Keyword Alternative Medicine

Diabetes. Prostate cancer. Alcoholism. Parkinson's diseases. Just a handful of many common illnesses that Western medicine has been inadequate in curing or treating. Witness the story of eight brave souls as they leave the developed world behind in search of deeper answers. Living in seclusion for one month in the heart of the Amazon jungle, these men and women take part in the powerful healing practices of Peru's indigenous medicine men, working with centuries-old plant remedies and spiritual disciplines. In their most desperate hour, these patients are forced to confront not only their physical ailments, but their own spiritual and psychological barriers in the process. Five will return with real results, two will return disappointed, and one won't come back at all.

Documentary written and presented by scientist Richard Dawkins, in which he seeks to expose "those areas of belief that exist without scientific proof, yet manage to hold the nation under their spell", including mediumship, psychokinesis, acupuncture, and other forms of alternative medicine.

Salvia Divinorum is an often misunderstood and powerful psychedelic plant used by the Mazatec shamans in southern Mexico for centuries. This entheogen's mysteries are thoroughly explored, by Director Erin Wyche, from an American view point.

Through interviews with leading psychologists and scientists, Neurons to Nirvana explores the history of four powerful psychedelic substances (LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA and Ayahuasca) and their previously established medicinal potential. Strictly focusing on the science and medicinal properties of these drugs, Neurons to Nirvana looks into why our society has created such a social and political bias against even allowing research to continue the exploration of any possible positive effects they can present in treating some of today's most challenging afflictions.

The filmmakers' 21-year-old daughter journeys from locked-down psych wards and diagnostic labels toward expansive worlds of creativity, connection, and greater meaning. Featuring insights from trauma experts and others, the film challenges the widespread idea that mental illness should be understood purely in biological terms, revealing the myriad ways that madness has meaning beyond brain chemistry.

Laurie, a terminally ill cancer patient and loving mother of four, is granted the right to legally use magic mushrooms to treat her end of life anxiety. She then embarks on a remarkable journey of personal transformation and healing while exploring lesser known possible cures for cancer, like cannabis oil.

Shannon Harvey was working in her dream job as a radio news journalist when, at the age of 24 she was diagnosed with a devastating auto-immune disease. Determined to find a solution, she began researching cutting-edge mind-body medicine. Is it really possible, she wonders, that a simple practice that can be done anywhere, any time, by anyone, can ease suffering and promote physical and mental healing? Synthesizing the work of leading scientists with the ways of mystics, she undertakes a year-long experiment, with herself as the subject. Will meditation revolutionize her health and well-being, or is it just another over-hyped self-help fad? This compelling account of her journey provides fascinating insights about how to be well and happy in the modern world.

Dedicated home care nurse Vlasta attends her whimsical patients in Czech wine country and lives for her husband Lada and her daughter, but one day things change and Vlasta is forced to reach outside of her comfort zone. Drama and gentle humor intertwine as Vlasta realizes, for the first time in her life, that she might need some care, too.

Best friends travel though Latin America meeting shamans, experimenting with plant medicines, and wondering about what makes a life well-lived when one of them might have half the time to live it.

Mike has a brain tumour. It's the sort of tumour that wont kill him, but it will rob him of his sight. With the current stagnation of Medicinal Cannabis prescription in Australia, Mike sets off on a road trip of discovery.

A young woman with cancer travels to a remote wilderness zone in Northern Italy in search of an alternative cure. What she and her friend, Martino, find is a secluded paradise, but their arrival threatens its fragile existence.

"The Legend of Cool 'Disco' Dan" is the story of black Washington DC told from the perspective of Cool "Disco" Dan starting with his birth during the civil rights era and follows his life parallel with the rise of Go-Go music through the 1980s (which is the unheard but yet dominant urban music of DC) and also local DC politics with Marion Barry's rise and fall. Despite ending up homeless Cool "Disco" Dan used graffiti to escape the social problems D.C. had in the 1980s when things turned violent and became known as the Murder Capital of the United States. Cool "Disco" Dan ends up as a cult character of DC and his name becomes a symbol of survival during DC's most trying years.

Cancer; The Integrative Perspective takes a deep dive into the fast-expanding paradigm of holistic and integrative wellness approaches for preventing and reversing cancer that treats the disease with conventional tools, while also supporting patients’ strength, stamina and quality of life with evidence-based natural therapies. Nathan Crane, a pioneer in natural healing and cancer prevention, brings together world renowned medical experts and cancer survivors to share evidence-based insights into the power that the mind, body and spirit play in cancer care and prevention. The latest research is presented by Dr. Francisco Contreras, Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy, Dr. Francisco Calvo, Dr. Sunil Pai, and Dr. Thomas Lodi.

Jackson's unhealthy eating habits lead to persistent nagging by his lady friend, which triggers Jackson to break off the relationship. Tony picks up the health baton and starts pressuring Jackson to take care of his body, emphasizing to him that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that he cannot serve God with all his heart if his heart and other organs are laboring to fight off self induced toxin poisoning. Jackson takes sides in the ongoing battle for the right of people to choose their own medical treatment. He partners up with Tony and Julie to become a champion for those underdogs who fight against Big Pharma and the Monsantos of the world who reap a fortune as they seize power to run the lives of the little people and jeopardize the future of the planet in their attempt to misuse science and political science to usurp God.

Rethinking Cancer is an educational documentary film that provides a rare look into the psychological and therapeutic journeys of five men and women who used biological alternative cancer therapies to overcome serious illness. Their stories represent successes that mainstream medicine and the public ought to know about. Four of the featured subjects had been diagnosed with cancer; two of these patients were considered terminal cases. The fifth patient had a severe case of Lyme disease. All five have outlived their diseases, between 15 and nearly 40 years, thus far.

A profile of two men who go to exceptional lengths to improve – and in some cases, save – the lives of those with nowhere else to turn. They risk their freedom by supplying black market medicinal cannabis to thousands suffering from chronic and terminal illnesses.

In the late 1980's, during Peru's bloody internal conflict, an American couple traveled through the countryside looking for alternative healers to treat the woman's terminal illness. On that fateful trip, they vanished completely. At the time, local authorities claimed they had been kidnapped and killed by communist insurgents of the Shining Path movement. 20 years later, their son retraces their steps in an intriguing and sometime bizarre trip to visit Shamans in Andean remote villages as well as deep in the Amazon jungle. Matt is looking for people that might have known his parents, and undergoes some of the same treatments his mother had received. Ruta del Jaca is a kaleidoscopic film that blurs the distinction between documentary and fiction. The spectacular beauty of the Peruvian countryside is splashed throughout the feature. A special role is reserved for the immensely popular "Folklor" singer Sonia Morales.

SHAMANS OF THE AMAZON is a personal account of filmmaker Dean Jefferys as he returns to the Amazon with his partner and one year old daughter. They journey deep into the Ecuadorian rainforest to learn about and experience the ancient ayahuasca healing ceremony. The film brings to the viewer an intimate and fascinating look at the shamans of the Amazon, and the life that is threatened by ecological destruction.

Author Michael Pollan leads the way in this docuseries exploring the history and uses of psychedelics, including LSD, psilocybin, MDMA and mescaline.

Ancient medical science told us our minds and bodies are one; so did philosophers of old. Now, modern science and new research are helping us to understand these connections. In Healing and the Mind, Bill Moyers talks with physicians, scientists, therapists and patients—people who are taking a new look at the meaning of sickness and health. In a five-part series of provocative interviews, he discusses their search for answers to perplexing questions: How do emotions translate into chemicals in our bodies? How do thoughts and feelings influence health? How can we collaborate with our bodies to encourage healing?

Contrary to many people’s beliefs, alternative medicine is increasingly considered a viable complement to traditional medicine. The series presents this growing movement by combining the two approaches into one modern practice.