Before the concept of history began, humans undoubtedly acquired life benefits by discovering medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) that were food and medicine. Today, a variety of available herbs and spices are used and enjoyed throughout the world and continue to promote good health. The international market is also quite welcoming for MAPs and essential oils. The increasing environment and nature conscious buyers encourage producers to produce high quality essential oils. These consumer choices lead to growing preference for organic and herbal based products in the world market. As the benefits of medicinal and aromatic plants are recognized, these plants will have a special role for humans in the future. Until last century, the production of botanicals relies to a large degree on wild-collection. However, the increasing commercial collection, largely unmonitored trade, and habitat loss lead to an incomparably growing pressure on plant populations in the wild. Therefore, medicinal and aromatic plants are of high priority for conservation. Given the above, we bring forth a comprehensive volume, "Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Healthcare and Industrial Applications", highlighting the various healthcare, industrial and pharmaceutical applications that are being used on these immensely important MAPs and its future prospects. This collection of chapters from the different areas dealing with MAPs caters to the need of all those who are working or have interest in the above topic.

Increased oxidative stress due to the production of excessive amounts of free radicals along with the effects of chronic inflammation plays a major role in the initiation and progression of most chronic diseases. In addition, increased release of glutamate plays a central role in the pathogenesis of various disorders. This second edition of Micronutrients in Health and Disease proposes a novel concept that in order to simultaneously and optimally reduce oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and glutamate, it is essential to increase levels of antioxidant enzymes as well as levels of dietary and endogenous antioxidant compounds at the same time. This is accomplished by activating the Nrf2 pathways and by increasing the levels of antioxidant compounds and B-vitamins through supplementation. This book proposes a mixture of micronutrients that achieves this above goal. The mixture of micronutrients together with modification in diet and lifestyle may reduce the risk of chronic diseases and in combination with standard care, may improve the management of these diseases. KEY FEATURES * Provides evidence in support of the idea that increased oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and glutamate are involved in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. * Contains three new chapters on Huntington's disease, Autism spectra, and Prion disease. * Discusses the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. * Presents information on regulation of the expression of microRNAs by reactive oxygen species and antioxidants. Micronutrients in Health and Disease, Second Edition serves as a valuable resource for those seeking to promote healthy aging and prevent and improved management of chronic diseases.

While medical professionals continue to practice traditional allopathic medicine, the public has turned toward nutritional and integrative medical therapies, especially for addressing the proliferation of chronic diseases. Written by leaders in the academic and scientific world, Nutrition and Integrative Medicine: A Primer for Clinicians presents various modalities to help restore health. This book provides users with a guide to evaluating and recommending nutritional and integrative therapies. The book offers insights on the microbiome of the human body, examines the relationship of human health to the microbiome of the food we ingest, and introduces the concept of "food as information." It provides enlightenment on anti-aging and healing modalities, mind-body medicine, and an investigation of psychological trauma as related to disease causation. Integrative therapies, including water, light, and sound therapy, are explored, and information on healing chronic disease through nutrition, the tooth-body connection, the role of toxins in disease causation, and electromagnetic field hypersensitivity, as well as its management, is presented.

This book discusses prospective alternative approaches to fight bacterial infections to minimize the indiscriminate use of conventional antibiotics. It offers the current knowledge on research and development of alternative antibacterial agents such as probiotics, nanobiotics etc. while it also discusses newly emerging trends such as phage therapy, antibody therapy etc. The book highlights on the phytochemicals with potent antibacterial activities as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Chemical modification to develop next generation antibiotics with enhanced efficacy has also been included. Such modifications are reported to overcome the inherent resistance of the parent antibiotics. Phage therapy and targeted antibodies are considered as potential alternative approaches to treat bacterial ailments and represent areas of cutting-edge research and have therefore been discussed with sufficient care. Mainly, the book highlights various approaches other than conventional antibiotics in treating bacterial infections. The scientific advancements in these areas will strengthen the 'One Health' approach benefiting human beings, animals and environment as well. This book is a comprehensive resource to cater researchers, biological scientists, herbalists and clinical practitioners with up-to-date information on antibacterials other than antibiotics.

The food products of bees have long been attributed with many health benefits. They can lead to greater stamina, increased resistance to disease, and, counter-intuitively, often help reduce pollen allergies. Scientific studies have revealed that bee propolis, royal jelly, honey and bee pollen are rich sources of antioxidant phytochemicals - vitamin-like substances similar to those found in common vegetables. In this User's Guide, Dr. Broadhurst explains the scientific rationale behind bee foods and describes how they can improve health.

Homeopathy is an alternative medical practice that treats a health condition by administering minute doses of a remedy that would produce symptoms of that condition in a healthy person. Homeopathy is the full expression of holistic medicine and as a specific form of medical treatment it dates back to just over 200 years ago, but the underlying principles of homeopathy go back to the time of Hippocrates. This book teaches readers how to promote healing in themselves and their loved ones, in their own homes. It covers how to handle remedies, how to select them, and how to use them wisely.

he therapies outlined in this book provide safe and effective option for diabetics. Numerous vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other nutrients can help prevent or control diabetes. This book examines clinically proven dietary strategies, supplements, and lifestyle changes.

Essential oils, known for their healing properties as far back as ancient Mesopotamia and Babylonia, have reached their zenith in Madagascar, says Dr. Georges M. Halpern, author of The Healing Trail: Essential Oils of Madagascar. This interesting, informative, and clearly written new book is well-documented, with entertaining historical stories sprinkled throughout, including how eighteenth-century botanists succeeded in making this land a garden for botanical study. Madagascar, the planet's fourth largest island, has long been famous for the individuality of its flora and fauna, and for the essential oils that many consider the best in the world. This book explains why and tells us what makes these oils so potent and effective. It details their use in aromatherapy, a healing method almost as old as medicine itself, and their many benefits to the perfume, cosmetic, and food industries; it describes the successful efforts of villagers to create a sustainable economy around them without having to cut down the rainforest, and offers practical advice for people wishing to visit this lushly beautiful island, "the naturalist's promised land." Dr. Halpern gives the history and the chemical and botanical makeup of eight essential oils (for example, tropical basil, cinnamon leaf and bark, geranium leaf, ginger, and vanilla) and tells how they are best used to promote physical and emotional health. We learn where they are grown on the island, how they are cultivated, what studies are being conducted, and what scientists believe might be future uses for them.

The Healing Trail: Essential Oils of Madagascar is an essential resource for learning how the unique aspects of this island have coalescedto create superior essential oils like no others on earth, and how these oils can be put to use for maximum benefit.

When approaching the multiplicity of the spiritual experiences of healing, ethnographers are often presented with ideas of the existence of "other" worlds that may intersect with the so-called "material" or "physical" worlds. This book proposes a sensory ethnography of healing with a focus on ethnographic knowing as embedded in an embodied epistemology of healing. Epistemological embodiment signals that personal scholarly experience of the "unknown"-be it in the form of trance, or as the embodiment of an "other"-shapes the concepts of healing, body, trance, self, and matter by which ethnographers craft out analysis.

A comprehensive look at the cell salt remedies, their uses in the treatment of specific conditions, and the manner in which they may become a part of a daily program of nutrition in the home. The healing inspired by cell salt remedies is gentle and steady, and as the author proposes, "should always be considered."

Compresses and poultices are extremely versatile and can be used to treat a wide range of conditions. This practical handbook was written for nurses and practitioners at the Ita Wegman Clinic in Arlesheim, Switzerland, a centre of expertise for anthroposophical nursing. The book covers all aspects of compresses and poultices, including descriptions of the substances used and their healing properties, and is based on many years' professional experience.

The "First International Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine: Science, Regulation and Globalization" was held from August 30 to September 2, 2000 at the University of Maryland at College Park, Maryland. There were approximately 250 participants from the Peoples Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the United States. This objective of this conference was to promote international collaboration for the modernization of Traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCM) and their introduction into the global health care system. It was mainly sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China and the NllI National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). It was organized by Dr. William Tai, then director of the Institute of Global Chinese Affairs at the University of Maryland and Dr. Yuan Lin, president of Marco Polo Technologies, Bethesda, MD. This conference was conceived by Dr. Tai two years earlier recognizing that this was an appropriate time and also the unique location of the University of Maryland. Today, there is a growing recognition of the of alternative medicine in modem societies and the rapid loss of importance knowledge about traditional methods for the treatment of the multitude of human illnesses found throughout the world. TCM has been in common use in China for thousands of years; and many of its formulations are well defined.

An essential reference for coursework, exam preparation, clinical rotations, and day-to-day clinical practice, Atlas of Osteopathic Techniques delivers step-by-step, full-color guidance on manipulative methods commonly taught and used in osteopathic medical education and practice. This highly visual one-of-a-kind reference features more than 1,000 vibrant photos and illustrations and 250 accompanying videos depict specific manipulations, examinations, techniques, and anatomical demonstrations. Easy to navigate and rich with engaging learning features, the 4th edition of this bestselling, one-of-a-kind resource reflects the most up-to-date information on basic anatomical concepts and techniques to help users confidently comprehend and apply them. Updated content equips students with the latest techniques and approaches for effective practice as identified by the Education Council on Osteopathic Principles (ECOP). New chapter, Clinical Integration of Osteopathic Manipulative Techniques, includes clinical guidelines on decision making and implementing specific diagnostic and osteopathic manipulative techniques (OMT) based on over 20 common clinical presentation. New techniques have been added to the chapters covering counterstrain techniques and techniques of Still. Newly created gross anatomy photos with overlays are oriented to provide greater clarity and realism. More than 1,000 high-quality, full-color images highlight essential concepts and techniques in vibrant detail. Corresponding videos demonstrate more than 250 osteopathic diagnostic and manipulative techniques, as well as highlighting important anatomic landmarks. Modular atlas format guides students step-by-step through more than 450 of the most commonly used manipulative methods.

Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) have become essential solutions for better living, preventing disease, and self-care, in addition to biomedical treatments, and for increasing longevity without loss of quality of life. Over the past 20 years, these practices have gone from general diet and hygiene advice to targeted and personalized solutions for prevention, care optimization, and curative treatments. Selected empirically for centuries or recently with the help of technological innovations and epigenetic, interventional, and medico-economic studies, their development is growing and diversifying around the world. Today an NPI ecosystem is made up of a myriad of public and private actors. As interest in NPIs grows, so do questions about safety, effectiveness, standardization, ethical practice, and surveillance. In this book, the author answers these questions with a scientific approach, because evidence-based science, evidence-based practice, clinical research, and data monitoring have revolutionized this field. Topics explored among the chapters include: * Defining Non-Pharmacological Interventions * The Benefits and Dangers of Non-Pharmacological Interventions * Motives and Facilitators of Non-Pharmacological Intervention Use * The Market for Non-Pharmacological Interventions * Evaluation of Non-Pharmacological Interventions * The Future of Non-Pharmacological Interventions Non-Pharmacological Interventions: An Essential Answer to Current Demographic, Health, and Environmental Transitions is a must-have resource for clinicians and other health professionals, researchers, students, health insurers, policy-makers, caregivers, and entrepreneurs in the health and wellness space, as well as any users who wish to inform themselves about NPIs.

Pain: A textbook for health professionals provides a comprehensive guide to pain and pain management with a focus on interprofessional practice. Written by internationally acclaimed authors and fully updated to reflect latest evidence and understanding, this book bridges the gap between theoretical underpinning and practice for assessment and management of patients with persistent pain - all in clear and accessible language. Now in its third edition, the text emphasises personal aspects of pain and the therapeutic alliance, as well as social and cultural aspects of pain, pain education for patients, and multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary working. It will provide both students and clinicians with a new lens through which to understand a person's pain experience, as well as tools for effective management. Comprehensive information about all aspects of pain and pain management Relevant to a wide audience - suitable for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, nurses and GPs, as well as undergraduate students Factual and informative for clinicians in everyday practice Includes information on acute as well as chronic pain New chapters on communication, the language of pain, pain education for patients, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary working, and inequities in pain including pain in low- and middle-income countries and amongst indigenous peoples Updated chapters with new information about the psychology of pain Now with full colour artworks and page design

Cancer victims are bombarded with misleading information about alternative medicine. Many such treatments try to sell false hope at inflated prices, and many promise a cure without side-effects. This book explains why alternative cancer cures are a fallacious concept. However, it also outlines the important role of alternative medicine in supporting cancer patients and improving their quality of life.

Early anthropological evidence for plant use as medicine is 60,000 years old as reported from the Neanderthal grave in Iraq. The importance of plants as medicine is further supported by archeological evidence from Asia and the Middle East. Today, around 1.4 billion people in South Asia alone have no access to modern health care, and rely instead on traditional medicine to alleviate various symptoms. On a global basis, approximately 50 to 80 thousand plant species are used either natively or as pharmaceutical derivatives for life-threatening conditions that include diabetes, hypertension and cancers. As the demand for plant-based medicine rises, there is an unmet need to investigate the quality, safety and efficacy of these herbals by the "scientific methods". Current research on drug discovery from medicinal plants involves a multifaceted approach combining botanical, phytochemical, analytical, and molecular techniques. For instance, high throughput robotic screens have been developed by industry; it is now possible to carry out 50,000 tests per day in the search for compounds, which act on a key enzyme or a subset of receptors. This and other bioassays thus offer hope that one may eventually identify compounds for treating a variety of diseases or conditions. However, drug development from natural products is not without its problems. Frequent challenges encountered include the procurement of raw materials, the selection and implementation of appropriate high-throughput bioassays, and the scaling-up of preparative procedures. Research scientists should therefore arm themselves with the right tools and knowledge in order to harness the vast potentials of plant-based therapeutics. The main objective of Plant and Human Health is to serve as a comprehensive guide for this endeavor. Volume 1 highlights how humans from specific areas or cultures use indigenous plants. Despite technological developments, herbal drugs still occupy a preferential place in a majority of the population in the third world and have slowly taken roots as alternative medicine in the West. The integration of modern science with traditional uses of herbal drugs is important for our understanding of this ethnobotanical relationship. Volume 2 deals with the phytochemical and molecular characterization of herbal medicine. Specifically, it focuess on the secondary metabolic compounds, which afford protection against diseases. Lastly, Volume 3 discusses the physiological mechanisms by which the active ingredients of medicinal plants serve to improve human health. Together this three-volume collection intends to bridge the gap for herbalists, traditional and modern medical practitioners, and students and researchers in botany and horticulture.

Chinese and Botanical Medicines: Traditional Uses and Modern Scientific Approaches is a classroom-tested book that contains a balance of chemistry, the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and the theory and practice of a modern TCM practitioner. This distinct book reviews the scientific methods for collecting data and supporting evidence for the efficacy and safety of Chinese drugs and medicines. It also reflects on the different views on health, disease and therapy, and their impacts on the relationships between man and nature.

Based on fieldwork conducted between 2001-2008 in urban East Africa, this book explores who the patients, practitioners and paraprofessionals doing Chinese medicine were in this early period of renewed China-Africa relations. Rather than taking recourse to the 'placebo effect', the author explains through the spatialities and materialities of the medical procedures provided why - apart from purchasing the Chinese antimalarial called Artemisinin - locals would try out their 'alternatively modern' formulas for treating a wide range of post-colonial disorders and seek their sexual enhancement medicines.