Why PR Can be Effective "Medicine"by: Robert A. Kelly
Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. ord count is 1145 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2005.
Why PR Can be Effective “Medicine”
When properly applied by business, non-profit and association managers, public relations “medicine” does something positive about the behaviors of those important external audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operations.
It’s easy-to-swallow “medicine” when it leads managers to persuade those key outside folks to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that allow the manager’s department, division or subsidiary to succeed.
In other words, effective public relations “medicine” is applied when PR alters individual perception leading to changed behaviors among a manager’s target “publics,” thus helping achieve his or her managerial objectives.
Here’s the underlying essence: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.
But managers should always remember that their PR effort must demand more than special events, brochures and press releases if they are to come up with the public relations results they paid for.
Here’s a sampling of what this “medicine” can deliver: fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way; customers starting to make repeat purchases; membership applications on the rise; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to do business with you; higher employee retention rates, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.
Luckily, your PR people are already in the perception and behavior business, so they should be of real use for this initial opinion monitoring project. But you must be certain of several things. First, who among your PR team really understands the blueprint outlined above and shows commitment to its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring? Second, be certain that your public relations people really accept why it’s SO mportant to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. 2nd third, make sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.
Review the bidding with your PR staff. Especially your same plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?
You may wish to use those PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity since, as noted, they’re already in the perception and persuasion business. And further, because it can run into real money using professional survey firms to do the opinion gathering work. But, whether it’s your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.
Here, you are aiming at creating a PR goal that does something about the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Will it be to straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Or, stop that potentially painful rumor cold?
Where you establish a goal, you must establish a strategy that tells you how to get there. So keep in mind that there are just three strategic options available when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like blue cheese on your corn flakes, so be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.
It’s always a challenge to create an actionable message that will help persuade any audience to your way of thinking. Here, you must do so, and it must be a well-written message target directly at your key external audience. Identify your strongest writer because s/he must build some very special, corrective language. Words that are not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.
Now it’s selection time once again, namely, the communications tactics most likely to carry your
message to the attention of your target audience. There are scores available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But you must be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.
By the way, you may wish to keep this kind of message low profile and unveil it before smaller
meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases. Reason is, the
credibility of any message is fragile and always at stake, so how you communicate it is a concern.
You’ll need preliminary progress reports, which will alert you and your PR team to begin a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. But now, you will be on red alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.
If things are not moving fast enough for you, you always have the option of accelerating the effort by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.
The value of public relations as effective medicine for managers becomes clearer when you realize that the people you deal with behave like everyone else – they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Which means you really have little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move those key external audiences of yours to actions you desire.
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About the author:
Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.
mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com
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Why Modern Medicine is the Greatest Threat to Healthby: Dr. Randy Wysong
There is the underlying assumption that modernity translates into better health. A corollary of this logic is that we can live our lives pretty much as we want because we can always buy a repair. You know, the car won't start, the TV is broken, the telephone is dead – no problem. Just call in an expert, spend some money and all is well.
People carry this over to their thinking about health. Our ticker falters, joints creak or an unwanted growth pops up – no problem. Buy some modern medical care. If that doesn't work, it's a problem of money, better insurance, more hospital funding, more research for the "cure," more doctors, better equipment and more technology. Right?
Wrong.
Don't take my word for it. Listen to the perpetrators themselves. The following is taken right from the pages of the Journal of the American Medical Association (July 26, 2000): "Of 13 countries in a recent (health) comparison, the United States (the most modern and advanced in the world) ranks an average of 12th (second from the bottom)..."
For example, the U.S. ranks:
· last for low birth weight
· last for neonatal and infant mortality overall
· 11th for post neonatal mortality
· last for years of potential life lost
· 11th for female life expectancy at one year, and next to last for males
· 10th for age adjusted mortality
The World Health Organization, using different indicators, ranked the U.S. 15th among 25 industrialized nations. (If ranked against "primitive" cultures eating and living as humans were designed, the whole industrialized world would be at the bottom of the heap.)
Some might say these dismal results are because of smoking, alcohol, cholesterol, animal fats and poor penetration of medical care. Not so. Countries where these health risks are greater have better overall health according to epidemiological studies. It's also not due to lack of technology. The U.S. is, for example, second only to Japan in the number of magnetic resonance imaging units (MRIs) and computed tomography scanners per unit of population. Neither can lack of medical personnel be blamed since the U.S. has the greatest number of employees per hospital bed in the world.
So what is the problem? Here are some clues as revealed in the same journal cited above:
· 12,000 deaths per year from unnecessary surgery
· 7,000 deaths per year from medication errors in hospitals
· 20,000 deaths per year from other hospital errors
· 80,000 deaths per year from nosocomial (originating in a hospital) infections
· 106,000 deaths per year from adverse effects of medications
That totals 225,000 deaths per year, the third leading cause of death, behind heart disease and cancer. Another study – we're talking just hospital related deaths here – estimates 284,000 deaths per year. An analysis of outpatient care jumps these figures by 199,000 deaths for a new total of 483,000 medically related deaths per year. And this assumes doctors and hospitals eagerly report all their mistakes. Think so?
The poor health ranking in the U.S. is in large part not because of lack of modern medical care, it is because of it! This does not deny that each person’s life choices do not impact health as well. People cannot live with abandon and then expect anybody to fix it regardless of their technology and skills. You can imagine the frustration physicians must feel faced day-to-day with patients wanting a quick fix for a lifetime of unhealthy life choices. Be that as it may, it does not deny that modern medicine in and of itself is a huge risk to those who surrender to it.
Why do we not hear more about this? It is just too difficult to come to grips with the inevitable – and unbelievable – conclusion: When all the deaths (not counting the hundreds of thousands who are maimed or otherwise harmed but don't die) reported and not reported are tallied, medical intervention is arguably the leading cause of death in our country.
Time to splash some cold water on the rely-on-modern-medicine inebriation. And remember folks, the above are just cold statistics. Take any one of these numbers and humanize it to the real pain, suffering, financial devastation, grief and family disruption, and each one is a heart rending story deserving of anyone's deep concern and sympathy. It is a tragedy of a magnitude unequalled by anything in human history. And it's repeated every year. It makes 9-11, all the deaths in all U.S. wars, deaths by auto, homicides and everything else pale in comparison. (Not to minimize the tragedy of each of those things.)
The media should be shouting about medical risks from atop their broadcast towers. But there is mostly silence, just reports in obscure (to the public) medical and scientific publications. In the meantime, trusting people keep flocking to the slaughter. From just 1995 to 2002, pharmaceutical sales jumped from $65 billion to over $200 billion. That's about one prescription for each man, woman and child in the country every month. This escalation in medical dependency is paralleled in surgeries, lab tests, emergency room admissions, elective procedures and outpatient visits.
You can do something about it. Begin today to take control of your own health destiny. The philosophical paradigm of conventional, allopathic, symptom based, reductionistic, crisis care, episodic, after-the-fact medicine is seriously flawed ... and very deadly. Good and well meaning doctors are hamstrung by wrong philosophical premises. They are crippled every bit as much as those who once believed in a flat Earth. Trying to achieve health with modern allopathic medicine is like trying to fix computers with a hammer, just because that's the only tool you were taught to use or believe in.
Don't wait for the system to change. Old ideas die too hard. The mega-medical industry is not going to be quick in either admitting error or revamping itself. Your health is at stake. Think prevention and natural holistic cure. Study, learn, grow, be skeptical, change lifestyle, be self-reliant – be a thinking person. That's your best road to health.
About the author:
Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its eleventh printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 15 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at http://www.wysong.net. |
Why Choose Naturopathic Medicine?by: Dr. Tara Barker Naturopathic medicine is a system and philosophy of medicine that has been around for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Before the advent of ‘conventional’ medicine, which uses a wide variety of drugs and surgical procedures, almost every doctor learned how to use herbs, minerals, homeopathy, and other natural methods to treat disease. Since the early 1900’s and with the discovery of antibiotics, usage and public knowledge of naturopathic medicine has declined. This was most likely due to the ‘quick fix’ nature of many of the new drugs developed and increased safety of surgical procedures. Diseases such as influenza and measles, which today are generally nuisances and easily treated in most people, were very scary and sometimes life threatening in these earlier times. The plague literally plagued people. Today we are blessed with better opportunities for proper nutrition, hygiene, and information about these diseases, all of which lessen the threat of many of the more common diseases becoming life threatening. The attraction that people had towards conventional medicine was and is understandable. Treatments that decrease symptoms of a disease are often well received by patients who are dealing with a troublesome condition. Most advances in technology are viewed as progress and people want the best, especially where their health or that of their loved ones is concerned. The problem that came with this flux towards conventional medicine was that it was new and no one knew what the side effects or long-term effects of using synthetic drugs would be. Also, most people abandoned the more natural methods of health care and stopped caring for themselves in a way that would keep them strong and vital. Instead they began using pills and surgery as ‘fixes’ when things went wrong. They began to eat more processed foods that have fewer vitamins and minerals. Our environment became more polluted. Most doctors know little about nutrition, how or what to eat, or what to do with people affected by the environment. As well, the more scientific medicine gets, the less people understand it. This leads to people feeling ignorant about health matters and leaving all the power in their doctor’s hands.
So, here we are today. When people feel sick or know something is wrong, they make an appointment and usually get a prescription. If that doesn’t work, another prescription is tried. If a person is lucky, they get sick very infrequently and live healthy lives. Complications arise when the treatments given don’t work or cause side effects that need another treatment to lessen them. What happens if you have allergies, asthma, and diabetes? How many prescriptions do you take? What if the drugs given interact with each other or cause a nutritional deficiency? What about the people who are on a drug for the rest of their lives? What about people with chronic diseases that have been told they have no cure but the symptoms can be ‘managed’?
What causes many of the above problems is the philosophy of the medicine used. The focus should not be (however contrary it may sound) how to get rid of whatever ails you, but why it began. If you can find out what causes your disease and why it began for you, it is entirely possible to foster your health in such a way that your body heals itself. It does little good to get rid of an ear infection in your child if it returns again. Why take an antiviral daily to suppress herpes outbreaks when this can be done with lifestyle and natural methods that do the same thing while enhancing your immunity? If you have advanced heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, what feelings of hope do you have that your life can be enhanced? If you take medications daily, perhaps in increasing doses, for the rest of your life with your only hope to have better or stable lab test results, that doesn’t sound like the quality life you could be having. Did you know that with changes to your lifestyle and natural therapies you could increase the energy you feel as well as possibly reverse many of the damaging changes you now live with?
There are natural treatments for every complaint. I once heard from a wise doctor, “There are no incurable diseases, only incurable people”. What he meant was that every case of cancer may not be curable, but it is possible to cure cancer. No condition is incurable. What happens in treatment is more a factor of the person, the nature of the disease, and other variables, and not so much which disease is being treated. It is more difficult, of course, to treat diseases that are long-standing, severe, or in other ways complicated. But that does not mean it can never been done. If a person does not want treatment and they get something from being in the place they are at, that makes recovery all the more difficult. It is much easier to treat conditions when they first start and when the person wishes to be well. But still there are no guarantees.
What tends to work best for most people is a multifaceted approach to treating their condition. First, treat the whole person. Find out what their needs are and treat them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, as they need it. Treat their whole body. Migraines, arthritis, and urinary infections can be related and not separate diseases. A person may not need antibiotics or removal of an organ, they may need something that seems entirely unrelated. The toddler with constant stomach pains may not need medication; he may need to change day cares. Try to understand what is going on for the person.
Second, treat them in such a way as to increase their vitality. The goal is to increase the healing response within so that the body becomes healthier and reverses the disease process naturally and in its time (if this is possible). It may be necessary to provide some symptomatic relief, but the goal of a treatment should not be to simply suppress the symptoms. Just because symptoms are gone does not mean that the disease is not there. The goal is a complete cure and no return of the condition (sometimes this is possible, at other times it is not). Your body holds an incredible healing force that wants to keep you in harmonious balance at all times. Think of the miracle of healing a broken bone. Think of how microorganisms cause your lungs much distress in bronchitis, yet how well you breathe and how complete the cure when the body is done healing that condition. Think of the miracle of life itself. If disease arises when we hinder the body in maintaining its perfect balance, then restoring conditions of balance will help our bodies to heal themselves. After all, it is not the antibiotic that heals you. The antibiotic simply kills off enough bacteria to allow your body the upper hand. Ask yourself if the body shouldn’t have the upper hand to begin with. If you really do need antibiotics, what is causing the bacteria to gain the upper hand? Naturopathic medicine strives to restore balance by removing any obstacles keeping your body from healing itself. Physicians using this medicine understand the importance of treating each person individually and in a way that helps restore their natural vitality. They also try to use the most gentle yet effective treatment possible to avoid causing side effects or interactions between treatments. Naturopathic physicians also recognize the importance of using conventional medicine when it is necessary. They will also use appropriate lab work, x-rays, and other tools for diagnosis and tracking when necessary. As all physicians, they frequently will refer a complicated condition to providers who can give the patient the best care along with the natural treatments. Naturopaths regard the wants and needs of their patients highly. A patient is encouraged to share their goals and take and active part in their healthcare. Consultations and treatments are generally longer than those with a conventional practitioner so questions can be addressed and a healing relationship established.
For more information or questions on related topics, please visit www.MyWebND.com. Get all your health questions answered from a licensed Naturopathic physician without the wait for an office visit. Well-researched, reliable information is now available and easy to find.
What Is Herbal Medicine? Is It Safe?by: Charlene J. Nuble
Herbal medicine is the use of plant and herb extracts for their therapeutic value. Most plants contain and produce chemical substances that aid in healing and other physical treatments.
Herbal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare and constitutes a key role in the development of modern medicine as we know it today. Back when technology was still unheard of, primitive men utilised the vast flora around them to the fullest extent, observing both plant and animal life and their components, eventually giving birth to herbal medicine. In a study by the World Health Organization on herbal medicine use, about 80f the world's populace still rely on herbal medicine to cure certain ailments and about 74f the drugs we use today contain at least one botanical element. For instance, Chinese Herbal Medicine's use of ephedrine to cure respiratory conditions still exists in the present time. Ephedrine remains an active ingredient in most of the commercial drugs that are being prescribed to relieve asthma symptoms.
Herbal medicine is defined by three schools of thought: Ayurvedic Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Herbalism and Western Herbal Medicine. While both Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine have moved on to advanced forms, western herbal medicine remains a part of folk treatments. Herbal medicine is, first and foremost, holistic. It aims to address not just a particular symptom, but also to help the whole body rejuventate strengthen itself. And while there is no scientific evidence that all herbal medicines claiming to have healing powers are actually effective, the number the herbal medicines that have been placed under clinical testing have proved their worth. The list of known kinds includes echinacea, which is used to temper colds, St John's wort, used to treat mild depression (without using Prozac), and hawthorne berries, which help in the recovery process from mild heart failures.
Is herbal medicine a direct substitute to modern medication? It depends. While herbal medicines are extracted naturally from plants, not all are safe to use; particularly if they are taken with other types of treatments that may not be complementary. Also, herbal medicine is often used only for mild ailments. If the symptoms are more serious, it is best to consult a trained practitioner of herbal medicine who can tell you which ones are appropriate and recommend dosage levels and frequency. Presently, most of the recommended herbal medicines fall outside of standard drug regulations, thus, not all of their claims to fame are guaranteed and true. And even as common sense tells us that herbal medicine has been around for thousand of years, giving an impression that it is quite an authority, it is not recommended to self-diagnose.
Always keep in mind that herbal medicines are still medicines and, therefore, share the likelihood of having side effects as regular commercial drugs. Some of us have this misconception that because herbal medicines are natural, they are 100 afe. This is not true all the time. The best defense against the possible side effects herbal medicines might give is to educate ourselves with the basics on the herbal medicine in question and to use it with caution.
About the author:
Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about herbal medicines, please go to: http://herbal.besthealthlink.net/or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/ |
Wellness Medicineby: Dr Darryl Chew
From WellnessMedicine.info
THE SCIENCE OF OBESITY: FATS & CHOLESTEROL
For years we heard that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet would keep us healthy and help us lose weight. And many of us jumped on the bandwagon, eliminating fat and high-cholesterol foods from our diets. Well, unfortunately, we were doing it all wrong.
Instead of eliminating fat completely, we should have been eliminating the "bad fats," the fats associated with obesity and heart disease and eating the "good fats," the fats that actually help improve blood cholesterol levels. Before we examine the good fats and bad fats, let's talk about cholesterol.
Cholesterol - It's been ingrained into our brains that cholesterol causes heart disease and that we should limit our intake of foods that contain it, but dietary cholesterol is different than blood cholesterol. Cholesterol comes from two places--first, from food such as meat, eggs, and seafood, and second, from our body. Our liver makes this waxy substance and links it to carrier proteins called lipoproteins. These lipoproteins dissolve the cholesterol in blood and carry it to all parts of your body. Our body needs cholesterol to help form cell membranes, some hormones, and Vitamin D.
You may have heard of "good" and "bad" cholesterol. Well, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the blood to the liver. The liver processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body. If there's HDL in the blood, then less cholesterol will be deposited in the coronary arteries. That's why it's called "good" cholesterol. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. When there is too much in the body, it is deposited in the coronary arteries. This is not good. A build-up of cholesterol in our arteries could prevent blood from getting to parts of our heart. That means that our heart won't get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, which could result in heart attack, stroke, or sudden death. So, if your LDL is higher than your HDL, you're at a greater risk for developing heart disease. It may come as a surprise, but recent studies have shown that the amount of cholesterol in our food is not strongly linked to our blood cholesterol levels. It's the types of fats you eat that affect your blood cholesterol levels.
Bad Fats - There are two fats that you should limit your intake of--saturated and trans fats.
Saturated Fats - Saturated fats are mostly animal fats. You find them in meat, whole-milk products, poultry skin, and egg yolks. Coconut oil also has a high amount of saturated fat. Saturated fats raise both the good and bad blood cholesterol.
Trans Fats - Trans fats are produced through hydrogenation--heating oils in the presence of oxygen. Many products contain trans fats because the fats help them maintain a longer shelf life. Margarine also contains a high amount of trans fats. Trans fats are especially dangerous because they lower the good cholesterol, HDL and raise the bad cholesterol, LDL. Unfortunately, most products do not tell you how much trans fat it contains, but you can find out if it's in a product by looking at the ingredient list. If the ingredients contain hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils, then it contains trans fats. Fortunately in 2006, manufacturers will be required to list the amount of trans fat in their products on the nutrition labels, so it will be easier for you to find.
Good Fats - Some fats actually improve cholesterol levels.
Polyunsaturated Fats - Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. These oils contain Omega-6, an essential fatty acid. However, most people get enough Omega-6 in their diet and instead need more Omega-3. Omega-3 is a fatty acid found in fish and walnuts.
Monounsaturated Fats - Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, peanut, and olive oils.
Both types of unsaturated fats decrease the bad cholesterol, LDL and increase the good cholesterol, HDL.
Now, just because the unsaturated fats improve your blood cholesterol levels, you don't have the go-ahead to eat all of the olive oil, butter and nuts you want. Fat of any kind does contain calories, and if you're trying to lose weight, eat fat in moderation, and stay away from saturated fats.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR WEIGHT
A pound of fat represents approximately 3500 calories of stored energy. In order to lose a pound of fat, you have to use 3500 more calories than you consume. Although this seems like a simple formula remember that your body is a thinking organism designed to protect itself. If you were to try to reduce your intake by the entire 3500 calories in one day, your body would register some type of alarm and think that there is a state of emergency. Immediately your metabolism would slow down and no weight loss would be achieved. It's better to spread your weight loss out over a period of a week, so that you aim to reduce your caloric intake by 3500 to 7000 calories per week, resulting in weight loss of one to two pounds per week. It's generally not recommended to try to lose more than two pounds in a week. Attempting to do so may cause health risks, and on top of this you're unlikely to be successful.
In the example of attempting to lose two pounds per week, you can use a basic method of calorie counting to help you accomplish your goal. To do so, you need to figure out how many calories a person of your age, sex, and weight usually needs in a day, subtract 500 from that amount, and follow a diet that provides you with that many calories. For example, if you would ordinarily need 3000 calories in a day, you would follow a 2500-calorie a day diet. Next, figure out how much exercise a person of your weight would need to do to burn 500 calories per day, and engage in an exercise plan that will help you achieve your goal. The result is simple: 500 fewer calories consumed and 500 more calories expended equals a 1000 calorie per day deficit, which, over the course of a week adds up to 7000 calories, or two pounds. Although individual results may vary, the bottom line is if your body is consuming fewer calories than it's expending, then weight will be lost.
WellnessMedicine.info contains a collection of Health & Wellness Ebooks at your finger tips.
About the Author
Editor of several Ebooks on Health and Wellness. Obesity Guide, Hair Loss Guide, Perfect Diet, Acne Management, Muscle Building, Quit Smoking, Cholesterol Management and many others. |
Vitamins in Natural Medicinesby: Ratliff J
Looking for information about a nutritional supplement, vitamin, or herbal remedy? This guide gives you information about the history, medical uses and treatments using herbs, vitamins, and nutritional supplements, typical doses, side effects, government regulation, and how to be a savvy supplement shopper.
The evidence of natural therapies are increasing and being validated by scientists every day. Most health conditions being treated by medicine today are entirely preventable. Chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and others have been clearly linked to diet and lifestyle. Now it has never been easier to learn about this scientific evidence for maintaining health.
Learn more at the Vitamin Drugstore
About the Author
J. Ratliff is a health article writer for Ask Wellness |
Vibrational Medicineby: Simon Mitchell
Vibrational medicine attempts to treat people with various forms of pure energy. The influence of alternative medical systems such as Chinese, Ayervedic or Tibetan medicine have led in part to the development of machines that can 'image energy'. Heat energy imagers are an accepted part of our technology. We readily accept imaging heat, even though we can't see it, because heat is something we can sense through touch. With the 'energy body' it is not so straightforward. Very few of us have experienced this for ourselves and there is apparently no sensory backup to tell us it is there. Experiments in 'electro-acupuncture' and Kirlian photography have led to an energy map of the body identical to that shown in traditional Chinese medicine. The meridian system is seen as an interface between the physical body and the energy body. Applications of resonant energy to the meridian system promote healing in a number of dis-eases, by altering the energy of the 'root system' concerned in the dis-ease. Much of this work seems to be 'undercover' and information and the manufacture of equipment for treatments of this nature is actually suppressed through legislation. The etheric body, acupuncture meridians, chakras and nadis and other multi-dimensional aspects of the human are described by ancient schools of healing throughout the world. Western medicine in its reductionist stance, ignores these aspects because they can't be studied under a microscope. Only now, at the beginning of the 21st century are some doctors starting to catch on. Vibrational medicine interfaces with subtle energy fields that underly the functions of a physical body. It is based on the idea of resonant frequencies, similar to a tuned string on a musical instrument resonating with anything tuned to the same frequency, or an opera singer smashing a glass by singing at a certain pitch. Some sciences and philosophies have recognised vibrational elements as an important part of the universe. It is proving difficult to link these new sciences with the dogma of Western medicine. Even as long ago as 1928 Thomas Sugrue recognised vibrational elements at work in the human body: "The human body is made up of electronic vibrations, with each atom and elements of the body, each organ and organism, having its electronic unit of vibration necessary for the sustenance of, and equilibrium in that particular organism. Each unit, then, being a cell or a unit of life in itself has the capacity of reproducing itself by the first the law as is known as reproduction-division. When a force in any organ or element of the body becomes deficient in its ability to reproduce that equilibrium necessary for the sustenance of physical existence and its reproduction, that portion becomes deficient in electronic energy. This may come by injury or disease, received by external forces. It may come from internal forces through lack of eliminations produced in the system or by other agencies to meet its requirements in the body."
Edgar Cayce (1928) from There is a River by Thomas Sugrue.
Experiments in high-energy particle physics and the new field of quantum physics show us that nearly all matter is energy. In some sense we are made from 'frozen light'. As beings of energy we are influenced by and can be treated by energy and modern medicine is all too slowly realising this. Medical science, alternative medicine and quantum science are merging in a few specific places. For example M.R.I. (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) as mentioned previously, places the patient in a strong magnetic field that passes waves through the body. The computer creates an image by analysing changes in the magnetic alignment of the hydrogen protons in our cells. This is essentially an 'energy imager' but is used only for physical diagnosis. A key principle behind M.R.I. is that the atoms under study (hydrogen) are being stimulated by the transfer of energy of a specific frequency. The energy is only absorbed by the atom if it is of a particular resonant frequency. Systems which produce frequencies that resonate with the biological phenomena being studied have the greatest chance of successfully imaging indicators of disease. M.R.I. promises much new diagnostic information about the body, showing even more detailed cellular pictures of structure and function. It is still looking at only physical molecular imaging - a sophisticated application of a Newtonian philosophy. Cancer is already treated by radiation therapy, the application of gamma rays which can be focused at certain depths within a patient. This is used in a 'Newtonian science' way - primarily to destroy the lump. Any notions of vibrational levels that resonate with the patient are unresearched, because this aspect of us doesn't exist to Western scientific medicine. What is needed now are imaging systems that allow healers to look to the level of energetic causes of illness and not just the biochemical abnormalities accompanying established disease. Truly preventative medicine awaits an imaging system that will prove to doctors that there is more to human beings than mere flesh and blood. Devices capable of sensing vibrations in a person are appearing, one such uses voice analysis to identify missing frequencies. Practitioners are astounded at the accuracy of their findings and the speed of results in supplying that frequency to a patient. This tool is allowing switched-on energy workers to heal without having to diagnose, because the treatment gets to the energy root problem directly. About The AuthoR
Simon Mitchell
'Don't Get Cancer' http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/don
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University of South Carolina School of Medicine upgrades gomby: gomembers, Inc. | |
July 28, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
University of South Carolina School of Medicine upgrades gomembers’ meetingtrak solution
[Herndon, VA] --- gomembers, Inc., announced today that trak customer University of South Carolina School of Medicine (USCSM: http://www.med.sc.edu) has elected to upgrade to the latest gomembers’ meetingtrak/ce software solution as well as adding etrak for their meeting management and online registrations.
etrak, built using Microsoft.NET technology, compliments meetingtrak/ce by providing real-time online registration capabilities. meetingtrak is the most powerful professional continuing education registration/credit tracking management software available.
”We are pleased that USCSM has decided to upgrade their trak solution by migrating to version 6.5 with continuing education tools," stated Tom McGourty, gomembers’ Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Upgrading to this adaptable solution and adding etrak has enhanced their gomembers’ total technology solution,” McGourty noted.
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gomembers, Inc.
gomembers is a leading provider of comprehensive software and technology solutions designed to meet the needs of member-based organizations and the needs of the meetings and convention industries. Over the twenty-five years that gomembers has been in business, its direct customer base has included thousands of the most prominent organizations and companies. gomembers' software and technology solutions enables its customers to automate a number of enterprise resource planning, member relationship management, transaction processing and member-to-member communications functions in a single software platform with seamless inter-processing of data across all applications.
About the Author
gomembers' customers use the company's solutions to improve operating efficiencies, enhance services offered to their members and enable interaction with and between their members. gomembers' software integrates over 50 financial management, back-office, relationship management, transaction processing and member communications applications specific to member-based organizations. |
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Infertility - Part IIby: Dr. Mike Berkley |
In Part I, we considered the proper treatment methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine and The Four Examinations,which date back over three thousand years.
In this section, we will look at the mechanisms of action of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
It was shown in a study done at Harvard that stress reduces the hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-ovarian axis function, thus being a factor to be considered in the infertility work-up. Acupuncture releases endorphins which mitigate ones response to stressful stimuli thus enhancing the possibility for conception.
"Historically, infertility, particularly "functional" infertility, was attributed to abnormal psychological functioning on the part of one or both members of the couple. Preliminary works in the 1940s and 1950s considered "psychogenic infertility" as the major cause of failure to conceive in as many as 50% of cases. As recently as the late 1960s, it was commonly believed that reproductive failure was the result of psychological and emotional factors. Psychogenic infertility was supposed to occur because of unconscious anxiety about sexual feelings, ambivalence toward motherhood, unresolved oedipal conflict, or conflicts of gender identity. Fortunately, advances in reproductive endocrinology and medical technology as well as in psychological research have de-emphasized the significance of psychopathology as the basis of infertility, and modern research shows that there is little evidence to support a role for personality factors or conflicts as a cause of infertility. This perspective unburdens the couple by relieving them of the additional guilt of thinking that it is their mental stress that may be responsible for their infertility.
Biologically, since the hypothalamus regulates both stress responses as well as the sex hormones, it's easy to see how stress could cause infertility in some women. Excessive stress may even lead to complete suppression of the menstrual cycle, and this is often seen in female marathon runners, who develop "runner's amenorrhea". In less severe cases, it could cause anovulation or irregular menstrual cycles. When activated by stress, the pituitary gland also produces increased amounts of prolactin, and elevated levels of prolactin could cause irregular ovulation. Since the female reproductive tract contains catecholamine receptors catecholamines produced in response to stress may potentially affect fertility, for example, by interfering with the transport of gametes through the Fallopian tube or by altering uterine blood flow. However, more complex mechanisms may be at play, and researchers still don't completely understand how stress interacts with the reproductive system. This is a story, which is still unfolding, and during the last 20 years, the new field of psychoneuroimmunology has emerged, which focuses on how your mind can affect your body.
Research has shown that the brain produces special molecules called neuropeptides, in response to emotions, and these peptides can interact with every cell of the body, including those of the immune system. In this view, the mind and the body are not only connected, but also inseparable, so that it is hardly surprising that stress can have a negative influence on fertility.
Stress can reduce sperm counts as well. Thus, testicular biopsies obtained from prisoners awaiting execution, who were obviously under extreme stress, revealed complete spermatogenetic arrest in all cases. Researchers have also showed significantly lower semen volume and sperm concentration in a group of chronically stressed marmoset monkey, and these changes were attributed to lower concentrations of LH and testosterone (which were reduced in the stressed group). However, how relevant these research findings are in clinical practice is still to be determined."
The stress factors that acupuncture addresses stems from both psycho-emotional factors as well as physical etiologies. For example, extremely painful pre-menstruum or mid cycle pain can be debilitating. This type of physical stress, no doubt produces emotional stress as a result of missed work, manifest pain and other life-style factors resulting from such extreme pain; all can mitigate the function of the reproductive system.
Aceto corticotropic hormone is released as a response to acupuncture needle stimuli. ACTH has an antiinflammatory mechanism which may for example, help with tubal factor based infertility as a response to pelvic inflammatory disease.
The insertion of acupuncture needles has been shown to effectively increase blood circulation. Acupuncture is very effective in treating, for example, Reynaud's Syndrome. Enhanced microcirculatory patency to the uterine lining does, undoubtedly contribute to a healthier and more growth oriented endometrium, especially when utilizing electrical stimulation on inserted acupuncture needles on points known as zigongxue which reside superior to the ovaries. The points zigongxue are located 3 inches inferior to the umbilicus and three inches bilateral to the anterior midline.
"They reviewed existing evidence regarding the role of acupuncture in the treatment of infertility, and identified a number of studies indicating that acupuncture can be beneficial as an adjunct to other infertility treatments, including IVF. Only one randomized controlled study examined the independent effect of acupuncture on IVF outcomes, but this indicated a positive effect.
The reviewed authors also highlight evidence that shows the effects of acupuncture may be mediated through neuropeptides that influence gonadotropin secretion, which could in turn affect the menstrual cycle. The technique can also reduce stress, which is known to adversely affect fertility, and has been implicated in the regulation of uterine blood flow."
"Using acupuncture during assisted reproduction may improve pregnancy rates, say researchers. However, they acknowledge that the mechanism behind this effect is unclear, and the team plans to carry out further studies to confirm, and further investigate, their findings.
Noting that acupuncture has been shown to affect the autonomic nervous system, Dr. Wolfgang Paulus (Christian-Lauritzen-Institut, Ulm, Germany) and colleagues postulated that the therapy could increase endometrial receptivity via control of related muscles and glands.
The researchers randomly assigned 160 women receiving assisted reproductive therapy to undergo IVF with or without acupuncture, before and after embryo transfer. In acupuncture subjects, the needles were placed at points believed to influence reproductive factors, for example by improving blood flow to the uterus.
Paulus et al report that the acupuncture group had a higher rate of pregnancy compared with those not given acupuncture (43 percent versus 26 percent). They conclude, therefore, that acupuncture could be "a useful tool" for improving pregnancy rates during certain infertility treatments."
In Part III we will look at the combined elements of Eastern and Western medicine along with herbal medication in the treatment of infertility.
About the Author
Dr. Mike Berkley has been treating fertility disorders since 1996 with amazing results. He works exclusively in the area of reproductive medicine and enjoys working in conjunction with some of New York’s most prestigious reproductive endocrinologists. Sign up for his free newsletter at www.BerkleyCenter.com |
Traditional Chinese Medicineby: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot
Traditional Chinese Medicine, over 2000 years old, is an ancient form of medicine. Consisting of acupuncture, moxibustion (moxibustion - using material made up of "moxa-wool," in a form of a cone or stick; moxibustion is used to treat and prevent disease by applying heat to pints or certain locations of the human body), herbal medicine, acupressure, cupping, therapeutic exercise and nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine is notated by its principle of internal balance and harmony, or "chi," (life force) regulation through energy channels.
In essence, traditional Chinese Medicine is widely known for its acupunture techniques and herbology. Founded on the Yin and Yang principle, the five elements and Zang Fu, Traditional Chinese medicine is an evolutional treatment in modern Western civilization. Traditional Chinese medicine also uses Qi Gong and Tai Qi Chuan in its methodology. Incorporating supplemental elements in a nutritious diet such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and other supplements are fundamental treatments in traditional Chinese medicine as well.
Overall, traditional Chinese medicine can be utilized to treat allergies, arthritis pain, weight control, quitting smoking, back injury pain, musculosceletal pain, fatique, stress, TMJ and PMS. Other illnesses and conditions that can be helped with traditional Chinese medicine are digestive problems, menstrual problems, and urinary problems.
If you are interested in obtaining more information about traditional Chinese medicine and its benefits, feel free to peruse our business member directory for accredited, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and schools today!
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot in conjunction with Holistic Junction -- Your source of information for Traditional Chinese Medicine Schools and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners
About the Author 'C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations' Director &
Writer for Holistic Junction |
Top 10 Ways Chinese Medicine Can Help You, Part 2by: Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc
#6 It's Interactive
Chinese Medicine students learn about how every aspect of our lives (from bowel movements to emotions) relate to one another. We learn to relate to every kind of person.
Patients Can Push Your Buttons
Patients sometimes push our buttons, and this give us the opportunity to interact with ourselves. This is not always easy. We don't always like what we find! But if you commit to growth through interaction, helping, and self-examination, you can deactivate your buttons, grow past your limits, and increase your usefulness to others.
More specifically:Some students may realize they came to medicine for a selfish reason and decide to put helping others first. Some students find they are people-pleasers and have to learn how to set boundaries and be more assertive (not aggressive or passive-aggressive!). Others are more confrontational and aggressive by nature and need to learn compassion and patience. Some are analytical and live in their heads - they need to learn to focus on their hearts, gaining rapport and loving their patients.
Letting Go of Bad Habits
Your bad habits are called into question. At one point in my training, I went back to smoking cigarettes. It was a guilt-laden 6 weeks! It seemed hypocritical to want to be a healer while destroying my health. And I felt like I had to hide it. I quit to be a better example to my patients, and not to have to hide anything.
I also had to quit coffee. I knew from chinese medicine that it wasn't helping me with my impatience and irritability. It was worsening my liver qi stagnation! I had to give it up and take herbs instead. I had to practice what I preach.
When you know something is bad, it seems like fun to do it anyway (it gives you the illusion of power and control). But eventually you give in to the wisdom, do what is right, and get to feel even better. Then you can help others with the same struggle.
Your Victory can lead to their Victory
Occasionally, your own personal growth and commitment to self-examination helps your patients directly. At one point, I saw a woman with fears of abandonment. I had just discovered and confronted my own similar fears 6 months before. She was able to feel understood and heard and I was able to offer her solutions, strength, and hope.
In this way, we are trailblazers- pioneers in growth. If we remain shallow, so will our healing interactions. If we grow deeper, we can lead people to greater healing.
#7 It Benefits YOU Too!
As was just explained, by helping others you get to grow too.
Save on Health Care Costs
By giving yourself the know-how and resources to keep yourself, your friends, and your family well, you can save money. One acupuncturist said on an email list that it saved her family tens of thousands of dollars in medical costs. It can be practiced inexpensively - for many years it treated millions of poor peasants in China who had no access to western medicine. Chinese Medicine may be a large part of the solution to our healthcare crisis.
Professional Courtesy
Some acupuncturists trade treatments with one another to stay in good health. I've received hundreds of treatments from fellow students, practitioners, and my wife! It's helped me with anger, irritability, migraines, light sensitivity, fear, over-thinking, colds and flus, and cold sores, among other things.
#8 It's Traditional and Ancient
It's natural for us to look for reassurance, especially in dealing with our health. Biomedicine reassures by requiring studies of treatments for safety. Chinese medicine has been tested for safety and efficacy (especially acupuncture), and it has thousands of years of experience behind it to show what happens to the people it treats. It is inarguably a positive influence in our world. Biomedicine, on the other hand, is only 50 years old, and the full scope of the side effect phenomenon (short and long-term) has yet to be grasped.
Not every chinese remedy has been through the full rigors of the Randomized Controlled Trial (biomedicine's gold-standard), but neither have all of the standard biomedical treatments. The millions of hours and patient visits through hundreds of years establish traditional chinese treatments as safe and effective. More and more studies are being done to confirm them and understand how they work in biomedical terms. I have written extensively on acupuncture safety and how it works here.
#9 Its Theories have Broad Implications
Since it integrates many different disciplines and realms, CM concepts could be used to reorganize and give insight to psychology and psychiatry, pharmaceutical medicine, and sociology. These insights could guide and suggest future research in all fields.
The 16 types of the Meyers Briggs personality typing system have been somewhat integrated with the 5 constitutions and 6 temperaments of Chinese Medicine (read about that). This yields a mind-body medicine that integrates personality and physical disease.
From the patient's symptoms, we can understand their personality and what might help or hinder their healing from an emotional and behavioral perspective.
And vice versa, we can look at people's emotions and behavior and guess what kind of physical problems they might have. This makes for a quicker, more comprehensive medicine, and helps patients feel understood and confident in the care they receive.
#10 It can be a Lucrative AND Altruistic Career
As former AMA president and Medscape CEO George Lundberg, MD says, medicine walks a thin line because:
* It is supposed to be altruistic (selflessly concerned for others), but
* It is also a business (and thus vulnerable to selfish greed).
We could think of this as the yin and yang of the medical business.
Insurance Coverage for Acupuncture and Herbs
Some alternative medicine practitioners are happy to stay outside of the managed care system. It's valuable enough to patients to pay out of their own pockets. Increasingly, acupuncture is covered by insurance, HMO's and worker's compensation boards... sometimes the full cost of the treatment is covered and sometimes it isn't. Herbal medicine usually isn't covered... but patients are used to buying herbs and vitamins without reimbursement.
Lundberg suggests that:
* Proven preventive care should be financed by the government,
* Proven catastrophic care covered by insurance, and
* Everything else paid for out-of-pocket.
Grossing Gross Amounts of Money - Acupuncture Salaries
Regardless of who pays, acupuncturists can expect an annual gross salary of between $40,000 and$1,000,000. I just heard about a hospital position for an acupuncturist in Iowa that was paying $159 per hour (their medical doctor rate).
My wife made $100,000 her first year out of school. One acupuncturist here in San Diego grosses near $1,000,000 annually with worker's compensation cases only.
Right now in California, work-comp reimburses $120 per acupuncture treatment. Some acupuncturists see 4 patients per hour...
Let's do some quick math on an example. If you averaged $80 per treatment (which is achievable), saw 2 patients per hour, and worked 8 hours per day, 4 days per week (leaving a day or two to do paperwork), 48 weeks per year you could gross $245,760. If you spend 40% of your gross on overhead, you earn $147,456 before taxes.
What Makes for Making Money
How much you earn depends, as in all businesses, upon your resourcefulness, initiative, marketing savvy, and - most importantly - the quality of your service. As in all service businesses, you must be good at what you do.
The Freedom to Give
Making all that money frees us to be altruistic. A lot of volunteer care is given by acupuncturists. During "9/11,", New York students from the Pacific Institute of Chinese Medicine treated the firefighters. Likewise, students in San Diego from the Pacific College of Chinese Medicine treat Viet Nam veterans every year at a special gathering. Of dozens of services, the acupuncture is among the top 3 requested. You can take on a number of low or no-fee cases in your own practice. It's up to you.
#11 - There are so many options
It's a varied profession.
In California, acupuncturists are physicians and can be a patient's primary care practitioner - they are professionals on par with MD's, chiropractors, and psychologists. As an acupuncturist... You could work with an MD, DO, DC, psychologist, psychiatrist, or massage therapist. You can work in a high-class office wearing a suit. You could practice at home wearing your slippers. You could do all acupuncture, or all herbs, or both. You could treat just sports injuries, or workers compensation, or acupuncture face-lifts, or gynecology, or psychiatry, or do it all! There is room for new schools all over the U.S. - there are still states without any Chinese Medicine schools. You could practice in California (where 1/3 of us practice), or you could have an 'insta-practice' in many places all over the U.S. that don't have access to Chinese Medicine. You could teach or be a clinic supervisor at an established school. You could see loads of patients, or spend 2 hours with each one. One herbalist in China sees 80 patients per day. You have to be good to get herbs right- to get them right and see that many patients per day, you have to be stellar! You could create a business selling products to the 20,000 or so acupuncturists in the U.S. (even more internationally). You can write books and teach continuing education seminars.
There are so many options!
About the Author
Acupuncturist, herbalist, and medical professor Brian B. Carter founded the alternative health megasite The Pulse of Oriental Medicine (http://www.PulseMed.org/). He is the author of the book "Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind: How to Heal Yourself with Foods, Herbs, and Acupressure" (November, 2004). Brian speaks on radio across the country, and has been quoted and interviewed by Real Simple, Glamour, and ESPN magazines. |
The True Meaning of Alternative Medicineby: Jay Moncliff
Many people who are suffering from disease or pain have thought about trying the alternative medicine route. Before you try alternative medicine, you may want to learn a bit about it. There are a lot of different types of alternative medicine and they all may not be right for you. Alternative medicine is a type of therapeutic practice that is not considered to be a part of traditional or conventional medical treatment. People use alternative medicine instead of using traditional medical treatment. This is often because they feel it is a natural way to get better. There are many types of alternative medicine. Some are covered by medical insurance, but most are not. Some forms of alternative medicine that may be covered are chiropractic and osteopathic therapy. These forms of alternative medicine are widely used.
There are other forms of alternative medicine that are not as widely used, but are becoming more popular by the minute. These are: massage therapy, therapeutic touch, folk medicine, herbal medicine, special diets, homeopathy, music therapy, aromatherapy, naturopathy, faith healing, and new age healing. There are also some non-western forms of alternative medicine such as: Chinese medicine, gi gong, reiki, and ayarveda.
There are some less commonly practiced forms of alternative medicine as well. One is called biofield therapy. This is a form of alternative medicine that works with your so called "energy fields" to heal you. Another is bioelectrical magnetic therapy. This alternative medicine uses pulse and magnetic fields to heal you.
Alternative medicine is quite popular for people who are terminally ill. Many AIDS and cancer patients prefer it. An example of this is a cancer patient who uses alternative medicine instead of receiving traditional chemotherapy or radiation therapy. People also use alternative medicine to heal ailments such as back pain or migraines. Instead of traditional painkillers, the patients would use aromatherapy, sound therapy or herbal therapy. Alternative medicine is even used on animals. Have you ever seen the movie "The Horse Whisperer?" That was about a form of alternative medicine used on an animal. Acupuncture, herbal therapy, and others have also been used on animals.
The last thing you should know is that there is no scientific evidence that alternative medicine is effective. There have been no scientific studies to prove if they are safe or if they work for the diseases or ailments they are used for. Before using an alternative medicine, talk to your doctor, make sure your doctor feels it is safe and will not harm you.
There are many different kinds of alternative medicines to choose from. Now that you understand it a bit better, you can decide if it is right for you. For more information talk to your doctor or research it online. With careful research, you may find one that is right for you. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.medsonlinecenter.info/ a blog focusing on the Medical, resources and articles. This site provides detailed information on medicines. For more info on medicines visit: Medicine |
The Power of Ganoderma in Oriental Medicineby: R.G. Srinivasan |
Ganoderma, a rare variety of Mushroom credited with the highest medicinal qualities by the classic Chinese ‘Seng Nong’ is indeed a subject of much research from the ancient china of 100 B.C. or earlier to the modern times by various universities and research organizations. It is also known as Linghzi in China and Reishi in Japan.
It is said that in the ancient times anyone who found the rare Linghzi never revealed the place and kept it a secret of health, longevity and wealth. The Japanese revered the herb as ‘God’s Herb’ where it is known as Reishi.
Lingzhi in medicine was considered so auspicious that its medical efficacy has been attested to in the oldest Chinese medical text (over 2,000 years old). The book, which is known in Japan as "Shinnoh Honsohkyo", is now accepted as being the original textbook of Oriental medical science. In it, 365 kinds of medicines are classified and explained. Ganoderma is classified as “Superior Herb” or "God's Herbs" and they are for perpetual youth and longevity. The book states that for "superior" medicines, any amount can be taken as desired on a continuous basis with no unfavorable effects. Of the superior medicines listed in the text, Lingzhi was rated number one. You can see how important and powerful Lingzhi was considered in ancient times. It achieved its ranking in the Chinese text not because of its symbolic importance as a good omen but because of its medicinal properties. Centuries ago, Lingzhi was said to be a medicine that would grant you eternal youth and longevity.
But after 2,000 years, Lingzhi has jumped into the spotlight as a specific medicine for cancer. This must be a bitter irony for those in the modern medical profession who discounted the herbal remedies and oriental medicine as being “old wives' tales". The families of many cancer patients who have received a diagnostic "death sentence" now seek reishi as the only way left for them.
The Linghzi Mushrooms grows only on old tree barks with specific conditions difficult to replicate.
Till 1971 the herb was so rare that it was hardly sited except in mountainous areas. Many researchers had attempted to plant Ganoderma artificially but failed. Till in 1971 directed by Naoi Department of Agriculture and Professor Zenzaburo Kasai, Kyoto University made a breakthrough in its cultivation.
Presently the herb is grown only by 10 countries. The demand far outstrips supply due to the increasing evidence through various researches on its efficacy in treating many disease including Cancer, HIV, Hepatitis, Diabetes, Liver disorders and mainly as a preventive due its rich anti oxidant and detoxifying qualities. You can check further resources at http://globalhealthnetwork.tripod.com
Some of the research in Japan indicates that those that have taken Ganoderma for over a year the visit to doctors dropped into half. There are thousands of research paper available including on the internet on the subject of the healing breakthroughs achieved by Ganoderma in various treatments and too lengthy to discuss here. However we can highlight the research in short.
Summarized from these reports, it is found that Lingzhi have the following properties:Improves cholesterosis, coronary insufficiency. Improves hyper and hypotensions. Improves nervous tension, neurosis. Improves chronic bronchitis, hepatitis. Improves leukocytopenia and reticuloendothelial system. Effective in numerous other ailments.
The three major killers these days are: cancer, cerebrosis and coronary diseases. The latter two have their etiology closely linked to the blood circulatory system. Related problems like stroke, heart block, arteriosclerosis, obesity etc. are all tied to problems in the blood circulation. One out of three persons dies from one of the above ailments everyday.
Lingzhi can correct this imbalance and strengthen the system to prevent further deterioration.
What are noteworthy are its preventive capabilities. For the 21st century man, stressed out, poisoned by the polluted atmosphere, wrong food habits and drug induced illnesses of the modern medicine. While modern medicine has been very effective in treating certain conditions effectively and immediately, they do not address the holistic approach of the ancient medicine as a preventive and for regeneration of wasted tissues and damaged cells.
In conclusion, Ganoderma has been proven to exert significant effect on diminishing pain, fortifying the body's immune system and prolonging life. Even though its role in cancer control has not been determined 100 percent yet.
Ganoderma has a history of 3,000 years, during which time it is widely used by many people with no reported unfavorable side effects. It is therefore highly recommend for prevention. I hope that people from all walks of life will take a concerned interest and share in development of Herbal treatments. Hopefully, with so much research and emerging evidence, Ganoderma can bring a brighter outlook to the human race in the conquest of longevity.
About the Author
R.G. Srinivasan is founder of Born to Win Forum. He is a certified trainer and consultant in training design & methodologies. He is also the author of e-books, publishes 2 ezines on success and motivation and Home Business. His articles are widely published across the world. He is featured as an Expert Author in leading content syndication portals. Check out his home business ezine at http://home-businessleaders.tripod.com |
The Maharishi Ayurveda Natural Medicine Approach to Beauty and Skin Careby: Nancy Lonsdorf M.D.
The Three Pillars of Beauty
Maharishi Ayurveda (MAV), the modern, consciousness-based revival of the ancient Ayurvedic medicine tradition, considers true beauty to be supported by three pillars; Outer Beauty, Inner Beauty and Lasting Beauty. Only by enhancing all three can we attain the balanced state of radiant health that makes each of us the most fulfilled and beautiful person we can be.
Outer Beauty: Roopam
The outer signs of beauty - your skin, hair and nails - are more than just superficial measures of beauty. They are direct reflections of your overall health. These outer tissues are created by the inner physiological processes involved in digestion, metabolism and proper tissue development. Outer beauty depends more on the strength of your digestion and metabolism, the quality of your diet, and the purity of your blood, than on external cleansers and conditioners you may apply.
General Recommendations for Outer Beauty
As we will discuss, the key to skin care is matching your diet and skin care routine to the specific skin type you have. Meanwhile, there are some valuable recommendations for lustrous skin, hair and nails that will be helpful to everyone, regardless of skin type.
1. Diet: Without adequate nourishment, your collagen layer thins and a kind of wasting takes place. Over time, your skin can shrivel up like a plant without water from lack of nourishment. To keep your skin plump and glowing:
A. Eat fresh, whole organic foods that are freshly prepared.
Avoid packaged, canned, frozen, processed foods and leftovers. These foods have little nutritional value and also they are often poorly digested which creates impurities that localize in the skin. The resulting buildup of toxins causes irritation and blocks circulation depriving the skin of further nourishment and natural cleansing processes.
B. Favor skin nourishing foods.
1. Leafy green vegetables contain vitamins, minerals (especially iron and calcium) and are high in antioxidant properties. They nourish the skin and protect it from premature aging.
2. Sweet juicy fruits like grapes, melons, pears, plums and stewed apples at breakfast are excellent for the skin in almost everyone.
3. Eat a wide variety of grains over different meals and try mixed grain servings at breakfast and lunch. Add amaranth, quinoa, cous cous, millet and barley to the wheat and rice you already eat.
4. Favor light, easy to digest proteins like legume soups (especially yellow split mung dhal), whole milk, paneer (cheese made from boiling milk, adding lemon and straining solids) and lassi (diluted yogurt and spice drinks).
5. Oils like ghee (clarified butter) and organic, extra virgin olive oil should be included in the diet as they lubricate, nourish and create lustre in the skin.
6. Use spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and black pepper to improve digestion, nourish the skin and cleanse it of impurities.
7. Avoid microwaving and boiling your vegetables. They lose as much as 85% of their antioxidant content when cooked in this way. Steaming and sautéing are best.
Caring for outer beauty through knowledge of skin type
Besides these general recommendations the key to Outer Beauty is to understand the difference in skin types so you can gain the maximum benefit from your individualized skin care regimen. MAV identifies three different skin types based on which of the three main metabolic principles (doshas)- present in everyone, but to different degrees- is most dominant in your body.
Vata Skin
* Description: Vata is composed of the elements of air and space. If you have a vata skin type, your skin will be dry, thin, fine pored, delicate and cool to the touch. When balanced, it glows with a delicate lightness and refinement that is elegant and attractive. When vata skin is imbalanced, it will be prone to excessive dryness and may even be rough and flaky.
* Potential problems: The greatest beauty challenge for vata skin is its predisposition to symptoms of early aging. Your skin may tend to develop wrinkles earlier than most due to its tendency to dryness and thinness. If your digestion is not in balance, your skin can begin to look dull and grayish, even in your 20’s and 30’s. In addition, your skin may have a tendency for disorders such as dry eczema and skin fungus. Mental stress, such as worry, fear and lack of sleep, has a powerful debilitating effect on vata skin leaving it looking tired and lifeless.
* Recommendations for care
With a little knowledge, you can preserve and protect the delicate beauty of your vata type skin. Since your skin does not contain much moisture, preventing it from drying is the major consideration. Eat a warm, unctuous diet (ghee and olive oil are best) and favor sour, salty and sweet tastes (naturally sweet like fruits, not refined sugar) as they balance vata. Avoid drying foods like crackers. Drink 6-8 glasses of warm (not cold for vata types!) water throughout the day and eat plenty of sweet, juicy fruits. Going to bed early (before 10 PM) is very soothing to vata and will have a tremendously positive influence on your skin. Avoid cleansing products that dry the skin (like alcohol-based cleansers) and perform Ayurvedic oil massage to your whole body (abhyanga) in the morning before you shower.
Pitta Skin.
* Description: Pitta dosha is composed of the elements of fire and water. If you have a pitta skin type your skin is fair, soft, warm and of medium thickness. When balanced, your skin has a beautiful, slightly rosy or golden glow, as if illuminated from within. Your hair typically is fine and straight, and is usually red, sandy or blonde in color. Your complexion tends toward the pink or reddish, and there is often a copious amount of freckles or moles.
* Potential problems: Among the many beauty challenges of pitta skin types is your tendency to develop rashes, rosacea, acne, liver spots or pigment disorders. Because of the large proportion of the fire element in your constitution, your skin does not tolerate heat or sun very well. Of all the three skin types, pitta skin has the least tolerance for the sun, is photosensitive, and most likely to accumulate sun damage over the years. Pitta skin is aggravated by emotional stress, especially suppressed anger, frustration, or resentment.
* Recommendations for care
Avoid excessive sunlight, tanning treatments and highly heating therapies like facial or whole body steams. Avoid hot, spicy foods and favor astringent, bitter and sweet foods which balance pitta. (Again, naturally sweet, not chocolate and refined sugar!) Sweet juicy fruits (especially melons and pears), cooked greens and rose petal preserves are especially good. Drinking plenty of water helps wash impurities from sensitive pitta skin. Reduce external or internal contact with synthetic chemicals, to which your skin is especially prone to react, even in a delayed fashion after years of seemingly uneventful use. Avoid skin products that are abrasive, heating or contain artificial colors or preservatives. Most commercial make-up brands should be avoided in favor of strictly 100% natural ingredient cosmetics. And be sure to get your emotional stress under control through plenty of outdoor exercise, yoga and meditation.
Kapha Skin.
* Description:
Kapha dosha is composed of the elements of earth and water. If you have a kapha skin type your skin is thick, oily, soft and cool to the touch. Your complexion is a glowing porcelain whitish color, like the moon, and hair characteristically thick, wavy, oily and dark. Kapha skin types, with their more generous collagen and connective tissue, are fortunate to develop wrinkles much later in life than vata or pitta types.
*Potential problems If your skin becomes imbalanced, it can show up as enlarged pores, excessively oily skin, moist types of eczema, blackheads, acne or pimples, and water retention. Kapha skin is also more prone to fungal infections.
* Recommendations for care
Kapha skin is more prone to clogging and needs more cleansing than other skin types. Be careful to avoid greasy, clogging creams. Likewise, avoid heavy, hard to digest foods like fried foods, fatty meats, cheeses and rich desserts. Eat more light, easy to digest, astringent, bitter and pungent (well-spiced) foods as they balance kapha. Olive oil is the best cooking oil and a little ginger and lime juice can be taken before meals to increase your characteristically sluggish digestive fire. Take warm baths often and use gentle cleansers to open the skin pores. Avoid getting constipated and try to get some exercise every day to increase circulation and help purify the skin through the sweating process.
Inner Beauty: Gunam.
Happy, positive, loving, caring individuals have a special beauty that is far more than skin deep. Conversely we all experience the quick and deleterious effect on our skin from fatigue and stress.
Inner beauty is authentic beauty, not the kind that shows on a made-up face, but the kind that shines through from your soul, your consciousness or inner state of being. Inner beauty comes from a mind and heart that are in harmony, not at odds with each other, causing emotional confusion, loss of confidence, stress and worry. Inner peace is the foundation of outer beauty.
Maintain your self-confidence and a warm, loving personality by paying attention to your lifestyle and daily routine and effective management of stress (I highly recommend the TM technique for its scientifically-verified benefits on mental and physical health and reduced aging.) You will also be healthier and feel better through the day if you eat your main meal at midday and make a habit of going to bed early (by 10 PM is ideal.)
Remember, kindness, friendliness and sincerity naturally attract people to you. On the other hand, being uptight or tense makes people want to walk the other way, regardless of your facial structure, body weight, or other outer signs we associate with attractiveness.
Lasting Beauty: Yayastyag
In order to slow the aging process and gain lasting beauty there are two additional key considerations beyond those already discussed,
1. Eliminate toxins and free radicals in the body: The main deteriorating effects of aging come as toxins and impurities (called ama in Ayurveda) accumulate throughout the body. These toxins may begin as free radicals in the body, or over time may become oxidized into free radicals, all of which contribute to premature aging in the body. For lasting health and beauty it is essential to avoid and neutralize free radicals, to prevent impurities of all kinds from accumulating and to remove those that have already become lodged in the body.
The most powerful cleansing therapy in Maharishi Ayurveda is "panchakarma" therapy, a series of natural treatments ideally performed twice yearly, that involves 5-7 days in a row of massage, heat treatments and mild herbal enemas. Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of undergoing this cleansing program once or twice a year to prevent impurities from accumulating, localizing and hardening in the tissues. Just as we change the oil in our cars regularly for optimal performance and lifespan, Ayurveda recommends that we cleanse the “sludge” from our tissues on a regular basis through panchakarma treatments.
Best of all, panchakarma treatments are luxurious, blissful, and make you feel (and look) completely rejuvenated in just a few days time. I have had many a patient who told me that friends asked them afterwards if they had gotten a facelift, they looked so fresh and youthful!
Other free radical busters include: reducing mental stress, eating antioxidant foods like leafy green vegetables, sweet, juicy fruits and cooking on a daily basis with antioxidant, detoxifying spices like turmeric and coriander.
2. Add rejuvenative techniques to daily living:
The daily activities of life in the modern world systematically wear us down and speed up the aging process. Ayurveda maintains it is crucial to practice daily rejuvenative regimens to counteract the stressful wear and tear of everyday life. According to Ayurveda the most important rejuvenative routines for your life are:
a) Going to bed by 10:00 PM. This simple habit is one of the most powerful techniques for health and longevity, according to MAV.
b) Meditate daily. Any meditation that does not involve concentration (which has been shown to increase anxiety) can be very helpful. I highly recommend the twice-daily deep rest and enlivenment of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, whose benefits have been verified by over 700 published research studies.
c) Eat organic, whole fresh food that is freshly prepared. There is an Ayurvedic saying: "Without proper diet. medicine is of no use. With proper diet, medicine is of no need." Be sure to avoid those leftovers, processed and microwaved foods for better nutrition and vitality.
d) Perform Ayurvedic oil massage in the morning (abhyanga). Morning oil massage purifies the entire body, reduces anxiety and stress, helps prevent and heal injuries and supports circulation. It is especially helpful in creating a radiant complexion and keeping your skin youthful. Research shows it may also help prevent skin cancers.
e) Practice yoga asanas. Maintaining flexibility and circulation is key to health.
f) Practice pranayama (yoga breathing) techniques. Pranayama enlivens the mind and body. Ideally practice the following sequence twice a day. Asanas, pranayama and meditation.
Summary
Everyone's unique beauty shines forth when they have radiant health and personal happiness. Beauty is a side effect of a balanced, fulfilled life. Supreme personal beauty is accessible to everyone who is willing to take more control of their health in their day-to-day life through time-tested principles of natural living.
For most of us, beauty is not a gift but a choice. Every woman can be radiantly beautiful simply by beginning to lead a healthier life. You will be rewarded by the glowing effects you will see in your mirror each day and the powerful, bliss-producing effect your special beauty has on everyone in your life.
About the Author Nancy Lonsdorf M.D. received her M.D. from Johns Hopkins and did her postgraduate training at Stanford. She is currently the Medical Director of The Raj Ayurveda Health Center in Vedic City Iowahttp://www.ayurveda-ayurvedic.com |
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