Revolutionary Medicine - Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain Sufferers
by C. Bailey-Lloyd
Article by, ©C. Bailey-Lloyd
Stripped from the scenes from science fiction novels and films, shockwave therapy is a newage alternative to chronic pain sufferers. Utilized not only on humans for over 25 years for urologic and orthopedic conditions, shockwave therapy has even been introduced to veterinary and equine medicine as well. Helping individuals suffering from a range of conditions, including: golf or tennis elbow, stiff shoulders, calcaneal spurs, joint calcification, chronic tendon pain, and many other musculoskeletal disorders; shockwave therapy could possibly be the answer to help and healing.
To learn about Shockwave Therapy, I contacted Ms. LuJean Smith (Public Relations' Director) of Siemens Medical Solutions. In an informal interview, I asked Ms. Smith a few questions about this revolutionary therapy and how it aids patients with healing:
[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "Could you please tell me who developed and first began utilizing shockwave therapy?"
[L. Smith]: "German aerospace engineers realized the concept caused pitting or cavitation on aircraft parts. The first use of the technology for health care was for kidney stones in the 1970s."
(*Through further research, I discovered that 98% of all kidney stones are treated with shockwave therapy, also known as lithotripsy.)
Ms. Smith explained exactly how shockwave therapy works:
"A shockwave is created by an intense change in pressure just as upi experience witht he sonic boom of an aircraft or the force you feel after a bolt of lightening. The shock wave is an acoustic wave with a quick rise in maximum pressure and a frequency spectrum ranging from audible to the far end of the ultrasonic scale.
Extracorpeal Shock waves used in medicine today are created as a result of electromagnetic, piezoelectric, or electro hydraulic generation.
Sonucur utilized an electromagnetic system that consists of an electromagnetic coil and opposing metal membrane. A high current impulse is released through the coil to create a strong magnetic field which causes a current in the opposing metal membrane. This current rapidly accelerates the membrane away from the coil producing an acoustic impulse in the surrounding water.
The acoustic impulse is focused by an acoustic lens to direct the shock wave energy to the target tissue. The acoustic lens controls the focus size and the amount of energy produced at the targeted tissue. The mechanisms for healing are not fully understood..."
Additionally, Ms. Smith expressed valuable insight regarding scientific evaluation supporting shockwave therapy. According to scientific studies, shockwave increases vascularization in treatment regions (based on MRI results). Furthermore, shockwave impact reduces pain from nerves as confirmed through lab test results on isolated nerve cells. And, consistent with Gate-Control theory (Gate-Control therory predicts that massaging a particular area stimulates large diameter nerve fibres; whereby pain relief is achieved.), shockwave eradicated chronic pain memory via over-stimulation.
Siemen's Sonocur Basic system has an articulating head that is placed directly onto the area of treatment, where adjustments are fine-tuned to the specific therapeutic focus. Once adjusted, preset pulses (shockwaves) are administered at low-energy levels; thus permitting anesthesia-free therapy.
When asked how long treatment lasts, Ms. Smith relayed that treatments generally last 15-30 minutes and is standardly administered over a course of three (3) treatments.
[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "How long has this treatment been in use and how successful is it?"
[L. Smith]: "The treatments have been used in Europe since the early 1990s. Clinical Treatments in the US started in 2000 with full approval for Sonocur in 2002. Success rates vary due to physician, experience and patient conditions. Studies have shown patients with complete recovery, patients with partial recovery, and patients with little or no recovery. But in general, 65% - 70% of patients the results have been quite favorable."
[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "How effective is shockwave therapy as opposed to other conventional treatments?"
[L. Smith]: "Normal treatments for various tendonapathies include steroid injections, physical therapy, various orthopedic support devices and in chronic conditions, even surgery. Study data shows some chronic patients have responded to none of the aforementioned treatments and have shown complete recovery with ESWL treatments. (ESWL therapy is recommended for patients that have a history of at least 6 months pain and unfavorable results with at least 3 of the conventional treatments.)"
[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "Are there any side effects to this treatment? Please Explain."
[L. Smith]: "The 2 most common side effects reported were slight nausea during the actual treamtne (approx. 20% of study patients) and soreness or stiffness the next day after the treatment. (Much like one feels the next day after a hard physical workout.)"
Ms. Smith also told me that shockwave therapy is readily used in approximately 175 sites across the Nation alone. Primarily orthopedic, sports medicine and podiatrist physicians provide shockwave therapy services. Additionally, "...shockwave therapy is approved by the FDA in uses for Chronic Plantar fascilitis and medial or lateral epicondylitis." Globally, "...shockwave therapy is utilized for tendonapathies, knees, shoulders, and treatment of Nonunion fractures."
In closing, shockwave therapy has been proven to stimulate and accelerate human healing process. While research continues at multiple sites around the country, shockwave therapy is revolutionizing modern medicine and effectively demonstrates how to achieve overall health. To learn more about shockwave therapy, or Sonucur visit Siemens Medical Solutions at www.usa.siemens.com/medicalpressroom or contact Ms. Lujean Smith at lujean.smith@siemens.com
To find a practitioner who utilizes shockwave therapy, feel free to peruse our practitioner directory at holisticjunction.com today.
© 2004 C. Bailey-Lloyd
© 2004 Lady Camelot
C. Bailey-Lloyd (Lady Camelot) currently serves as the Public Relations' Director for www.holisticjunction.com.
To contact Ms. Bailey-Lloyd, or to gain article reprint permission, email her at ladycamelot@holisticjunction.com
References:
01. Siemens Medical Solutions
www.usa.siemens.com/medicalpressroom
LuJean Smith, Manager, Public Relations
02. Southern California Orthopedic Institute
www.scoi.com/fellows/shock-wave-therapy.htm
03. Wisconsin Equine Clinic Horse Shockwave Therapy
www.wisconsinequineclinic.com/html/shockwave_therapy.htm
04. Gate Control Theory
www.painforum.com/en/1/hcpmjgate.html
Revenge is the Best Medicine
A list of legal revenge options
Over the ages, the act of revenge has gone from a sacred way of life to an act of which to be ashamed and avoid. I disagree. A little clean, honest, LEGAL revenge can be just the thing to help you forgive and forget at least some of the indiscretions whether imagined or real that have been committed against you. Revenge gives you a terrific alternative to pouting, grouching, gossiping, and being spite-filled for years to come. A little reprisal can go a long way to cleansing the sprite and renewing the soul. Here are just a few tactics assured to enrage your foe with little effort on your part and a very minimal chance of your actions being proved as deliberate affronts. Introduce her new husband by the ex-husband’s first name. When approached with a last minute project, ask lots of questions . . . spaced out . . . over the period of the project . . . one at a time . . . ensuring the offending party . . . no solid block of concentration . . . for the duration of the time . . . you are inconvenience by their bad timing.
Forget to put a fabric softener/anti-static sheet in the dryer with your wife’s undergarments. She will think if you with every electrifying step, with every tug at her slip and skirt, and with ever static filled shock. Rearrange the person’s desk, kitchen, files, closet, or medicine cabinet. Heck, go crazy! Do all of the above. Never spell his name correctly. Invite her to dinner and when she shows up, swear the mistake was hers and the dinner party was the night before. It is perfectly acceptable to then serve week old leftovers to the poor embarrassed soul. Tape the WWF over her sister’s wedding. Ya know all those magic little boxes that pop up on certain websites asking you to refer a friend. Refer a friend. Often. Preferably giving their work email address and phone number. Fix your 22-year-old friend up with your 46 year old college chum who still lives with her mother, talks to her cat, and spends more time and money on the Psychic Hotline than she does on hygiene. Call during the final episode of Survivor just to chat about old times. Answer all phone messages left after 10PM at 5 AM bright and early the following morning. This is most effective on the weekend. Eat a medium rare burger in front of a devote vegetarian. Ask him to have a vasectomy.
Wear your high school cheerleading outfit to your teenager’s homecoming game. Tell her she reminds you of your mother. Tell your sister’s children about all the little no-no’s she committed at their age. Follow up with diagrams. Buy your grandchildren a drum set. Talk during the movie. Order an expensive meal and don’t eat it. Tell her you need to talk to her about something important, but it will have to wait until later. Put off the conversation as long as possible and then be as vague as possible.
About the Author
Betsy Gallup is a full-time mother to an 11-year-old son, and infant twins. She has had several articles, essays, and short stories published. She is now writing a non-fiction book under contract for publication, and she has recently procured an agent to represent her first novel, Destiny, a suspense/romance delving into the world of a renown psychic. With what time she has left, she operates www.whimsplace.com, a showcase for the work of talented writers.
Preventive Medicine - Ayurveda
Ayurveda includes the use of herbs and plants combined with psychic arts of a healing nature. The proper practitioner includes psychology as part of the diagnosis and getting the patient to use their own mental or soulful energy. It comes from very ancient shamanism and has many names for its practice. This art is called ayurveda in India, and it has Taoist and Yogic corollaries.
When I lived in Vegas I grew Aloe Vera, and its Vitamin E may be part of why it works to heal so many things. Comfrey tea is something my brother took to help a broken leg that wasn't healing in the traditional medical approach. There are many ways to enhance the immune system along with our natural ability to heal and help each other. 'Cleansing' auras or meridians of 'Chhi' or pranha, positive visualization and what is sometimes deemed wholistics have been available for longer than books or politicians were practicing their questionable arts. The ancient priests and shamans who were corruptible became even more so as this knowledge grew. The Inca’s 'magic' and healing may have been one of the best balances of knowledge and compassion ever exercised on behalf of every citizen.
Can you honestly say you trust the future of gene therapy and near immortality to our current system? Do you want more transparency or honesty? Shouldn't we all become 'informed consumers' and have alternatives considered when they make sense? Much of what Western doctors learn about anatomy and diseases is easily input and reacted to by modern computer and diagnostic tools. Can you imagine them ever putting these things in the public forum and trying to engage us all in honest dialogue that might diminish their power, money and influence? In China you don't pay the doctor when you are sick and preventive medicine is the rule. Bill and Hillary Clinton tried to emphasize 'preventive medicine' and ran into the same kind of lobbying that George Bush and Dan Quayle saw when they ran with a commitment to institute 'tort reform' in the legal system.
The idea that a fully diluted homeopathic tincture might heal through some imprint left by Cyanide found in peach pits or laetrile is just one of the conundrums that science still struggles to face. But the fact is cyanide kills cells and results have been achieved by some people who might have attuned themselves with that small amount of Cyanide that Japanese researchers found in peach pits after the US researchers said there was no possible agent that could kill cancer cells in peach pits. The implications of this extend to genetic rituals that modern science cannot see the effects of, and other energy lattice memory or Intelligence.
There are forces in society which seek to keep certain knowledge hidden or what one might term ‘occulted’. We do need to learn to stop these shelving efforts that would rather have a monopoly and power before seeing all mankind capable of greater things.
This is an entry of my encyclpoedia which can be found at World-Mysteries.com
Author of Diverse Druids
Columnist in The ES Press Magazine
Naturopathic medicine is founded on the principles that bodies are capable of self-healing. Naturopathic medicine emphasises healthy environments and is part of a belief that the natural body is one with the Divine on a cosmological viewpoint. Combining harmony or balance, naturopathic medicine is comprised of herbal supplements and remedies that enrich the immune system.
Theoretically, naturopathic medicine is also based on the principle that one can use his or her mind to enhance the immune system, overall improving health and well-being. Naturopathic medicine is a conglomeration of alternative medicines wrapped into one.
Commonly -- acupuncturists, Ayurvedic practitioners, and other alternative therapies utilize naturopathic medicine in their various treatments. Colonic irrigation, vitamin and mineral supplements, detoxification, proper diet and exercise, and a mariad of other holistic therapies are almost always used to bring about natural healing through naturopathic medicine therapy.
If you are interested in naturopathic medicine and how it may benefit you and your well-being, feel free to check Holistic Junction's business member directory for a naturopathic medicine practitioner or school today.
©Naturopathic Medicine
by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot in conjunction with Holistic Junction
About the Author
C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations' Director &
Writer for Holistic Junction -- Your source of information for Naturopathic Medicine Schools
Once you decide what category you fall under, you need to decide which medicine is right for you. Trying to save money on your prescriptions may not be for you but for the vast majority of us who are not well off, we have to shop around for a cheaper source of quality prescriptions.
This brings us to the internet with even more questions. A recent Google search for the word “pharmacy” came up with over 29 million possibilities. So out of the 29 million WebPages. Which pharmacies have good quality prescriptions, which ones are fly-by night and which ones have good customer service? That is where an online pharmacy review site comes in.
A good pharmacy review site will first find quality online pharmacies. Do background checks on the medical pharmacies and contact them to see if they respond in a timely matter. Some good websites will go to the extent of ordering prescriptions from pharmacies to see if the right prescriptions arrive on time and as prescribed.
There are thousands of online pharmacies to choose from and an online pharmacy review site can help users to start choosing their prescriptions from recommended pharmacies. This makes it easier for online users and starts them in the right path. Not only can they find good pharmacies from such a review site, they can also find medicine that are competitively priced and within their budget range. How often do people take their friends' recommedations in trying out Lose Weight programs and medicine anyway?
About the Author
Bobby Stark works in an established US pharmacy for 10 years and spends his spare time on his Online Pharmacy Review site to guide buyers in choosing their medical products. http://www.cheaprxmedsonline.com/ He enjoys outdoor activities like swimming, running and pilates.
Medical Malpractice Suits: Death By Medicine
In fact, for the airline industry to parallel medical errors in mortality rates a 280-person jet would have to crash every day of the year. This would account for the over 100,000 people who die annually due to complications in medical care, not to mention the nearly 2 million who are maimed and disabled. This malady is called iatrogenic disease, a disease that is a direct result of medical care. What is causing this epidemic? Many agree that the cause is over-treatment. More medicine is administered than necessary, people are hospitalized unnecessarily, and doctors prescribe drugs instead of healthy lifestyle choices. This is a major problem and it shows no signs of stopping.
In the ten year period between 1983 and 1993 the incidence of death by medical error, or iatrogenic disease, jumped 260% overall and 850% among patience receiving outpatient care. These statistics could only be an indication of the true numbers, because medical error is not often recorded on death certificates. Some people blame the increased number of deaths on a greater number of prescriptions, but the number of prescriptions issued has increased less than 40% in 10 years, compared with the 260% increased death rate. Instead, some doctors blame increased usage of anesthesia, especially among those receiving outpatient care.
Medical malpractice insurance rates have been skyrocketing, causing a small crisis among doctors who must be insured in order to practice. They complain of medical malpractice lawsuits going out of control, large cities awarding record settlements, too many people filing claims. Well can you blame people for filing claims? Doctors must be held accountable for their prescriptions, and if a doctor writes you a prescription that hurts you they deserve to be taken to court! This is truly an epidemic, and it must be stopped by holding irresponsible healthcare providers responsible. One in five Americans has experienced medical errors directly or has a family member who has suffered a medical error. If you feel you have suffered unnecessarily at the hands of a doctor, seek legal council and work it out with a lawyer.
GA
If you have more questions, contact a medical error attorney or read about other medical malpractice cases at http://www.hugesettlements.com.
Naturallighting.com http://www.naturallighting.com 888.900.6830
Excerpt from "Light Medicine of the Future" by Jacob Liberman, O.D.,
Ph.D. These findings seem to indicate that full-spectrum lighting may act to boost the immune system in the same way as natural sunlight.
As researchers isolate the specific part of the sun's spectrum that is related to health and well-being, we could eventually create the perfect indoor environment with artificial lighting, until then it's Vita-Lite. Based on the research of Hollwich and others, the cool-white fluorescent bulb is legally banned in German hospitals and medical facilities. Most offices, stores, hospitals, and schools currently use cool-white fluorescent!
Full Vs. Incomplete Spectrum Lighting
"In 1980, Dr. Fritz Hollwich conducted a study comparing the effects of sitting under strong artificial cool-white (non-full spectrum) illumination versus the effects of sitting under strong artificial illumination that simulates sunlight (full-spectrum). Using changes in the endocrine system to evaluate these effects, he found stress like levels of ACTH an cortisol (the stress hormones) in individuals in sitting under the cool-white tubes. These changes were totally absent in the individuals sitting under the sunlight-simulating tubes.
The significance of Hollowich's findings becomes clear when the functions of ACTH and cortisol are examined. Both of these metabolic hormones play major roles in the functioning of the entire body and are very much related to stress response. Since their activity increases inhibitors, this may account for the observation that persistent stress stunts bodily growth in children. Hollowich's findings clarify and substantiate the observations of Ott and others regarding the agitated physical behavior, fatigue, and reduced mental capabilities of children. He concluded that the degree of biological disturbance and the resulting behavioral mal adaptations were directly related to the difference between the spectral composition of the artificial source and that of natural light.
Since cool-white fluorescent lamps are especially deficient in the red and blue-violet ends of the spectrum, this may explain why color therapists have historically used a combination of the colors red and blue-violet as an emotional stabilizer. Hollwich's work not only confirms the biological importance of full-spectrum lighting, but it also reconfirms the importance of specific colors by evaluating the effects of their omission from our daily lives. Based on the research of Hollwich and others, the cool-white fluorescent bulb is legally banned in German hospitals and medical facilities. It has been found that full-spectrum lighting in the work place creates significantly lower stress on the nervous system than standard cool-white fluorescent lighting and reduces the number of absences due to illness. These findings seem to indicate that full-spectrum lighting may act to boost the immune system in the same way as natural sunlight. Excerpt from "Light Medicine of the Future," by Jacob Liberman, O.D., Ph.D.
Shedding Light on Those Winter Blues
Does your spirit wanes with the shortening of days? You may be suffering from sunlight withdrawal. The syndrome appears with inevitable regularity. As summer pales into autumn, the victim feels an ominous sense of anxiety and foreboding at the mere thought of approaching winter. As days shorten from November into December, there's a gradual slowing down, a low of energy, a need for more and more sleep, a longing to lie undisturbed in bed.
It becomes harder to get to work, to accomplish anything when there. Depression and withdrawal follow. As a Brooklyn, New York, woman described it, "Everything seems gloomier and more difficult. There is sadness looming over everything. I can't concentrate at work and feel like going home afterward to hibernate like a bear."
Just as routinely, as spring approaches and days stretch out, the sufferer flips into high gear."Once the warm weather arrives, I feel a burden lifted," says the Brooklynite. "I feel freer and happier."
This is more than a dislike of icy slush and raw winds. Psychiatric researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have identified these complaints as a previously unrecognized clinical syndrome. They call its victims "winter depressives." "It is much more common than we thought," says Dr. Norman Rosenthal of NIMH. "We expected to get a few replies from our description of this pattern. Instead, we received more than three thousand responses from all over the country. The symptoms described were one after the other very much the same.
"Some of these winter depressives are being successfully treated, not with drugs or psychotherapy but with an element common to all our lives: artificial light. What scientists are learning from the use of light as it affects health and mood has implications for us all. It forces us to rethink the way we light up our lives, especially urban dwellers and workers who spend so much time indoors. Apparently artificial light does much more than enable us to read and work without benefit of sunlight. It affects our bodies.
"It is important to recognize that this is a distinct syndrome with a well-defined cluster of symptoms," says Dr. Thomas Wehr, an NIMH researcher. "We have measured some very interesting physiological changes specific to this kind of depression." While typically depressed people have impaired sleep patterns and usually wake up early, winter depressives might sleep nine or 10 hours a night, wake up tired, and take naps. There is a 50% reduction in delta sleep, the deepest, most restful phase of the sleep cycle. Winter depressives gain weight, crave carbohydrates, and their libido pales. Their energy levels drop; monitors on their wrists show that they are less active than in summer.
Such symptoms begin earlier the farther north they live and abate when they visit sunny climates in the winter. Symptoms peak and wane according to the length of days. In New York, for instance, on the shortest day of the year - December 21 - the sun rose at 7:17 a.m. and set at 4:32 p.m., contrasted to 5:25 a.m. and 8:31 p.m. at the height of summer, a six hour difference in light. Such a distinct seasonal pattern implicates the external environment as the culprit, the most obvious being sunlight. Sunlight has already been shown to trigger cycles and seasonal behavior in animals, including reproduction, hibernation, migration, and molting. Animal behavior has been fooled by artificial light. Could it also fool humans? Apparently. In a recent NIMH study, a group of these depressives were treated with amounts of light that simulated that of summer days. Short winter days were stretched by six extra hours of light. The subjects were awakened before sunrise to bask in three hours of light, and dusk was delayed for three more.
Since sunlight is thought to be the missing element, the subjects were flooded with an artificial light that most closely resembles the full broad spectrum of the sun. At 20 times the intensity of normal indoor lighting, the light approximated the sensation of sitting on a shady porch or under a tree in mid-summer. Fluorescent lamps are roughly three times more intense than ordinary light bulbs. A bank of eight 4-watt fluorescent bulbs at eye level lit the participants' rooms as they read, worked, or moved around. Within days this group responded with measurable mood changes, says Rosenthal. Their symptoms eased and energy levels rose, while a control group with a different threshold of light showed no change in behavior.
"Something in the external environment caused these changes," says Wehr, "but we are not prepared to say exactly what it is at this point. It is true, though, that waking up these people and exposing them to this light treated their symptoms. Whether it is the break in sleep pattern, the wavelengths or intensity of light, or some other factor we can't say at this point. The intensity of light used in the study may be well in excess of what is necessary to effect changes, stress the researchers. So they will continue to experiment with varieties of light therapy to determine the crucial element. The subjects themselves feel that sunlight is the missing ingredient.
One said that she felt as if she were in a "lower state of evolution since I function by photosynthesis." Although these winter depressives showed an abnormal response to light, each of us responds to it in varying degrees. External light travels on a direct pathway from the retina to the part of the hypothalamus believed to be involved in running our biologic clock, the suprachiasmatic nuclei. The path continues to the tiny, cone-shaped pineal gland, which secretes the hormone melatonin. It is thought that melatonin affects the regulation of behavioral changes in animals, but this has not been clearly shown in humans. Sufficiently intense light suppresses the secretion of this chemical, making it a useful marker in determining light's physical effect on behavior. The secretion of melatonin reflects light's effect on the hypothalamus, itself highly sensitive to light. This complex part of the brain regulates a multitude of body functions, playing a vital role in reproduction, thirst, hunger, satiation, temperature, emotions, and sleep patterns. Depression is associated with disturbances in the hypothalamus.
"By stimulating the hypothalamus with light we may be correcting these disturbances in this group," explains Rosenthal. Most artificial light differs from natural sunlight in wavelength (color) and intensity. Sunlight is very intense electromagnetic energy in a continuous spectrum of colors ranging from the short wavelengths of invisible ultraviolet light (UV) through blue, green, yellow, and into the infrared waves. Incandescent bulbs that light through heat light the majority of our homes. They lack the intensity of sunlight and produce light that is heavily infrared. "We don't like the incandescent lights," says Wehr. "It's conceivable for this purpose that they are not the safest. You can get burned from the heat and the infrared radiation."
Although some fluorescent lamps are described as "broad spectrum," they do not have the same distribution of colors as sunlight. Widely used fluorescent lights peak in the yellow-green portion of the spectrum, wavelengths to which the eye is most sensitive. That makes them energy efficient but different from natural sunlight, notably in the blue-green spectrum where the sun's emission or radiant energy is strongest. Additionally, conventional indoor lighting lacks the proper proportion of near-UV radiation of the sun that advocates claim to be vital to health and well being. Just as overexposure can be unhealthy, regulated doses of sun and UV can be therapeutic. UV is currently used to treat psoriasis and, experimentally, genital herpes and some forms of cancer in the early stages of the illness. Full-spectrum artificial light is widely used to cure potentially fatal type of infant jaundice. We need sunlight with its UV rays to metabolize vitamin D, necessary for the absorption of calcium, especially in growing children and the elderly.
Some studies show that working under true full-spectrum lights enhances productivity and reduces fatigue. Even critics concede that many people who are deprived of natural light, such as night or shift workers, suffer undue emotional stress. Whether or just how we should alter our indoor lighting is a question being raised by these studies. As Dr. Richard Wurtman, professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been saying for years, we should not take artificial lighting for granted. Lined up in the pro-sunlight camp, he has written, "Light is potentially too useful an agency of human health not to be more effectively examined and exploited." As researchers isolate the specific part of the sun's spectrum that is related to health and well-being, we could eventually create the perfect indoor environment with artificial lighting, says E. Woody Bickford, environmental engineer with Duro-Test, manufacturers of Vita-Lite. "Until we know," he points out, "Vita Lite, with its complete range of visible and invisible light, is what we have to work with."
For ordinary indoor lighting, two to four 40-watt lamps would provide some health benefits, he says. "The benefits seem to be proportional to the amount of light," he adds. "We may need higher intensity in all our work levels. Perhaps the cutoff point is what you can afford," Vita-Lite tubes are expensive, and most of our homes are not equipped with fixtures that can accommodate them.
Although many lighting experts are skeptical of the entire concept of light affecting our health, some light manufacturers are beginning to support research in the field, and one trade association has just established a new branch devoted to light and health. As the relationship between light and health becomes publicized, NIHM's Rosenthal worries that people will try to treat themselves. "With the winter depressives it's a matter of risks out-weighing benefits. Bright light can damage the retina; UV can be dangerous. But depression can be dangerous for them, too!"
Rather than attempting to cure themselves, people who think that they are winter depressives should contact the NIMH, Bethesda, Maryland 20205, for literature and specific recommendations as they become available.
As Dr. Wehr puts it, "we are not telling people to hurry and turn lights - not yet." M.D. Magazine, January 1984, by Patricia McManus.
About the Author
Larry Weber, President. Naturallighting.com specializes in all types of high quality full spectrum lighting, and has been in business for 15 years.
http://www.naturallighting.com Toll Free 888.900.6830
Know About the All Purpose Holistic Medicine
Types
There are different types of Allergies, the most common being type1. When an allergen encounters cells capable of antibody formation, they then form IgE antibodies, which bind to the surface of other cells, called mast cells and basophils. In response to the attachment those cells release chemicals, called mediators of anaphylaxis, among them histamine. Those chemicals cause allergic reactions such as swelling or the secretion
of mucus.
Almost any substance can be an allergen for an individual. Common allergens include certain foods, especially milk, wheat and eggs, pollens, dust, moulds, cosmetic and certain food additives.
An Allergy is not the same as intolerance. Allergies always involve the immune system, whereas intolerance, e.g. lactose intolerance, is caused by a lack of lactase, the enzyme that converts lactose into glucose.
Causes
Allergies may have many different causes-from pets to pollen to certain types of medicine and foods. In addition, allergic symptoms may be just as varied. While no one can predict when or how an allergy will develop, you can learn how to keep allergies under control by following a treatment plan and avoiding the things that aggravate your allergic symptoms.
Symptoms
When allergies flare up, they may cause a considerable amount of discomfort and inconvenience, but having allergies does not mean you have to struggle with your symptoms. Understanding how to help keep allergies from interfering with the things you want to do may make a big difference in how you feel and how you live.
For more information visit: http://www.AllergiesInfoCenter.com
About the Author
Sigh
I mean, c'mon. isn't the whole reason we take anti-depressant drugs centered around NOT wanting to give up, check out, commit suicide, stop living, etc.? So, we take a drug that makes us more bummed? To the point of suicide?
When are we going to stop running to a doctor every time we (or our children) have sniffle or pang to get that 'magic pill' that somehow ALWAYS manages to have a side effect worse than the original symptom??
Don't tell me about the marvels of modern medicine, I know about an awful lot of them. And, in case you're getting the wrong idea, I have immense respect for scientists and researchers who have devoted lifetimes to try and find ways to overcome modern man's illnesses.
I have immense respect for most medical doctors and practitioners who have devoted their lives to trying to help and heal their fellow man.
However, the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies, the 'big business' of medicine - they can go away any day now. When the almighty dollar supercedes the importance of life, it's time to do something.
Also, why in the heck can't we learn to stop throwing the baby out with the bathwater??? With the advent of 'science', all of a sudden everything our ancestors did and believed in the realm of healing was all of a sudden labeled 'superstition' and ineffective 'folk medicine.'
Isn't it funny that now we're realizing how right much of that folk medicine was. Mistletoe is being researched for its effect on Cancer - with astounding results. St John's Wort is now known to be a very effective anti-depressant (without making you want to kill yourself!), light - that's right, light - is being used to treat ulcers, infections, carpal tunnel syndrome, and a host of other ailments - successfully.
Therapeutic touch is being used in hospitals for surgery and heart patients, successfully. The power of prayer - dubbed ineffective by the so-called scientific experts for decades upon decades - has now been proven to have a measurable positive effect on the ill.
So, is the pendulum finally swinging back to center? I sure as heck hope so. But, more than that, I hope it doesn't completely swing in the opposite direction.
If I feel my children need medical attention, I do NOT HESITATE to get it for them. But, if I can keep my children healthy in the first place with natural therapies, herbs, vitamins, good nutrition and treat them at home in the same manner successfully, I do that.
We need that ever-elusive balance. Science, allopathic and 'alternative' medicine working TOGETHER for the good of the people. In my humble opinion, THAT is what 'holistic' should mean. Everything working together as a whole to help the whole of the person. The new buzz term for this is 'Integrative Medicine'.
But, no matter what you call it, it makes sense. Use everything at your disposal to heal - and first, do no harm. (I wish the pharmaceutical companies and many doctors would follow that!)
About the Author
Dee is a Certified Aromatherapist, Certified Reflexologist, and Reiki Master. Her site is AkobiAromas.com - a source of quality aromatherapy, herbal and reflexology information and products.
Is a mothers love, medicine
Minus all meningitis thoughts.The flu symptons were strong. Headache,burning fever and sore throat. So what does any natural mother do when their offspring takes ill. They smother him or her with a lot of TLC and would walk to the ends of the earth just to take away the pain and suffering.
Is a mother's love, medicine?
Despite all those motherly rituals mentioned above. There was no change in my nine year old son's condition. Meningitis still so distant in my thoughts..The lucozade was poured out in pints to quench his thirst and a saturated flannel to change every minute to wipe his brow. I prayed more times to god than that of any pope for my son to pull out of this other world he had elapsed into.
A mother's love is more of a cure than any cough medicines pills or tablets, so I thought..
Humming one of his favourite tunes as I held him up close in my arms rocking him back and too.
Not even his favourite videos could pull him out of this alien world that he now belonged to
Was a mother's love? slowly killing her little boy.
Every mother's worst nightmare was to befall me with the inevitable happening. Purple like bruises began to appear on his chest followed by the loss of his voice.
With trembling hands I struggled to dial 999. Please god if your up there hear my prayers, let my little boy reach 10..
When the doctor arrived he said he couldnt rule out meningitis. And so my little boy was rushed off in an ambulance at a speed that would have given Nigel Mansell a run for his money.
Thank god for flashing blue sirens.
In silence I prayed for god to give me back my son.
The curtain may well have been a brick wall that separated me and my little boy in the hospital. But he was in good hands I assured myself and that being the hands of god.
It seemed like a life time before that curtain came swishing back to have the doctor in his white coat appear before me.
I gave him lucozade I wiped his brow. I even put on his favourite videos and smothered him with all the love I could possibly give. Where did I go wrong doctor? You did nothing wrong was his reply.
Just to hear those words that there was no cause for alarm and that my little boy was going to pull through, gave me back all the strength that seemed to have drained from my body while waiting for the outcome of this nightmare.
Meningitis symptons had a strong presence the doctor said. It was a virus on the inside trying to break out.
Tears of happiness flowed like that of Niagra falls as I rushed to my little boys side.
Holding him tight kissing and cuddling him like any natural mother would do.
I had unfinished business to attend to and that was to thank the man himself up above for hearing my cry. Now to arrange a ten year olds birthday party.
The doctor approached me and asked if he could say something before I left.
Yes of course doctor?
A mother's love is great medicine for comforting her children
but when it comes to curing them. please call a doctor.
About the Author
We all do what we think is right, but is it right?. dont leave it to chance. Consult a doctor, and make sure that your child gets the right treatment. Thats what natural mothers do.
Integrative Medicine
The NBC National News, quoted the Washington Post in March of 2000, about the concerns that the FDA had over the mixing of supplements and conventional medications. There were concerns that millions of people are taking supplements (considered herbs, homeopathic, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and some diet products) and having reactions when they mix these things with common and prescribed medications.
I have studied this phenomenon for over 20 years and do know for a fact that with conventional medications, these reactions are quite common. The AMA is calling for the FDA to reverse their ruling on supplements implemented in 1997.
But is this really the best approach?
Many Universities across the nation have closed their Ethno -botany and Botany labs, disallowing many with the gift in this field to aid in the search for new cures, and to determine which plants will have adverse reactions when combined with other chemicals
A good example is the treatment of Gout.
Medications that are prescribed by traditional medicine are normally Allopurinal or Zyloprim and Colchicine (which, by the way, is a homeopathic remedy from the bulb of the Autumn Crocus) which decreases the reaction that causes uric acid in the blood. Allopurinal and Colchicine can be enhanced by a specialized diet and the elimination of some supplements that can cause an elevation of certain enzymes in the diet. Both of these drugs can also cause serious side effects and toxicity when taken in high doses and/or for a prolonged period of time.
The deficiency of certain nutrients can provoke an attack of gout, people who take antibiotics can increase the risk of an attack and a persons diet can certainly influence not only the severity of an attack, but the frequency of attacks.
There are other reactions that need to be taken into account also, and that is that Allopurinal and Colchicine has a negative effect on the liver after 6 months of use, which will make it harder for those drugs to work effectively. If you also add some supplementation, even a regular multi-vitamin into the system when the liver is already struggling to keep up with the demands of the system, this can cause an adverse reaction to the liver, in part because the liver has to work harder to absorb the micro-nutrients given in the multi-vitamin.
The balance between conventional medicine and alternative medicine is a delicate one. Right now, both schools of thought refuse to work together, and the general public is who suffers.
For some who suffered from allergies when Seldane was prescribed, this was a very concerning issue. When taking Seldane, patients were not told that taking the medication along with certain micro-nutrients could prove to be fatal, and was in a few cases across the United States.
In 1993, the New England Journal of medicine published an article in which researchers estimated that as many as 60 million people had participated in alternative medical care. A follow-up study to that one, which appeared in a 1998 issue of JAMA, estimated that the number of visits to alternative practitioners had increased more than 47 percent between 1990 and 1997 and that expenditures in 1997 for alternative medicine services exceeded 21 billion dollars.
In our small town we had a family practitioner that took care of the community needs. He was a wonderful man that always gave of his time, energy and knowledge freely. A week after he was diagnosed with Gastric Carcinoma, he called me for advice. I asked him why he would call me and ask me for help. He told me that he had watched the patients that he had diagnosed with this same disease die slow, painful and miserable death, even while they were on conventional medications. He said he knew that the traditional medications and protocols didn't work, he had diagnosed cancers, informed the patients, watched them slowly die and he wanted something else. I treated him for 9 months; the cancer did not advance in that time, it didn't go away either, but it didn't advance. I asked him to do both treatments together, traditional and integrative, but he refused. He had a friend that was a Oncologist and this friend finally convinced him to try some clinical trials at a couple of Universities. In order to do that, the family doctor had to come off all other protocols that he had been taking. They waited a few weeks for the nutrients to leave his body, then started him on a protocol called PP6 and Thalidomide. A few days after the first treatment, he told his closest friend, "I've killed myself." Within a few weeks, he was totally incapacitated. He passed away some 5 months later, in severe pain and agony.
It's not always conventional medicine at fault....A cancer patient in N-stage was being treated by both conventional physician and naturopathic physician. Because the patient had been put on Prednisone he had become edemic. The Naturopath told the patient to come off the drug immediately, and then left town on a business trip. I got a call a few days later, the patients breathing was labored and he had fluid in his lungs. The massage therapist that called explained what had happened. I told her to call the man's medical physician immediately, the reduction of Prednisone can not be halted that quickly without the patient undergoing repercussions . The patient paid the ultimate price for the bridge between alternative and conventional medicine. There is so much that can be integrated into both schools of thought and treatment. These stories are why the public is turning to other methods for treatment, most do a combination, which, as the previous story illustrates, can be detrimental to health, unless the health care giver has a knowledge of both fields and an understanding of the chemical reactions that can occur.
It is always best to be responsible for your own health and treatment. No health care professional should be given total and complete control over another man's life. The need for knowledge is a necessity when deciding to integrate different methods of treatment for the health care provider involved, it could mean the difference between the life and death of a patient. The future of Integrated Medicine lies in the publics demand for the combination of traditional, alternative medicine, Bio-technology and Nano-technology. This integration will be needed in order to give patients the best of all fields of study.
D.S. Epperson is the top Formulary for Home Blend Gourmet, (www.sugarblend.com) a Fuctional Foods Company based in the U.S., and South Pacific Health, the Corporate Base for 9 different Company's associated with Human Health, Enviromental, Agricultural, Veterinarian, Nutraceutical, Topical, Functional Food, Skincare, Sports and Fitness and Botanical Extractions. Her work spans a period of 20 years as a Nutritional Biochemist in protocols for acute and chronic conditions. She has writen reference books on herbs and manufacturing medicines from botanicals, and formulates functional foods for the benefit of those suffering from disease. More information can be found at: http://www.sugarblend.com.
How to Help the Medicine Go Down
I have a confession to make. I'm a 40-year-old adult that cannot successfully swallow pills. Shocking...I know. However, it does give me a tremendous empathy for the many kids with special needs who must take one or multiple medication EVERY day. For many of these families, medication time is a daily struggle if not a daily battle!
For those of you who are already saying, "Oh it's so easy, you just ....". Plese stop. Every adult who has ever learned of my dilemma has shared his or her "no fail" strategy. Needless to say, they can't claim they are "no fail" anymore. I think one of the problems is this -- if you swallow pills easily it's really hard for you to explain how you do it. You just DO it. In an effort to understand and ease my own situation and that of others like me, I went researching. Here are my findings, both the common and the "more creative".
1. Eliminate the non-essential
This tip is high on my list. Any medication I can manage NOT to take is a step in the right direction. Here are a couple articles to help you decide when medications are essential:
- How to Get the Most Benefits with the Fewest Risks http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/takemed/medtips.html
- Psychiatric Medications for Children & Adolescents: Questions To Ask http://www.childhooddisorders.com/children_medications.html
- How to swallow pills
First of all, not everyone CAN swallow a pill. Some children truly do not have the mouth and throat control to swallow a solid pill. This can be seen in the very young child. It can also be the case in an older child with a developmental delay that affects his ability to swallow or speak. If your child cannot swallow a moderate mouthful of water without it dripping out of his mouth, he may have a physical problem with the swallowing reflex. If you aren't sure whether your child has the physical ability to swallow pills, consult his/her doctor or a speech therapist. Once that issue is cleared up ....
Everyone has a theory on how to "teach" pill swallowing.
Dr. William Sears recommends this approach:
"Instead of following the natural tendency and tipping the head back to swallow a pill, have your child bend her head forward. Place the pill near the tip of her tongue. Have your child bend her head forward so that the chin touches the chest. As she swallows, she should lift her head up quickly. The pill will rise to the top of the water (toward the back of the tongue) and wash down easily with the swallow."
A seasoned mom suggested this method:
"Get a couple of packages of those MINI m&m's. They are slightly bigger than many children's pills and taste much better. Talk with your child about how much better they feel on the medication. Explain that you want to help him or her TEACH THEMSELF to swallow meds. Give him/her the M & M's and a glass of milk/water, whatever s/he picks, and a couple of M & M's. Here's the bargain: If s/he can swallow an M & M whole, s/he gets the rest of the package. Let him/her try. Limit your training to 3 chances so you don't reinforce failure. If s/he sincerely tries and ALMOST succeeds, then give a portion of the treat and try again the next day."
And Christy Russell at the University of Kansas offers this idea:
"Sometimes children must take baby steps to master the art of the gulp. In those cases, it helps to sweeten their path. Start by teaching your child to swallow one of those Sprinkles used in cake decoration -- Blue, Yellow, Red, any color will work. Then move up to spherical silver sprinkles. From there, it's a short jump to introducing your child to fragments of red licorice whip snipped to less than half an inch in length. Your final stop before the jump to an actual pill might be a capsule-shaped candy like Tic-Tacs, then a vitamin."
NOTE:
Although more than one expert recommends this approach (Dr. Sabine Hack outlines a similar approach in Pill Swallowing Made Easy http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/pill_swallowing.html) it is important to note that it can encourage some kids to think of medicine as candy. If you are concerned about confusing a child with developmental delays or other cognitive issues, then this approach is probably not a wise choice for your situation.
Here are some other creative methods for getting a pill down:
=> Mix with food - The taste of most medicine is hard to disguise, but sometimes you can help "slide" a pill down or mix a capsule's contents into a food that hides it enough to help. Buttering the pill or burying it in a spoonful of jam can help it to slide down more easily. Other foods to try mixing with include: ice cream (especially flavors that already contain chunks of brownie, fruit, or nuts), whipped cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, apple sauce, peanut butter, pudding, grits, mashed potato, sweet potato pie, Jell-O, the slippery sauce from canned peaches, mashed banana, pancake syrup or chocolate syrup. Remember to use only a small amount of food.
=> Use a straw - Have your child put the pill on his/her tongue. Then using a straw, suck down three big gulps of water. With a straw there is no pill floating around in your mouth like there is if you just try to swallow a pill with a big mouthful of water.
=> Use a cookie - When the cookie is chewed and ready to be swallowed, pop the pill in and then swallow the cookie.
=> Add liquid - Dissolve the pill in a tiny bit of warm water and mix it with Cranberry juice.
=> Add a disguise - Take a small bit of Fruit Roll-up and wrap the pill inside it.
=> Try thicker fluids - If water isn't working try milk, fruit nectar, Carnation Instant Breakfast, Ensure, a milkshake, or one of the new liquid yogurt products. Thicker fluids create more bulk, making it harder for the pill to separate itself from the fluid during swallowing. Remember: If you are diabetic, use the sugar-free version of these beverages.
=> Reduce your mouth sensitivity - Spray or gargle with an over-the-counter topical anesthetic (normally used for sore throats) before swallowing or have your child suck on a Popsicle to partially numb the mouth.
=> A little at a time - Crush a chewable tablet between two spoons and add a few drops of water, making a paste of the medicine. Using your finger, place a small amount of the paste on the inside of your child's cheeks and allow her to swallow a little bit at a time.
=> Give it a little squeeze - Liquid medications can often be administered using an oral syringe. Draw the medicine into the syringe and give directly into your child's mouth. An oral syringe has no needle, just a tip to dispense the medicine. When you give medicine with a syringe it is always best to give it on the left or right side of the child's mouth to reduce the risk of choking.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/oralsyringe.htm
IMPORTANT: Every medication is unique and how you administer it may impact the way it works. It is always smart to check with your regular pharmacist before you decide to use any approach that differs from the instructions you were given with the medication.
3. Consider a pill alternative
I knew I wasn't alone in my struggle when major pharmaceutical companies started to make Adult medication in a variety of formats -- liquid, dissolving pills, sprays, patches, etc. Children's medicines also now come in liquid form, chewable tablets, dissolving tabs, and spray formulas.
=> Oral sprays can deliver vitamins, minerals, and other supplements directly into the bloodstream in a way that is quick, convenient and requires NO special skills.
http://ezwaysprayvitamins.com/
=> Another option is to offer medication in a lozenge or medication stick form. Lozenges are solid preparations that are intended to dissolve or disintegrate slowly in the mouth. They contain one or more medicaments usually in a flavored, sweetened base.
http://pharmlabs.unc.edu/lozenge/text.htm
=> Many medications are available in liquid form. You can talk to your care provider, nurse, or pharmacist about which of your medications can be prescribed in liquid form but here are some tips from Dr. Carol Watkins:
Antidepressants: Several of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Celexa) come in liquid form. Paxil has a relatively palatable orange flavor. It was difficult to find in pharmacies for a while but is now more available. Celexa has a mint flavor with a slight medicinal aftertaste.
Stimulants: Adderall XR and Metadate CD capsules can be opened and sprinkled on pudding and applesauce respectively. Avoid swallowing amphetamines with citrus or other acidic juices.
Mood Stabilizers: Lithium comes as a syrup. Tegretol comes in a chewable form. Depakote comes in sprinkles. Some antipsychotic medications come in liquid or suspension forms. Some pills can be dissolved in certain specific liquids. Years ago, Prozac came no smaller than 20 mg. When patients needed a smaller dose, we told them how to dissolve the capsule in cranberry juice-we called it Cranzac. Consult your doctor and your pharmacist before attempting to dissolve or crush a pill. Dissolving or crushing some medications, will change how the pill works.
4. If all else fails . . .
When a medicine cannot be crushed and mixed with food, or when your child still refuses to "eat" or "drink" the mixture, a pharmacist may be able to prepare a custom liquid mixture from a tablet or capsule form of the medicine. Very often, pharmacists can also add a flavoring to the liquid, such as cherry syrup, to improve its taste.
http://www.flavorx.com/default.asp
This type of preparing of medication is called compounding Some pharmacies do compounding and others do not. Children's Hospitals around the country often have outpatient pharmacies that can prepare special doses of medications for kids. Even if you don't live near a Children's Hospital, they may be willing to prepare and mail a special prescription.
http://www.rxsolutionsonline.com/lab.html
As with much in life, the key seems to be creativity and persistence!
Copyright 2003, Lisa Simmons
About the author:
Lisa is the director of the Ideal Lives Inclusion & Advocacy Center supporting parents raising children with special needs. "We provide the tools, resources, and information you need to get results. Our focus is on making support simple and connecting advocates to answers."
How Do I Choose The Best Arthritis Medicine?
Are you spending a fortune on prescription arthritis medicines? Are they helping? Are you concerned about side effects? You may think a particular drug is a miraculous godsend. Yet, someone you know may take the same dose only to experience little relief and life-threatening side effects. All of the choices can be confusing.
The best treatment for your arthritis is based on your needs. Making the diagnosis of “osteoarthritis” is fairly straightforward, but deciding what to do about it is a complex and very individualized matter. There’s a wide range of options available to help you deal with OA; medicines are only part of the picture:
- The Basics: Weight Management / Exercise / Education / Modify Activities
- Medications: Pain Relievers, NSAIDs (like ibuprofen), Supplements
- Injections/ Bracing Surgery
The highest dose of the latest, “greatest” arthritis medicine on the market will NOT help unless you follow common-sense health practices. Focus on low-tech/low-cost habits that pay off throughout your body and quality of life. Modify the combination of remedies over your lifetime as symptoms wax and wane. Start simple, and then move to the next step if the first isn’t helping. You can cut back during the times you have less pain.
At this point, available medicines can relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, not cure it. There are some treatments for rheumatoid arthritis that can slow down joint destruction. Scientific research suggests that nutritional supplements, like glucosamine, might strengthen cartilage tissue. Stay tuned!
The dozens of arthritis medications available are categorized by drug class. The drug classes differ in the way your body handles the chemical that makes up the drug, known as the mechanism of action. Different mechanisms of action target different arthritis symptoms: pain vs. stiffness vs. inflammation. If you understand the classes, you will understand:
- how each drug works,
- which drugs are related because they work in a similar way,
- what side effects can occur, and
- why a drug may or may not be right for you.
Fortunately, there are eight drug classes to choose from to relieve your osteoarthritis symptoms. If you must avoid a whole class because you have another health condition, there are plenty of others that could keep you comfortable. Combining smaller doses from different classes may be the right answer. Usually only with prudent, thoughtful trials will you and your doctor discover what’s best for you. Keep a diary of the remedies you try, and their effects, good and bad. You spend a lot of money trying to feel better - don’t waste it!
Beware of your drugs’ true cost! “Cost” applies not only to the money you pay for the pills, but also to the toll they could take on your system in terms of side effects like stomach ulcers, kidney failure, addiction, and other problems worth avoiding!
OA is a chronic, degenerative condition that progresses at different rates in different patients (and even in different joints in the same body!) You’ve got better things to do than let OA rule your day. The right treatment strategy will get you back to the Pursuit of Happiness!
Want to learn more about all EIGHT classes of OA drugs? Visit www.knowyourbones.com to order “Making Sense of Arthritis Medicine: Manage Your Symptoms Safely” and discover relief that’s right for you!
Stephanie E. Siegrist, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in her 10th year of practice, and author of "Making Sense of Arthritis Medicine." She's one of only 3% of U.S. orthopedic surgeons who are women! Dr. Siegrist strives to bridge the gaps that exist in today's doctor-patient relationship with "Information Therapy!" Complete information about Dr. Siegrist, and the book, are available from her website.
Holistic medicine allows an individual to be treated naturally and establishes a positive balance between body, mind and spirit. Holisitc medicine encourages self-healing. Holistic medicine promotes detoxification by utilizing cleansing herbs. Holistic medicine also teaches nutritional guidelines that enhances proper diet and longevity. Furthermore, holistic medicine means utilizing recommended vitamins, minerals and other nutritional supplements to make one's body function more effectively.
Holistic medicine encompasses preventative and maintenance programs. But it also enables us to learn alternative healing methods like Yoga, Reiki, Tai Chi, acupressure, acupuncture, herbal and plant remedies and so much more. There are well over 100 medical conditions like cancer, migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome and many others that can be helped with holistic medicine today.
In modern society, there are countless advantages to holistic medicine. If you or someone you know is interested in learning about the benefits of holistic medicine or would like to contact a holistic medicine practitioner, Holistic Junction has a directory listing of many, professional holistic medicine specialists. Simply go to "Directories," click on Business Directories and we'll help you find one close to you.
NOTICE: Article may be republished free of charge as long as Author Resource Box (above) is included, and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN in tact and active.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Writer for Holistic Junction
In the next higher stage, the High Blood Pressure Medicine consists of beta blockers. This medicine for High Blood Pressure reduces nerve impulses to the heart and blood vessels. Because of its functions, this High Blood Pressure Medicine is known as Beta Blocker.
If there is a narrowing of blood vessels, then the choice of High Blood Pressure Medicine is an Angio Tensin Converting Enzyme. This prevents the formation of the hormone angiotensinII and prevents the narrowing of blood vessels. Another course of medication for High Blood Pressure consists of Angiotensin Antagonists. These High Blood Pressure Medicines shield blood vessels from making angiotensin and widen blood vessels to subsequently lower blood pressure.
In the next category of High Blood Pressure Medicine, there are the Calcium Channel Blockers. This medicine for High Blood Pressure process keeps calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and the blood vessels. These channel blockers are in the category of alpha blockers and beta blockers. The alpha blockers reduce impulses to the blood vessels. This allows the blood to pass without restrictions through the blood vessels and thus helps the blood pressure to go down. The beta blockers used for high blood pressure medicine also slow down the heart beat.
In yet another category of medicine for high blood pressure, there are the Nervous System Inhibitors. They inhibit heart and relax blood vessels by controlling nerve impulses. Doctors also use Vasodilators as High Blood Pressure Medicication in the final stage. These medicines for High Blood Pressure directly open blood vessels and allow the blood pressure to be lowered. Combining this medication and High Blood Pressure with the right lifestyle can be very helpful.
About the Author
Online entrepreneur Sara Jenkins, is dedicated to helping others and their needs to succeed in life by offering free tips everyday. To learn more about her free tips program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE bonus how-to books and resources, visit www.TipsEveryDay.com
Herbs or medicinal plants have a long history in treating disease. In traditional Chinese medicine, for example, the written history of herbal medicine goes back over 2000 years and herbalists in the West have used “weeds” equally long to treat that which ails us. We are all familiar with the virtues of Garlic, Chamomile, Peppermint, Lavender, and other common herbs.
Interest in medicinal herbs is on the rise again and the interest is primarily from the pharmaceutical industry, which is always looking for ‘new drugs’ and more effective substances to treat diseases, for which there may be no or very few drugs available.
Considering the very long traditional use of herbal medicines and the large body of evidence of their effectiveness, why is it that we are not generally encouraged to use traditional herbal medicine, instead of synthetic, incomplete copies of herbs, called drugs, considering the millions of dollars being spent looking for these seemingly elusive substances?
Herbs are considered treasures when it comes to ancient cultures and herbalists, and many so-called weeds are worth their weight in gold. Dandelion, Comfrey, Digitalis (Foxglove), the Poppy, Milk Thistle, Stinging nettle, and many others, have well-researched and established medicinal qualities that have few if any rivals in the pharmaceutical industry. Many of them in fact, form the bases of pharmaceutical drugs.
Research into the medicinal properties of such herbs as the humble Dandelion is currently being undertaken by scientists at the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Kew, west London, who believe it could be the source of a life-saving drug for cancer patients.
Early tests suggest that it could hold the key to warding off cancer, which kills tens of thousands of people every year.
Their work on the cancer-beating properties of the dandelion, which also has a history of being used to treat warts, is part of a much larger project to examine the natural medicinal properties of scores of British plants and flowers.
Professor Monique Simmonds, head of the Sustainable Uses of Plants Group at Kew, said: "We aren't randomly screening plants for their potential medicinal properties, we are looking at plants which we know have a long history of being used to treat certain medical problems.”
“We will be examining them to find out what active compounds they contain which can treat the illness.”
Unfortunately, as is so often the case, this group of scientists appears to be looking for active ingredients, which can later be synthesised and then made into pharmaceutical drugs. This is not the way herbs are used traditionally and their functions inevitably change when the active ingredients are used in isolation. That’s like saying that the only important part of a car is the engine – nothing else needs to be included…
So, why is there this need for isolating the ‘active ingredients’?
As a scientist, I can understand the need for the scientific process of establishing the fact that a particular herb works on a particular disease, pathogen or what ever, and the need to know why and how it does so. But, and this is a BIG but, as a doctor of Chinese medicine I also understand the process of choosing and prescribing COMBINATIONS of herbs, which have a synergistic effect to treat not just the disease, but any underlying condition as well as the person with the disease – That is a big difference and not one that is easily tested using standard scientific methodologies.
Using anecdotal evidence, which after all has a history of thousands of years, seems to escape my esteemed colleagues all together. Rather than trying to isolate the active ingredient(s), why not test these herbs, utilising the knowledge of professional herbalists, on patients in vivo, using the myriad of technology available to researchers and medical diagnosticians to see how and why these herbs work in living, breathing patients, rather than in a test tube or on laboratory rats and mice (which, by the way, are not humans and have a different, although some what similar, physiology to us…).
I suspect, that among the reasons for not following the above procedure is that the pharmaceutical companies are not really interested in the effects of the medicinal plants as a whole, but rather in whether they can isolate a therapeutic substance which can then be manufactured cheaply and marketed as a new drug - and of course that’s where the money is…
The problem with this approach is however, that medicinal plants like Comfrey, Dandelion and other herbs usually contain hundreds if not thousands of chemical compounds that interact, yet many of which are not yet understood and cannot be manufactured. This is why the manufactured drugs, based on so-called active ingredients, often do not work or produce side effects.
Aspirin is a classic case in point. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in Aspirin tablets, and was first isolated from the bark of the White Willow tree. It is a relatively simple compound to make synthetically, however, Aspirin is known for its ability to cause stomach irritation and in some cases ulceration of the stomach wall.
The herbal extract from the bark of the White Willow tree generally does not cause stomach irritation due to other, so called ‘non-active ingredients’ contained in the bark, which function to protect the lining of the stomach thereby preventing ulceration of the stomach wall.
Ask yourself, which would I choose – Side effects, or no site effects? – It’s a very simple answer. Isn’t it?
So why then are herbal medicines not used more commonly and why do we have pharmaceutical impostors stuffed down our throats? The answer is, that there’s little or no money in herbs for the pharmaceutical companies. They, the herbs, have already been invented, they grow easily, they multiply readily and for the most part, they’re freely available.
Further more, correctly prescribed and formulated herbal compounds generally resolve the health problem of the patient over a period of time, leaving no requirement to keep taking the preparation – that means no repeat sales… no ongoing prescriptions… no ongoing problem.
Pharmaceuticals on the other hand primarily aim to relieve symptoms – that means: ongoing consultations, ongoing sales, ongoing health problems – which do you think is a more profitable proposition…?
Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that all drugs are impostors or that none of the pharmaceutical drugs cure diseases or maladies – they do and some are life-preserving preparations and are without doubt invaluable. However, herbal extracts can be similarly effective, but are not promoted and are highly under-utilised.
The daily news is full of ‘discoveries’ of herbs found to be a possible cure of this or that, as in the example of Dandelion and its possible anti-cancer properties. The point is, that these herbs need to be investigated in the correct way. They are not just ‘an active ingredient’. They mostly have hundreds of ingredients and taking one or two in isolation is not what makes medicinal plants work. In addition, rarely are herbal extracts prescribed by herbalists as singles (a preparation which utilises only one herb). Usually herbalists mix a variety of medicinal plants to make a mixture, which addresses more than just the major symptoms.
In Chinese medicine for example there is a strict order of hierarchy in any herbal prescription, which requires considerable depth of knowledge and experience on the physicians part. The fact that the primary or principle herb has active ingredients, which has a specific physiological effect, does not mean the other herbs are not necessary in the preparation. This is a fact seemingly ignored by the pharmaceutical industry in its need to manufacture new drugs that can control disease.
Knowing that medicinal plants are so effective, that these plants potentially hold the key to many diseases, are inexpensive and have proven their worth time and time again over millennia, why is it that herbal medicine is still not in the forefront of medical treatments, and is considered by many orthodox medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies as hocus-pocus…. hmmm.
About The Author
Danny and Susan Siegenthaler have extensive experience as practitioners of Chinese medicine and as medical herbalists. They both have Bachelor of Science degrees, as well as several degrees in various modalities of alternative medicine. Together they have over 40 years of combined clinical experience and have taught hundreds of students.
Their Website Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products provides information, education and genuinely natural skin and body care as well as herbal products for everyone to enjoy – see you there. Wildcrafted.com.au
Herbal Medicine has been used for thousands of years
Interest in medicinal herbs is on the rise again and the interest is primarily from the pharmaceutical industry, which is always looking for ‘new drugs’ and more effective substances to treat diseases, for which there may be no or very few drugs available.
Considering the very long traditional use of herbal medicines and the large body of evidence of their effectiveness, why is it that we are not generally encouraged to use traditional herbal medicine, instead of synthetic, incomplete copies of herbs, called drugs, considering the millions of dollars being spent looking for these seemingly elusive substances?
Herbs are considered treasures when it comes to ancient cultures and herbalists, and many so-called weeds are worth their weight in gold. Dandelion, Comfrey, Digitalis (Foxglove), the Poppy, Milk Thistle, Stinging nettle, and many others, have well-researched and established medicinal qualities that have few if any rivals in the pharmaceutical industry. Many of them in fact, form the bases of pharmaceutical drugs.
Research into the medicinal properties of such herbs as the humble Dandelion is currently being undertaken by scientists at the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Kew, west London, believe it could be the source of a life-saving drug for cancer patients.
Early tests suggest that it could hold the key to warding off cancer, which kills tens of thousands of people every year.
Their work on the cancer-beating properties of the dandelion, which also has a history of being used to treat warts, is part of a much larger project to examine the natural medicinal properties of scores of British plants and flowers.
Professor Monique Simmonds, head of the Sustainable Uses of Plants Group at Kew, said: "We aren't randomly screening plants for their potential medicinal properties, we are looking at plants which we know have a long history of being used to treat certain medical problems.”
“We will be examining them to find out what active compounds they contain which can treat the illness.”
Unfortunately, as is so often the case, this group of scientists appears to be looking for active ingredients, which can later be synthesized and then made into pharmaceutical drugs. This is not the way herbs are used traditionally and their functions inevitably change when the active ingredients are used in isolation. That’s like saying that the only important part of a car is the engine – nothing else needs to be included…
So, why is there this need for isolating the ‘active ingredients’?
As a scientist, I can understand the need for the scientific process of establishing the fact that a particular herb works on a particular disease, pathogen or what ever, and the need to know why and how it does so. But, and this is a BIG but, as a doctor of Chinese medicine I also understand the process of choosing and prescribing COMBINATIONS of herbs, which have a synergistic effect to treat not just the disease, but any underlying condition as well as the person with the disease – That is a big difference and not one that is easily tested using standard scientific methodologies.
Using anecdotal evidence, which after all has a history of thousands of years, seems to escape my esteemed colleagues all together. Rather than trying to isolate the active ingredient(s), why not test these herbs, utilizing the knowledge of professional herbalists, on patients in vivo, using the myriad of technology available to researchers and medical diagnosticians to see how and why these herbs work in living, breathing patients, rather than in a test tube or on laboratory rats and mice (which, by the way, are not humans and have a different, although some what similar, physiology to us…).
I suspect, that among the reasons for not following the above procedure is that the pharmaceutical companies are not really interested in the effects of the medicinal plants as a whole, but rather in whether they can isolate a therapeutic substance which can then be manufactured cheaply and marketed as a new drug - and of course that’s where the money is…
The problem with this approach is however, that medicinal plants like Comfrey, Dandelion and other herbs usually contain hundreds if not thousands of chemical compounds that interact, yet many of which are not yet understood and cannot be manufactured. This is why the manufactured drugs, based on so-called active ingredients, often do not work or produce side effects.
Aspirin is a classic case in point. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in Aspirin tablets, and was first isolated from the bark of the White Willow tree. It is a relatively simple compound to make synthetically, however, Aspirin is known for its ability to cause stomach irritation and in some cases ulceration of the stomach wall.
The herbal extract from the bark of the White Willow tree generally does not cause stomach irritation due to other, so called ‘non-active ingredients’ contained in the bark, which function to protect the lining of the stomach thereby preventing ulceration of the stomach wall.
Ask yourself, which would I choose – Side effects, or no site effects? – It’s a very simple answer. Isn’t it?
So why then are herbal medicines not used more commonly and why do we have pharmaceutical impostors stuffed down our throats? The answer is, that there’s little or no money in herbs for the pharmaceutical companies. They, the herbs, have already been invented, they grow easily, they multiply readily and for the most part, they’re freely available.
Further more, correctly prescribed and formulated herbal compounds generally resolve the health problem of the patient over a period of time, leaving no requirement to keep taking the preparation – that means no repeat sales… no ongoing prescriptions… no ongoing problem.
Pharmaceuticals on the other hand primarily aim to relieve symptoms – that means: ongoing consultations, ongoing sales, ongoing health problems – which do you think is a more profitable proposition…?
Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that all drugs are impostors or that none of the pharmaceutical drugs cure diseases or maladies – they do and some are life-preserving preparations and are without doubt invaluable. However, herbal extracts can be similarly effective, but are not promoted and are highly under-utilized.
The daily news is full of ‘discoveries’ of herbs found to be a possible cure of this or that, as in the example of Dandelion and its possible anti-cancer properties. The point is, that these herbs need to be investigated in the correct way. They are not just ‘an active ingredient’. They mostly have hundreds of ingredients and taking one or two in isolation is not what makes medicinal plants work. In addition, rarely are herbal extracts prescribed by herbalists as singles (a preparation which utilizes only one herb). Usually herbalists mix a variety of medicinal plants to make a mixture, which addresses more than just the major symptoms.
In Chinese medicine for example there is a strict order of hierarchy in any herbal prescription, which requires considerable depth of knowledge and experience on the physicians part. The fact that the primary or principle herb has active ingredients, which has a specific physiological effect, does not mean the other herbs are not necessary in the preparation. This is a fact seemingly ignored by the pharmaceutical industry in its need to manufacture new drugs that can control disease.
Knowing that medicinal plants are so effective, that these plants potentially hold the key to many diseases, are inexpensive and have proven their worth time and time again over millennia, why is it that herbal medicine is still not in the forefront of medical treatments, and is considered by many orthodox medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies as hocus-pocus…. hmmm.
About the Author
Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.
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