Alternativmedzin?

If you hang around Germans enough.....Alternativemedzin comes up.  What's it mean?

Well....basically alternate methods of medicine which this guy or gal have woken up to because they think they have X, but the doctor can't solve or fix their problem.....so they are seeking alternative methods of therapy.

The list?

Yoga.  If they think it's stress related.....some clown at the office or some health documentary off state-run TV will emphasize yoga.....which gets some folks pepped up and signed up with some village yoga-queen.

Tai-chi.  This will be another health documentary piece which gets seen and advocated by some people to relieve the stress.

Traditional Chinese herbs.  This will come out of mostly articles because the TV documentary people typically blast this as being a fake.  So, it gets mostly published in TV guides or women's magazines, with Doctor Chin from Hong Kong saying that it's a fine way to bring health back into your life.

Homeopathic treats.  Basically, the sugar balls of different colors which some people advocate and some treat as a joke.  Studies do nothing to end this discussion.

Reiki.  A Japanese event where some guy moves his hands around you and seems to consume your bad energy or give you good energy.  He never touches you.....but he does shuffle air around.  Hot rocks might be put onto your back (just so you are warned ahead of time and don't go nuts).

Light therapy.  One of the few alternative methods that might be leading to something.  It's mostly for folks who get negative in the winter with less sunshine.  So, you come in.....get 20 minutes of some sun-like light, and feel better for a day or two.

The Kur.  Some people will get the doctor's note that says they are hyped up and need a month off at some facility which treats bad nerves.  It used to be a deal where you went to a country-like setting.....drunk a lot of booze.....walked around the woods, and watched movies.  They've mostly gotten away from that.....bringing in mental folks to talk about negative feelings, over-work, stress, and making you eat right for a whole month.....without much access to booze.  If you compared it to thirty years ago.....it's like night and day.  Some Germans think they need a month of the Kur every five to seven years.  Some Germans have never been to the Kur in their life.

Why all of these alternative methods?  Well....some Germans have a mental issue and want a real solution rather than dealing with the mental condition.  So they buy into forty-odd alternative medical deals.  Most of these are NOT covered by their health insurance (the Kur is).

Is it a cultural thing?  Typically, Americans who've observed all of these.....don't give much credit to the methods.  Maybe it's because we've seen a lot of fake stuff in the US.....but it's our tendency.