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

There has been a rapid increase in the interest of safe complementary and alternative approaches to healthcare in pregnancy and childbirth. For those working in maternity care who seek the evidence base for therapeutic approaches, this book offers a comprehensive guide to the principles and practice of complementary therapies, and their application to expectant andnew mothers and their babies.History and background are given for each therapy, using a specifically midwifery perspective Contraindications and appropriate conditions to treat are specified Up-to-date research is included, as more research is available than ever before and so the midwife has to be able to make accurate assessments based on evidence. Legislative and professional conduct issues are covered ,putting the information into a clear midwifery context and giving guidelines to enable the midwife to deal confidently with new therapeutic approachesComprehensively updated with new research studies where available New chapters on chiropractic, hypnotherapy, Bach flower remedies, Alexander technique

Chiropractic Peripheral Joint Technique is an essential and accessible text for all students and practitioners of chiropractic, osteopaths, physiotherapists and other manual therapists. Edited by a leading author in the field, Chiropractic Peripheral Joint Technique includes much new work and innovations for treating peripheral joint problems in addition to a catalogue of the traditional chiropractic techniques. This new book concentrates on the peripheral joints (e.g. shoulder, knee etc.) and will be a useful ready reference on chiropractic technique for both the student beginning clinical work and the busy practitioner. A chapter is also included on the temporo-mandibular joint.An essential and accessible text for all students and practitioners Extensively illustrated with over 400 illustrations Highly practical approach, ideal for speedy reference when a problem is encountered

Acupuncture: a scientific appraisal takes an evaluative approach, summarising the evidence for acupuncture in an impartial way. An international team of specialist contributors brings a wide range of expertise to the book, drawing together different facets of research and clinical practice to provide a cohesive look at acupuncture today. The increasing integration of acupuncture into health care services in the west, requires stringent criteria of efficacy, safety and cost in order to provide optimal benefit for patients, at minimal risk. All professionals involved in the delivery of healthcare will find this new book of great interest. The conclusions reached should provide a focus for future debate. Fully referenced throughout, Acupuncture: a scientific appraisal is an easily accessible, balanced source of information for all practitioners of acupuncture. Healthcare providers, complementary therapists and members of the primary healthcare team will also find this an invaluable purchase. * examines acupuncture's possible mechanisms of action * contains chapters on both Eastern and Western approaches * reviews the evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture

This book examines depression as a widely diagnosed and treated common mental disorder in India and offers a significant ethnographic study of the application of a traditional Indian medical system (Ayurveda) to the very modern problem of depression. Based on over a year of fieldwork, it investigates the Ayurvedic response to the burden of depression in the Indian state of Kerala as one of the key processes of the local appropriation or glocalization of depression. More broadly, Lang considers: What happens with the category of depression when it leaves the West and travels to South Asia? How is depression appropriated in a South Asian society characterized by medical pluralism? She explores on the level of ideas, institutions and materialities how depression interacts with and changes local worlds, clinical practice and knowledge and subjectivities. As depression travels from 'the West' to South India, its ontology, Lang argues, multiplies and thus leads to what she calls 'depression multiple'.

Ivan Ross takes advantage of the significant growth in the amount of new data available to update and expand his much acclaimed Medicinal Plants of the World: Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medicinal Uses. This second edition exhaustively compiles new clinical research and references twenty-six of the most widely used medicinal plants in the world, including Allium sativum, Mangifera indica, Punica granatum;, Momoridica charantia, Mucuna pruriens; Arbus precatorius; Moringa pterysgosperma, Phyllanthus niruri, and Jatrpha curcas.

A classic in the literature of herbal medicine, this book explains in simple terms the commonly occurring chemical constituents of medicinal plants, and how these react with the human body. The major classes of plant constituents, such as phenols, terpenes and polysaccharides, are described both in terms of their chemical structures and their pharmacological activities. The last 20 years has seen huge growth in research output in phytochemistry, and this edition has been thoroughly revised to incorporate up-to-date research. It contains a new chapter on resins and cannabinoids, and additional content on macrocarpals, essential oil chemotypes, mushroom polysaccharides, phytochemical synergy, and toxicology of phytochemicals. Features include: * Over 200 diagrams of chemical structures * Coverage of energetics, synergism and the emerging field of network pharmacology * New content on seaweeds and fungi, and polyphenol-rich foods * References to primary research literature in pharmacy, pharmacology, chemistry, plant biology, molecular biology, integrative medicine and many other disciplines Written by an experienced herbal practitioner, The Constituents of Medicinal Plants has become a standard textbook for courses on plant-based medicine. It is also an essential desktop reference for health practitioners, lecturers, researchers, producers, and anyone with an interest in how medicinal herbs work.

All healthcare professionals working with complementary therapies must be fully aware of legal boundaries, responsibilities and liabilities in the practice of complementary therapies. This book covers all the main topics and principles and deals with points specific to individual therapies, helping practitioners to practice confidently.Legal aspects of using and integrating complementary therapies in health care practice present an area of anxiety for therapists, nurses and others Bridget Dimond is very well known in the UK as a speaker in this topic. It is the subject on which she is most frequently asked to talk at conferences.Information is clearly presented and extremely practical

The old adage "an army runs on its stomach" could easily be applied to your digestive health. There's an invisible army inside your gut, charging and overtaking toxins, pollutants, and antibodies that threaten your health.

To enjoy a healthy and energetic life, you need these tiny microorganisms to do their job. But it's easy for them to get out of balance and cause a whole host of health problems, including athlete's foot, skin rashes, allergies, digestive problems, sleep disorders, and high cholesterol.

Probiotics offer relief for more than fifty maladies. You can learn how to flush harmful toxins and bacteria out of your body, differentiate between good and bad microbes, and combine probiotics with a healthy diet and proper exercise.

Discovered more than a hundred years ago by Nobel Prize winner Elie Metchnikoff, probiotics support what holistic healers have known for centuries: you can introduce good bacteria into your system that will engulf and destroy harmful cells.

Solve your health problems, protect your immune system, and energize your life with "Probiotics for Life."

Back Pain and Spinal Manipulation: a practical guide presents a highly-illustrated, didactic guide to the diagnosis and manipulative treatment of back pain. Based on a diagnostic approach to back pain the text is extremely practical and includes how-to-do-it-yourself tips based on the authors' many years of practical experience. The second edition of this popular text has been extensively revised and updated to include the developments that have taken place within the field in recent years. New illustrations have been added, and the format has been redesigned to produce a text that makes the information more easily accessible. New for the second edition: * manipulation techniques for the thoracic spine * sacro-iliac disorders and treatment * muscle stretching techniques * muscle energy techniques Features includes: key check points, classification of techniques, charts on technique/directness/specificity and do's and don'ts, and position of the patient/position of the therapist. With an emphasis throughout on practical information that is easy to follow, the book is essential reading for all practitioners, physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths involved in the diagnosis and treatment of back pain.

Learning one's cherished dog has cancer is a common experience among dog owners today. Upon diagnosis, veterinarians may suggest surgery or chemotherapy. But, our dog's cancer was too widespread for surgery, and the harshness of chemotherapy seemed inappropriate for this gentle-natured golden. Instead, we chose to celebrate the life and spirit of our beloved pet each remaining day left with him. What happened next is an adventurous true story of love and courage. Last Summer with Oscar is a narrative case study about a 9-year old Golden Retriever's response to cancer. While my husband and I came to grips with his diagnosis, Oscar made an amazing discovery. Nestled among a patch of young trees were Slippery Elm seedlings, and eating them became his choice of treatment. Oscar's determination to live enabled him to return to this patch to eat the leaves, thereby regaining his strength for continued walks with his littermate, Winston. Oscar, the teacher, found new ways to communicate with me, his student. Together, we explored little-known remedies for cancer. The goodness of the journey elicited kindness and goodness from others. Last Summer with Oscar is filled with anecdotes that inspire love and a true belief in the potential of humanity.