On Pins and Needles: A Look at Acupuncture
Posted on July 1, 2009
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Acupuncture. For many needle-phobics, the idea of having a needle inserted into their skin for any length of time seems a torture. But there is good reason for the popularity and staying power of this alternative medicine practice: it has worked for 5000 years, and continues to improve the wellbeing of those who undergo the treatments.
Acupuncture is the Chinese alternative medical practice of inserting very small needles into the skin in strategic places. These places are specially chosen for their effect on specific parts of a person’s physiology. Sometimes acupuncture needles also work with electricity to induce the physiological benefits of the particular points. Often another alternative therapy called Moxibustion is used with acupuncture; this involves the burning of herbs to elicit physiological benefits. Acupressure is also based in the same principles as acupuncture and is sometimes used in conjuncture with acupuncture.
Alternative Medicine and Your Diet
Posted on March 18, 2009
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One of the things that practitioners of the alternative medicine industry push is the fact that what you put into your body has an intense effect on your health. Many practitioners will recommend herbs, vitamins and other supplements to assist the average person with occasional complaints, but for people with chronic or serious illnesses a special diet is often recommended.
There are many different diets that are commonly prescribed by alternative medicine practitioners for those patients with regular complaints. Patients with diabetes and acid reflux are often put on diets to help improve their conditions. For more serious illnesses like cancer, more strict diets are enforced. Many people have had incredible luck beating cancer by using a macrobiotic diet. Other people who have complaints of fatigue, weight gain, or just general poor health can often benefit from a detoxifying or cleansing diet. It is important to follow a medical professional’s advice when trying a diet, so be sure to check with your practitioner before starting any restrictive diet.
Herbally Alternative
Posted on December 12, 2008
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What is it about herbs and natural supplements that make so many doctors flinch? Is it that these supplements are actually not good for us, or is it something else? While some doctors are beginning to support patient use of herbal remedies such as Echinacea, others are highly opposed to the use of some of the most beneficial herbal supplements on the market.
There is some reason for caution on the part of the medical community: many of these herbal remedies have not been tested thoroughly by the FDA. However, many people claim that they will continue taking these herbal supplements despite the opinion of the FDA. So who is right? Many holistic practitioners feel that anything that seems to work does, in fact, work; therefore, there is no harm in drinking an herbal tea or taking a supplement to support and boost one’s immune system.
Your Personality and Your Disease Resistance
Posted on December 1, 2008
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Researchers have recently been looking into why some people succumb to different chronic illnesses while others retain their good health. There has been a lot of discussion about the possibilities of a type of personality that is, in a very real way, “disease resistant”.
So how is this possible? Researchers have found that the way a person deals with stress greatly affects their ability to deal with illness and, as a result, they can successfully ward off severe chronic illness. It is thought that just by changing the outlook on everyday stressors – such as having a sense of humor about backing the car out of the garage with the door open – can improve a person’s overall wellbeing. This also applies to people who already have chronic illnesses: there is a better survival rate among patients with positive attitudes than in patients with depression.
What are Some Music Therapy Activities?
Posted on November 12, 2008
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Music therapy activities are much more varied than it seems. Though it would be reasonable to think that music therapy would consist of music, the extent to which music can be used is far more expansive. From lyrics to dance, musical backgrounds and song sharing, music therapy activities can be custom fit to the patient they are meant to help. But learning more about each of these techniques can help patients and therapists get ahead of the problem and start getting to the solutions.
Using song lyrics is one of the more common music therapy activities in rehabilitative and counseling sessions. By writing lyrics about difficult things in your life, you might be able to see connections and solutions to your own problems. The therapists might have to rewrite the lyrics to a particular song you enjoy or to a song that you feel is similar to your feelings at the time. You might also be asked to write lyrics to a song about the life you want to create for yourself – whether this is related to psychological or physical changes.
Dancing to music is another way to encourage people to work through a number of problems. In the physical therapy setting, dancing and moving to the music are music therapy activities that can bolster strength as well as moods. By slowly working your way up to more strenuous activities, a patient can begin to feel more confident in their ability to move while also gaining strength and stamina along the way. With upbeat music, it’s easier for people to continue working out too as they can feel inspired by the tempo or the lyrics in the songs they choose.
Just playing soft music in the background of a therapeutic session can be considered one of the more positive and practical music therapy activities. Every wonder why elevators always play soft and soothing music? Because this helps people relax and not worry so much about the elevator malfunctioning. On the opposite side of the music gamut, playing harder, louder and faster music can increase the heart rate and cause the person listening to make decisions more quickly than they should – that’s why many stores play loud and penetrating music.
Therapists might also use music therapy activities that include sharing songs that the patient or the therapist feel are relevant to their discussions. By taking time to share a song, the patient doesn’t have to talk as much about what they feeling, letting the music speak for them.
There are many music therapy activities that can help the patient reach their goals and the therapist to communicate in a positive and successful way.
Alternative Herbal Medicine In The Modern World
Posted on October 24, 2008
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Alternative herbal medicine is gaining popularity with over 80% of the world’s population choosing to use herbs for some aspect of their primary health care according to the World Health Organization. Alternative medicine relies on more than a regular dosage of prescribed herbs for the treatment to be effective. A positive mental attitude, exercise and a proper diet are all essential components of alternative herbal medicine.
Herbal medicines vs. pharmaceutical medicines
Approximately 80% of the traditional pharmaceutical medications on the market today are based on a major active ingredient that is found naturally in an individual herb. Pharmaceutical medications are typically used to treat one specific illness, which can help save a life in an emergency situation. Herbs on the other hand contain numerous minor ingredients that work in conjunction with their one main ingredient. These minor ingredients help support the function of the main ingredient as well as help it get to all parts of the body as needed. Long term use of alternative herbal medicine should be avoided because it can result in the body becoming immune to the herbs in the same way the body can become immune to pharmaceutical medicines. Once the body becomes immune to either a pharmaceutical or herbal medication it will either lose some of its effectiveness or not work at all. There is also a chance that the herbs could build up in the body, the same way pharmaceutical medications can and cause various side effects. Herbal formulations are different from pharmaceutical medications because they consist of combinations of two or more herbal medicines that work together to solve the complete problem. Alternative medicine centers on healing the mind, body and soul, instead of focusing on healing one major illness like pharmaceutical medicines do. This complete solution is one reason why alternative herbal medicine is rapidly gaining popularity.
Alternative herbal medicine solutions – are they right for you?
Even though herbal medicine is gaining popularity today it may not be the right choice for you. The first step in making this decision is to talk to your health care provider. They know your medical history and can advise you on the best solutions. Many traditional health care providers use both alternative and traditional treatments because the role that traditional medicine typically plays is being changed as more people look for a natural approach to healing. In the event your current health care provider does not believe in alternative medicine, it is possible to find a health care provider does. This makes it easier than ever for people who want to use a combination of alternative herbal medicine and prescription drugs to get sound advice from their medical care provider.
Music Therapy Activity and the Elderly
Posted on October 17, 2008
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Music therapy activity and the elderly is a topic that has been researched thoroughly. There are many uses for music therapy in the medical field, and a lot of those uses apply at least partially, if not strictly, to the elderly. Some of the more useful applications of music therapy activity and the elderly are in the areas of Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, and general Geriatrics. But while these are the studies done solely on the elderly, there are other applications of music therapy that can apply to the elderly just as well as they apply to patients of other ages. For example, elderly patients with chronic pain, cancer, hearing impairment, or who have recently gone through a surgery or have lost a loved one can also benefit greatly from music therapy.
The most complete studies done on music therapy activity and the elderly have been done on Alzheimer’s patients. Alzheimer’s patients have tested higher in their cognitive abilities after being exposed to music therapy activity. While other kinds of therapy can also be applied to assist Alzheimer’s patients, only music activities quantitatively prove that there is a significant increase in the patient’s brain function.
Dementia is similar to Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, there is much more limited research as to the proven effects of music therapy activity and the elderly who suffer from Dementia. This is not to say, however, that music therapy activity does not work with elderly people who have Dementia. Many music therapists have witnessed great positive effects on patients and their caregivers who are exposed to music and music therapy on a regular basis. Because Dementia has similar symptoms as Alzheimer’s disease, especially cognitive dysfunctions including memory and recognition problems, some of the research on Alzheimer’s patients can be applied to Dementia patients.
Music therapy activity and the elderly have been studied not only for specific diseases, but also for the general geriatric healthcare. Music activities such as dancing can greatly improve the social habits and wellbeing of both general geriatric patients and those with Dementia. Creating social connections with another person through activities like dancing can bring out the liveliness in elderly people, and this will greatly improve their mood and overall happiness.
Much of the research on music therapy activity and the elderly patients it helps focused on the problem of agitation. For many geriatric patients, especially those with Dementia, agitation is one of the most difficult symptoms to control. However, using soft music can help quiet the agitated mind of geriatric patients, thus improving their mood and their health.
Herbally Alternative
Posted on October 5, 2008
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What is it about herbs and natural supplements that make so many doctors flinch? Is it that these supplements are actually not good for us, or is it something else? While some doctors are beginning to support patient use of herbal remedies such as Echinacea, others are highly opposed to the use of some of the most beneficial herbal supplements on the market.
There is some reason for caution on the part of the medical community: many of these herbal remedies have not been tested thoroughly by the FDA. However, many people claim that they will continue taking these herbal supplements despite the opinion of the FDA. So who is right? Many holistic practitioners feel that anything that seems to work does, in fact, work; therefore, there is no harm in drinking an herbal tea or taking a supplement to support and boost one’s immune system.
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Your personality and your decease resistance
Posted on May 10, 2008
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Your Personality and Your Disease Resistance
Researchers have recently been looking into why some people succumb to different chronic illnesses while others retain their good health. There has been a lot of discussion about the possibilities of a type of personality that is, in a very real way, “disease resistant”.
So how is this possible? Researchers have found that the way a person deals with stress greatly affects their ability to deal with illness and, as a result, they can successfully ward off severe chronic illness. It is thought that just by changing the outlook on everyday stressors – such as having a sense of humor about backing the car out of the garage with the door open – can improve a person’s overall wellbeing. This also applies to people who already have chronic illnesses: there is a better survival rate among patients with positive attitudes than in patients with depression.
Alternative Medicine – A Choice Whose Time Has Come
Posted on March 9, 2008
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the world have begun to realize that allopathic medicine is not the panacea they have put their trust in for most of their lives. Medical practices that were once widely accepted are now questioned by many as their main concern is safeguarding their health and that of their family. Alternative medicine is fast becoming the gold standard in health care for those who are disenchanted with the results – or lack thereof– that conventional medicine has produced for them.
We are bombarded with television and magazine advertisements for medications that promise to cure, or at least control, almost every ailment known to mankind. If you watch any TV at all, you’ve seen the skillfully edited commercials that feature smiling, happy people who seem as if they don’t have a care in the world because they were given a pharmaceutical drug for some sort of medical problem they were having. The magazine ads are just as misleading to the public. Though each of these media outlets mentions the drug’s side effects, it is done quickly and unobtrusively, almost as if it is an afterthought.
Alternative medicine has become so popular in part because of these undesirable effects. Take for example these adverse side effects of the popular hormone replacement therapy Premarin -
• Migraine headache
• Chest pain
• Confusion and memory problems
• Swelling of the lower extremities
Most women would probably prefer to have the hot flashes of menopause than to experience any of these reactions on a regular basis. But, you don’t have to put up with either one when you use alternative medicine! A consultation with an herbalist would reveal that a combination of dong quai and black cohosh extract will safely control all symptoms related to the change of life.
Alternative medicine believes that achieving wellness involves treating the entire body. Traditional allopathic, or Western medicine, concentrates on analyzing and managing specific complaints and illnesses. Treatment of these complaints almost always includes the prescription of one or more drugs. People have become rather leery of taking these medications without first doing a little research about what they are putting into their bodies. Many times, once they discover that the side effects are as bad or worse than the illness for which they were prescribed the drug in the first place, they seek a better, safer, and more natural approach to good health.
Many allopathic doctors have begun to embrace certain alternative medicine remedies and treatments, as they have seen for themselves the power behind these age-old solutions for good health. Herbs, acupuncture, yoga, massage therapy, and holistic living all contribute to good health in ways that the medical profession is just now beginning to realize. You can expect alternative medicine to continue to influence the way we approach health care as it permeates mainstream medicine a little more each year.