An alternative approach | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

A new initiative in Grey Lynn is hoping to bring more natural health remedies into general practice. Rebecca Blithe goes for a check-up.

A heart attack at 38 left Helen Thompson-Carter with a pain she thought would never cease. Instead of  dosing up on painkillers, Ms Thompson-Carter opted for an alternative treatment - and is glad she did.

"For about three months I was carrying my left arm around like it was broken. The pain was disgusting."

A suggestion from a friend and a recommendation from her GP helped Ms Thompson-Carter finally find relief in acupuncture. "It changed my life. I walked out of there pain-free."

Experiences like Ms Thompson-Carter's go some way in offsetting beliefs that natural healing methods are frivolous compared to traditional western medicine.

But a new research endeavour launched by Wellpark natural therapy founder Phillip Cottingham will try to put further doubts to rest and eventually change the way we receive health care.

"We believe the argument has kind of run itself into the ground. The perception is changing but we need a new way of looking at the entire health care system. This research will provide a gateway to change.

"We want to see more natural health practitioners working alongside GPs and nurses. We'd also like to see these people working in policy positions," says Mr Cottingham.

Led by Dr Ramaprabhu Vempati, the Grey Lynn-based research unit will seek concrete evidence on the effects of natural therapies with the aim of placing them alongside mainstream medical practices.

"With more people using both alternative and conventional health care, there is a need to link the two practices," says Dr Vempati. "We are developing a database that can connect these two groups."

Dr Vempati aims to make findings available in two years to be presented to the New Zealand Ministry of Health.