But when I trained in the United States -- and especially at the time I trained -- they were not receptive to exploring other types of healing.

"They saw Western medicine as the only way to go, and saw other methods of healing as folklore or superstition, and dismissed it.

"But I admire the alternative medical practice because it goes back to a lot of basics -- how we handle stress, diet, and exercise that seem to have gotten lost in modern medical care.

"Many degenerative disease are related to lifestyle choices, and modern medicine doesn't address the underlying causes -- there's miraculous things like bypass surgery, but unless you change your lifestyle, those arteries will be clogged again in another few years.

"A lot of alternative treatments can blend nicely with modern medicines, and empirically seem to help people feel a lot better.

"Modern medicine has it's wonders and miracles and does a great job of helping the acutely ill person or major trauma patients, but a lot of more chronic conditions are sometimes better served by alternative medicine.

"It makes sense to use the best of both worlds to help our patients and ourselves,'' she added.

Marc Hopper is a doctor of chiropractic at the Bermuda Chiropractic Health Centre.

Dr. Hopper said the majority of his patients with back problems have tried pills and physiotherapy without getting the desired results.

He noted that on the whole, alternative medicine is gaining ground within the medical profession since more and more people are finding out that "Western medicine does not have all the answers''.

"It's ingrained in most people that if there's something wrong with you, go to the general practitioner -- and most people don't know about their other options,'' Dr. Hopper said.

"At least 80 percent of my patients have never been to a chiropractor before to treat their neck pain, back pain or muscle spasms.

"A chiropractor looks for displacements in the spine which puts pressure on the nervous system.

"After taking X-rays, checking the posture, palpitating the spine, we treat any problems we might find with an adjustment. I also include massage therapy in my care.

"As chiropractors, we believe that pharmaceutical treatment like pain killers and anti-inflammatories often cover up the symptoms instead of treating what's causing the problem.

"They often group us with alternative medicine, but chiropractic has its own art and philosophy to back it up... it's just a different way of healing someone.'' Tomorrow in part two: the art of herbal healing.

Photos by Arthur Bean Alternative treatment: Kuni Frith at FOCUS performs auricular acupuncture on an unidentified patient. Ear acupuncture (photo below) is used to help drug addicts detox by controlling their cravings. It's one of a variety of alternative health therapies being used by Island practitioners.