Natural Food For Dogs

There is a huge surplus in natural food for dogs today. People are finally starting to understand the importance and benefits of feeding their dog healthy food. While many manufacturers make decent dry and wet natural dog food, they are not always truly natural. These store bought foods must have additives and preservatives in it to be able to last on store shelves and under kitchen cupboards for months. Many of these chemicals and ingredients not only disagree with many dogs’ systems, they also can cause serious health issues over time. This is the main reason why making your own dog food can help extend the life of your beloved dog.

How Can You Tell If Your Dog Needs More Nutrition

Ever wonder why your dog begs, eats garbage, and always seems hungry? The reason is poor nutrition. Many of the pet foods on the market do not have what it takes to properly keep your dog healthy.

Natural food for dogs made at home can fix your dog’s need to beg, eat non-stop, and make him satisfied. While it is natural for your dog to beg for your meal, rather than eat a bowl of dried kibble, it is not natural for her to do this after already being fed a full dish.

Dogs that are not properly fed will get sick over time and can even lose the quality of life they deserve. You should have the mentality that if it is not something you would eat, they should not eat it too. Natural food for dogs will make it so you feed your dog less and they get more out of it. They will be satisfied, beg less, not be interested in old, moldy food in the trash, and will need to go out to the bathroom less. The better quality of food anyone eats, the better their overall health and vitality.

Homemade Foods Not Made In Your Home

Some people just do not have time to make their own food, no matter how hard they try.

Natural food for dogs can also be bought. You just need to know who and where to get it from. The local dog food store is not the best place. You will want to do some serious research when it comes to what you give your pet, especially if your dog is allergy prone. What to look for are all natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. If you could make it yourself at home, then you know it is good.

The only down fall to buying already made for your dog food of this type is the cost. You will find that it will cost you more than if you bought cheap store foods. However, you will not have as many vet bills and other health issues with your dog as other people do. You can also look locally for a dog food maker to save on shipping costs. This will also allow you to support your local economy and businesses.

Do you know the difference between ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ food?
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We all know how harsh life could be. Every day we are exposed to different kinds of stress that simply makes life difficult. But we do not have to surrender over this simple problem. What we have to do is to work this situation out with a healthy body. But the question is, how can we work it out? The best way is to eat healthy, natural foods. And to make things easier for your transition, here are some things that might shake your confusions away.

There’s no doubt about this. If you seek the true meaning of eating your next meal then eating natural foods should be in the main course. These foods are primarily designed by nature to offer one’s body with the right nutrition together with all the good benefits. These benefits does not only span within your stomach but for overall wellness. This would mean natural foods such as fruits and veggies are best sources for our needed nutrition.

As mentioned above, we should benefit from our food way beyond its capacity to fill our stomach. Simply, our foods should give us the needed nutrients we need. And natural foods have this kind of benefit. It has the balance of our needed nutrition which can give our body the energy to make its way through our daily lives. This is the very essence of having a balanced meal.

With today’s technology, it seems that many are after the faster way of living. And that includes our food. Though faster processing would mean better food availability for all, it also undermines your body’s defenses in general. Processed foods in particular have been added with harmful chemicals that can cripple how our body would react to certain stimuli. And if those stimuli are harmful microorganisms then it could slip through your defenses making your body vulnerable. Thus, even if at times you’ll be tempted to eat processed foods or fast foods, you must give your body a balance of nutrients through consuming fruits and vegetables.

Because it comes with all the needed nutrients, natural foods help in lifting your immune system up and running. This is possible as it does not come with much of the harm and it do have lots of nutrients which is very important for our body. In having these two very important things, natural food is the best choice.

Even how tough life may be for us, we should not take for granted our nutrition. Eat right and live right, that’s an easy way to deal with life’s challenges.

In August, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey argued in the pages of the Wall Street Journal that the solution to America’s health care crisis was to be found in “less government control and more individual empowerment.” His own company’s unique health care plan, Mackey wrote, covers 90 percent of employees, costs less than health insurance plans, aned provides a “very high degree of worker satisfaction.” But for the sin of not supporting a government take over of health care, labor unions and left-wing activists called for a boycott of Whole Foods, claiming that Mackey’s solutions were unworkable and his employees were unhappy. Reason.tv talked to protesters, Mackey, and employees about “the Whole Foods alternative to ObamaCare.” Produced by Michael C. Moynihan and Dan Hayes. Edited by Dan Hayes. Approximately 5 minutes. (Full disclosure: Mackey has contributed to Reason Foundation, the nonprofit that publishes this website.) Related video: John Mackey’s Conscious Capitalism: The Whole Foods CEO on health care, veganism, and free markets: www.youtube.com Go to reason.tv for downloadable versions of these and other videos.

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How many people know that our body owned a very powerful recovering system? Our Mighty God created human beings and equipped us with system of adaptation and system of recovery by itself! Such amazing system of adaptation make we human beings survive and travel from the peak of the mountain to deep of the sea; from the extremely cold weather of Artic to extremely dry air of the Desert. Thus, this ‘Ability of Adaptation’ make our body’s systems to change in order to suit with the environment. In fact, our body is adapting from time to time in order to adjust our body to the changing environment, for example: During the hot climate we sweat and our small blood vessels (capillaries) dilate to get rid of extra heat, in our brain there is a centre name themoregulatory centre which can sense the changes of the temperature. Thus, in hot climate, brain will give signals of thirst to us in order to direct us to increase the intake of water! In the case of water deprivation during the hot climate, kidneys are regulated so as to produce a more concentrated urine to decrease the loss of water from the body. In the opposite way : During the cold day, usually we won’t sweat (because sweating is the process to make us loss more heat and preserve heat). Furthermore, our skin’s small blood vessels (named capillaries) start to constrict (to become smaller in size to prevent the heat loss from the skin). In this case, the themoregulator centre in our brain did not send any signals to bring up the sensation to us, this indicate our body did not need any extra intake of water to compensate water loss. Here, we can see how amazing is our body created by God. Everyday, every hour, every minute, every seconds, our body need this ‘adaptation (in medical term we named Homeostasis)’ to survive in this planet earth. Without this system our body will fail, our life no longer exist.

Sorry for the brief introduction of what is ‘Adaptation ‘ above, it is somehow important our further understanding about how ‘Natural foods & Supplement’ can actually heals chronic diseases in later discussion. We (human beings) can adapt to changing environment; We can also repair our body by ourselves if we do provide our body with enough nutrients to let it repair itself. Do you believe it? Now, let me tell you {WHY our body needs it?}, {WHERE our body needs it?}, {WHAT our body needs?}, and {HOW it works to maintain our health}…..!

First of all, WHY our body needs it? Answer : Do you know our body needs food to generate energy for the activity of our everyday life? Actually, human’s body system did not programme to generate any energy. The statement above was absolutely incorrect. Our human’s body is just able to transfer energy from foods to our body. The true energy maker is our ‘Sun’, plants are the primary receiver of energy from Sun, then plants transfer energy to animal and human. We get the energy from plants and animal meat directly, or indirectly from Sun. Now, the key is while we get energy from the plants and animal in the form of foods, our body processes the foods in order to get energy. This process occurs in every single cells of our body. The process of transferring energy from foods to our body is called ‘Metabolism’. The worst thing now happens, metabolism is the process that can generate energy and also can create a lot of free radicles (free radicles are unstable electrons that will damage our body cells and tissue eventually). This radicles created in the cells can cause damage to the cells and cause damage to the DNA inside our cells. This detrimental process will finally cause cell death in long run. In 20 to 30 years this process everyday in our body to support our life because no matter what we still need energy to survive as a human beings stand on the special planet earth. Thus, after 20 to 30 years of cell death and renewing. Our body finally not able to produce new cells again due to the damage of the gene (DNA) of stem cells. Nevertheless, our body ended up with degeneration. All the systems fail. So, the main culprit here is the ‘Free Radicles’ that causes the diseases and failure of our body system. Therefore, we need natural foods and supplements that could scavenge the free radicles from our body.

Secondly, WHERE our body needs this Natural Foods and Supplement that can scavenge away the free radicles? The answer is : Everywhere in our body needs them to scavenge the free radicles because metabolism occurs in every cells in our body.

Thirdly, WHAT our body needs to scavenge away the free radicals? Answer is : Till this moment, I have not explained what is the Natural Foods and Supplement that can actually help us to cope with the free radicals. Common antioxydant behind this natural foods and supplements are ‘Vitamin A, C, E and Beta-Carotene’. Other antioxidant from foods are ‘Coenzyme Q10, Alpha-lipoic acid and colourful bioflavanoid antioxydants’. Some other supporting nutrients are also helped in maintaining good health such as ‘B-cofactor : Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12 & Folic acid’ and ‘Antioxydant minerals : Copper, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium’. Besides, some major antioxidant defence system produced by body such as : Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, and Glutathione peroxidase’ are playing the fundamental roles in protecting our body. All these will be further explained later in our discussion. Those vitamins and some of the minerals are also called ‘Antioxydants’. ‘Oxydants’ are free radicals that could damage our body cells whereas the ‘Antioxydants’ are the agents that can wipe out or neutralize the oxydants to prevent our body cells from damaging effects of free radicals.

Lastly, HOW it works to maintain our health? Answer is : As soon as the free radicals are wiped out and neutralised by the Antioxydants, our body cells are less likely to be damaged by free radicals. Thus, we are encouraged to consume foods that contains more Antioxydants than foods that contain more free radicals. Perhaps, you may ask what are the foods that contain more antioxidants and what are the one contain free radicals? Now, I am going to list down a few for you. High antioxydants containing foods are vegetable, all kinds of fruits, fishes, steaming food. In contrary, foods containing a lot of free radicals are the deep frying foods, fried foods, grilled foods, BBQ foods. Honestly speaking, some of the foods are actually good for health, the culprit is the method of preparation that spoils out the food quality. That is why, when people enjoying Malay Sateh, BBQ foods, or Grilled foods, they usually eating with raw cucumber and raw onion. These two vegetable containing high antioxydants in it to prevent people to get sick easily after those grilled and BBQ foods.

Thus, after the above discussion, l guess everyone who read till this sentence already had a general idea of what is good and what is bad for our health! Now, l am going to discuss with you the function of Antioxydants. {Vitamin C : water soluble vitamin that target free radicals within the blood and plasma}, {Vitamin E : fat soluble antioxydants that target free radicals within the cellular membrane}, {Glutathione : Antioxydant produces by body cells and stores within the cells}, {Alpha-lipoic acid : work within the cell membrane and plasma}, {Vitamin C & Alpha-lipoic acid : have ability to regenerate Vitamin E and Glutathione}

From the Headline : ‘How Many of Us know….Foods and Supplements are actually the Best Medicine for the Sicks ?’ So, how the foods and Supplements that containing the elements stated at the previous few paragraphs can assist in fighting with the diseases? Again, our body has many smart systems that co-operate together to achieve the optimum level of health status as long as we provide enough and essential nutrients to our body. Amazingly, our body also has a very strong regeneration and recovery ability after our body got sick with the condition that we got enough rest and consume necessary nutrients for it to regenerate and recover itself. This also called ‘Food Medicine’. Later I will teach you how to eat and what to eat to achieve this divine purpose. In our society nowadays, many people are using ‘Food Medicine’ combining with ‘Medicine prescribed by the Medical doctor’ in curing the some chronic diseases, infectious diseases, or whatever kind of health disorders. Undoubtedly, this is a smart way for treatment. This method of treatment will give a double curing effects to the patient. ‘Food Medicine’ can give patient essential nutrients for the body to regenerate itself whereas the ‘Medicine prescribed by doctor’ help in fighting with the diseases and get rid of the agents or causes that bring the diseases. Forgot to say, one more importance to provide good nutrients to the body, that is good nutrients can help our body to boost up our immune system which in very important to defend our body from many infectious agents too. Here, l will further explain to you that ‘Food Medicine’ is like a military team that build up its strong reserve in its base. It prepare itself for any sudden need of military attacks. The more the backup bullets and weapon in its base the stronger the defensive power against the intruders! Now, try to imagine that our immune system is this military team that try to store up its weapon and bullets from the ‘Food Medicine’. Thus, good quality of foods or foods high in antioxidants do play fundamental roles in fighting with the diseases. By contrary, now what the ‘Medicine prescribed by doctors’ do here? Let me quote an example : let’s say Malaysia is now attacked by Country A, as for ‘Food Medicine’, Malaysia itself has their own military power to fight with Country A intruder (diseases agents) but what if Country A is too strong that Malaysia can’t even defend by its Military power (Immune system)? Now, Country Z may give military assistance (Medicine prescribed by doctor) to fight with the intruder that invade Malaysia. From here, we can see how Malaysia and Country Z co-operate together to fight with the Country A. On the other picture, we can see how our strong immune system can co-operate with Medicine prescribed by doctor to fight with the disease agents. Isn’t it clear? Thus, people who get sick not only must take medicine prescribed but also need adequate rest, good quality foods, and some of the essential supplements.

Now, I will let you know what supplement you should take, how you should take and why you need to take in different kinds of diseases. We can get some of the following antioxydants indirectly from fruits or vegetables that are enriched with it, some of them we can bought from the pharmacy in concentrated capsular form. Remember when we use the concentrated capsular form, we should follow the recommended dosage consume each day in order to prevent overdosage. Some of elements if use in overdosage will not cause any side effect but some will cause intoxication such as Vitamin A because they are fat soluble and will store in body continuously but some will not cause any side effect such as vitamin B & C because they are water soluble and they easily excreted from our body through our kidney.

Multiple Sclerosis

i)                    Antioxydant : Vitamin A, C, & E and Beta-Carotene

ii)                   Antioxydant minerals : Copper, Zinc, Manganase, Selenium.

iii)                 Grape seeds extract

iv)                 Coenzyme Q-10

Heart Disease (Inflammatory Heart disease : Carditis)

i)                    Vitamin C & E

ii)                   Glutathione : Patient who has coronary artery disease has lower level of glutathione within their cells compare to those without coronary artery disease. Thus, glutathione is the key antioxidant contain in all cell that surround the subendothelial space. When you take nutrients needed for cells to make glutathione (Selenium, Vitamin B2, Niacin, N-acetyl-L-cysteine), you can indirectly improve overall antioxidant defensive system.

iii)                 Bioflavanoids : found in fruits and vegetables. The more colourful the vegetable or fruit, the more bioflavanoids in them. Bioflavanoid has anti-allergen & anti-inflammatory effects. Red wine & grape juice have ‘polyphenols’ which decrease the formation of oxydized LDL to protect blood vessels’ endothelia. Grape seed is the best source of bioflavanoid antioxidant in preventing chronic inflammatory diseases.

*Remember : All antipxydants & Nutrients must be taken together in order to work synergically.

­Homocysteine Metabolism Disorder

-          Decrease of enzyme of metabolism of Homocysteine causing accumulation of Homocysteine in our body. This can cause Homocysteinuria (Homocysteine excreted in urine)

-          Increase of Homocysteine in our blood can cause increase of Cardiovascular diseases & Stroke.

-          Homocysteine is mainly from meat, egg, cheese, white flour, highly processed foods. It will be converted into Methionine and cysteine. This conversion needs Folic acid, Vitamin B6 & B12. If Homocysteine in excess there will extra accumulation of Methionine and Cysteine which is actually toxic to our body.

-          Thus, patients who has Cardiovascular disease caused by Homocysteine Metabolism disorder should be given Folic acid, Vitamin B6 & B12 in their diet.

Cardiomyopathy

i)                    Coenzyme Q-10

-          The Cardiomyopathy which has unknown cause has not been cured but in addition of nutrient Coenzyme Q-10, patient’s heart get its needed fuel source which allow heart to compensate for heart pumping insufficiency.

ii)                   How many of us know what is Coenzyme Q-10?

-          Coenzyme Q-10 / Ubiquinone : fat soluble vitamin or vitamin-like substance (potent antioxydants)

-          Organs, meats, beef, soy oil, sardine & peanuts contain trace amount of Coenzyme Q-10.

-          Coenzyme Q-10 needs 8 vitamins & several trace minerals to produce one molecule of Coenzyme Q-10.

-          Coenzyme Q-10 is the cofactor for at least 3 types of very important enzymes used within the mitochondrion of every cell.

-          Mitochondrion are the place where oxidative process occurs, this process is important to generate energy for every cell. All energies are generated here but the very dangerous by-product ‘Free Radicals’ are created here too during the process of energy production.

-          Patients with heart failure, heart diseases, periodontal diseases, diabetes, cancer, congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy are also noticed with Coenzyme Q-10 defficiency.

-          Coenzyme Q-10 deficiency usually occurs in those with poor dietary regime, impairment of enzyme to synthesis Coenzyme Q-10 or excessive utility of Coenzyme Q-10.

-          In Cardiomyopathy, hen the heart muscle cells are weekened, the increase of intake of Coenzyme Q-10 will obviously improve the heart pumping function.

Cataract

-          Patient with cataract, antioxydants in early stage of treatment will preserve the lens function and will prevent further cataract formation caused by UV light of sun ray.

-          Natural antioxydants produce by our body (eg : Glutathione peroxidise, Catalase, Superoxide dismutase) form the primary eye’s defensive system. Unfortunately, if we only depend on the natural source of antioxydants to protect our eyes, it is obviously not enough.

-          Antioxydants found in the fluid around the lens are critical in protecting the lens. Most important one is Vitamin C. Others are Vitamin E, alpha-lipoic acids, Beta-catotene. They work synergically.

-          Alpha-lipoic acids and vitamin C regenerate Glutathione to use it again and again.

The Inflammatory Response

-          Eg: Asthma, Rheumatoid arthritis, Myocarditis

-          Antioxydants improve our immune system by help control inflammatory response by protect our body cells from inflammatory distruction.

-          What is the role of ‘Essential Fatty Acids’ in inflammatory response?

Our body use fats to produce healthy cell membrane and hormone ‘Prostaglandin’
Two most important fatty acids are 1) Omega-3 fatty acids ‘Alpha-linoleic acid’, Omega-3 produce Prostaglandin that can cause Anti-inflammatory effect 2) Omega-6 faty acids ‘Linoliec acids’, Omega-6 produces Prostaglandin that can cause inflammatory response.
Thus, optimal intake ratio is Omega-6 : Omega-3 = 4 : 1.
Omega-3 mainly coming from vegetable oils (Flaxseed, Canola, Pumpkin, Soybean oil), cold water fish (Markerel, Sardines, Salmon, Tuna)
Western diet has poor ratio, usually Omega-6 : Omega-3 = 20 : 1 or 40 : 1. Thus, they are more prone to inflammation.

Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoporosis

-          Those who suffers from arthritis are deficient in several antioxydants and supporting nutrients : Vitamin B3, C, D, E, mineral Boron, Glucosamine sulphate, Essential fatty acids, Grape seed extract.

i)                    Glucosamine Sulphate (1500 – 2000mg/day, no side effect)

Glucosamine sulphate is the basic nutrient or the cartilage synthesis
It is simple amino sugar (Primary building block) of proteoglycans (proteoglycan is the molecule that give cartilage its elasticity)
Study showed that glucosamine sulphate not only reduced pain & inflammation of arthritis but also stop cartilage deterioration, it also causes cartilage re-growth and delay joint replacement treatment.

ii)                   Chondroitin sulphate

Chondroitin sulphate often combine with Glucosamine sulphate to get the better effect.
Chondroitin sulphate can also make up part of the proteoglycans and is responsible for attracting water into the cartilage to make cartilage more pliable and spongy. Without condroitin the cartilage will become drier and more fragile.
From the research study, scientists also get the conclusion that Glucosamine sulphate is more important than Chondroitin sulphate.

iii)                 Calcium

Calcium deficiency may lead to osteoporosis but only 25% of patients show effect by calcium supplement (800-1500mg)
Calcium & Vitamin D slow down Osteoporosis.

iv)                 Magnesium

Magnesium is important in several biochemical reaction take place within the bone.
Magnesium activate ‘Alkaline Phosphatase’ (enzyme in the process of new bone formation)
Magnesium is needed in conversion of inactive Vitamin D into active form of Vitamin D.

v)                  Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption. It can be produced in the skin when exposed in the sunlight.
Vitamin D in oral form can be fortified from foods and milk.
Everyone should take 500-800IU/day.

Alzheimer’s Disease

-          Increased oxidative stress more likely accounts for all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease have significant depleted level of antioxydants in their brain as well as high level of oxidative stress.

i)                    High level of Vitamin E significantly decrease the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Patients with moderate Alzheimer’s disease who took 2000IU Vitamin E in supplement able to remain at home for 2 – 3 years longer.

ii)                   Other antioxydants like Vitamin A, C, E, Zinc, Selenium, Rutin also can be used.

iii)                 Grape seeds extract is very potent antioxidant that can cross Blood Brain Barrier. Its concentration is increased in fluid, brain cells and nerve cells. Thus, it is the best antioxidant for the brain. (The key to protect brain is to use antioxidants and prevent from exposure to heavy metal)

From the explanation above, I am just managed to enclose some of the common diseases. There are dozen of them waiting to be tested and experimented. If anyone needs further details, can directly request from the commend section.

Now, we can see, there are actually many diseases can be treated together with supplements to get the optimal effect of treatment as long as we use it in the correct way, with the correct method, in the correct time. Do not ever overlook the power of foods and natural supplements. Very few of them can bring up the side effect to our body as long as we read the instruction and contraindication before we consume the supplement. All the best to whom benefits from this article. Do not hesitate to contact for any enquiry! Thanks! Good Luck!

The history of alternative medicine is a rather interesting one, and has its
origins in traditional methods of medicine. Alternative medicine has been
in existence since time immemorial. Being a primeval science, this medicinal
system has been known to man since the early days of his time on Earth. Using
natural ingredients to prevent and cure most illnesses has perhaps been man’s greatest foray into medical science. Traditional medical practitioners aimed at prevention of diseases associated with an increase in resistance of the human body. As an expert rightly pointed out, “The study of the history of alternative medicine is fascinating on a variety of levels, not just concerning other and often better ways of preserving and restoring health.”

Practised for thousands of years, alternative medicine includes systems like
Acupuncture, Ayurveda and traditional Asian medicine. Alternative medicine branches
out from the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments and
therapies. CAM is often combined with formal, conventional medicine, integrating
both medical practices, in order to give the best results to patients. It can be said that
the earlier methods of medicine were attempted at achieving a balance between bodily
and natural energy. Energies were sought as positive and negative energies, where
positive energies were to bring in happiness and health and negative energies an
incapacitation of resistance to face any ailments. Matters of utmost importance in
deciding therapies or treatments in these earlier medical systems were factors like
one’s lifestyle, one’s habits of eating and one’s occupational pressures.

The earliest use of traditional remedies dates back to 2800 BC in China.
Practised all over the world in more than a hundred disciplines, alternative medicine
has aided medical tourism in an unprecedented manner. Using alternative medicine
and following alternative medical practices not only removes any possible additional
affects of the illness but also increases the resilience of the body. It is generally
claimed that natural remedies are not only less inimical to human physiology
but they also help in retaining body pliancy. Systems of natural, traditional
medicines use a combination of ingredients to restore the bodily constituents. In
fact, natural remedies are considered more as food, given their natural constituents.
Since alternative medicine is based on completely natural methods and there is
no usage of any chemicals, there is no danger of any interference with the organic
system. A holistic approach as opposed to looking at a set of symptoms and a
treatment that delves into the root-cause of an illness are some of the distinct and
highly acknowledged features of alternative medicine. It is also opined that
widespread use of modern medicine has deteriorated the immune system in the
human physiology and has resulted in these modern medicines becoming less
effective. It is also often said that alternative medicine is the only way to cure
some incurable diseases.

The history of alternative medicine can be traced back to some 5000 years, when the Chinese and Indians discovered traditional and Ayurvedic therapies to heal the body and the mind. The real objective was to identify the deterrents in the body system which caused ailments, and
strengthened the body’s immunity. The therapies mainly incorporated self-care, lifestyle
changes and various preventive measures. The normal practices that were followed in the early stages of the history of alternative medicine include the extractions of the bark of willow trees. Many kitchen ingredients were also used for treating patients. The treatments were considered as the blessings of God, as it brought immense relief to the writhing bodies and prayer was considered as one of the strongest weapons in waging war against ailments.
Source: “A Brief History of Alternative Medicine”, http://www.med-help.net/med-history-of-alternativemedicine.
html

Today, alternative medicine holds out immense potential in attracting medical
tourists. For example, India is likely to become a major hub for medical tourism,
with revenues from the industry estimated to grow from US3 million in 2007
to US.2 billion by 2012, says a study by the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) and McKinsey.3 The major competitive advantages that India faces are cost
effectiveness and traditional medical systems like Ayurveda and Naturopathy.
The world has witnessed the development of many traditional as well as modern
systems of medicine in the 20th century. Path-breaking discoveries like penicillin,
technological advancements in modern surgery, major research advancement in stem
cell research and genetic structure, and the development of traditional medical systems
like traditional Chinese system of medicine, Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Homeopathy,
Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani and others have all been a part of developments in the
omnipotent territory of global medicine. The major competitive advantages that India
has are cost effectiveness and traditional medical systems like Ayurveda and Naturopathy.
The last few years have seen countries with their own individual expertise attracting
tourists from all over the world and promoting medical tourism like never before.

In India, medical tourism in alternative medicine has its ancestry in South India
and some places in North-Eastern India. Internationally famed for its natural remedies and therapies, Kerala’s schools of medicine have embraced Siddha,
Naturopathy and Ayurveda in treating their patients. These traditional medical
practices are estimated to attract high-end medical tourists from Europe and
Middle Eastern countries. The vital advantages that a country like India faces
with regard to medical tourism are its traditional therapies like yoga and Ayurveda
combined with tourist attractions in states like Kerala and north-eastern states.
Naturopathy, a therapeutic system based on natural remedies, trusts natural
elements like air, water and sunlight, combined with therapeutic massages and
conditioning and toning of the human body. Naturopathy believes that the human
body has the capacity to heal on its own, provided it is in a healthy environment.
With a holistic approach to well-being, Naturopathy believes that the three
physical entities – the physical body, the supernatural soul and the mind – must
be integrated through natural energies. “A recent survey shows that 76% of global
drugs are consumed by USA and European countries. We believe that freedom
from diseases and drugs can only be achieved by living a natural life style.”4
Ayurveda, the most ancient health care system, takes its ingredients from nature.
The use of herbs, materials like gold and mercury and many household ingredients
make this science easily accessible to common man. Ayurveda claims to cure diseases
like diabetes with the aid of nature. The Siddha medical system, which is a part of
Ayurveda, employs herbs, minerals and advanced scientific techniques under ancient
principles of medical science to cure many chronic diseases. It is named as one of
the most complicated and intricate forms of medicine. Siddha considers nature
and man as one essential entity. It claims that physiological characteristics like
human aging can itself be arrested with natural remedies.

Naturopathy has evolved medical tourism in India in more than one ways.
With its systems of medication using all natural ingredients to restore the holistic
disease-fighting nature of the human body, the medicine has created increased
chances of its own survival through tourists from all parts of the world visiting
India to reap its benefits. As Vitthal Kamat of the Kamat Group of Hotels says,
“With Naturopathy and Ayurveda along with the world renowned tourist attractions
and heritage places, the tourism sector can grow in leaps and bounds.”5 Naturopathy
in “KayaKalp”, a naturopathy centre in Himachal Pradesh, run by the Vivekananda Medical Research Trust in India has served medical tourists in detoxifying, immunizing and rejuvenating through Yoga, Pranayama, Panchkarma, Meditation and Naturopathy. Its therapies are claimed to be drug-less and extremely natural. Naturopathy takes the help of Ayurvedic preparations for healing processes like Panchkarma and improvement of blood circulation.

India’s pioneer in alternative therapy – medical tourism, Kerala, has visitors
from all over the world in the months of June, July and August. These months are
looked upon as the best period for cure of bodily ailments through Ayurveda.
High quality medical facilities provided at low prices are the main tourist attraction
in Kerala. Mr. M Narayanan, head of Poovar Island Resort says that there are
tourists from countries like Australia, Europe and Germany. The packages offered
in these Ayurvedic spas include services like Ayurvedic oil massages, powder
massages, vegetarian diets, detoxification programs and a lifestyle change. In fact
it is little known that Ayurveda includes not just massages, but a whole gamut of
services like herbal and natural diet plans, natural healing therapies, and therefore
a full-fledged medical system.

Ayurveda Gram, a unique Ayurvedic Institution in Bangalore offers Ayurveda
in its wellness form to medical tourists. It offers services like Customized Yoga,
Pranayama, Meditation, and a vegetarian diet to boost metabolism. Its sprawling
campus full of medicinal herbs and natural surrounds helps in the processes of
cure for specific ailments like Arthiritis, Spondilytis, Cholesterol, Sinusitis, Peptic
Ulcer and Obesity. Other therapies by Ayurveda Gram include Stress Management
therapies, Panchkarma and rejuvenation therapies.

AYUSH, the department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha
and Homeopathy was formed under the Indian Medicine Central Council Act,
1970. One of the most recent awareness activities undertaken by AYUSH was a
health fair organized in parts of Hyderabad, Chennai, Indore and New Delhi.
AYUSH ensured that the major Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha manufacturers in
India participated in this health fair.

Another famous Ayurvedic centre in India is the C V N Kalari Centre for
Ayurveda. Kalari is one of the approved Ayurvedic centres recognized by the
Kerala Tourism Department.6 Kalari has its customers from many foreign countries. The centre specializes in Marma Chikitsa (the application of pressure on specific
nerve points) and other special practices of healing. Having both therapeutic and
rejuvenative aspects in them, these specialized healing procedures take extensive help
of Ayurveda to treat the ailing.
Some Ayurvedic resorts have formulated Ayurvedic kitchens that help improve
the effectiveness of oil treatments. Diet regimens, detoxification programs and other
processes that give a glowing skin to the customer are very popular. Some of these
Ayurvedic resorts also arrange for cooking classes to help their customers acquire
and maintain the lifestyle that they are introduced to in these spas and resorts.
Ananda, an Ayurvedic Spa in the Himalayas is one of the most famous destination
resorts in India. It offers specialty Ayurvedic packages like Aroma therapy massages,
reflexology programs for rejuvenation, stress release programs, personalized Yoga
sessions, body composition analysis and weight reduction programs through Yoga
and Ayurveda. Ananda claims that its packages and therapies cure many ailments
like headaches, nausea, climatic disorders, facial paralysis, insomnia, asthma, neuralgia
and does general improvement of metabolism.

The 3000 year-old method of traditional medicine in China has gained popularity
as the world’s most popular medicine, being used by more than a quarter of the
world in treating even chronic diseases like cancer, AIDS, allergies and heart diseases.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses medicinal herbs, therapeutic exercises
and acupuncture to cure ailments. TCM diagnoses illnesses based on the five elements
theory and the yin-yang theory. The five elements theory base their evaluation on the
five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water to establish a connection between
human physiology and pathology and the natural environment.7 The movement of
these five elements constantly rules the functioning of the human body and thus
establishes the interdependence of both.

The yin-yang theory calls for comprehending the bright and dark sides of
the universe, in other words, the opposite properties of the universe.8 The relative
nature of yin and yang represents the interrelationship between substance and function. As traditional chinese medical practitioners say “Only with ample
substance can the human body function in a healthy way; and only when the
functional processes are in good condition, can the essential substances be
appropriately refreshed.”

Chinese herbal medicine is more known as Chinese materia medica. This includes
Chinese crude medicine, prepared drugs in pieces, traditional Chinese patented
medicines and simplified Chinese medicinal preparations. Chinese herbology, a major
aspect of TCM addresses the art of combining medicinal herbs.10 It visualizes the
entire human body’s balance of energies and spirit to treat a medical condition.
Herbs are combined into different potions of various characteristics for the sake of
different individuals being treated by TCM practitioners. Herbs like Astragalus,
Ginkgo, Ginger, Green Tea, Siberian Ginseng and Garlic are used to treat several
ailments. Around 300 mineral and animal extracts and 400 formulae are used to
cure diseases, in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Acupuncture, as part of TCM is used to unblock the flow of vital energy through
the human body.11 One of the oldest healing techniques in the world, this traditional
method aims at “restoring health through simulation of specific points on the body.”12
Ailments like nausea, addictions and some kinds of pains are claimed to be treated
with the help of acupuncture.

Taking advantage of its abundant human resources, China is luring medical tourists
into its web of alternative medical therapies. Wellness packages in China come at
low costs and without any side-effects, thanks to proliferated Traditional Chinese
Medicine. Several massages and spas have been set up in recent times that provide
mental health and physical well-being to medical tourists with the help of Chinese
medicinal herbs. Wellness apartments are established for the purpose of serving
senior medical tourists. These wellness apartments facilitate these tourists in
practising their own hobbies and also conducting medical activities like Taiji.

Germany’s alternative medical practices have their origins in Homeopathy, a
medical system that was developed by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician.
Homeopathy considers symptoms as disturbances of vital forces that have
connection with the human body. Homeopathic advocators believe that this
medical system has the ability to cure acute diseases like flu, cold, pains, depression
and fatigue, constipation, irritability other than chronic diseases. It is claimed to
cure allergies and allergic disorders like Eczema and Asthma. Moreover, this
medical system is child friendly, in the sense, that the medication given by
homeopaths is sweet to the tooth and therefore acceptable. Homeopaths are known
for debonair and their hands free treatment of patients. They concentrate more
on the patient’s state of mind and attitude towards life. The preparation of different
potions in Homeopathy is done mostly with the help of herbs, minerals and
animal extracts. Also, it is often reasoned that since the dosage that homeopaths
prescribe is in such minute constitutions and because they come in dilutions of
substances like water and alcohol there is no chance of any side-effects.
Germany also stands famous for its herbal remedies. Regulated by Commission
E14 on the purity and pharmaceutical activity, these herbal medicines in Germany
have come a long way in preventing and curing many diseases like cancer, AIDS and
other serious ailments. Most physicians in Germany are required to be educated in
Alternative therapies, so that it serves complimentary to modern medical treatments.
As Mark Blumenthal, chairman of the American Botanical Council points out, “Most
of the clinical research that’s conducted on the leading herbal medicines in the United
States comes from Germany.”15

With more than 300 spa towns, Germany has become the premier destination
for health and wellness in Europe.16 One of the most famous resorts in Germany
is the Baltic Spa Resort in Warnemunde. Situated on the shore of the Baltic Sea,
it idealizes the sea as a “homeopathic pharmacy” and claims that “it contains all
important trace elements and has a similar composition to human blood”17 Sea water is said to have revitalizing effects in treating bodily ailments like respiratory
illnesses, sleep disorders and obesity. Other than these, mental disorders like
depression, anxiety and agony are claimed to be cured with the help of the sea.
Sea breeze is said to be specifically effective in treating cardio-vascular as well as
dermatological conditions. Major advantages that Germany faces are in terms of
both cost and quality. As Axel Steller, the CEO of the Arab German Health
Foundation points out, “In the US, operations are four to five times more expensive
as they are in Germany”.

Japanese medicine is known as Kanpo or Kampo, a herbal medicine that forms part
of well-researched modern clinical methods and also traditional methods of
medicine. A Japanese variant of the traditional Chinese medicine or the Oriental
medicine, Kanpo adheres to the body’s natural instincts and natural mechanism
of healing. For this purpose, medical treatment involves diagnosis of the tongue,
abdomen and pulse. At each stage of the treatment, different formulae that are
necessary to bring the body back to normalcy, are prepared by the physician.
These herbal medicines are regulated by the Japanese Government. Kanpo
medicine is used to cure many acute and chronic ailments like cardio-vascular,
respiratory, digestive, reproductive and dermatological conditions and immune
system corrections and even disorders like bedwetting, high cholesterol and
hepatitis. Though Kanpo therapies take longer than usual to work, this medical
system uses some very natural diagnosis and treatment methods and concepts
like water, blood and air to identify bodily symptoms. Also, it is claimed that
these herbal medicines produce no side-effects because of their natural
compositions. Japanese therapists of Anma visit countries like India and Singapore
to help in promotion of health tourism. Anma, a traditional Japanese massage, is
said to be a complete form of Shiastu19 that treats the body to release blood flow
in a proper manner to rejuvenate the body.

Apart from attracting tourists for its natural herbal medical treatments, Medical
tourism in Japan has become popular thanks to its volcanic areas that have allowed
the formation of some hot mineral water springs called Onsen. Japanese Onsen serve as places where the ailing can get alternative treatments to modern medical
practices. These have medicinal properties that heal wounds, alleviate pains and
replenish energy levels. Senior tourists and people suffering from many kinds of
aches and pains come flocking to these mineral water springs. The healing
properties of these springs are accentuated by the surrounding volcanic soil that
is composed of many minerals and curative elements.

Alternative medicine is here to stay, claim some traditional medical practitioners.
Given its perceived advantages over the modern medical techniques and the expensive
western medicines, alternative medical therapy is gaining ground in many developing
as well as developed countries. Practices like Ayurveda and Homeopathy claim that
surgery may always be the last option in case of treatment of an ailment. Natural
medicines like herbs and minerals can all be partaken as food and not medicines as
such, since their composition is all natural. Alternative medicine is used in conjunction
with modern medicine to treat many chronic ailments like diabetes and AIDS. This
helps modern medical practitioners to evolve a closer relationship with the patient
and cure him to a greater extent, thus giving him a new perspective to life. It follows
that one should never overlook the disposition of the traditional cures suggested by
our ancestors. These provide a standpoint from where one can comprehend the
profundity of traditional and alternative medicine, and gauge the tremendous potential
of alternative medicine in medical tourism.

References
1. www.hinduonnet.com
2. “Kerala”, www.takekerala.com
3. “Prospects of Medical Tourism in India”, www.mpiweb.org
4. “Medical Tourism push for Penang and Langkawi”, http://thestar.com.my
5. www.wikipedia.com

More than a third of all Americans have used unconventional therapies and herbal remedies even though they have not proved to be safe or effective. (June 7)
Video Rating: 3 / 5

Types of Alternative Medicine Many Possibilities of Holistic Healing:Alternative Medicine:The terms ‘alternative medicine,’ ‘complementary medicine,’ or ‘unconventional medicine’ refer to diagnostic methods, treatments and therapies that appear not to conform to standard medical practice, or are not generally taught at accredited medical schools. The scope of alternative medicine is broad, with widespread use among the American public of a long list of treatments and practices, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, relaxation techniques, and herbal remedies. In an editorial about alternative practices in the New England Journal of Medicine, Murray and Rubel comment, ‘Many are well known, others are exotic and mysterious, and some are dangerous.’1 This report will help to clarify and categorize the alternative medical systems most often used, create a context to assess their utility (or lack thereof), and discuss how physicians and the medical profession might deal with the issues surrounding these unconventional measures in health and healing. At the turn of the last century, the effort led by the American Medical Association (AMA) to improve the quality of medical education and bring quality controls to curricula ultimately led to the landmark report by Flexner in 1910.Types of Alternative MedicineMany Possibilities of Holistic Healing:”There are thousands paths to health,your path leads to your health”Many known types of alternative medicine came from folk wisdom, empirical researches, and experiments – over centuries, every culture has developed different therapeutic practices based on natural and traditional methods.In old days people were closer to nature and used natural healing abilities of herbs, life forces such as water, sun light, music, and the body itself.Unfortunately, they did not have scientific explanation of the nature of treatments and attained a reputation of charlatanic practices. However, today more and more new researches discovered a solid scientific base behind old alternative care health practices.All types of alternative medicine have one common approach – they don’t heal just symptoms, the whole system of the living being is taken into consideration – they restore energy-iformational and physical balance simultaneously.What would work for you? You need to understand principles and main characteristics of different healing modalities, to choose the best option for your particular situation and preferences.There is no universal practice that can cure every illness every time in everyone.You might need to try different types of alternative medicine to find what resonates with you and brings the most benefits to you.Eastern Types of Alternative Medicine:Acupuncture: the most recognisable alternative healing practice in the West thanks to successful and tangible results obtained through a treatment, and results and research of doctors who succeeded in showing the pathways of meridians. Chinese medicine is derived from Tao philosophy and based on the theory of Yin and Yang, five elements, eight principles, which is not quite understood by Western people.Acupressure: a component of traditional Chinese medicine, the form of massage by stimulating particular points of the body. This simple, non-aggressive technique demonstrates significant efficiency in treating a wide range of diseases, though the theory behind it remains controversial from the point of traditional medicine.Ayurvedic Medicine: the complex system based on ancient Vedic texts (Chakras Samhita) inspired by divinity Brahma. It has a holistic approach that focuses on the patient more than the illness, and uses several methods of treatment (detoxication, diet, exercises, etc.)Reiki: the information we have on Reiki dates back to the 18th century and Mikao Usui, a Japanese Christian theologian who dedicated his life to understanding the spiritual healing forces of Christ. This force is called Reiki, which represents the universal energy of life.Naturopathic Types of Alternative Medicine:Naturopathy: this is a modern global health reform movement. It appeared spontaneously and simultaneously in the 19th century in the United States, Central Europe, Scandinavia and Great Britain. It is a fundamental science that includes the study, knowledge, teaching and practice of the laws of life, which keep the human body healthy by using natural means.Homeopathy: natural medicine founded by Samuel Hahnemann. The fundamental principle of homeopathy is that “like cures like” – a remedy that is given to a healthy person will produce the specific symptoms, but when given to a person who already shows these signs, the remedy will cure these same symptoms.Aromatherapy: the use of essential oils for medical purposes. Concentrated aromatic plant extracts have relaxation, soothing, healing affect on the body. The influence of aromas on the state of mind is unquestionable – through inhalation, skin application or digestion of essential oils, the brain gets stimuli that cause to react with feelings.Chromotherapy: known as color therapy, technique that aims to rebalance energies by projecting the colors of body’s chakras. This is based on the intuitive detection of missing frequencies in ill person. This method acts on all levels: physical, mental and psychological. It helps to restore lost harmony.Light Therapy: a method treating illnesses using artificial light. Treatments with a full spectrum of light – from infrared to ultraviolet – have a beneficial therapeutic effect in various diseases.Flower essences: healing flowers are natural products, first introduced by Dr. Bach, based on simple flowers and spring water that restore the individual balance and emotional harmony. By acting on emotions, the elixirs facilitate the regeneration and balancing processes.Phytotherapy (herbs): medical plans have been used for ages, and each culture has its own tradition involving them. Many herbalists believe that the therapeutic effect of the use of the herbs is explained by healing inherent in plants, rather than some chemical components.Apitherapy: the use of various bee products for therapeutic purpose such as honey, bee pollen, propolis.Electromagnetic Therapy: energy type of therapy based on the transmission of electric current or magnetic impulses through tissues for stimulation. These types of energy medicine demonstrate greatest effect from decreasing “energy” and increasing “informational” components of applications.Manipulative Types of Alternative Medicine:Osteopathy: there are two different aspects that lead to two different practices: Structural osteopathy deals with the structural elements of the body such as the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues.Cranial osteopathy is directed at the cephalorachidian liquids contained in the cranium.Philosophy of osteopathy goes far beyond just joint manipulation, bones and muscles adjustments. This is a complete medical care system that assists the body and the person as a unite access self-healing power and higher state of well-being through the body itself. In case of osteopathy the interrelationships of physical, mental, emotional, and higher being starts from physical – stay fit and be healthy.Chiropractic: medicine – has the same origin and philosophy as osteopathy with the difference focusing on the spine healthy state as a primary coordinator of the nervous system. As nervous system is connected to every tissue and organ in the body, the overall optimal health can be boosted with aligning the spine which promotes an optimal nervous system balance and free flow of blood to tissues and organs.Massage: this is probably the oldest and most spontaneous therapeutic action there is. The body is stimulated by using different manipulative techniques (hands, massage tools) and re-establish natural functions. Thanks to Per Henrik Ling, a Swedish gymnast, massage became a therapeutic practice (that’s how we adopted “Swedish massage” term). Don’t miss an opportunity to have regular massage sessions, there is an unexplainable magic in touch – it’s nurturing, healing, pleasant, and hence the word “touching”.Psycho-Educational Types of Alternative Medicine:Spiritual Healing: it simply can be described as transferring energy between the practitioner and the subject. These energies don’t belong to the healer, but come from an external source – invisible and divine.Hypnotherapy: the psychotherapist acts upon subconscious in order to correct and modify behaviour, thought-patterns formed by behaviour. In many cases it helps ease suffering, get rid of distractive programming. Experience of the practitioner is very important when considering a deep hypnotherapy. There are many other techniques that work effectively, yet gentle for erasing distractive programming with the patient remained in full consciousness.Art Therapy: painting, singing, drawing, dance and theatre are powerful forms of self-expression. Today artistic activities are recognised as forms of therapy, especially for the rehabilitation with mental and emotional issues.Holistic Healing with Informational Medicine: a form of new medicine that has come into the stage recently based on scientific concepts that there are more subtle energy field than known electromagnetic fields. Diseases took place in this informational field far before it manifested into the physical. Healing doesn’t depend on time and space, as there is no time and space in the informational field.It’s almost impossible to mention all types of alternative medicine that exist – every culture may have its own forms and types of alternative medicine, healing, practice, and modalities.Some of them are more popular than others – it’s not the question of effectiveness of particular modality – they are all use a unique personalized approach, have many benefits to offer, and many effective remedies that really work.The effectiveness depends on each person responsiveness and resonance to a specific type of alternative medicine.

Gift |Food |Relationship |Pregnancy |

Gift |Food |Relationship |Pregnancy |

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Article by Carolyn O’Keefe

How Complementary and Alternative Medicine can open a New World of Possibilities

If you mentioned the term alternative medicine 10 or 20 years ago, most would assume that only people who fell outside the mainstream practiced this form of healing. But today, complementary, integrative, and alternative medicine are now often included by physicians and hospitals such as Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Johns Hopkins, and Cleveland Clinic as part of a more holistic approach to patient care.

Many of alternative medicine’s proponents, like Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Andrew Weil, are well known and often featured in the popular media. In fact, even the National Institutes of Health has become involved with alternative medicine, creating the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) in 1998 to explore these forms of treatment from a rigorous scientific perspective and encourage the incorporation of proven alternative medicine practices into conventional medicine.

What is alternative medicine?Alternative medicine covers an incredibly wide scope of treatments and healing systems, some familiar, like acupuncture and homeopathic medicine, and others less well known, like biofield therapies and the Indian medical system known as Ayurveda.

In general, the term alternative medicine refers to using non-conventional approaches to health care in place of traditional Western medicine. Complementary medicine describes combining alternative medicine with conventional medicine, for example using acupuncture to treat the nausea a cancer patient experiences as a result of chemotherapy. Integrative medicine, according to NCCAM, combines mainstream and alternative medicine treatments for which there is scientific evidence of effectiveness and safety. Others define integrative medicine somewhat differently, believing it’s centered on a combination of treatment approaches that address not only physical well being, but also the psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of health and disease.

There are five widely accepted ways of classifying alternative and complementary medicine:

Alternative medical systems which include approaches to medicine that have often developed outside the confines of Western medical practice like Chinese medicine and Ayurveda or others that developed within Western cultures but don’t follow the dictates of traditional Western medicine like homeopathy or naturopathy

Mind-body medicine which focuses on using the power of the mind to improve health, for example meditation, prayer, and art, music, or dance therapy

Biologically based therapies that use herbs, foods, and vitamins to treat illnesses

Manipulative methods like chiropractic and osteopathic care and massage which seek to heal through movement of different parts of the body Energy therapies, including biofield therapies like Reiki which affect energy fields that some believe surround the body and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies which use electromagnetism to treat diseaseHow common is the use of alternative medicine in the U.S.?

A comprehensive survey on the use of alternative medicine in America was released by NCCAM in 2004. The results demonstrate that alternative medicine has moved firmly into the mainstream.

Nearly 75% of the more than 30,000 people surveyed reported they had used some form of complementary or alternative medicine sometime during their lives, while more than 62% said they had used it in the past 12 months. When prayer and megavitamin therapy are removed from the mix, 36% of those questioned had used a form of alternative medicine during the last year.

Women choose complementary and alternative medicine more often than men, as do those with higher levels of education and people who have been in the hospital in the past year. The most common conditions that lead people to try complementary or alternative medicine are chronic back, joint, neck, and head pain. Other conditions mentioned include colds, anxiety and depression, stomach problems, and insomnia.

Asked why they turned to alternative medicine, 55% of those surveyed believed it would improve their health when it was combined with conventional medicine. Other surveys put U.S. spending on alternative medicine at to billion in 1997, the most recent year for which the information is available.

Natural does not necessarily mean safe:How to discern what works and what is safeWhile combining alternative medicine with traditional treatments can yield improved health, many people make the mistake of assuming that “natural” treatments are always safe and don’t need special scrutiny. That misjudgment can be dangerous or even fatal.

A recent Canadian study by Dr. Beth Abramson found that 45% of the cardiology patients she interviewed were using complementary and alternative medicine, but just over half said their cardiologist was aware of this. A number of vitamins and herbal supplements can have serious contraindications for patients taking any number of cardiovascular medications. Hawthorne berries, for example, taken to lower blood pressure can be dangerous in combination with other medications and vitamin E can cause patients taking blood thinners like Coumadin to suffer brain hemorrhages.

It is essential for you to tell all your doctors about every treatment, vitamin, and supplement you use. It’s also vital that you choose alternative medicine providers with proper credentials, training, and experience and treatments that have been studied scientifically and been shown to be both safe and effective.

Expert guidance is also valuable when assessing alternative medicine treatments. PinnacleCare offers its members access to well-respected alternative medicine practitioners like Evan Ross, L.Ac., DOM., a board certified, licensed acupuncturist, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, and member of PinnacleCare’s Medical Advisory Board. In addition, PinnacleCare’s health care advocates develop for each member a comprehensive, complete health history which is made available to every medical practitioner who treats the member. That both helps the member receive strategically crafted, holistic care as well as avoiding dangerous drug and alternative medicine interactions.

“In my practice, I’ve found that regular and consistent complementary treatments help people do better,” said Ross. “They will tolerate their conventional treatments and have a better quality of life.”

www.therenegadehealthshow.com – I’ve been wanting to do this show for a while… This list of the Top 10 Strangest Alternative Medicine Practices includes many of the strange and interesting techniques in alternative medicine that I’ve come across in my natural health research. Now keep in mind, some of these may be effective, while others may not at all. I’ll let you take a look and then give your opinions on the ones that work and the ones that don’t! Here ya go…
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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There is a diet that was developed by Rick Gallop called the GI Diet plan. The plan is based on the Glycemic Index and have been used in Europe for many years now. The newer version is called the Glycemic Impact Diet which uses the Glycemic Index for is base.

Learn how to find the: Best Diet Plan

It is important to understand how the GI Diet works, basically it is all foods that contain a low Glycemic Index. This index will rank a food based on the effect that it has with your blood sugar level. Ideally you want to eat foods that will release the sugar into your body slowly so that you feel satisfied during the day and you will be less likely to snack throughout the day. If you are consuming food with High GI it can cause your sugar levels to rise rapidly. Also eating these types of foods will result in short feelings of being satisfied and usually you will tend to overeat because when the sugar levels drop after a short period of time you will want more food.

Find Great Advice About: Loosing Weight

It is also important to cut down on saturated fats because they can cause you to consume to much food. GI Index Diets will always encourage eating low GI Index foods so that you will feel more satisfied throughout the day.

When you are on the Glycemic Impact Diet you are using the GI Index but it also combines the carbs along with the GI Index of foods. If you take a food like the carrot it has a low glycemic load because it has a low carbs and a high GI Value. This makes the carrot a desirable food to eat.

This diet is a great diet because it uses many diet plans such as the Zone Diet, South Beach Diet and it combines these diet plans and uses the best of all of them. If you are a person that likes to eat out a lot then they have some great options for you as well. It is always best when eating out that you stick to the leaner meats, fish and chicken. Also stay away form fatty sauces and dressings because they can put on weight quicker than anything else.

The Glycemic Impact Diet is a excellent way to loose weight and feel great.

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Now more than ever people are Overweight and it is considered an epidemic that we are looking for a solution for. One of the major reasons is the amount of junk food that we are tempted with every day. We also have the image problem were we see images of the perfect body and it makes us depressed to think that we can not obtain this image. The pressure on our youth to be perfect has also caused a lot of problems with obesity as well.

Learn how to find the: Best Diet Plan

Using a High Fiber Diet to loose weight can be a great way for you to have a plan that works well and it will make you feel great. With the High Fiber Diet you will have the feeling of being full and will be less likely to snack in between meals which can really cause gaining extra weight. The High Fiber will help to clean out the extra waste in your body and this helps to keep you feeling great. What happens is that the fiber is not digested and it will give you a felling a fullness, then the food will be flushed out.

Find Great Advice About: Loosing Weight

It is important that when you choose to loose weight using the High Fiber Diet that one of the most impotant things that you do is have a large water consumption. The water will allow the fiber that is in your body to be passed and makes it much easier for your body to have a high fiber absorption. The fiber needs the water to absorb so that it makes you feel fuller and also it makes it easier to pass stools. It is always good to drink the 8 recommended glasses of water a day to get the best results.

It is very common that you may experience some gas when you up your fiber intake but this will pass when your body gets used to it. The High Fiber diet can be one of the best diets to loose weight and you will feel better than you have in a long time.

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Do you suffer from headaches, allergies, mood swings or just generally not feeling great? It could be your bathroom. Many of the products in our bathroom have ingredients, which can cause all these symptoms and more. In fact, if you read all about what the chemicals in your bathroom products can do to your health and the health of your family you would probably start to feel sick.

I checked it out and it was such a horror story I now only use natural products. I make many fancy bath treatments, moisturisers, perfumes and shower gels at home from natural ingredients I find in my kitchen. They smell lovely, feel great and I have the reassurance that there are no harmful substances in them. I can tailor them to each family member’s personal taste too. The family feel special as they are pampered and indulged with their favourite scents. My friends love the gift hampers filled with their favourite bath scents and skin products.

The best thing is I know nobody will be harmed from using my gifts.

If you aren’t feeling on top of the world, you should try it too. Throw away all those chemical based toiletries and make up some of your own safe products. If you’re not into the make at home thing, there are plenty of natural products available at a reasonable price. Try using natural products for a couple of weeks. Drink plenty of fresh water. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables at least daily. After a couple of weeks, see how you feel. Most people notice a difference after a couple of days. In some cases, the difference is so extreme they never want to go back to their old products.

Although there are some extremes most people just start to feel a little bit better.

Anyone who feels a major change will probably have been suffering from some allergic reaction to one or more of the many mystery chemical combinations found in regular toiletry products. If you do suspect allergies, it is a good idea to be careful when using new products or changing the combination of products you use. Not all allergies show up as a rash, or whatever you suppose a reaction looks like, and some reactions can be severe. Some are so mild you don’t notice anything but you feel less than great.

Children are especially susceptible to chemicals and you should try to only use natural products for them. There are some theories that many of the behavioural problems diagnosed are really reactions to the amount of chemicals the children are exposed to everywhere these days. If you try using natural products and notice a change in your child’s behaviour, it would be worth investigating further. After all, they have found a definite relation to children’s problem behaviour and some food additives. Our skins can absorb chemicals and they go straight into our bloodstream. How many chemicals has you r child absorbed today? Go natural; don’t take chances with your child’s health.

Feeling good is an art. It’s an art that can be learned, practiced and refined. We don’t need to wait for outside influences to make us feel good. It is possible to feel good most of the time and it’s also possible to feel good for no reason at all. For that though, we need to know some elementary notions on feeling good.

The first of these notions is to know and realize that we all have some very personal rules on what it takes for us to feel good. That rule can be quite complex and hard to achieve or it can be very simple and easily attainable.

A person who needs ten different elements to feel good such as: perfect health, financial security, many friends, personal success at work, kids who are high achiever etc… would not feel good very often. At any one time, one of those conditions would not be fulfilled and that would prevent the sentiment of feeling good.

Let’s take someone else whose personal rule said that the only requirement to feel happy would be, to be alive and have enough to eat for the day. It would be incredibly easy for that person to feel good most of the time.

Even though we may not be aware of it, we are the one who unconsciously set up that personal rule. If the rule is simple enough and serves us well, we should keep it. On the other hand, if we find that our rule is far too complex and hard to fulfill, there is nothing to stop us from changing it for a simpler one.

There is also another technique that can be used to foster the sentiment of feeling good. It’s called, the attitude of gratitude. At any one time in our life, we have literally thousands of reasons to be grateful. Yet, those can all escape us because we are focusing one single thing that displeases us.

The attitude of gratitude consists of constantly reminding ourselves of all the things that we should be grateful for. When we do that, we actually build a bank of references of the good things that we have and of the good things that have happened to us in the past. That bank of references makes us feel that we are the fortunate and lucky ones. That somehow we are blessed and protected by the powers that control our Universe. It makes us feel special, fortunate and protected.  

By concentrating on whatever it is that we are grateful for, it makes us discovers even more gifts that we were freely given and simply took for granted. It creates an aura of abundance around us that promotes the feeling that this bounty will keep on growing and expanding.

We live in a world that is defined by our own interpretation. When we focus on the good and the beautiful, that’s what our world becomes. With a little stretch of the imagination and some small efforts, we can see ourselves surrounded by amazing gifts that were graciously provided by life. When that happens, we cannot fail to feel blessed, thankful and happy.

It is said that we can be just as happy as we makeup our mind to be. Happiness and the sensation of feeling good come from the within. We create our internal world of emotions by choosing what things and events represent for us. The mountains to be climbed and the dragons to be fought can be seen as a miserable ordeals or as exhilarating adventures.

Life is what we make it out to be. It can be a vale of tears or a fantastic experience. We get to choose. We are the ultimate judge and jury. We hold in our hand the magic wand that can define how we see and interpret life and everything that it contains. That magic wand is also called the imagination. Used, as it should, feeling good À la Carte is available if we so desire and are willing to put in the time and efforts.

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