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INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Integrative medicine, which is also called integrated medicine and

integrative health in the combines alternative medicine with evidence-

based medicine. Proponents claim that it treats the "whole person,"

focuses on wellness and health rather than on treating disease, and

emphasizes the patient-physician relationship.

Definition

David Gorski has written that the term "integrative medicine" has

become the currently preferred term for non-science based medicine.

The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine

defines it as "THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE THAT REAFFIRMS

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

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PRACTITIONER AND PATIENT, FOCUSES ON THE WHOLE

PERSON, IS INFORMED BY EVIDENCE, AND MAKES USE OF

ALL APPROPRIATE THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES,

HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND DISCIPLINES TO

ACHIEVE OPTIMAL HEALTH AND HEALING".

Proponents say integrative medicine is not the same as

complementary and alternative medicine nor is it simply the

combination of conventional medicine with complementary and

alternative medicine.

They say instead that it "EMPHASIZES

WELLNESS AND HEALING OF THE ENTIRE PERSON (BIO-PSYCHO-

SOCIO-SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS) as primary goals, drawing on both

conventional and CAM approaches in the context of a supportive and

effective physician-patient relationship".

HEAT THERAPY, also called thermotherapy, is the application of heat

to the body for pain relief and health. It can take the form of a hot

cloth, hot water, ultrasound, heating pad, hydrocollator packs,

whirlpool baths, cordless FIR heat therapy wrap, and many others. It

can be beneficial to those with arthritis and stiff muscles and injuries

to the deep tissue of the skin. Heat may be an effective self-care

treatment for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.[1]

Heat therapy is most commonly used for rehabilitation purposes. The

therapeutic effects of heat include increasing the extensibility of

collagen tissues; decreasing joint stiffness; reducing pain; relieving

muscle spasms; reducing inflammation, edema, and aids in the post

acute phase of healing; and increasing blood flow. The increased blood

flow to the affected area provides proteins, nutrients, and oxygen for

better healing

Direct contact

Moist heat therapy has been believed to be more effective at warming

tissues than dry heat, because water transfers heat more quickly than

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air. Clinical studies do not support the popular belief that moist heat is

more effective then dry heat. Moist heat results in the perception that

the tissue is heated more deeply. In fact, recent studies indicate that

vasodilation, the expansion of the blood capillaries (vessels) to allow

more blood flow, is improved with dry heat therapy. Expansion of the

blood capillaries is the primary objective of heat therapy. Heat therapy

increases the effect on muscles, joints, and soft tissue. Heat is

typically applied by placing a warming device on the relevant body

part.

Newer breeds of heat therapy devices combine a carbon fiber heater

with a cordless rechargeable lithium battery and are built into the

specific body wrap (i.e., shoulder wrap or back wrap) for targeted heat

therapy. Such devices can be used as alternatives to chemical or

plugged-in heating pads, but have not been shown to improve the

clinical benefit. All devices primarily provide heat to promote

vasodilation.

Infrared radiation

Infrared radiation is a convenient system to heat parts of our body. It

has the advantage over direct contact in that radiation can heat

directly the area where the blood capillaries and neuron terminals are.

When heat comes from a direct contact source it has to heat the

external layer of the skin, and heat is transferred to the deeper layer

by conduction. Since heat conduction needs a temperature gradient to

proceed, and there is a maximum temperature that can be safely used

(around 42°C), this means lower temperature where warming is

needed.

Infrared (IR for short) is the part of the electromagnetic radiation

spectrum comprised between 0.78 μm and 1 mm wavelength. It is

usually divided into three segments:

IR-A, from 0.78 to 1.4 μm.

IR-B, from 1.4 to 3 μm.

IR-C, from 3 μm to 1 mm.

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IR radiation is more useful than the visible radiation for heating our

body, because we absorb most of it, compared to a strong reflection of

visible light. Penetration depth of infrared radiation in our skin is

dependent of wavelength. IR-A is the most penetrating, and reaches

some millimeters, IR-B penetrates into the dermis (about 1 mm), and

IR-C is mostly absorbed in the external layer of the epidermis

(estratum corneum). For this reason the infrared lamps used for

therapeutic purposes produce mainly IR-A radiation.

Mechanism of action, and indications

Heat creates higher tissue temperatures, which produces vasodilation

that increases the supply of oxygen, and nutrients and the elimination

of carbon dioxide and metabolic waste.[4]

Heat therapy is useful for muscle spasms, myalgia, fibromyalgia,

contracture, bursitis.

Because heat is a vasodilator, it should be avoided in tissues with

inadequate vascular supply, in case of acute injury, in bleeding

disorders (because heat would increase bleeding), in tissues with a

severe lack of sensitivity, in scars.

Another use is the treatment of infection and cancers by the use of

heat. Cancer cells and many bacteria have poor mechanisms for

adapting to and resisting the physiological stresses of heat, and are

more vulnerable to heat-induced death than normal cells.

For headaches

Heat therapy can be used for the treatment of headaches and

migraines. Many people who suffer from chronic headaches also suffer

from tight muscles in their neck and upper back. The application of

constant heat to the back/upper back area can help to release the

tension associated with headache pain. In order to achieve heat

therapy for headaches, many use microwaveable pads

which can

often overheat, potentially leading to injury, and lose their heat after a

few minutes. Some new products use heated water, running through

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pads, to maintain a constant temperature, allowing headache sufferers

to use hands-free heat therapy in the treatment of their headache pain.

MAGNET THERAPY, MAGNETIC THERAPY, OR MAGNOTHERAPY

is a pseudoscientific alternative medicine practice involving the use

of static magnetic fields. Practitioners claim that subjecting certain

parts of the body to magnetostatic fields produced by permanent

magnets has beneficial health effects. These physical and biological

claims are unproven and no effects on health or healing have been

established.[1][2][3]

Although hemoglobin, the blood protein that carries

oxygen, is weakly diamagnetic (when oxygenated) or paramagnetic

(when deoxygenated) the magnets used in magnetic therapy are many

orders of magnitude too weak to have any measurable effect on blood

flow.

Magnet therapy is the application of the magnetic field of

electromagnetic devices or permanent static magnets to the body for

purported health benefits. Some believers assign different effects

based on the orientation of the magnet; under the laws of physics,

magnetic poles are symmetric.[5]

Products include magnetic bracelets and jewelry; magnetic straps for

wrists, ankles, knees, and the back; shoe insoles; mattresses;

magnetic blankets (blankets with magnets woven into the material);

magnetic creams; magnetic supplements; plasters/patches and water

that has been "magnetized". Application is usually performed by the

patient

Purported mechanisms of action

Perhaps the most common suggested mechanism is that magnets

might improve blood flow in underlying tissues. The field surrounding

magnet therapy devices is far too weak and falls off with distance far

too quickly to appreciably affect hemoglobin, other blood components,

muscle tissue, bones, blood vessels, or organs. A 1991 study on

humans of static field strengths up to 1 T found no effect on local

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blood flow. Tissue oxygenation is similarly unaffected Some

practitioners claim that the magnets can restore the body's

hypothetical "electromagnetic energy balance", but no such balance is

medically recognized. Even in the magnetic fields used in magnetic

resonance imaging, which are many times stronger, none of the

claimed effects are observed. If the body were meaningfully affected

by the weak magnets used in magnet therapy, MRI would be

impractical

Several studies have been conducted in recent years to investigate

what role, if any, static magnetic fields may play in health and healing.

Unbiased studies of magnetic therapy are problematic, since

magnetisation can be easily detected, for instance, by the attraction

forces on ferrous (iron-containing) objects; because of this, effective

blinding of studies (where neither patients nor assessors know who is

receiving treatment versus placebo) is difficult. Incomplete or

insufficient blinding tends to exaggerate treatment effects,

particularly where any such effects are small. Health claims regarding

longevity and cancer treatment are implausible and unsupported by

any research. More mundane health claims, most commonly about

anecdotal pain relief, also lack any credible proposed mechanism and

clinical research is not promising.

Magnet therapy has been promoted as a treatment for cancer and

other diseases; the American Cancer Society state, "available

scientific evidence does not support these claims"

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AROMATHERAPY/MEDICINAL AROMATHERAPY

: is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials,

known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the

purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or

health.

Some essential oils such as tea tree have demonstrated anti-microbial

effects, but there is still a lack of clinical evidence demonstrating

efficacy against bacterial, fungal, or viral infections. Evidence for the

efficacy of aromatherapy in treating medical conditions remains poor,

with a particular lack of studies employing rigorous methodology,

but

some evidence exists that essential oils may have therapeutic

potential

Many such oils are described by Dioscorides, along with beliefs of the

time regarding their healing properties, in his De Materia Medica,

written in the first century. Distilled essential oils have been employed

as medicines since the invention of distillation in the eleventh

century,when Avicenna isolated essential oils using steam distillation.

The concept of aromatherapy was first mooted by a small number of

European scientists and doctors, in about

1907. In 1937, the word first

appeared in print in a French book on the subject: Aromathérapie: Les

Huiles Essentielles, Hormones Végétales by René-Maurice Gattefossé,

a chemist. An English version was published in 1993. In 1910,

Gattefossé burned a hand very badly and later claimed he treated it

effectively with lavender oil.

A French surgeon, Jean Valnet, pioneered the medicinal uses of

essential oils, which he used as antiseptics in the treatment of

wounde Aromachologist is a person who practices aromachology,

which is a method of using smells or essential oils to create, either in

isolation or through blending in formulations, essential oils that have

behavioral, physical and emotional benefits. Smell is the least studied

of the senses, but aromachology is being used increasingly in

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healthcare and building science, and also in the world of sports and in

practical matters such as selling a house.

While all aromachologists have a refined sense of smell, some employ

other senses including sight, sound and hearing. These are

synesthetes and history documents famous synesthetes such as the

British painter David Hockney, the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky,

the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt and the English poet William

Blake.

An aromachologist is a person who studies the effects of fragrance on

human psychology and behavior and works with essential oils for their

positive effects on behavior and feeling. An aromachologist is a

practitioner of aromachology, which is a term coined in 1982 by the

Olfactory Research Fund, now known as the Sense of Smell Institute

(SSI), a division of the Fragrance Foundation in the USA, which has

funded numerous medical, university and individual studies on the

effects of scents on sleep and performance. Aromachology differs from

aromatherapy.

An aromachologist is a formulator who works with essential oils for

their aromatic and physical effects and is an expert in the way

essential oils can be blended and articulated together to create

―behavioral fragrances to establish the positive effects of aromas on

human behavior including feelings and emotions.

The aims of aromachology are to ―study the interrelationship of

psychology and the latest in fragrance technology and to transmit

through odor a variety of specific feelings (such as relaxation,

exhilaration, sensuality, happiness and achievement) directly to the

brain.

When odors activate the olfactory pathways that lead to the limbic

portion of the brain they trigger the release of neurotransmitters that

affect the brain and mental state of the individual in a variety of ways.

Further, stimuli transmitted to the limbic system cannot be

consciously blocked and all olfactory stimuli therefore influence our

emotions.

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Smell as a sense is the last frontier of neuroscience and has not been

studied in as much depth as vision and hearing. The brain is able to

process small differences in smell

and the sense of smell may last

longer in the aging process than sight and hearing. The olfactory bulb

is that portion of the brain which processes smells information and its

oscillations alter dynamically according to the tasks involved.

Contents

soldiers during World War II Synesthesia

There are some people who process smells differently, hearing them

as sounds. Canadian aromachologist, Nadine Artemis, author and

formulator for Living Libations, is one such synestheste

When Artemis picks up a scent, she also sees colors. Therefore, when

she is creating in aromachology, she is not only combining a palette of

smells, she is also mixing a palette of colors to blend the purest,

organic essential oils into an array of beneficial products. For

example, when Artemis sniffs tainted or synthetic fragrances, she

sees them as murky gray or muddy brown. Discovering this

extraordinary sense of smell at a young age, Artemis sees different

distillations of rose, one of the world‘s most expensive essential oils,

as hues and tones of pink and red. Calming chamomile comes across

in hues varying from oceanic teals to deep royal blues.

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MUD THERAPY BENEFITS

Mud is an important element of nature. It contains important minerals

which have positive effects on human health. Mud can absorb toxins

from human body therefore is very useful in preventing many diseases.

It is also known for its healing properties. It also helps in cooling and

relaxing body as it can hold moisture for a long time.

Benefits of Mud therapy are:

It relaxes muscles and improves blood circulationIt maintains

metabolism rendering positive impact on digestion

It is useful in conditions of inflammation/ swelling and relieves

pain

It is a good hair conditioner and is good for skin

It is useful in condition of stiff joints

Why use mud therapy?

Out of the five constituent elements of this universe mud (earth) has a

pivotal role to play in our well being. The dark color of mud helps in

absorbing different colors and conveying them to the the body, giving

it therapeutic properties. Also, its shape and consistency may be

modified with ease, just by changing the water content, which makes

it easy to use. A mud pack is advantageous over a cold compress (cold

water therapy) as it retains the coolness over a longer period of time.

Therefore, it is recommended whenever a prolonged cold application

is required.

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ACUPUNCTURE: is a collection of procedures involving penetration of

the skin with needles to stimulate certain points on the body. In its

classical form it is a characteristic component of traditional Chinese

medicine (TCM). It has been categorized as a complementary health

approach.According to traditional Chinese medicine, stimulating

specific acupuncture points corrects imbalances in the flow of qi

through channels known as meridians. Scientific investigation has not

found any histological or physiological correlates for traditional

Chinese concepts such as qi, meridians, and acupuncture points, and

some contemporary practitioners use acupuncture without following

the traditional Chinese approach.

Although minimally invasive, the puncturing of the skin with

acupuncture needles poses problems when designing trials that

adequately control for placebo effects.A number of studies comparing

traditional acupuncture to sham procedures found that both sham and

traditional acupuncture were superior to usual care but were

themselves equivalent. These findings are apparently at odds with

traditional Chinese theories regarding acupuncture point specificity.

Existing evidence is consistent with acupuncture being no more

effective than a placebo.

Acupuncture's use for certain minor conditions has been recognized by

the United States National Institutes of Health, the National Health

Service of the United Kingdom, the World Health Organization, and the

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

However, skeptics have criticized various health governing bodies'

endorsements of acupuncture as being unduly credulous and not

including objections to or criticisms of the claims of acupuncture's

effectiveness. Acupuncture is generally safe when administered using

Clean Needle Technique (CNT) and carries a very low risk of serious

adverse effects,

though serious adverse effects have occurred,

including collapsed lungs and deaths.[16]

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Contents

uses physical pressure applied to acupressure points by the hand,

elbow, or with various devices

SONOPUNCTURE OR ACUTONICS is a stimulation of the body

similar to acupuncture, but using sound instead of needles.This

may be done using purpose-built transducers to direct a narrow

ultrasound beam to a depth of 6–8 centimetres at acupuncture

meridian points on the body.

Alternatively, tuning forks or other

sound emitting devices are used.

Acupuncture point injection is the injection of various

substances (such as drugs, vitamins or herbal extracts) into

acupuncture point.

Auriculotherapy - Ear acupuncture is a form of acupuncture

developed in France which is based on the assumption of

reflexological representation of the entire body in the outer ear.

Scalp acupuncture is likewise based on reflexological

considerations regarding the scalp area; it has been developed in

Japan.

Hand acupuncture similarly centers around assumed reflex zones

of the hand; it has been developed in Korea.

Medical acupuncture tries to integrate reflexological concepts,

the trigger point model, and anatomical insights (such as

dermatome distribution) into acupuncture practice, and

emphasizes a more formulaic approach to acupuncture point

location.

COSMETIC ACUPUNCTURE is the use of acupuncture in an

attempt to reduce wrinkles on the face.[97]

Effectiveness

The application of evidence-based medicine to researching

acupuncture's effectiveness is a controversial activity, which has

produced different results despite a growing evidence base Some

research results are encouraging but others suggest acupuncture's

effects are mainly due to placebo.

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Some scientists have opposed the very activity of investigating

acupuncture's effectiveness. In the 1980s, writing of acupuncture's

revival in the West, Petr Skrabanek argued that the principal issue that

faced researchers was the demarcation between reason and

absurdity, and that ideas should be rejected out-of-hand that lacked a

testable hypothesis.More recently, Pete Greasley has expressed

criticism of continued research into a practice based on a "magical,

pseudoscientific rationale".Other scientists take a different view:

Edzard Ernst has cautioned that prejudgement can lead to closed

thinking, and that the aim of evidence-based research "is to establish

whether a treatment works, not how it works or how plausible it is

that it may work".

It is difficult to design research trials for acupuncture Due to

acupuncture's invasive nature, one of the major challenges in efficacy

research is in the design of an appropriate placebo control group. The

most commonly proposed placebo control has been "sham

acupuncture" to control for different aspects of traditional

acupuncture. This includes needling sites not traditionally indicated

for treatment of a specific condition to control for the effectiveness of

traditional acupuncture for specific conditions and/or needling

performed superficially or using retracting needles or non-needles

(including toothpicks) to control for needle penetration and

stimulation.

A 2009 review concluded that the specific points chosen to needle do

not matter, and no difference was found between needling according

to "true" points chosen by traditional acupuncture theory and "sham"

acupuncture points unrelated to any theory. The authors suggested

four possible explanations for their observed superiority of both "true"

and sham acupuncture over conventional treatment, but lack of

difference in efficacy between "true" and sham acupuncture:

Other

authors have suggested randomized controlled trials may under-report

the effectiveness of acupuncture as the "sham" treatment may still

have active effects,

though this position undercuts the traditional

theory of acupuncture which associates specific acupuncture points

with specific and distinct results.

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Publication bias is also listed as a concern in the design of randomized

trials of acupuncture.

A 1998 review of studies on acupuncture found

that trials originating in China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan were

uniformly favourable to acupuncture, as were ten out of 11 studies

conducted in Russia. A 2011 assessment of the quality of randomized

controlled trials on TCM, including acupuncture, concluded that the

methodological quality of most such trials (including randomization,

experimental control and blinding) was generally poor, particularly for

trials published in Chinese journals (though the quality of acupuncture

trials was better than the drug-related trials). The study also found

that trials published in non-Chinese journals tended to be of higher

quality.

ACUPRESSURE

[from Latin acus "needle" (see acuity) + pressure (n.)

Acupressure [from Latin acus "needle" (see acuity) + pressure (n.) is an alternative

medicine technique similar in principle to Acupuncture. It is based on the concept of life energy

which flows through "meridians" in the body. In treatment, PHYSICAL PRESSURE IS

APPLIED TO ACUPUNCTURE POINTS WITH THE AIM OF CLEARING

BLOCKAGES IN THESE MERIDIANS. PRESSURE MAY BE APPLIED BY

HAND, BY ELBOW, OR WITH VARIOUS DEVICES.

Some medical studies have suggested that acupressure may be effective at helping manage nausea

and vomiting, for helping lower back pain, tension headaches, stomach ache, among other things,

although such studies have been found to have a high likelihood of bias.[2] It may probably not be as

effective as acupuncture, but some claim it provides temporary relief.

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According to Quackwatch acupressure is a dubious practice, and its practitioners use irrational

methods.

1 Background

2 Reception

3 Acupressure work theory

4 Criticism of TCM theory

5 Instruments

6 See also

7 References

8 External links

Background

Acupoints used in treatment may or may not be in the same area of the body as the targeted

symptom. Thetraditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory for the selection of such points and their

effectiveness is that they work by stimulating the meridian system to bring about relief by

rebalancing yin, yang and qi (also spelled "chi").

Many East Asian martial arts also make extensive study and use of acupressure for self-defense

and health purposes, (chin na, tui na). The points or combinations of points are said to be used to

manipulate or incapacitate an opponent. Also, martial artists regularly massage their own

acupressure points in routines to remove blockages from their own meridians, claiming

to thereby enhance their circulation and flexibility and keeping the points "soft" or less vulnerable to

an attack.[4]

Reception

A 2011 systematic review of acupressure's effectiveness at treating symptoms found that 35 out of

43 randomized controlled trials had concluded that acupressure was effective at treating certain

symptoms; however, the nature of these 43 studies "indicated a significant likelihood of bias." The

authors of this systematic review concluded that this "review of clinical trials from the past decade

did not provide rigorous support for the efficacy of acupressure for symptom management. Well-

designed, randomized controlled studies are needed to determine the utility and efficacy of

acupressure to manage a variety of symptoms in a number of patient populations. A 2011 Cochrane

review of four trials using acupuncture and nine studies using acupressure to control pain in

childbirth concluded that "acupuncture or acupressure may help relieve pain during labour, but more

research is needed.

An acupressure wristband that is claimed to relieve the symptoms of motion sickness and other

forms of nauseaprovides pressure to the P6 acupuncture point, a point that has been extensively

investigated. The Cochrane Collaboration, a group of evidence-based medicine (EBM) reviewers,

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reviewed the use of P6 for nausea and vomiting, and found it to be effective for reducing post-

operative nausea, but not vomiting. The Cochrane review included various means of stimulating P6,

including acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, laser

stimulation, acustimulation device and acupressure; it did not comment on whether one or more

forms of stimulation were more effective. EBM reviewer Bandolier said that P6 in two studies

showed 52% of patients with control having a success, compared with 75% with P6.One author of

an article published in the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine disagreed.

A Cochrane Collaboration review found that massage provided some long-term benefit for low back

pain, and said:It seems that acupressure or pressure point massage techniques provide more relief

than classic (Swedish) massage, although more research is needed to confirm this.

Acupressure work theory

A variant system known as two point acupressure attempts to bypass a blockage of vital flow by

using one acupoint to create a link with one of the collateral meridians, and then using one additional

acupoint to stimulate or reduce the flow around the obstruction

Criticism of TCM theory

Main article: Acupuncture § Criticism of traditional Chinese medicine theory

Clinical use of acupressure frequently relies on the conceptual framework of Traditional Chinese

Medicine (TCM). There is no physically verifiable anatomical orhistological basis for the existence

of acupuncture points or meridians. Proponents reply that TCM is a prescientific system that

continues to have practical relevance. Acupuncturists tend to perceive TCM concepts in functional

rather than structural terms (e.g., as being useful in guiding evaluation and care of patients).

The Instruments of Acupressure

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Instruments

There are several different instruments for applying nonspecific pressure by rubbing, rolling, or

applying pressure on the reflex zones of the body. The acuball is a small ball made of rubber with

protuberances that is heatable. It is used to apply pressure and relieve muscle and joint pain. The

energy roller is a small cylinder with protuberances. It is held between the hands and rolled back and

forth to apply acupressure. The foot roller (also "krupa chakra") is a round, cylindrical roller with

protuberances. It is placed on the floor and the foot is rolled back and forth over it. The power mat

(also pyramid mat) is a mat with small pyramid-shaped bumps that you walk on. The spine roller is a

bumpy roller containing magnets that is rolled up and down the spine. The Teishein is one of the

original nine classical acupuncture needles described in the original texts of acupuncture. Even

though it is described as an acupuncture needle it did not pierce the skin. It is used to apply rapid

percussion pressure to the points being treated.

REFLEXOLOGY,& ZONE THERAPY, is an alternative

medicine or pseudoscience involving the physical act of applying

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pressure to the feet, hands, or ears with specific thumb, finger, and

hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion. It is based on what

reflexologists claim to be a system of zones and reflex areas that they

say reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands, with the

premise that such work affects a physical change to the body.A

2009 systematic review of randomised controlled trials concludes that

"The best evidence available to date does not demonstrate

convincingly that reflexology is an effective treatment for any medical

condition."

There is no consensus among reflexologists on how reflexology is

supposed to work; a unifying theme is the idea that areas on the foot

correspond to areas of the body, and that by manipulating these one

can improve health through one's qi.Reflexologists divide the body into

ten equal vertical zones, five on the right and five on the left.Concerns

have been raised by medical professionals that treating potentially

serious illnesses with reflexology, which has no proven efficacy, could

delay the seeking of appropriate medical treatment.

The Reflexology Association of Canada defines reflexology as:

"A natural healing art based on the principle that there are

reflexes in the feet, hands and ears and their referral areas

within zone related areas, which correspond to every part, gland

and organ of the body. Through application of pressure on these

reflexes without the use of tools, crèmes or lotions, the feet

being the primary area of application, reflexology relieves

tension, improves circulation and helps promote the natural

function of the related areas of the body."

Reflexologists posit that the blockage of an energy field,

invisible life force, or Qi, can prevent healing Another tenet of

reflexology is the belief that practitioners can relieve stress and

pain in other parts of the body through the manipulation of the feet.

One claimed explanation is that the pressure received in the feet

may send signals that 'balance' the nervous system or release

chemicals such as endorphins that reduce stress and pain. These

hypotheses are rejected by the general medical community, who

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cite a lack of scientific evidence and the well-tested germ theory of

disease.

Reflexology's claim to manipulate energy (Qi) has been highly

controversial, as there is no scientific evidence for the existence of

life energy (Qi), 'energy balance', 'crystalline structures,' or

'pathways' in the body.

In Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial, Simon

Singh argues that if indeed the hands and feet "reflect" the internal

organs, reflexology might be expected to explain how such

"reflection" was derived from the process of Darwinian natural

selection; but Singh observes that no argument or evidence has

been adduced.

Reflexology is one of the most used alternative therapies in

Denmark. A national survey from 2005 showed that 21.4% of the

Danish population had used reflexology at some point in life and

6.1% had used reflexology within the previous year.

A study from Norway showed that 5.6% of the Norwegian population

in 2007 had used reflexology within the last 12 months.

In the United Kingdom, reflexology is coordinated on a voluntary

basis by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare

Council(CNHC). Registrants are required to meet Standards of

Proficiency outlined by Profession Specific Boards,

as CNHC is

voluntary anyone practising can describe themselves as

reflexologists. When the CNHC began admitting reflexologists, a

skeptic searched for and found 14 of them claiming efficacy on

illnesses. Once pointed out, the CNHC had the claims retracted as

it conflicted with their Advertising Standards Authority.

History

Practices resembling reflexology may have existed in previous

historical periods. Similar practices have been documented in the

histories of China and Egypt

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Reflexology was introduced to the United States in 1913 by William

H. Fitzgerald, M.D. (1872–1942), an ear, nose, and throat specialist,

and Dr. Edwin Bowers. Fitzgerald claimed that applying pressure

had an anesthetic effect on other areas of the body.

Reflexology was modified in the 1930s and 1940s by Eunice D.

Ingham (1889–1974), a nurse and physiotherapist. Ingham claimed

that the feet and hands were especially sensitive, and mapped the

entire body into "reflexes" on the feet renaming "zone therapy" to

reflexology. Ingham's procedure and related practices developed by

Laura Norman are used by modern reflexologists.

Reflexology has had several clinical trials dedicated to it over the

years with mixed results. One systematic review found, "The best

evidence available to date does not demonstrate convincingly that

reflexology is an effective treatment for any medical condition.

This alternate therapy has been evolved by south Korean scientist

Prof. Park Jae woo. This therapy when compared to other

method of alternate treatment,

sujok is simple & uncomplicated,It can be compared with

the best self cure methods known to man today.

The high effectiveness & simplicity of the sujok therapy helps

its rapid spreading in various countries among therapists &

patients. Sujok is a method that matches the classical science

of the west to the knowledge accumulated by the

oriental medicine from ancient times.

This therapy at its most basic employs acupressure,the effect of

employing simple acupressure stimulation to treat various

health problems on the corresponding points/areas on either the hands

or feet has forward to gives very high effective form of treatment &

sometimes complex ailments & long standing disorders and the need

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to resort to acupunture by doesn‘t arise.

The name SUJOK speaks about the therapy.The word ―SU‖ in

Korean means the hand and ―JOK‖ means foot.The most astonishing

aspect of this therapy is the simplicity.Anybody who desires

himself to learn the basics of sujok therapy can do so within

a matter of minutes.This points / areas are composed in a very strict

anatomical order,reflecting the structure of the body (human or animal)

in a diminished form on them ( Hand and Feet ).

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COSMETIC-ACUPUNCTURE:

Practitioners claim acupuncture can reduce wrinkles, eliminate fine

lines, lift sagging skin and improve skin colour and texture. Its effects

last for about three months, and it only takes about 45 minutes.

Acupuncture is a form of ancient Chinese medicine in which fine

needles are inserted into the skin at certain points on the body. It

originated more than 2,000 years ago, and is used to treat everything

from backache to migraines and fertility problems. Some acupuncture

- though not cosmetic - is even funded by the NHS.

But how can sticking needles into the skin improve our faces?

when needles are inserted at pressure points, energy and endorphins

are released. This minor trauma improves blood flow and stimulates

cell re-growth.

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'We put needles in at vortex points where energy is travelling to and

from organs along lines we call meridians,' she explains. 'When energy

flows more efficiently, circulation is improved, helping the body

rejuvenate.

'Traumatising the skin by inserting tiny needles will also encourage

the production of healing collagen, the protein which the body uses to

keep the skin youthful and elastic.'

COLORPUNCTURE, or color light acupuncture, is an alternative

medicine practice asserting that colored lights can be used to

stimulate acupuncture points to promote healing and better health. It

is a form of color therapy.There is no known anatomical or histological

basis for the existence of acupuncture points or meridians.

Research

on colorpuncture has failed to demonstrate a consistent effect;

Quackwatch considers it a questionable treatment with no

demonstrated effectiveness

Colorpuncture was developed in the 1980s by German naturopath and

acupuncturist Peter Mandel, who named it esogetic colorpuncture.

"Esogetic" is a term coined by Mandel to refer to the "merger of

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esoteric wisdom of life with the energetic principles of life's

processes."

Mandel cited Fritz-Albert Popp, who claimed that the body's cells

communicate with each other through a steady stream of photons.

This is not a scientifically recognized method of cell communication.

Using Kirlian photography, Mandel concluded that the acupuncture

meridians absorb and disseminate colored light within the body.

Colorpuncture is based on the idea that illness and pain occur when an

individual has strayed off his or her "life path". For example, a

treatment might be intended to release an emotional blockage to heal

a nervous system condition, allowing patients to devote themselves to

their individual spiritual purpose.

Mandel's model is a holographic

representation of how vital energy is produced in the body.Three of the

six factors (called molecules) represent the subtle energies: the

chakras, the formative field, and the converter model. The other three

factors describe the physical reality: the body systems, the

coordination system, and the transmitter relays.

Treatment

Colorpuncture employs seven basic colors. In general, the warm colors

- red, orange, and yellow - are believed to add energy, while the cool

colors - green, blue, and violet - decrease energy. Mandel also claims

that warm and cool colors, when used together, balance yin and yang

energy flows.

A small handheld instrument resembling a torch (flashlight) with a

colored quartz rod is used. The tip is placed directly onto acupoints or

held a short distance above. Unlike acupuncture, the skin is not

broken. Colorpuncture sessions last 10 to 90 minutes.

Colorpuncturists claim to diagnose through the use of Kirlian

photography.

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COLOUR THERAPY:

Practitioners of ayurvedic medicine /natural therapy practitioner

believe the body has seven "chakras," which some claim are 'spiritual

centers', and which are held to be located along the spine. New Age

thought associates each of the chakras with a single color of the

visible light spectrum, along with a function and organ or bodily

system. According to this view, the chakras can become imbalanced

and result in physical diseases, but application of the appropriate

color can allegedly correct such imbalances.[8]

The purported colors

and their associations are described.

Avicenna (980-1037), seeing color as of vital importance both in

diagnosis and in treatment, discussed chromotherapy in The Canon of

Medicine. He wrote that "color is an observable symptom of disease"

and also developed a chart that related color to the temperature and

physical condition of the body. His view was that red moved the blood,

blue or white cooled it, and yellow reduced muscular pain and

inflammation.

Colour is Different Wavelengths of Light Frequencies...

Everything in the Universe boils down to a mathematical formula or a

list of numbers. The various colours of light are not only visible but are

part of the electromagnetic spectrum of cosmic energies.

Furthermore, within our body our cells contain biophotons, which both

emit and receive light signals. It is now said that organisms use this

―light‖ to ―talk‖ to other organisms. This means that our organs, brain,

plants, animals and other single cell organisms can communicate via

the language of light: colour.

Each colour affects an endocrine gland that further stimulates moods,

sensations, feelings, thoughts, beliefs... our overall wellness. Colour in

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it‘s own language connects to us physically, mentally, emotionally as

well as spiritually.

Colour exists in the cells of food, essential oils and even our thoughts.

The more you learn the colour language the greater your ability to

balance your own internal and external energies (AURA).

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30

MARMA CHIKITSA {(Ayurvedic Acupuncture (also known as

Marmapuncture)}

The word 'marma' was used for the first time in Atharva Veda (ancient

Indian scripture). During the Vedic period of India, this martial art was

known to kings and warriors and was used in battlefields. It is said

that marmas are constituted of six vital elements—soma (sleshma,

phlegm), marutha (vata, air), teja (pitta, bile) and the three mental

types: rajas, tamas and satva. Marma adi is the science of

manipulating marmas or vital points. These are nerve junctures usually

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close to the skin surface. According to Susruta, author of Susruta

Samhita, the ancient treatise on ayurveda, human body contains 107

marma points which, when struck or massaged, produce desired

healing or injurious results. Like acupressure, marma adi functions by

pressing these points through which the prana (chi in Chinese) flows.

It is a powerful instrument of Ayurveda that originated 5,000 years

ago. It is a process and a therapy that works with 108 subtle and

sensitive energy points to open energy channels in the body

called strotras

In ancient Vedic times, marma points were called bindu – a dot, secret

dot or mystic point. Like a door or pathway, activating a marma point

opens into the inner pharmacy of the body. The body is a silent,

universal, biochemical laboratory—operating every moment to

interpret and transform arising events. Touching a marma point

changes the body‘s biochemistry and can unfold radical, alchemical

change in one‘s makeup. Stimulation of these inner pharmacy

pathways signals the body to produce exactly what it needs, including

hormones and neurochemicals that heal the body, mind and

consciousness. This deep dimension of marma therapy has the

potential to unfold spiritual healing.

Ayurvedic Acupuncture (also known as Marmapuncture) makes use of

acupuncture needles that penetrates the skin at particular acupoints

to balance the Prana (life force) of internal body

environment(microcosm) with that of external world(macrocosm) for

bringing about a balance or health. The needles used could be normal

or medicated. History – Ayurvedic Acupuncture was practiced in

ancient days as a global system, using needle-like blow darts at

various points in the body, often making use of herbs by dipping the

needle point into the herb liquid, for curing diseases. Ayurvedic

Acupuncture was even taught as a subject in major universities of

ancient India. Today, Ayurvedic Acupuncture is again gaining

popularity and is considered ―an open and endless science‖.

Method – Ayurvedic Acupuncture cures by stimulating the body to heal

rather than treating the disease by itself, when that particular marma

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is gently needled. The marmas are responsible for connecting the

various systems in the body with their internal organs through a series

of ducts called ‗Nadis‘. They carry ‗prana‘ to each marma.

According to marma adi, our body is crisscrossed like irrigation

channels with meridians, a closed interconnecting system through

which prana flows in the body. While acupressure, or shiatsu, follows a

14-meridian theory (with 361 marma or tsubo points), marma shastra

believes there are 26 meridians in all. Of these, 12 are located in pairs

on the left and right sides.

Marma points, supposed to be located on these meridians, boost the

prana each time it flows through, resulting in a stronger life force

energy. Marma points are also divided on the basis of their pancha

bhautic (five elements) constitution into sadya pranahara (fire),

kalanthara pranahara (water), vishalaya ghunam (air), vaikalyakara

(earth) and rujakara (space).

While six of the 12 pairs of meridians have negative polarity (Shakti,

yin, ida), six are of the positive polarity (Shiva, yang, pingala). The

negative meridians begin from the toes or the middle of the body and

go upward to the head. The positive meridians begin at the head and

go down. The intensity of prana flow varies according to the time of

the day, peaking and diminishing in a 12-hour cycle. A marma point is

most vulnerable when prana is flowing through it.

The prana leaves the lungs at dawn between 1.00 a.m. and 3.00 a.m.

and returns after flowing through 13 other channels within 24 hours.

When the flow of prana is disturbed, the corresponding organ is

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affected. A study of the exact location of prana is imperative for

marma adi to be effective, for it works only if the blow is precisely on

the marma point. The hit should also be vertical. This excessive stress

on a precise hit and the years of practice it demands has stymied the

popularity of this martial art form.

Two kinds of weapons can be used in marma adi: natural and artificial.

The natural weapons include various hand and finger strikes including

snake strike, dart strike, mantis strike and dragon fist strike. The

metamorphosis of your hand from a wobbly five-fingered prong to a

deadly weapon requires much practice, including jabbing your fingers

on leather strips, wood, wall or even a bucketful of sand. But before

doing any of these, make sure that you massage your palms, fingers

and wrists with oil to regulate the blood circulation. Usually these

exercises are recommended three days a week, with a gradual

increase in the strain.

Marma is not only a technique but a way of life."

Eighteen Yogic Marma Regions and Main Corresponding Marmas

1. The toes are the starting point. Kshipra marma.

2. The ankles: four and a half finger units from the toes. Gulpha

(ankle) marma.

3. The middle of the calf: ten finger units from the ankle. Indrabasti

marma

4. The root of the knee: eleven finger units from the middle of the

calf. This marma is not one of the classical 107, but can also be

used.

5. The center of the knee: two and a half finger units from the root

of the knee. Janu marma.

6. The middle of the thigh: From the knee to the middle of the thigh

is nine finger units. Urvi marma.

7. The anus: From the middle of the thigh to the root of the anus is

nine finger units. Guda marma.

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8. The middle of the hip: From the root of the anus to the middle of

the hip is two and a half finger units. Kukundara and Nitamba

marmas.

9. The root of the urethra: From the middle of the hip to the root of

the urethra is two and a half finger units. Vitapa marma.

10. The navel: From the root of the urethra to the navel is ten

and a half finger units. Nabhi (navel) marma.

11. The center of the heart: From the navel is the middle of the

heart is fourteen finger units. Hridaya (heart) marma.

12. The base of the throat: six finger units from the middle of

the heart. Nila marma.

13. The root of the tongue: From the root of the throat to the

root of the tongue is four finger units. Shringataka marma.

14. The root of the nose: From the root of the tongue to the root

of the nose is four finger units. This marma is not one of the

classical 107, but control of it can be related to Phana marma by

the nostrils at the base of the nose.

15. The center of the eyes: From the root of the nose to the

eyes is one-half finger units. Apanga marma.

16. The middle of the brows: From there to the middle of the

brows is one-half finger unit. Sthapani marma.

17. The center of the forehead. From the middle of the brows to

the center of the forehead is three finger units. The marma point

here is not one of the classical 107 but is still very useful.

18. The top of the head: From the middle of the forehead to the

top of the head is three finger units. Adhipati marma.

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What is Dietary Counselling?

A dietary counsellor will advise clients in formulating healthy eating

programmes for weight management and to improve their general

health and wellbeing. The goal of the counsellor is to offer the client

strategies for personal change and to work towards a sustainable

healthier future using dietary analysis software, body composition

analysis and health coaching. A dietary counsellor will focus on

putting together a healthy eating programme that will ensure their

client is eating for optimal health and to minimise the impact of

genetic and environmental influences e.g. stress, pollution and

lifestyle. When preparing a diet plan for a client, a good dietary

counsellor must take into account the food preferences, cooking

skills, available time and exercise preferences of the individual.

A nutritional therapist or a dietary counsellor should educate and

motivate clients towards personal change that will benefit their quality

of life for the rest of their lives. This positive influence can then

extend further than that single person as they will go on to instil

healthy habits in their families and friends. A career in either field is

very rewarding as you truly make a life-changing difference in the lives

of your clients and their extended families.

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BACH FLOWER REMEDIES :

are extreme dilutions of flower material developed by Edward Bach, an

English homeopath, in the 1930s.Bach believed that dew found on

flower petals retain healing properties of that plant. The remedies are

intended primarily for emotional and spiritual conditions, including but

not limited to depression, anxiety,insomnia and stress.

The remedies contain a very small amount of flower material in a

50:50 solution ofbrandy and water. Because the remedies are

extremely diluted they do not have a characteristic scent or taste of

the plant. As this dilution process results in the statistical likelihood

that little more than a single molecule may remain, it is claimed that

the remedies contain "energetic" or "vibrational" nature of the flower

and that this can be transmitted to the user.Bach flower remedies are

considered vibrational medicines, and rely on a concept of water

memory. They are often labeled as homeopathicbecause they are

extremely diluted in water, but are not true homeopathy as they do not

follow other homeopathic precepts such as the law of similars or the

belief that curative "powers" are enhanced by shaking and repeated

diluting ("succussion").

Systematic reviews of clinical trials of Bach flower remedies have

found no efficacy beyond a placebo effect.

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Use

Each remedy is used alone or in conjunction with other remedies, and

each flower is believed by advocates to impart specific qualities to the

remedy. Bach flower remedies are also used on pets and domestic

animals. Remedies are usually taken orally.

Remedies may be recommended by a naturopath or by a trained Bach

flower practitioner after an interview. An individual may also choose

the combination they feel best suits their situation. Some vendors

recommend dowsing to select a remedy.

The best known flower remedy product is the Rescue

Remedy combination, which contains an equal amount each of Rock

Rose, Impatiens, Clematis, Star of Bethlehem and Cherry

Plum remedies. The product is aimed at treating stress, anxiety,

and panic attacks, especially in emergencies. Rescue Remedy is a

trademark and other companies produce the same formula under other

names, such as Five Flower Remedy.

Rescue Cream contains the same remedies in a cream form, with the

addition of Crab Apple, a remedy Bach associated with feelings of

contamination and unsightliness. It is applied externally in response to

minor skin problems such as itches, cuts, stings, pimples and burns.

Philosophy

Bach thought of illness as the result of a conflict between the

purposes of thesoul and the personality's actions and outlook. This

internal war, according to Bach, leads to negative moods and to

"energy blocking", thought to cause a lack of "harmony", thus leading

to physical diseases.

Rather than using research based on scientific methods, Bach derived

his flower remedies intuitively

and based on his

perceived psychic connections to the plants.If Bach felt a negative

emotion, he would hold his hand over different plants, and if one

alleviated the emotion, he would ascribe the power to heal that

emotional problem to that plant. He believed that early-morning

sunlight passing through dew-drops on flower petals transferred the

healing power of the flower onto the water, so he would collect the

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dew drops from the plants and preserve the dew with an equal amount

of brandyto produce a mother tincture which would be further diluted

before use.Later, he found that the amount of dew he could collect

was not sufficient, so he would suspend flowers in spring water and

allow the sun's rays to pass through them.

Effectiveness

In a 2002 database review of randomized trials Edzard

Ernst concluded:

The hypothesis that flower remedies are associated with effects

beyond a placebo response is not supported by data from rigorous

clinical trials.

All randomized double-blind studies, whether finding for or against the

remedies, have suffered from small cohort sizes but the studies using

the best methodology were the ones that found no effect

over placebo.The most likely means of action for flower remedies is

as placebos, enhanced by introspection on the patient's emotional

state, or simply being listened to by the practitioner. The act of

selecting and taking a remedy may act as a calming ritual.

A systematic review in 2009 concluded:

Most of the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of

BFRs has a high risk of bias. We conclude that, based on the reported

adverse events in these six trials, BFRs are probably safe. Few

controlled prospective trials of BFRs for psychological problems and

pain exist. Our analysis of the four controlled trials of BFRs for

examination anxiety and ADHD indicates that there is no evidence of

benefit compared with a placebo intervention.

A newer systematic review published in 2010 by Ernst concluded

All placebo-controlled trials failed to demonstrate efficacy. It is

concluded that the most reliable clinical trials do not show any

differences between flower remedies and placebos.

According to Cancer Research UK, flower remedies are sometimes

promoted as being capable of boosting the immune system, but "there

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is no scientific evidence to prove that flower remedies can control,

cure or prevent any type of disease, including cancer".

Production

Edward Bach thought that dew collected from the flowers of plants

contains some of the properties of the plant, and that it was more

potent on flowers grown in the sun. As it was impractical to collect

dew in quantity, he decided to pick flowers and steep them in a bowl

of water under sunlight. If this was impractical due to lack of sunlight

or other reasons, he decided the flowers may be boiled.

The result of this process Bach termed the "mother tincture", which is

then further diluted before sale or use.

Bach was satisfied with the method, because of its simplicity, and

because it involved a process of combination of the four elements:

The earth to nurture the plant, the air from which it feeds, the sun or

fire to enable it to impart its power, and water to collect and be

enriched with its beneficent magnetic healing.

Bach flower remedies are not dependent on the theory of successive

dilutions, and are not based on the Law of Similars ofHomeopathy. The

Bach remedies, unlike homeopathic remedies, are all derived from

non-toxic substances, with the idea that a "positive energy" can

redirect or neutralize "negative energy."

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THERAPEUTIC YOGA

A therapeutic yoga is a consequence of a treatment of kind, the

results of which are judged to be desirable and beneficial. This is true

whether the result was expected, of the posture for certain aliment &

disorders

What constitutes a therapeutic effect is the nature of the situation in

which a treatment is used and the goals of treatment. There is no

inherent difference between therapeutic and responses

are behavioral/physiological comfortness changes which occur as a

response to the treatment strategy or agent. However, those changes

which are viewed as desirable, given the situation, are called

therapeutic postural yoga .

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OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, often called OT, is the use of treatments to

develop, recover, or maintain the daily living and work skills of people

with a physical, mental or developmental condition.[1]

Occupational

therapy is a client-centered practice that places a premium on the

progress towards the client‘s goals.[2]

Occupational therapy

interventions focus on adapting the environment, modifying the task,

teaching the skill, and educating the client/family in order to increase

participation in and performance of daily activities, particularly those

that are meaningful to the client.

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