There are normally two sides to every issue and the people on both sides firmly believe what they are saying. If you ask an alternative health practitioner to tell you the best way to get rid of a headache they will give you an alternative health idea that they believe can help you and if you ask a conventional medical doctor they will most likely tell you to take an aspirin. Chances are both sides will not admit to the other opinion on the issue as being valid even if they somewhat believe the other opinion because they don’t want to look wrong in their belief.

Now picture this on an even bigger level. Picture the people who are making money off of what they tell you. The chances of them ever admitting that the other side might be somewhat correct in their findings is even slimmer.

I’m not saying everyone is like this but I am saying that you have to form your own opinions and beliefs based on the whole picture and not just one side of the coin for the simple reason that there may be truth to both sides and important knowledge from both sides that you can benefit from.

Dieting is a huge example of this. There are many promises of quick weight loss and instant fixes out there and those people claim that their way is the only way. There are people who tell you to eat raw food and there are people who tell you to eat protein rich foods. There are people who claim that you have to eat 6 small meals a day and there are people who claim that eating three square meals is best. No wonder we have such a hard time figuring out the best route to take!

The truth is that if you look closely enough you will almost always find a mutual belief of some sort and that mutual belief may be the best option for you because it’s believed and proven on a wider basis.

For instance, in the diet world, it can pretty much be agreed upon by all parties that the best way to lose weight is more calories burned then taken in. Simple yet undeniable. The way you choose to do that is your choice but you can’t dispute the fact.

Another example would be that there are many doctors who will agree with some of the practices in alternative medicine like relaxation and stress relief techniques can work. They can not deny it works and this makes it beneficial knowledge for you and something you should apply to your life since both sides of the coin agree on it.

Always remember that one side may have an agenda for themselves whether it be making money or appearing knowledgeable. If you really want the best advice from both worlds then take information from both sides and find the mutual agreement between them and apply it to your own life.

Kari is the owner of Manifest Connection, a self help website dedicated to helping you live a healthier and happier life http://manifestconnection.com/.