T&CM uses natural remedies that may have fewer side effects than modern medicine and takes a holistic approach by treating both the mind and body. Many traditional practices have been trusted for centuries and are deeply rooted in different cultures. This makes T&CM a more personal and balanced way to heal.

Cons of T&CM

Some T&CM treatments don’t have enough scientific proof to show they work, which can be risky. Herbal remedies might also interact badly with modern medicine, causing unexpected side effects. Plus, since there’s little regulation, the quality of treatments can vary.

T&CM Used by my Family

Whenever someone in the family has a sore throat or lasting cough, my mom/mom's mom makes a honey lemon tea that is supposed to calm your cough down and soothe your throat.

A T&CM medicine that my family practices is consuming honey with salt whenever you have coughs or a sore throat. Studies show that honey treats sickness symptoms.

Traditional and contemporary medicines are sometimes preferred over pharmaceuticals as users may have more access or be able to better afford traditional medicines that are cheaper. Rural areas may simply grow their own herbs for medicine as they don't have access to costly and limited pharmaceuticals nearby. Furthermore, users may also simply prefer T&CM because they have more trust in the medicines and feel more culturally connected. Previous generations may have relied on traditional medicines and passed it on to their children, and families may prefer to use their passed down medicines rather than modern and seemingly risky pharmaceuticals

Cons of T&CM

Some cons of T&CM may be that there is no scientific evidence or not enough research done to prove that the effects generated by the medicines are actually related and accurate in reducing effects. There is also much less regulation on traditional medicine and we are often unsure of whether side effects could result, especially when taken at the same time as prescribed medication or certain foods/liquids.

In chinese culture, our family often uses ginseng to be eaten that is believed to improve the health of our immune systems, and help in various issues such as diabetes, stomach issues, and fatigue.

-There is a decrease in cost (better option financially)

-Fewer hospital stays (saves time)

-Fewer prescription medicines

Cons/Risks of T&CM

-You can be exposed to misleading or unreliable info

-There will be side effects (allergic reactions, etc.)

-Misdiagnosis/delayed diagnosis

-Poor quality equipment/materials

T&CM Used In My Family

My mom has acupuncture sessions from time to time to help with her knee pain. My family also uses cupping therapy to relieve back and neck pain. I am usually the person that does this for my mom. It looks scary but it is quite satisfying. The main T&CM method my family uses is coining. It is when you use a coin to rub ointment into the skin. It helps a lot to relieve back pain and helps you get better when you're sick. You know it is working when your back has red streaks from the coin.

People sometimes choose Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) because of factors like its percieved naturalness, affordability, accessibility, cultural relevence, focus on more holustic health, as well as its potential for managing chronic conditoins. It may also be perferred especially in areas where conventional healthcare is limited.

Used by my family:

Whenever our stomach hurts, nose is blocked, or any kind of sickness, my mom will make us use this eucalyptus oil that helps with aiding those problems

A traditional practice in my family is to use mustard oil to help with any pains in the body.

• Many people opt for T&CM over pharmaceuticals for several reasons, with accessibility being a key factor. T&CM is often available locally, making it both more accessible and affordable. Additionally, it is widely accepted and trusted across various cultures. It is also seen as an effective approach to managing chronic non-communicable diseases.

Benefits of T&CM

• The results indicated that the manual therapy group showed faster improvement compared to the physiotherapy and general practitioner care groups. Additionally, the total costs for manual therapy were approximately one-third of the costs for physiotherapy and general practitioner care.

T&CM used in my family

• One of the thing that my family did was drinking a lot of tea specifically ones with honey or citrus fruits to help with coughs and sore throats.

Areas such as large parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America utilize traditional medicine as well as areas that may struggle with low income. T&CM includes the use of herbal medicines, traditional practitioners, and traditional treatments. In these areas, T&CM may be the only source of health care.

Why are they used over pharmaceuticals?

These practices may be used over pharmaceuticals as some cultures have these holistic approaches embedded in their practices. In addition, these areas listed above may prefer the holistic approach. Although, there are minimal tests held on plant based and holistic approaches, it is perceived to have less side effects and present a safer approach than chemical based medicine.

T&CM Used by my Family

My family typically brews a tea and mixes in honey and ginger in order to calm a sore throat and sickness. Our mom believes that it soothes the throat as well as being cost efficient rather than using an over the counter medicine.

Cons of T&CM - Some risks that can be found in T&CM are misleading information and diagnoses. Side effects can occur, and poor results and quality products are prone.

T&CM in my family - Whenever I am sick or have a sore throat, my mom puts salt in hot water and has me gurgle and spit it out in the sink.

T&CM can help with a variety of conditions such as pain, mental health disorders, and pain inflammation. It uses natural remedies in the practice, which also has a fewer chance of side effects then the normal medicine. It can also help with improved sleep, improved recovery, and improved mental health.

2. Cons of T&CM

Some cons of T&CM include safety concerns, limited scientific evidence, or lack of standardization. The herbal products in T&CM may contain undeclared plants or animal materials, which may be considered not safe.

3. T&CM Used by my Family

One thing that my family does is consuming honey with lemon to soothe a sore throat.

• T&CM helps with cost saving with lower health care costs and mortality rates. It also helps with treating the mind and body.

Cons of T&CM:

• Some products may be counterfeited and the practitioners may be unqualified. There could also be an exposure to unreliable information possibly leading to a misdiagnosis or delayed-diagnosis.

T&CM in my family:

• My mom makes jasmine tea with honey and kumquat jam, that she makes to soothe the throat when it feels dry.

Benefits of T&CM: Some benefits associated with T&CM are they are affordable in continents where other healthcare services are limited. They are also common in developed countries. They also can have a greater impact.

T&CM: Whenever my throat hurts, my mom makes me tea with lemon, honey, and a homemade tea that has peppermint.

Prompt 2: Areas or cultures that utilize T&CM more are mainly places out of the United States, such as Asia. In my own family, we sometimes use traditional Chinese medicine, as well as a multitude of medicated balms. Whenever I am sick, my parents boil a pot of water with all sorts of herbs that work to clear the sinuses. They then open the pot under a blanket, and I have to get under the blanket and breathe in the steam for a long period of time (it hurts). Whenever my stomach hurts, we have Eagle Medicated Oil and Tiger Balm to help relieve the pain. These topicals feel similar to IcyHot, making the area kind of numb and cool. Lastly, whenever I have a sore throat or cough, my mom makes tea with ginger and sometimes honey to help soothe my throat.

T&CM is seen as a more natural approach with natural remedies and less side effects. They often treat both the mind and the body rather than just treating the symptoms. Many cultural communities have used T&CM for generations and are deep rooted in tradition and culture. T&CM is also much more accessible affordable compared to conventional medicine.

Cons of T&CM

While T&CM is used in cultures and traditions, it lacks scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness. Natural is perceived as good by society, however, herbal treatments are not well-regulated and may lead to health safety risk.

T&CM in My Family

In my family, whenever we are sick, we create a herbal sauna. We take a huge bowl of steaming water with herbs like ginger, lemongrass inside and place our face above the steam with a towel cover our head and the bowl. According to my mom, it's supposed to help with sore throats and stuffy noses.

One of the reasons that T&CM are used over pharmaceuticals is the affordability and accessibility of the remedy. Since traditional uses of remedies are often made with house hold products, families have access to these material on a daily bases. With official medications, families would need to have access to pharmacies in the area to obtain the medication whereas T&CM ingredients are readily available in the store down the road.

2. Areas that use T&CM

Countries in Asia often steer towards T&CM because historical beliefs and practices. As the practice dates back to before pharmaceuticals, families utilize T&CM as they already have "proof" of its healing abilities. Also, practices can be handed down from generation to generation. This becomes a secondhand nature for the generations to pick out T&CM before resorting to pharmaceuticals.

3. T&CM in family

In my family, we use a green oil made of eucalyptus leaves. Because of the strong scent, it is often used to clear sinuses. The heating properties of the oil is used to soothe tight muscles and/or warm that part of the body.

Traditional and Contemporary Medicines have some benefits over pharmaceutical medicines. First, they are usually cheaper and more available to people. They don't require prescriptions like some medications and its cheaper price makes it easier for more people to get. They are also void of synthetic substances so, they can seem more natural and better to some. They usually better adhere to some faiths and cultures more than pharmaceuticals as well.

Cons of T&C

Traditional and contemporary have a lot of cons. They are often less effective than pharmaceutical since; they don't use all chemical available. They can also have side-effects which can make them dangerous when compared with pharmaceuticals. They are also less regulated so; anything can be present in them and even synthetic chemicals can end up in a natural remedy. This makes them dangerous because there is no way to know if it is truly safe or not.

Cultural medicine

Turmeric is used a lot in Indian culture. It is used on wounds like bandages to cover it up. It is also consumed a lot in food and drinks. It is considered to strengthen immune system and have anti-germ properties. It is believed to be very helpful so, it is used a lot for healthcare.

T&CM is a holistic approach, meaning that it would address both physical and spiritual health. Sometimes, they have been passed down from community to community, meaning that the approach is trustworthy. Also, since it is traditional, it was generally derived from the area itself, so it is cheap and easy to make.

Cons:

There is no testing, so people don't actually know if it works or if it is a placebo effect. Sometimes, traditional medicine could be sloppy and may be dangerous to use if the medicine isn't created properly compared to identical manufacturing from pharmaceuticals. T&CM could also cause people to trust in it too much, even relying on it when there is a scientific and proven approach to effectively treat a condition.

Cultural Traditions

• Green tea for detoxification of body

• Medicinal oil for sickness and injuries

• Eagle balm for body pain

• T&CM is often used over pharmaceuticals because it is significantly more accessible and cheaper than pharmaceutical medicine. When symptoms are not very severe, like a mild cold or a low fever, most people don't feel the need or can afford to go to a professional and be prescribed a pharmaceutical.

Benefits of T&CM

• The biggest benefit that T&CM offers is accessibility, as you don't need to go through the process of being diagnosed and prescribed a pharmaceutical to take them. Without healthcare insurance, and often if someone does have it, T&CM is also the cheaper option for individuals who cannot afford pharmaceuticals whenever they feel sick.

Often when me or brother has a cough, sore throat, or really any mild symptoms at all, my grandma will make honey and lemon tea.

Utilizing T&CM is beneficial for cost savings because they have fewer hospital stays and prescription drugs needed. Furthermore, it can improve health outcomes by increasing the availability of services for patients. This medicine can be used to treat a variety of health conditions like pain relief, improved mood, quality of life, and more. They provide less stress and faster recovery times compared to different types of medicine. It also provides decreased pain and inflammation as well.

Cons of T&CM

Although this medicine holds many benefits, it still holds some negative factors as well. Typically, T&CM lacks scientific evidence to prove their effectiveness and value to a patient. Therefore, it may not seem very reliable or trustworthy. This medication also has the potential ability of interacting with prescribed medications, which may cause negative effects on a patient. Furthermore, it may cause infections if not utilized properly.

T&CM in my family

My dad is actually an acupuncturist, so whenever someone has indigestion or a sprained ankle, he uses needles to relieve the tension. Furthermore, he also sometimes uses cupping for built up stress and tension in the muscles as well. For sore throats, my mom brews ginger and barley tea to soothe the pain.

T&CM might be used over pharmaceutical drugs due to their accessibility and affordability. They are also thought of as more natural, and some people believe that this means it won't do the body any harm. Because of this, some might believe by using herbal remedies instead of pharmaceuticals they might be avoiding any side effects the drug might cause.

What areas or cultures utilize T&CM more?

Developing countries are more likely to utilize T&CM more often because of the availiability and affordability of the products. It is more likely for the stores to have herbal medications readily available than any pharmaceutical drugs.

In my family and culture, they believe that cloves can help treat and prevent coughs when you are sick.

There are many benefits of T&CM. One of the best benefits of T&CM is that it can be more cost effective. The cost of normal medications is very costly, and T&CM is usually less cost. T&CM medicines have very similar results, or even sometimes better than traditional medicine with half the price. T&CM is also more accepted because it is natural and more available than traditional medians.

Why are T&CM used over pharmaceuticals:

Some people choose T&CM because they are more affordable than traditional medicine. In addition, it is more accepted by cultures because of its more natural origin, and it being holistic. Finally because some people are unsatisfied with the health-care system, and T&CM also helps prevent diseases before it starts.

T&CM in my family-Whenever I am almost getting sick or i feel my throat getting sore, my mom gives me medicinal pills that is from herbs to help me get over the cold before it gets worse.

T&CM is utilized over pharmaceuticals because for many people it has been used for many generations in their families and cultures. This means that these people often trust T&CM over pharmaceuticals because it is what they grew up with. Additionally, T&CM is often much more affordable than pharmaceuticals, and even the only healthcare available for people in third-world countries.

Benefits of T&C

T&CM often has less serious side effects, especially if people of this culture and family have been using it for many generations. Pharmaceuticals often have worse side effects on people who had not been exposed to pharmaceuticals before in their lives. Additionally, T&CM is more culturally excepted by many cultures. These are often more natural, and can be used as preventatives without worrying about more serious side effects.

In my family, when someone is sick with the flu or fever, everything they eat and drink has to be warm, or at least room temperature. My grandma also always makes ginger soup when anyone is sick.

TC&M can be more affordable and accessible in certain regions. It focuses on treating the whole person, rather than addressing a specific symptom, it utilizes plant based medicines which some people feel better, as it is natural. It is often used for chronic conditions, which increases the bodies healing ability and factor

Cons of TC&M

There is a lack of scienfitc evidence that proves TC&M is proven safe and effective despite centureis of usage. Herbal products can be of inconsistent quality and sometimes without proper santitation leading to a risk of comtamination. These drugs can also affect with prescription medications reducing effectiveness and providng harmful side effects

TC&M in my family

Whenever I have a headache, my parents give me ginseng to eat so my headache goes away. Although usually it doesn't work, its culture so I just suck it up.

T&CM:

To help a clear a sore throat my family either gargles water with salt as it helps reduce inflammation, or my mom will make warm water mixed with honey to drink.

A con associated with T&CM is the potential for fake or inauthentic products. These products may be poor in quality or not provide the results patients are seeking. Additionally, the lack of regulations concerning T&CM practitioners may mean inconsistent treatment and information.

T&CM practices have grown popular in parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It may also be seen as a common practice in areas with low income/resources. In these countries, there has been a significant demand for T&CM practices and practitioners, as shown through the rapid increase of health professions. These methods are greatly valued in these areas as they may be the only sources of health care that are available to them. 

Pros of T&CM.
With T&CM methods being natural remedies, they reduce potential side effects that prescripted medication may cause and are typically more cost-efficient. Many of these practices have been passed down within an individual’s culture, making it a personal and trusted method to heal the body.

In my family, we are typically given a warm lemon and honey drink to soothe sore throats, and a fresh steaming of the face with herbs to clear up sinuses.