With Shelburne and North Dufferin continuing to be medically underserviced, a group of alternative health practitioners wants the public to know that internal medicine is not always the only way to treat every conceivable condition.

It might be significant that the group, Dufferin Holistic Health, is featuring John Caravaggio as the keynote speaker at its open house event next Wednesday, March 30, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

During the open house, there’ll be several draws for free treatments of different kinds.

Mr. Caravaggio is not only a pharmacist of some note in Shelburne, but also a practitioner of Homeopathy – one of several alternative, or “natural,” health-care approaches.

He purchased the Don Asaph drug store many years ago and has expanded it substantially to the relatively huge-for- Shelburne outlet at its location on Main Street.

Interestingly, as a pharmacist, Mr. Asaph was a firm believer in preventive health care – more or less the avoidance of a need for drugs through proper nutrition plus vitamins as required.

That was in the era before naturopathy, homeopathy, massage therapy, oriental treatments, and a few with strange-sounding names gained popularity.

Dufferin Holistic Health, based at the Mel Lloyd Centre, has practitioners of a wide range of alternative-care methods.

Jody Jones practises acupuncture and acupressure, two traditional Chinese medical practices. She will be at the open house to explain how and why the system provides natural relief. Do they work?

A physician of this writer’s acquaintance, a veteran of the Vietnam War, learned the technique while serving there.

He said, in confidence, that he would likely practise it except that he would run afoul of the College.

Jody, a mother of two, spent four years in college learning the art of Chinese medicine.

One of her children was an infant in three of those years.

“It was quite the test for

Mom,” she said, while giving her husband credit for his continuing patience and support during those years.

She is relatively new to the clinic, having graduated and earned her registration in June 2009. But she already has a significant following.

Dufferin Holistic Health was opened about five years ago by Megan MacRae, a registered massage therapist (RMT) who said at the 2005 opening that she saw a local need for such a rounded health service.

The centre offers massage therapy, reflexology, nutritional help, reiki, Feng Shui, yoga,hot stone massage, Chinese numerology, crystal healing, chakra balancing, acupuncture and non-surgical face lift.

“If someone needs cranial sacral treatment make a special request when making appointment. If there is any other modality you are interested in, please ask when making appointment,” the centre requests on its website.

You may call or walk in to make appointments. Short-notice appointments may be available by calling or seeing office manager Anne Crowder in the morning.