Ispectrum Magazine Ispectrum Magazine #12 | Page 38

Anthroposophic medicine is not an ‘alternative medicine’. It doesn’t seek to replace conventional medicine. On the contrary – it is an extension of it, dealing not only with the physical but also with the soul and spirit. Based on accepted medical science, it draws on everything useful that modern medicine has to offer: medical technology, laboratory tests, medication, operations, and intensive care. But that’s not the only benefit. In addition, it assesses the individual as a whole entity, examining the aspects that determine a person’s uniqueness according to anthroposophical norms. For instance, this may include physique and body language, physical flow, handshake, sleeping habits, sensitivity to changes in temperature, breathing, and biorhythms. Anthroposophic medicine therefore attempts to include the individuality of the patient, as well as the accepted features of an illness, in the treatment process. For just as each person is unique, so is each treatment. Anthroposophic medicine is not pre-determined. It avoids pure routine. Even if the same disease pictures constantly recur, each illness manifests itself differently in each patient – a manifestation inseparable from the uniqueness of t