Pregnancy and childbirth brings together, for the first time, western and eastern approaches providing a sound amalgamation of theoretical and practical information for bodywork practitioners world-wide. It describes in detail the application of massage and shiatsu from early pregnancy, including work during labour and for the first year postnatally for the mother. This is a useful source of information for massage therapists, shiatsu practitioners, osteopaths, physical therapists, chiropractors, reflexologists, aromatherapists, acupuncturists, yoga and Pilates instructors. For Students and practitioners to use as a learning manual and reference tool, the text provides: Clarity of information Full text referencing Clear diagrams, photographs, and summary boxes Clinical accuracy: reviewed by, and with contributions from, international specialists including midwives, obstetricians, osteopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, aromatherapists and massage therapists.

Students and practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine must learn hundreds of commonly used herbs as the first step in studying Chinese herbal medicine. Additionally, junior practitioners lack the clinical experience required to ensure that they can skilfully select the appropriate herbs to use in the formulas. This presents them with a major challenge. Chinese Herbal Medicines: Comparisons and Characteristics presents a method of learning individual herbs through vivid and clear discussion of their characteristics and through a comparison with other herbs of their characteristics and strengths. This clear and logical approach makes it easy for the user to understand and memorize the functions of specific herbs. It also enables experienced practitioners to improve their therapeutic results through the use of better formulas. Key features of the new edition Retains the same easy to follow format as the first edition Presents detailed comparisons and discussions of commonly used Chinese herbs Provides a series of thought-provoking questions with very detailed answers Structured to help the reader to learn and memorize the content more easily The easy-to-use question-andanswer format is convenient to apply in the consulting room Includes discussion of clinical applications to help with the practical use of the information in clinical setting Revised and updated with particular emphasis on the safe use of Chinese herbal medicines New appendices provide information on safe dosages, commonly used herbal combinations and the meanings of Chinese words used in herbal names Provides a sound foundation for the study and practice of Chinese herbal medicine. Chinese Herbal Medicinse: Comparisons and Characteristics is already wellknown to students and practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine. This new, improved edition will continue to be of value to students and practitioners alike. It is now supported by a new companion volume by the same author entitled Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies. Together these two books provide a sound foundation for the study and practice of Chinese herbal medicine. Retains the same easy to follow format as the first edition Presents detailed comparisons and discussions of commonly used Chinese herbs Provides a series of thought-provoking questions with very detailed answers Structured to help the reader to learn and memorize the content more easily The easy-to-use question-andanswer format is convenient to apply in the consulting room Includes discussion of clinical applications to help with the practical use of the information in clinical setting Revised and updated with particular emphasis on the safe use of Chinese herbal medicines New appendices provide information on safe dosages, commonly used herbal combinations and the meanings of Chinese words used in herbal names Provides a sound foundation for the study and practice of Chinese herbal medicine.

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 will focus on the secondary metabolic compounds which afford protection against diseases. Lastly, Volume 3 focuses on 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.

Cancer is one of the leading killers in the world and the incidence is increasing, but most cancer patients and cancer survivors suffer much from the disease and its conventional treatments' side effects. In the past, clinical data showed that some complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) possessed anticancer abilities, but some clinicians and scientists have queried about the scientific validity of CAM due to the lack of scientific evidence. There is great demand in the knowledge gap to explore the scientific and evidence-based knowledge of CAM in the anticancer field. With this aim, a book series is needed to structurally deliver the knowledge to readers. There have been a number of publications on materia medica for various cancers in recent years, the scientific and medical community are thrust for up-to-date information that are supported by concrete laboratory evidences or clinical trials. This volume is a specialised book presenting the experimental and clinical evidences of anticancer materia medica for various cancers. This book consists of sixteen chapters, providing concise reviews and expert opinions on the recent progress of materia medica research in fourteen particular cancers from bench to bedside application. In addition, the book also includes a chapter with an overview of evidence-based materia medica for cancer chemoprevention, as well as a chapter discussing on the pharmacokinetics of anticancer materia medica. Gathering international opinion leaders' views, this volume will contribute great to the cancer, academic, and clinical community by providing evidence-based information on the anticancer effects of materia medica for various cancers. Readership Oncologists, cancer researchers, pharmacologists, pharmaceutical specialists, Chinese medicine practitioners, medical educators, postgraduates and advanced undergraduates in biomedical disciplines, cancer caregivers, cancer patients.

Traditional medicinal knowledge, especially the use of ethnomedicinal plants in developing countries, has been passed down for generations. Today, however, scientists are poised to combine traditional medicinal plants and modern drug discoveries to further develop essential products that have followed the leads of indigenous cures used for centuries. Ethnomedicinal Plant Use and Practice in Traditional Medicine provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of indigenous knowledge and therapeutic potential within ethnobotany. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as drug discovery, traditional knowledge, and herbal medicine, this book is ideally designed for doctors, healers, medical professionals, ethnobotanists, naturalists, academicians, researchers, and students interested in current research on the medical use and applications of natural-based resources.

This book presents up-to-date information on a total of 75 native and non-native medicinal plants growing in Singapore. Comprehensive and useful information from the published literature - including plant descriptions and origins, traditional medicinal uses, phytoconstituents, pharmacological activities, adverse reactions, toxicities, and reported drug-herb interactions - is presented in an easy-to-read manner for easy and quick reference. There is no minimum level of knowledge required to read this book, and botanical and medical glossaries are also provided for readers' convenience.The book will be of great practical benefit to a wide-ranging audience. Educators and students in complementary medicine and health, pharmacognosy, medicinal chemistry, natural products, pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacovigilance, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, botany, biology, chemistry and life sciences will find the information useful. The book will also appeal to clinicians, pharmacists, nurses and researchers, as it contains a comprehensive reference list at the end for further reading.

From diagnosis through progression of breast cancer, patients have confided to their oncologist their fears, their hopes, the personal problems created by their illness, their way of coping or their inability to cope with the disease and its treatment. They discussed their options and throughout they managed to laugh but also did not hide their tears.

When Joanne B. Mulcahy first helped Mary Peterson -- a respected elder of the Akhiok community -- find a safe home away from the violence and alcoholism that had altered village life, she never imagined that they would meet again five years later and begin more than twelve years of interviews, letters, and visits that would transform the lives of both women.

Birth and Rebirth on an Alaskan Island offers the fascinating story of Mary's life, from her experience growing up within the traditional society of Akhiok to her work as a teacher, a Community Health Aide, a mother, a grandmother, and an Alutiiq midwife and healer. Through her story we discover a society that blended native Alutiiq culture with the Russian Orthodox teachings handed down from late-eighteenth- and nineteenth-century colonists; that mixed modern education and employment with a subsistence lifestyle; that sanctioned arranged marriages but upheld civil divorce laws; and, above all, that recovered its confidence in traditional healing -- both of the body and of the community.

More than a personal story of survival, Birth and Rebirth on an Alaskan Island portrays, in Akhiok, a resilience formed through a return to a strong sense of community. As we become acquainted with the Kodiak world through Mary Peterson's story, we come to realize the strength of the native oral tradition and to see that knowing and healing are pivotal elements of the Alutiiq way -- particularly as they bring to light the previously unrecognized efforts, inspirations, and accomplishments of countless women healers.

This book provides a timely synthesis and discussion of recent developments in mindfulness research and practice within mental health and addiction domains. The book also discusses other Buddhist-derived interventions - such as loving-kindness meditation and compassion meditation - that are gaining momentum in clinical settings. It will be an essential text for researchers and mental health practitioners wishing to keep up-to-date with developments in mindfulness clinical research, as well as any professionals wishing to equip themselves with the necessary theoretical and practical tools to effectively utilize mindfulness in mental health and addiction settings.

This new clinical resource clearly explains how to approach integrated care in a way that combines Chinese herbal medicine with Western medicine to enhance and improve medical care for patients with cancer - without undermining or negatively impacting patients' medical treatment. Each chapter covers a different type of cancer, first introducing the conventional medical understanding of that cancer including its etiology, diagnosis, and treatment according to staging and type. The chapter then covers that cancer from the perspective of Oriental medicine. Case studies illustrate the integration of treatment for each cancer type, raising important issues and considerations associated with specific cancers and treatments. Formulas are presented within the context of conventional treatment, intended to enhance the effectiveness of treatment and/or treat side effects without undermining the treatment's function. Each formula is followed by a discussion of how and why the herbs are used, including classical Chinese theory and relevant pharmaceutical studies. Staging and the age and performance status of various patients is used as a means by which to explain how formulas are changed. Case studies explore issues related to the integration of treatment for each type of cancer.

This textbook is an outstanding addition to the world of Alternative Medicine in general and the world of acupuncture in particular. The acupuncture Microsystems have proven to be some of the most sophisticated tools used in acupuncture today. The hand acupuncture microsystem was introduced in the 1970s and has since gained wide popularity as an effective approach to pain and to other medical problems. While Koryo Hand Acupuncture (KHT) has presented practitioners with a simple somatotopy of the body organs and structures, this textbook presents the discovery of additional projections of the body organs and structures. This textbook provides a comprehensive comprehension to the inherit sophistication of the hand acupuncture microsystem. The three-phase system offers a new paradigm for understanding the patho-physiology of the living system. This new discovery will provide exciting and sophisticated ways to deal with all aspects of the pathology regardless of the duration and the intensity.

This is the first book to address public health issues in traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM). It presents state-of-the-art reviews of TCAM research in a range of priority public health areas such as malaria and HIV and in such common ailments as skin conditions and orthopedic injury in developing countries. Contributions analyze policy trends in areas such as financing of TCAM and education and training in this field as well as selected case studies of model TCAM projects. Important chapters on research methodology, ethical and safety issues, and intellectual property rights pertaining to traditional medicine are also presented.Public financing for TCAM is a test of the commitment of governments, and the book includes an analysis from the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Atlas data of the worldwide trends in this area. With safety concerns foremost in the minds of both policy makers and the public, the book offers a global overview of policy and legislative trends in this field as well as an important set of guidelines for pharmacovigilance and TCAM products.

A step-by-step guide on how to set up your own complementary health care practice. This book covers every aspect of starting up a new practice, taking into account the wide range of practice requirements from the very simple (e.g. in therapist's own home) to the more ambitious (e.g. buying premises from which to set up a clinic). It covers all the legal requirements, detailed and precise financial calculations and the mechanics of how the therapist goes about making their vision a reality. Day-to-day aspects that need to be considered when the practice is up and running are covered. The manual is relevant for a broad spectrum of complementary practitioners, from chiropractors to massage therapists. Gives clear advice on legal and financial requirements, the production of a marketing strategy and the presentation of the precise financial calculations required for a business plan, with worked examples Includes detailed information on how to write a business plan, with a numerically linked example Covers day-to-day aspects of running a practice International in its approach, the book contains extensive lists of useful web addresses for access to up-to-the-minute information Financial templates are supplied as appendices The book offers key advice for all therapists - chiropractors, osteopaths, massage therapists and complementary therapists - and is suitable for undergraduates, newly qualified practitioners and experienced practitioners looking to either start up or develop and grow their practice.

Written by the Director of the world-renowned Touch Research Institutes, this book examines the practical applications of important massage therapy research findings. Each chapter of this comprehensive resource provides a clear and authoritative review of what is reliably known about the effects of touch for a variety of clinical conditions such as depression, pain management, movement problems, and functioning of the immune system. Coverage also includes the benefits of massage to specific populations such as pregnant women, neonates, infants, and adolescents. This book is suitable for massage therapists (including Shiatsu practitioners), aromatherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, physical therapists, and nurses.

This important book fills a need in the developing area of Pain Medicine. It provides physicians with an up-to-date resource that details the current understanding about the basic science underlying the mechanism of action of the various CAM therapies used for pain. It summarizes the clinical evidence both for efficacy and safety, and finishes with practical guidelines about how such treatments could be successfully and safely integrated into a Pain practice.

This handbook provides key information on the clinical use of nutraceuticals, an increasingly common practice grounded in an understanding of the pharmacological activities of natural compounds and clinical evidence of efficacy and safety. Each chapter examines the effects of nutraceuticals in different therapeutic contexts, including nutraceuticals active on the digestive system, heart, lipid and glucose metabolism, and immune system. The authors also address relevant concerns such as relative and absolute contraindications, range of tested doses (efficacious and safe), possible side effects and pharmacological interactions, and the scientific level of clinical evidence for each product. Despite the availability of a large number of nutraceuticals on the market, the same compound is often offered by different industries at different dosages and concentrations, with different titration and often with different suggestions of efficacy. Available academic books on nutraceuticals prioritize summarizing information or focus on the pharmacological aspects on cells or animals models rather than on proof in humans. The handbook takes a unique and practical approach intended to assist clinicians, pharmacologists, nutritionists, and dietitians considering prescribing nutraceuticals for therapeutic use. Renowned expert Professor Arrigo Cicero is known internationally for his work in nutraceuticals, and currently serves as President of the Italian Nutraceutical Society.

Las enfermedades inflamatorias aquejan a personas de todos los caminos de la vida y de todos los grupos de edad. La inflamaci n es simplemente una respuesta de cuerpo para defenderse. Lo podemos ver cuando nos fracturamos un hueso, sufrimos una cortadura o nos enterramos un objeto punzante. Es en general una respuesta inmune, donde los mecanismos de defensa arman una ofensiva hacia el objeto extra o o la lastimadura. Sin embargo, esa misma respuesta inmune puede responder a alimentos o condiciones del cuerpo. Hay muchos factores que promueven estas enfermedades inflamatorias. Entre ellos el m?'s importante es la alimentaci n. De la misma forma que modificar lo que comemos minimiza esa inflamaci n, as tambi n existen alimentos que son terap uticos y ayudan a aliviar, prevenir y eliminar las enfermedades inflamatorias. En este libro, el lector encontrar a la par de los testimonios y vivencias del autor, una gran cantidad de consejos y m todos para aliviar sus condiciones inflamatorias junto con alimentos y terapias naturales para prevenir y aminorar sus afecciones. Es el deseo del autor y de sus colaboradores que tanto usted como sus seres queridos puedan beneficiarse de las experiencias y material que aqu se le brinda.

This volume describes a precision method for identifying the right statin at the right dose for you. It explains how to avoid the use of extra-strong statins with their increased side effects and it provides information about lower, safer, statin doses that are appropriate for millions of people.