including Healing Wise, points out that drug companies have been quick to isolate various herbal medicine compo- nents and market them as prescription drugs.
“In the ’60s, I discovered that
the weeds in my garden were bet- ter medicinal plants than the ones I intentionally planted,” recalls Weed. “Back then, there was a general belief that these alternative systems weren’t ‘real’ medicine.” But it’s more a matter of the Western world catching up with the rest of the world, she notes. “The World Health Organization says that 90 percent of the health care given on this planet is given by women in their own homes, using local plants.” Weed reports that across the United States, attendance at herbal conferences has soared. Herbalism is a big idea whose time has come again, and is now being rewoven into family life. “I call it re-weaving the healing cloak of the ancients,” she says. “This is evolutionary medicine.”
Homeopathy Homeopathy, operating on the prin- ciple of “like treats like,” involves the use of highly diluted substances to trigger the body’s natural process of healing. According to The Society of Homeopaths, “A substance which causes symptoms when taken in large doses, can be used in small amounts to treat those same symptoms.” For example, drinking too much coffee can cause sleepless- ness and agitation. Thus, when caffeine is made into a homeo- pathic
medicine,
it could be used to treat people with these symptoms. Dana Ullman, author of The Homeopathic Revolution and Everybody’s Guide to Homeo- pathic Medicines, notes that the trend in homeopathy in the United States has its debunkers. He attri- butes this to establish- ment fears that, “If homeopathy is true, then everything about modern medicine and science is false.” But, he adds, “The homeopa- thy deniers ignore or downplay the substantial body of verifying evidence from basic science and clinical re- search—from outcome studies, cost-ef- fectiveness studies and epidemiological evidence.”
Meditation and
Related Therapies The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that 90 percent of all doctor office visits are related to stress. Meditation, breath work, guided imagery and some yoga disciplines are effective ways to slow down the mind, relieve stress and bring body , mind and spirit into balance. More than 1,000 pub- lished studies have linked various types of meditation as well as contemplative yoga to changes in metabolism, blood pressure, brain activation, stress relief and pain reduction. Angela Wilson, assistant director of the Institute for Extraordinary Living (IEL), affiliated with the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, in Lenox, Massa- chusetts, reports burgeoning interest in these therapies. “Doctors have become very interested in any practice that can help people slow down and calm down,” observes Wilson. A 2007 NCCAM study found that
9.4 percent of U.S. adults, more than 20 million people, had practiced medi- tation in the previous year. Some of the latest IEL research pro- vides scientific proof that Kripalu yoga (often called “meditation in motion”) can act as a buffer, “…helping people
22 San Diego Edition
www.na-sd.com
to face daily challenges without getting rocked off their feet or off their center,” says Wilson. She is also excited about a recent Massachu- setts General Hospital study. It showed that in just eight weeks of practicing medita- tion, subjects experienced physiological changes in the part of the limbic system that relates to fear, resulting in less stress and anxiety.
Naturopathy Naturopathic
medicine, a general
system of natural medicine, includes nutrition, herbalism, homeopathy, acupuncture and energy medicine. Its goal is to holistically address the entire organism—body, mind and spirit. In general, naturopathic physicians are those that work to support our in- nate healing abilities. They universally encourage adoption of lifestyle changes that promote optimal health. In states where naturopathic doc- tors (ND) are licensed, practitioners are required to graduate from a four-year residential naturopathic medical school and pass a board examination. In states that do not license them, people that successfully complete online courses can call themselves a naturopath. Make sure that any consulting naturopathic doctor has graduated from a residential program approved by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (
Naturopathic.org). Carl Hangee-Bauer, current presi- dent of the national association and a doctor of naturopathy with San Fran- cisco Natural Medicine, has long been a proponent of licensing. He observes, “Currently, 16 states license naturo- paths, and the trend is toward more licensing states and inclusion in federal programs, as well as loan forgiveness.” He believes this will bring more quali- fied students to the profession. Economics is among the many
incentives driving consumers to a greater awareness of the benefits of pursuing wellness, as they come to understand how major, long-term medical bills might be reduced by applying common sense,
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44