The popularity of homeopathy has been increasing dramatically both in America and worldwide. Annual world sales of homeopathic remedies are approaching two billion dollars. In this thorough examination of homeopathy, physicist Jay W. Shelton analyzes the history, the remedies, the logical inconsistencies, and the effectiveness of this popular alternative medicine. Invented by German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), homeopathy is based on two key principles: (1) the law of similars--symptoms induced in healthy volunteers after ingestion of a substance are the same symptoms in sick people that this substance will cure; and (2) the concept of "potentization"--the most diluted remedies have the greatest curative power. Shelton clearly shows that although these principles may have had the ring of science in the early 19th century, they are not well supported by today's science. And yet, most patients who visit homeopaths are better afterwards. Homeopaths assume the remedies are the cause. Shelton finds explanations based on known science to be better supported by the evidence. Unassisted natural healing, changes in lifestyle urged by the homeopath, the placebo effect, and cessation of harmful treatments are more probable causes of improved health. This being the case, he pursues the question why so many people continue to believe that the remedies themselves are responsible. Among the contributing factors Shelton notes: the plausible-sounding explanations of homeopathic theory, a fundamental misunderstanding among homeopaths of science and its methods, and, ultimately, the poor quality of education in critical thinking and science. This reasoned, balanced, and in-depth assessment willinterest both homeopaths and conventional medical practitioners, as well as consumers curious about a well-known and much-publicized alternative medicine.

This book provides a clear and authoritative summary of the results and clinical implications of research in spiritual healing, energy medicine and the effects of intentionality. Recent publications in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the Western Journal of Medicine, JAMA and the Annals of Internal Medicine have focused on prayer, distant healing and spiritual healing. Therapeutic touch is taught in many nursing schools and laying-on-of-hands and mental healing are of great interest to the public. But what is the science behind these practices? Is there any research? Is it any good? What are the implications of this research for medicine and science? How should investigation of spiritual healing proceed, if at all? These are the questions this book explores. This book derives from a project sponsored by the Lawrence S. Rockefeller for the purpose of rigorously evaluating the science of spiritual healing. To produce the book, some of the best researchers in these areas were asked to use a standard set of quality criteria for the evaluation of science and clinical research. A conference of scientists, physicians, ministers and others then reviewed and discussed this literature and addressed methods for their further evaluation. The conference was organised by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Duke University, Wake Forest University and the Institute of Noetic Sciences. The evidence level of these areas was rated using standards established by government groups and published in JAMA for classification of the amount and quality of evidence in medicine. Each area was summarised, and clinical implications identified. Recommendations for future research and investigating the impact of healing practices in the clinical setting were also made. Provides the most authoritative discussion of the science of healing intention and energy medicine. Offers a clear analysis and assessment of research results and their relative quality. Explores the clinical implications for research results and demonstrates how they may be applied in practice. Provides guidelines for further research and study on the subject. With 21 expert contributors.

This book introduces novel and groundbreaking theories on social medicine, social medicine therapy and pharmacogelotology. Aimed at improving the global health care system in terms of cost-effectiveness and efficiency, the research included in this book represents a paradigm shift from traditional drugs to social medicine. Tracing the history of social medicine, from Natural Healing Power (NHP), Oriental Medicine's vitalism, to Homeostasis (Natural Healing Strength) and Reciprocity (Social Healing Strength), the book first focuses on laying the theoretical foundations. It then highlights how social medicine can be specialized into various social medicine therapies (i.e., aromatherapy, stone therapy, diet therapy, exercise therapy, light therapy, etc.), just like stem cells. This is followed by arguments that 21st century pharmacy should be a harmonious system where the replacement of traditional drug products (i.e., herbal, chemical, and biological products) with new social medicine takes precedence. To that end, the author focuses on the '4+2 system' with 4 representing diet, body, stress, and facial-image control, and 2 representing the complementary and alternative medical methods of evacuation(-) and filling(+). In the context of pharmacogelotology, the book then goes on to present findings on theories of laughter and laughter therapy practices, which are systematically examined and described in detail. Finally, it calls for the development of social-medicine structures by governments that aim to help local authorities use their resources effectively, and for local governments to establish the long-term planning on social-medicine therapy for healthy ageing.

In this indispensable new resource both for the home apothecary and clinical practitioners, a celebrated herbalist brings alive the elemental relationships among traditional healing practices, ecological stewardship and essential plant medicines. By honouring ancient wisdom and presenting it in an innovative way, Energetic Herbalism is a profound and practical guide to family and community care for those seeking to move beyond symptom relief and into a truly holistic framework of health. Throughout, author Kat Maier invites readers to explore their personal relationships with plants and their environs as they discover diverse models of healing. Inside Energetic Herbalism, you'll find: The elements and patterns of Ayurvedic doshas for greater self-awareness as well as positive lifestyle choices The relationship of well-being to the seasons through the brilliant lens of Chinese Five Element Theory and how our emotional health is beautifully expressed through the Elements The roots and evolution of Vitalism, the traditional Western system of energetic medicine How to assess imbalances in the body using the elegant and intuitive vocabulary of the six tissue states, an emerging tool in Western herbalism The senses as the main tools for navigating through energetic herbalism A deep appreciation of the wisdom of indigenous peoples, which is the foundation of sacred plant traditions Through the rich herbal tradition of storytelling, Maier seamlessly blends theory and practice with her experience-tested herbal remedies and healing protocols. Maier stresses the critical message of how to address the challenge of threatened medicinal plant populations, offering practical and inspiriting methods for ensuring their survival. Many herbals boast a materia medica of more than 100 herbs, but in keeping with an emphasis on sustainable practice, Maier instead focuses in depth on 25 essential medicinal herbs that can be grown in most temperate climates and soils, including: Dandelion Ashwagandha (Indian Ginseng) Goldenseal Burdock Calendula Echinacea Goldenrod Whether you are a seasoned clinical herbalist, an herbalist-in-training or simply someone seeking to provide the best natural health care for your family, this book is a source of inspiration, insight and answers you will return to again and again.

This book explores the ways in which Ayurveda, the oldest medical tradition of the Indian subcontinent, was transformed from a composite of 'ancient' medical knowledge into a 'modern' medical system, suited to the demands posed by apparatuses of health developed in colonial India. It examines the shift between an entrenched colonial reticence to consider the Indigenous Medical Systems as legitimate scientific medicine, to a growing acceptance of Ayurvedic medicine following the First World War. Locating the moment of transition within the implementation of a dyarchic system of governance in 1919, the book argues that the revamping of the 'Medical Services' into an important new category of regional governance ushered in an era of health planning that considered curative and preventative medicine as key components of the 'health' of the population. As such, it illuminates the way in which conceptions of power, authority and agency were newly configured and consolidated as politics were revamped in the late colonial India.

In this twenty-first century our external environment contains innumerable hazards to our health and wellbeing. These impose new and ever greater challenges to our immune systems. As our immune systems become over-loaded and the number and variety of medical problems from which we suffer increases. Often conventional medicine is ill-equipped to deal with these problems. In consequence dealing with chronic illness is becoming a growing burden for society and healthcare providers. In Lymphatic Therapy for Toxic Decongestion Margaret McCarthy describes the relationship between degenerative disease and physiological malfunction within the body. She then goes on to demonstrate how an integrated therapy, which draws on a variety of approaches, may be used to assess the body as a whole and to promote restoration of health simply, effectively and economically, without the use of expensive drugs or equipment. Practical approach uses case histories to explain how and when to use specific techniques. Well illustrated with high-quality line drawings to clarify the text. Straightforward style is easy to read and understand. Written by an experienced practitioner for the most accurate, authoritative perspective on lymphatic therapy.

Multidisciplinary Anatomy & Physiology textbook for Health Professionals! This title will enable the reader to take an informed interest in the patient's or client's condition, and in the planning of total patient care or complementary therapy treatments. It is relevant to students studying anatomy and physiology at a basic level - nursing, complementary therapies, sport therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. A systems approach is presented in an accessible way accompanied by clear illustrations. It is written in an easy to read style explaining otherwise complicated topics.

In this volume, which includes a faithful reproduction of Dewanchand Varma's original book on Pranotherapy, the reader can trace one of the early developmental branches of modern manual therapy and learn something of the eccentric life of one its early pioneers in the West. Phil Young has drawn the threads of this development together with the inclusion of the previously unpublished notebooks of another such pioneer, Dr Randolph Stone, a contemporary of Varma who, like Stanley Lief the founder of modern European Neuromuscular Technique, was influenced by Varma's work. Stone was the founder of his own system of manual therapy, which he called Polarity Therapy, and although it is similar to Varma's work, it has maintained to this day more of the original vitalistic, energy approach.

While almost all mushrooms share beneficial properties which heighten the immune system, the chapters of this book are dedicated to mushrooms that are the most promising possibilities for healing a variety of illnesses, including reishi (for liver disorders), cordyceps sinesis (anti-ageing), maitake (cancer), and hericum erinaceud (Alzheimer's Disease), among others. Mushrooms have been found in human culture for thousands of years. They have been used as a medicine since the very beginning, but in the past fifty years several major advancements in medicine have come from mushroom and other fungi, including the most famous of all, penicillin. This book explores mushroom history, as well as their possible uses in the future.

This book aims to present, in a single volume, the best of modern massage research. While research indicates that 1 in 3 Americans use alternative health care modalities, little research has been completed and disseminated in the area of massage therapy. This volume will present about ten chapters in areas of research probably including studies of massage for: stress (post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, depression, abuse), spinal cord injuries, enhancing growth (pregnancy and infancy), pain reduction (rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, migraine, and fibromyalgia), pediatrics, the elderly, increasing employee satisfaction (chair massage), enhancing cognition (alertness, autism), and/or immunity (HIV, cancer).The first text to provide the evidence which the profession is looking for to support its practice - BRINGS IT ALL TOGETHER IN ONE BOOK. Editorial comment will show the relevance of the research evidence to the day to day work of the practitioner Brings together material which at the moment is not readily available to the non-academic therapist Up to date and credible- the latest and most important findings by the key names Common structure to all chapters will make it easier for the reader not used to reading research to follow. Readable, reliable, referenced.

A fresh examination of the past successes of natural products as medicines and their new future from both conventional and new technologies. High-performance liquid chromatography profiling, combinatorial synthesis, genomics, proteomics, DNA shuffling, bioinformatics, and genetic manipulation all now make it possible to rapidly evaluate the activities of extracts as well as purified components derived from microbes, plants, and marine organisms. The authors apply these methods to new natural product drug discoveries, to microbial diversity, to specific groups of products (Chinese herbal drugs, antitumor drugs from microbes and plants, terpenoids, and arsenic compounds), and to specific sources (the sea, rainforest, and endophytes). These new opportunities show how research and development trends in the pharmaceutical industry can advance to include both synthetic compounds and natural products, and how this paradigm shift can be more productive and efficacious.

A must-read guide to the latest nonprescription supplements for peak sexual and athletic performance and optimal health

Testosterone is "the super hormone"; no other natural substance comes close to its power to energize, rejuvenate, and sexually arouse both men and women. Under new federal regulations, consumers have access to a whole new group of supplements that boost the body's natural testosterone levels. Available without a prescription, these "T boosters," including androstenedione, promise to revolutionize health, fitness, and weight management regimens for men and women. In many instances, they offer an economical and viable alternative to Viagra.

In Super "T," Dr. Karlis Ullis shows you how to create a personalized program of over-the-counter T boosters based on your age, gender, and specific needs, with essential information on the different supplements that can be found in vitamin and health food stores. He explains how to use these potent substances safely, effectively, and responsibly, with appropriate doses and schedules, with careful attention to the questions and concerns you may have. With detailed information on supplement combinations and nutritional support, and a list of supplement suppliers, Super "T" is an indispensable reference for those who want to perform at the top of their form.

Written by over 60 scientists and clincicians from the United States, mainland China, Germany, Australia, Japan, Sweden, Portugal and Hong Kong, Current Research in Acupuncture discusses recent advances in acupuncture research in a modern scientific language. The first 5 chapters investigate the basic mechanisms of acupuncture. Later chapters explore topics including acupuncture treatment and potential mechanisms for epilepsy, Parkinson's diseases, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular cognitive impairment, aging, anxiety, polycystic ovary syndrome, pain, nerve root cervical spondylosis, stroke, imflamation, myocardial ischemia and other cardiovascular diseases. Following the translational and clinical discussions, 4 chapters present new prospects for acupuncture theories and applications. The final chapter comments on the pitfalls and problems of the previous studies and suggests direction for future research towards in-depth understanding of acupuncture, along with better application of acupuncture in modern medicine. Each chapter is written by one or more experts in the field. This unique book provides a broad perspective on the principles of acupuncture for acupuncture researchers and neuroscientists. The laboratory and clinical investigations of various acupoints and optimal conditions provide unique clues to acupuncturists for improved clinical efficacy. For a medical student, this book is a modern course in ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine, especially acupuncture. Ying Xia, the chief editor, is Professor and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at The University of Texas Medical School in Houston, Texas, USA. Guanghong Ding is Professor in the Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science at Fudan University and Director of Shanghai Research Center for Acupuncture and Meridians, Shanghai, China. Gen-Cheng Wu is Professor of Neurobiology; Chairman, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology; Director, Institute of Acupuncture Research; and Director, WHO Collaborating Center for Traditional Medicine, at Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

This book provides a step-by-step introduction and practical guide to palpation as a method of assessment, diagnosis and treatment within the context of Oriental medicine, and in particular Japanese acupuncture practice. Leading the reader through the how and what of touch, around the abdomen (or hara) and other key areas of the body, the author also explores key acupuncture points for clearing these areas, as well as Japanese needle techniques. The aim of the book is to allow the reader to have a more vivid and sensitive feel for what lies below acupuncture meridians and points, and to be able to assess and treat a very wide variety of clinical conditions with an understanding of the individual patient - successfully.Powerfully illustratedwith line drawings and photographs to give the reader as vivid and accurate a sense as possible of what it being seen and felt Palpation is the heart of Japanese acupuncture diagnosis and treatment. With a clear understanding of principles and techniques, all acupuncturists will be able to add another dimension to their practice, over a very wide range of conditionsAn emphasis is placed on the integration of Chinese and Japanese medical thought, helping the reader to see them as interrelated, classically based systems The chapters take a building blocks approach whereby concepts are explored gradually and new terms introduced and reiterated at the end of every chapter. A question section is included at the end of every chapter.Cases from the authors 15 years of clinical experience are integrated whenever the concepts covered need further elaboration, helping the reader to study patient progress and get a sense of how to use the material Forms outlining procedures, diagnoses and possible treatment strategies supplement the theoretical material in each chapter so that the practitioner is assisted in organising and performing palpatory examinations.

Alternative medicine is a fifty billion dollar per year industry. But is it all nonsense? The Whole Story rounds up the latest evidence on the placebo effect, the randomized control trial, personalized genetic medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathy and more. It reaches a provocative conclusion: alternative therapies' whole-body approach might be just what medicine really needs right now to help crack the tough, chronic conditions seemingly untouched by the revolutions of surgery, antiseptics, antibiotics, vaccines and molecular biology.

From the earliest times, the medicinal properties of certain herbs were connected with deities, particularly goddesses. Only now with modern scientific research can we begin to understand the basis and rationality that these divine connections had and, being preserved in myths and religious stories, they continued to have a significant impact through the present day. Riddle argues that the pomegranate, mandrake, artemisia, and chaste tree plants substantially altered the development of medicine and fertility treatments. The herbs, once sacred to Inanna, Aphrodite, Demeter, Artemis, and Hermes, eventually came to be associated with darker forces, representing the instruments of demons and witches. Riddle's ground-breaking work highlights the important medicinal history that was lost and argues for its rightful place as one of the predecessors

Modern medicine has penetrated Bedouin tribes in the course of rapid urbanization and education, but when serious illnesses strike, particularly in the case of incurable diseases, even educated people turn to traditional medicine for a remedy. Over the course of 30 years, the author gathered data on traditional Bedouin medicine among pastoral-nomadic, semi-nomadic, and settled tribes. Based on interviews with healers, clients, and other active participants in treatments, this book will contribute to renewed thinking about a synthesis between traditional and modern medicine - to their reciprocal enrichment.

With all the recent promotion of herbal remedies and alternative therapies--acupuncture, therapeutic touch, aroma therapy, magnet therapy, homeopathy, naturopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, and many others--how can the average consumer find objective, scientific information evaluating these products and treatments? Without reliable information from objective, scientifically qualified sources, consumers run the risk of wasting their money, or worse, endangering their health.
This anthology of research articles by reputable scientists is dedicated exclusively to the careful scrutiny of the claims of alternative medicine. Using scientific and rational criteria, well-respected scientists and physicians review available evidence for therapeutic claims, critique published studies, present original research, and discuss the methods and principles of valid research. Among the topics covered are the origins of alternative medicine and current trends; the theories and therapies of Andrew Weil, naturopathy, therapeutic touch, and colloidal silver treatment; the psychological dimensions of belief in unconventional treatments; and the ethics of promoting unproven treatments.
This informative, user-friendly volume is a must for everyone considering alternative medicine.

This dictionary provides an authoritative, up-to-date, international consensus on the definition or interpretation of concepts necessary to an understanding of the principles and practice of homeopathy. It is compiled through the help of a panel of international experts, and is written as a reference work for homeopaths, but it will also help integrate homeopathy into medical practice as a whole. It reconciles conceptual differences and inconsistencies and provides a unifying and progressive influence on the development of homeopathic medicine.Fully accessible to the modern-day practitioner and student, especially those from a medical background An international consensus view on the definition o both basic and contentious termsA fully realistic base for the student entering this field to gain a coherent view of terminology and concepts Destined to become a must buy alongside a materia medica and a repertory!