By educating we share with the world-Sam Abukittah, President
People are continually seeking ways to live happier, healthier, and more meaningful lives. To this end, more and more people are opting for alternative medicine options as opposed to simply going the western medicine route.
At the Association of Natural Health, we are dedicated to promoting sustainable health, and freedom of choice in healthcare, through good science and good law. Our objective is:
To protect the right of natural health practitioners to choose what care they will offer their patients. To protect the right of consumers to choose the healthcare options they prefer. To achieve a broader, more accessible marketplace for natural products that will improve the quality of life for consumers worldwide.
Keeping Traditional
Medicine as a Viable Health Option Around the World Often natural medicines are known, or referred to as, “traditional medicines”. This term implies substantial historical use. This is certainly true for many products that are available as ‘traditional herbal medicines’.
In many developing countries, a large proportion of the population relies on traditional practitioners (as shown in the above graphic), and their plethora of medicinal remedies and plants, in order to meet health care needs.
In 1992, the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) invited a group of experts to develop criteria and general principles to guide research work on evaluating herbal medicines (WHO, 1993). This group began to officially recognize the importance of herbal medicines to the health of many people throughout the world, stating: ‘A few herbal medicines have withstood scientific testing, but others are used simply for traditional reasons to protect, restore, or improve health.”
Although modern medicine may co-exist with such traditional practices, natural medicines have often maintained their popularity for historical and cultural reasons. Such products have become more widely available commercially, especially in developed countries. In this modern setting, ingredients are sometimes marketed for uses that were never contemplated in the traditional healing systems from which they emerged.
Determined to Stay on Track
AONH is willing to spend as many years as needed to bring natural medicine, and its amazing benefits, to the world; to men, women and children who, without this often unknown resource, might experience a very difficult life.
What’s needed is to devote the necessary time and attention to research, education and increasing public awareness. The scene of herbal medicine, for example, is constantly changing and evolving. Physicians need to become aware of the health benefits, risks, and uses of these herbs so they can educate their patients and the public in general. Through effective partnerships with other foundations, corporations and governments, on the local, national, and international level, we are helping, and will help people around the globe to learn how to take control of their health through education.
On a national (United States) scale we are very proud to be underwriting educational programs that are designed to further capacitate and empower natural health care professionals. They raise the bar, so to speak, in our community. We are extremely proud of all of those who have availed themselves of these educational opportunities:
Therapeutic Nutritional Counselor (TNC)
This course is offered in Wisconsin, Georgia, Utah, Florida, California and Canada. With 40 hours of video training and five days of classroom training, attendees end up with an amazingly well-rounded understanding of natural healing modalities, diets, energy medicine, detox modalities, cancer and chronic disease prevention, utilization of vitamins, minerals and supplementation, GMO’s, EMF’s, anatomy and organ function, hormone imbalances, and heavy metal issues, superfoods and longevity as well as weight loss.
Holistic Healthcare Professional (HHP)
This course is taught on an ongoing basis in Utah, Wisconsin and Georgia. It provides natural health care professionals with the further accreditation and education they need to be taken seriously by patients and also by distributors, labs and the like.
With regard to the international perspective, Saudi Arabia is one of the United States’ largest trading partners in the Middle East. According to the latest report of Doing Business (DB), the country ranked 13th globally and maintained its “first place” position in the region when it came to the “Ease of Doing Business”. This open minded and forward thinking attitude and ability does not stop with business. Saudi Arabia is also extremely thirsty for complementary health alternatives and is wide open to adventure into this community and market.
The AONH is proud to be shepherding the Saudi market through this stage of growth through public awareness and business development. For example, James Hawver, Co-Founder of the AONH recently spoke at a very large and well respected main stream medical conference (The First International Oncology Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE). Sam Abukittah, President of the AONH, made limitless contacts with key Middle Eastern doctors and hospitals including the doctors from Saudi Arabia shown to the left. These two men, along with a team of AONH member doctors, were connecting and educating people about the exciting possibilities that are available to them with natural health care technologies. Think about how much our message will impact health care in just these countries. The AONH is endeavoring to duplicate these efforts, as well, in the regions of Jordan, Egypt, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain, Turkey, and crucial European countries.
Numerous educational trips have been made introducing our holistic concepts to doctors, pharmacists, corporate leaders and other professionals in these regions. They are fascinated, especially when it comes to curbing cancer cell growth, and have partnered up with the founders of the AONH for numerous conferences and educational calls on the subject. The bottom line is that we are raising the awareness in these regions which is, and will be, key to the implementation of complementary medicine in their health and health care systems.
Going Forward As always, the AONH operates with the highest standards of accountability and ethics. We continue to strive to provide up-to-date natural health information, resources and education to health care providers as well as their clients.