How Do I Choose The Best Arthritis Medicine?

Are you spending a fortune on prescription arthritis medicines? Are they helping? Are you concerned about side effects? You may think a particular drug is a miraculous godsend. Yet, someone you know may take the same dose only to experience little relief and life-threatening side effects. All of the choices can be confusing.



The best treatment for your arthritis is based on your needs. Making the diagnosis of "osteoarthritis" is fairly straightforward, but deciding what to do about it is a complex and very individualized matter. There's a wide range of options available to help you deal with OA; medicines are only part of the picture:






The Basics: Weight Management / Exercise / Education / Modify Activities


Medications: Pain Relievers, NSAIDs (like ibuprofen), Supplements


Injections/ Bracing


Surgery





The highest dose of the latest, "greatest" arthritis medicine on the market will NOT help unless you follow common-sense health practices. Focus on low-tech/low-cost habits that pay off throughout your body and quality of life. Modify the combination of remedies over your lifetime as symptoms wax and wane. Start simple, and then move to the next step if the first isn't helping. You can cut back during the times you have less pain.



At this point, available medicines can relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, not cure it. There are some treatments for rheumatoid arthritis that can slow down joint destruction. Scientific research suggests that nutritional supplements, like glucosamine, might strengthen cartilage tissue. Stay tuned!



The dozens of arthritis medications available are categorized by drug class. The drug classes differ in the way your body handles the chemical that makes up the drug, known as the mechanism of action. Different mechanisms of action target different arthritis symptoms: pain vs. stiffness vs. inflammation. If you understand the classes, you will understand:






how each drug works,


which drugs are related because they work in a similar way,


what side effects can occur, and


why a drug may or may not be right for you.





Fortunately, there are eight drug classes to choose from to relieve your osteoarthritis symptoms. If you must avoid a whole class because you have another health condition, there are plenty of others that could keep you comfortable. Combining smaller doses from different classes may be the right answer. Usually only with prudent, thoughtful trials will you and your doctor discover what's best for you. Keep a diary of the remedies you try, and their effects, good and bad. You spend a lot of money trying to feel better - don't waste it!



Beware of your drugs' true cost! "Cost" applies not only to the money you pay for the pills, but also to the toll they could take on your system in terms of side effects like stomach ulcers, kidney failure, addiction, and other problems worth avoiding!



OA is a chronic, degenerative condition that progresses at different rates in different patients (and even in different joints in the same body!) You've got better things to do than let OA rule your day. The right treatment strategy will get you back to the Pursuit of Happiness!



Want to learn more about all EIGHT classes of OA drugs? Visit www.knowyourbones.com to order "Making Sense of Arthritis Medicine: Manage Your Symptoms Safely" and discover relief that's right for you!







Stephanie E. Siegrist, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in her 10th year of practice, and author of "Making Sense of Arthritis Medicine." She's one of only 3% of U.S. orthopedic surgeons who are women! Dr. Siegrist strives to bridge the gaps that exist in today's doctor-patient relationship with "Information Therapy!" Complete information about Dr. Siegrist, and the book, are available from her website.






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Other alternative remedies

Holistic Medicine

Holistic Medicine involves natural treatment options like holistic nutrition, herbology, environmental medicine, energy work, mind-body medicine, anatomy, and many other holistic medicine practices.

Holistic medicine allows an individual to be treated naturally and establishes a positive balance between body, mind and spirit. Holisitc medicine encourages self-healing. Holistic medicine promotes detoxification by utilizing cleansing herbs. Holistic medicine also teaches nutritional guidelines that enhances proper diet and longevity. Furthermore, holistic medicine means utilizing recommended vitamins, minerals and other nutritional supplements to make one's body function more effectively.

Holistic medicine encompasses preventative and maintenance programs. But it also enables us to learn alternative healing methods like Yoga, Reiki, Tai Chi, acupressure, acupuncture, herbal and plant remedies and so much more. There are well over 100 medical conditions like cancer, migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome and many others that can be helped with holistic medicine today.

In modern society, there are countless advantages to holistic medicine. If you or someone you know is interested in learning about the benefits of holistic medicine or would like to contact a holistic medicine practitioner, Holistic Junction has a directory listing of many, professional holistic medicine specialists. Simply go to "Directories," click on Business Directories and we'll help you find one close to you.



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Other alternative remedies

Herbs as medicines.

Herbs or medicinal plants have a long history in treating disease. In traditional Chinese medicine, for example, the written history of herbal medicine goes back over 2000 years and herbalists in the West have used "weeds" equally long to treat that which ails us. We are all familiar with the virtues of Garlic, Chamomile, Peppermint, Lavender, and other common herbs.

Interest in medicinal herbs is on the rise again and the interest is primarily from the pharmaceutical industry, which is always looking for 'new drugs' and more effective substances to treat diseases, for which there may be no or very few drugs available.

Considering the very long traditional use of herbal medicines and the large body of evidence of their effectiveness, why is it that we are not generally encouraged to use traditional herbal medicine, instead of synthetic, incomplete copies of herbs, called drugs, considering the millions of dollars being spent looking for these seemingly elusive substances?

Herbs are considered treasures when it comes to ancient cultures and herbalists, and many so-called weeds are worth their weight in gold. Dandelion, Comfrey, Digitalis (Foxglove), the Poppy, Milk Thistle, Stinging nettle, and many others, have well-researched and established medicinal qualities that have few if any rivals in the pharmaceutical industry. Many of them in fact, form the bases of pharmaceutical drugs.

Research into the medicinal properties of such herbs as the humble Dandelion is currently being undertaken by scientists at the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Kew, west London, who believe it could be the source of a life-saving drug for cancer patients.

Early tests suggest that it could hold the key to warding off cancer, which kills tens of thousands of people every year.

Their work on the cancer-beating properties of the dandelion, which also has a history of being used to treat warts, is part of a much larger project to examine the natural medicinal properties of scores of British plants and flowers.

Professor Monique Simmonds, head of the Sustainable Uses of Plants Group at Kew, said: "We aren't randomly screening plants for their potential medicinal properties, we are looking at plants which we know have a long history of being used to treat certain medical problems."

"We will be examining them to find out what active compounds they contain which can treat the illness."

Unfortunately, as is so often the case, this group of scientists appears to be looking for active ingredients, which can later be synthesised and then made into pharmaceutical drugs. This is not the way herbs are used traditionally and their functions inevitably change when the active ingredients are used in isolation. That's like saying that the only important part of a car is the engine - nothing else needs to be included.

So, why is there this need for isolating the 'active ingredients'?

As a scientist, I can understand the need for the scientific process of establishing the fact that a particular herb works on a particular disease, pathogen or what ever, and the need to know why and how it does so. But, and this is a BIG but, as a doctor of Chinese medicine I also understand the process of choosing and prescribing COMBINATIONS of herbs, which have a synergistic effect to treat not just the disease, but any underlying condition as well as the person with the disease - That is a big difference and not one that is easily tested using standard scientific methodologies.

Using anecdotal evidence, which after all has a history of thousands of years, seems to escape my esteemed colleagues all together. Rather than trying to isolate the active ingredient(s), why not test these herbs, utilising the knowledge of professional herbalists, on patients in vivo, using the myriad of technology available to researchers and medical diagnosticians to see how and why these herbs work in living, breathing patients, rather than in a test tube or on laboratory rats and mice (which, by the way, are not humans and have a different, although some what similar, physiology to us.).

I suspect, that among the reasons for not following the above procedure is that the pharmaceutical companies are not really interested in the effects of the medicinal plants as a whole, but rather in whether they can isolate a therapeutic substance which can then be manufactured cheaply and marketed as a new drug - and of course that's where the money is.

The problem with this approach is however, that medicinal plants like Comfrey, Dandelion and other herbs usually contain hundreds if not thousands of chemical compounds that interact, yet many of which are not yet understood and cannot be manufactured. This is why the manufactured drugs, based on so-called active ingredients, often do not work or produce side effects.

Aspirin is a classic case in point. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in Aspirin tablets, and was first isolated from the bark of the White Willow tree. It is a relatively simple compound to make synthetically, however, Aspirin is known for its ability to cause stomach irritation and in some cases ulceration of the stomach wall.

The herbal extract from the bark of the White Willow tree generally does not cause stomach irritation due to other, so called 'non-active ingredients' contained in the bark, which function to protect the lining of the stomach thereby preventing ulceration of the stomach wall.

Ask yourself, which would I choose - Side effects, or no site effects? - It's a very simple answer. Isn't it?

So why then are herbal medicines not used more commonly and why do we have pharmaceutical impostors stuffed down our throats? The answer is, that there's little or no money in herbs for the pharmaceutical companies. They, the herbs, have already been invented, they grow easily, they multiply readily and for the most part, they're freely available.

Further more, correctly prescribed and formulated herbal compounds generally resolve the health problem of the patient over a period of time, leaving no requirement to keep taking the preparation - that means no repeat sales. no ongoing prescriptions. no ongoing problem.

Pharmaceuticals on the other hand primarily aim to relieve symptoms - that means: ongoing consultations, ongoing sales, ongoing health problems - which do you think is a more profitable proposition.?

Don't get me wrong, this is not to say that all drugs are impostors or that none of the pharmaceutical drugs cure diseases or maladies - they do and some are life-preserving preparations and are without doubt invaluable. However, herbal extracts can be similarly effective, but are not promoted and are highly under-utilised.

The daily news is full of 'discoveries' of herbs found to be a possible cure of this or that, as in the example of Dandelion and its possible anti-cancer properties. The point is, that these herbs need to be investigated in the correct way. They are not just 'an active ingredient'. They mostly have hundreds of ingredients and taking one or two in isolation is not what makes medicinal plants work. In addition, rarely are herbal extracts prescribed by herbalists as singles (a preparation which utilises only one herb). Usually herbalists mix a variety of medicinal plants to make a mixture, which addresses more than just the major symptoms.

In Chinese medicine for example there is a strict order of hierarchy in any herbal prescription, which requires considerable depth of knowledge and experience on the physicians part. The fact that the primary or principle herb has active ingredients, which has a specific physiological effect, does not mean the other herbs are not necessary in the preparation. This is a fact seemingly ignored by the pharmaceutical industry in its need to manufacture new drugs that can control disease.

Knowing that medicinal plants are so effective, that these plants potentially hold the key to many diseases, are inexpensive and have proven their worth time and time again over millennia, why is it that herbal medicine is still not in the forefront of medical treatments, and is considered by many orthodox medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies as hocus-pocus.. hmmm.


About The Author


Danny and Susan Siegenthaler have extensive experience as practitioners of Chinese medicine and as medical herbalists. They both have Bachelor of Science degrees, as well as several degrees in various modalities of alternative medicine. Together they have over 40 years of combined clinical experience and have taught hundreds of students.


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Other alternative remedies

Herbal Medicine has been used for thousands of years

Herbs or medicinal plants have a long history in treating disease and health disorders. In traditional Chinese medicine, for example, the written history of herbal medicine goes back over 2000 years and herbalists in the West have used "weeds" equally long to treat that which ails us. We are all familiar with the virtues of Garlic, Chamomile, Peppermint, Lavender, and other common herbs.

Interest in medicinal herbs is on the rise again and the interest is primarily from the pharmaceutical industry, which is always looking for 'new drugs' and more effective substances to treat diseases, for which there may be no or very few drugs available.

Considering the very long traditional use of herbal medicines and the large body of evidence of their effectiveness, why is it that we are not generally encouraged to use traditional herbal medicine, instead of synthetic, incomplete copies of herbs, called drugs, considering the millions of dollars being spent looking for these seemingly elusive substances?

Herbs are considered treasures when it comes to ancient cultures and herbalists, and many so-called weeds are worth their weight in gold. Dandelion, Comfrey, Digitalis (Foxglove), the Poppy, Milk Thistle, Stinging nettle, and many others, have well-researched and established medicinal qualities that have few if any rivals in the pharmaceutical industry. Many of them in fact, form the bases of pharmaceutical drugs.

Research into the medicinal properties of such herbs as the humble Dandelion is currently being undertaken by scientists at the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Kew, west London, believe it could be the source of a life-saving drug for cancer patients.

Early tests suggest that it could hold the key to warding off cancer, which kills tens of thousands of people every year.

Their work on the cancer-beating properties of the dandelion, which also has a history of being used to treat warts, is part of a much larger project to examine the natural medicinal properties of scores of British plants and flowers.

Professor Monique Simmonds, head of the Sustainable Uses of Plants Group at Kew, said: "We aren't randomly screening plants for their potential medicinal properties, we are looking at plants which we know have a long history of being used to treat certain medical problems."

"We will be examining them to find out what active compounds they contain which can treat the illness."

Unfortunately, as is so often the case, this group of scientists appears to be looking for active ingredients, which can later be synthesized and then made into pharmaceutical drugs. This is not the way herbs are used traditionally and their functions inevitably change when the active ingredients are used in isolation. That's like saying that the only important part of a car is the engine - nothing else needs to be included.

So, why is there this need for isolating the 'active ingredients'?

As a scientist, I can understand the need for the scientific process of establishing the fact that a particular herb works on a particular disease, pathogen or what ever, and the need to know why and how it does so. But, and this is a BIG but, as a doctor of Chinese medicine I also understand the process of choosing and prescribing COMBINATIONS of herbs, which have a synergistic effect to treat not just the disease, but any underlying condition as well as the person with the disease - That is a big difference and not one that is easily tested using standard scientific methodologies.

Using anecdotal evidence, which after all has a history of thousands of years, seems to escape my esteemed colleagues all together. Rather than trying to isolate the active ingredient(s), why not test these herbs, utilizing the knowledge of professional herbalists, on patients in vivo, using the myriad of technology available to researchers and medical diagnosticians to see how and why these herbs work in living, breathing patients, rather than in a test tube or on laboratory rats and mice (which, by the way, are not humans and have a different, although some what similar, physiology to us.).

I suspect, that among the reasons for not following the above procedure is that the pharmaceutical companies are not really interested in the effects of the medicinal plants as a whole, but rather in whether they can isolate a therapeutic substance which can then be manufactured cheaply and marketed as a new drug - and of course that's where the money is.

The problem with this approach is however, that medicinal plants like Comfrey, Dandelion and other herbs usually contain hundreds if not thousands of chemical compounds that interact, yet many of which are not yet understood and cannot be manufactured. This is why the manufactured drugs, based on so-called active ingredients, often do not work or produce side effects.

Aspirin is a classic case in point. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in Aspirin tablets, and was first isolated from the bark of the White Willow tree. It is a relatively simple compound to make synthetically, however, Aspirin is known for its ability to cause stomach irritation and in some cases ulceration of the stomach wall.

The herbal extract from the bark of the White Willow tree generally does not cause stomach irritation due to other, so called 'non-active ingredients' contained in the bark, which function to protect the lining of the stomach thereby preventing ulceration of the stomach wall.

Ask yourself, which would I choose - Side effects, or no site effects? - It's a very simple answer. Isn't it?

So why then are herbal medicines not used more commonly and why do we have pharmaceutical impostors stuffed down our throats? The answer is, that there's little or no money in herbs for the pharmaceutical companies. They, the herbs, have already been invented, they grow easily, they multiply readily and for the most part, they're freely available.

Further more, correctly prescribed and formulated herbal compounds generally resolve the health problem of the patient over a period of time, leaving no requirement to keep taking the preparation - that means no repeat sales. no ongoing prescriptions. no ongoing problem.

Pharmaceuticals on the other hand primarily aim to relieve symptoms - that means: ongoing consultations, ongoing sales, ongoing health problems - which do you think is a more profitable proposition.?

Don't get me wrong, this is not to say that all drugs are impostors or that none of the pharmaceutical drugs cure diseases or maladies - they do and some are life-preserving preparations and are without doubt invaluable. However, herbal extracts can be similarly effective, but are not promoted and are highly under-utilized.

The daily news is full of 'discoveries' of herbs found to be a possible cure of this or that, as in the example of Dandelion and its possible anti-cancer properties. The point is, that these herbs need to be investigated in the correct way. They are not just 'an active ingredient'. They mostly have hundreds of ingredients and taking one or two in isolation is not what makes medicinal plants work. In addition, rarely are herbal extracts prescribed by herbalists as singles (a preparation which utilizes only one herb). Usually herbalists mix a variety of medicinal plants to make a mixture, which addresses more than just the major symptoms.

In Chinese medicine for example there is a strict order of hierarchy in any herbal prescription, which requires considerable depth of knowledge and experience on the physicians part. The fact that the primary or principle herb has active ingredients, which has a specific physiological effect, does not mean the other herbs are not necessary in the preparation. This is a fact seemingly ignored by the pharmaceutical industry in its need to manufacture new drugs that can control disease.

Knowing that medicinal plants are so effective, that these plants potentially hold the key to many diseases, are inexpensive and have proven their worth time and time again over millennia, why is it that herbal medicine is still not in the forefront of medical treatments, and is considered by many orthodox medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies as hocus-pocus.. hmmm.


About the Author

Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.


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Other alternative remedies

herbal medicine for diabetes

herbal medicine for diabetes
by: GOLDIE
For Salacia Oblonga herb Capsules and Extract Write to Botanika herbalpowders@operamail.com treeseeds@operamail.com treeseeds@rediffmail.com : : : :
WWW.SALACIAOBLONGACAPSULES.COM
Traditional Indian medicine, herb Salacia oblonga may help treat diabetes Posted By: News-Medical in Medical Study News Published: Tuesday, 8-Feb-2005 Printer Friendly Email to a Friend : : : : Herbs used in traditional Indian medicine to treat diabetes seems to lower blood sugar and insulin levels in a manner similar to prescription drugs, a new study reports. Researchers gave extracts of the herb Salacia oblonga to 39 healthy adults, and the results were promising. The largest dose of the herb extract - 1,000 milligrams - decreased insulin and blood glucose levels by 29 and 23 percent, respectively. : : "These kinds of reductions are similar to what we might see with prescription oral medications for people with diabetes," said Steve Hertzler, a study co-author and an assistant professor of nutrition at Ohio State University. : : Salacia oblonga, which is native to regions of India and Sri Lanka, binds to intestinal enzymes that break down carbohydrates in the body. These enzymes, called alpha-glucosidases, turn carbohydrates into glucose, the sugar that circulates throughout the body. If the enzyme binds to the herbal extract rather than to a carbohydrate, then less glucose gets into the blood stream, resulting in lowered blood glucose and insulin levels. : : "Lowering blood glucose levels lowers the risk of disease-related complications in people with diabetes," Hertzler said. "Also, poor compliance with diabetes medications often hinders the effectiveness of these drugs. It may be easier to get someone to take an herb with food or in a beverage, as opposed to a pill." : : The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. : : Thirty-nine healthy adults participated in four separate meal tolerance tests. These meals, which were given in beverage form, were spaced three to 14 days apart. Each participant fasted for at least 10 hours before consuming the test beverage. : : Participants were asked to drink about two cups' worth of the chilled beverage, which contained zero, 500, 700 or 1,000 milligrams of Salacia oblonga extract. Afterward, the researchers used the finger-prick method to draw blood samples from each person every 15 to 30 minutes for three hours. These blood samples were used to determine insulin and blood glucose concentrations. The biggest changes in blood glucose and insulin levels usually happen within the first two hours after eating. : : The beverage that contained the highest concentration of the herbal extract - 1,000 milligrams - provided the most dramatic reduction in insulin and blood glucose levels. Insulin levels were 29 percent lower, while blood glucose levels were 23 percent lower as compared to the control drink, which contained no herbal extract. : : As Salacia oblonga can cause intestinal gas, the researchers had the study participants collect breath hydrogen samples hourly for eight hours after drinking the test beverage. The participants collected their breath in small plastic tubes. The researchers then analyzed these breath samples for hydrogen and methane content - the level of either substance in the breath corresponds to the level contained in the colon. : : The subjects also rated the frequency and intensity of nausea, abdominal cramping and distention and gas for two days after consuming each test meal. : : While the test beverages containing Salacia oblonga caused an increase in breath hydrogen excretion, reports of gastrointestinal discomfort were minimal, Hertzler said. : : Right now he and his colleagues are trying to figure out what dose of the herb is most effective, and when it should be taken relative to a meal. : : "We want to know how long it takes for the herb to bind to the enzymes that break down carbohydrates," Hertzler said. "The participants in this study took the herb with their meal, but maybe taking it before eating would be even more effective." : : The researchers also want to study the effects of Salacia oblonga in people with diabetes. : : "A lot of studies show that lowering blood sugar levels reduces the risk for all kinds of diabetes-related complications, such as kidney disease and nerve and eye damage," Hertzler said. "We want to see if this herb has this kind of effect." : : Salacia oblonga is still relatively difficult to find in the United States, Hertzler said, although there are manufacturers that sell the herb through the Internet. : : This study was supported by the Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories in Columbus. : : Hertzler is continuing to conduct Salacia oblonga studies with the Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories. He has no links to the company beyond this affiliation. : : Hertzler conducted the work with former Ohio State colleague Patricia Heacock, who is now at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; Jennifer Williams, a clinical scientist with Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories; and Bryan Wolf, a former research scientists with Ross Products Division


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Other alternative remedies

Herbal Medicine: An Ounce Of Prevention

In recent years the issue of Alternative Healing has taken the medical world by storm.

A 2004 government survey concluded that more than one third of adults use some form of alternative medicine and healing. Many of those using alternative therapies do not even discuss them with their traditional healthcare practitioners.

One facet of this burgeoning interest is Herbal Medicine. While it may seem "trendy" to some, Herbal Medicine has been around for thousands of years.

In fact, many of the familiar pharmaceutical medications we use today were originally created from "natural" ingredients. Drugs like opium (from poppies), aspirin

(from willow bark), digitalis (from foxglove) and quinine (from the cinchona tree.)

What is Herbal Medicine?

Herbal Medicine is the use of botanicals (plants) either singularly or in combination to prevent and treat certain ailments and illnesses.

People native to different geographical locations have long used plants and plant extracts to cure specific maladies.

Sometimes referred to as "folk" medicine, it is generally recognized that there are three schools of research one can follow with regard to the history of these treatments.

There is the study of medicines based on Greek, Roman and medieval sources, which is largely used by Western schools of thought, Ayurveda which comes from

India, and the Eastern tradition of Chinese Herbal Medicine. Rather than separation, these different schools of thought provide more commonality than division.

It stands to reason that most ancient peoples used plants that were native to their geographical location, which provides sound reasoning as to why different schools of thought exist.

All three of these modalities at one time included both philosophical and spiritual aspects along with the scientific knowledge that existed within a specific time frame.

In the study that determined one third of Americans used alternative therapies, the same number surveyed showed a dramatic increase in positive results to more than

60% when "prayer" was included in the mix.

Ayurveda, loosely translated to "knowledge of life," is the ancient Indian system of medicine. Dating back to more than 6,000 years ago, Ayurvedic Medicine practiced not just Herbal Medicine, but some of the earliest surgical procedures as well as inoculation.

Over the years Ayurvedic Medicine became increasingly symptomatic as opposed to treating the root cause of disease, which originally was steeped in strengthening the immune system.

With all our so-called advancements in the medical field, it's interesting that physicians are still treating "effect" rather than "cause."

The old adage that, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" could not be more true. This is especially true when it comes to natural remedies.

Nothing in the makeup of a plant tells us in what way it would be used the best. There are over a half million known herbs that could be used as possible remedies.

Chinese Herbalist practitioners have over 2,000 herbs that are readily available in their pharmacies.

Herbal remedies around the globe very in strength from the very mild and gentle remedies that are use even as food, to those that are potential poisons when taken at the wrong dose.

Folk use of herbal remedies is familiar to all of us in some form or another. This is because herbal remedies are learned by being passed down from generation to generation.

Unfortunately this hearsay is what fuels the ire of the scientific community and their disdain.

But by dismissing generations of experience and observation, it is really the traditional scientific community which is losing out on this wisdom.

In recent times, attitudes toward traditional and herbal remedies have changed for the better. Many medical schools now offer studies in complementary medicine alongside traditional medical courses.

It's only a matter of time before herbal medicine becomes part of a more holistic practice of healthcare.


About the Author

Priya Shah is the editor of The Glutathione Report and Health Naturale. Get a comprehensive report on 47 Easy Herbal Remedies


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Other alternative remedies

Herbal Medicine

Herbal Medicine, also referred to as Herbalism or Botanical Medicine, is the oldest healthcare known to mankind. Herbal medicine is the utilization of herbs for therapy or medicinal purposes. Derived from plants, herbs are used for their medicine, aroma and spice. Herb plants produce and comprise a mariyad of chemical substances that interact with our bodies. From food, to clothing, to medicine and even shelter; plants have proven invaluable throughout the history of mankind. Through trial and error and based on observations of wildlife, plants have been developed for medicinal use. Over the centuries, mankind has documented the medicinal value of herbs.

Most of our medicines used today are derived from native cultures. Approximately 25% of prescription drugs in the US contain at least one active plant material ingredient. Currently, over 4 billion people or 80% of the world population use herbal medicine for some forms of healthcare. Ayurvedic practitioners, homeopathic practitioners, naturopathic practitioners, traditional Oriental practitioners and Native American Indians commonly utilize herbal medicine. Today, pharmaceutical companies are extensively researching rain forest plant materials for their medicinal potential.

Herbs remain the foundation for a large amount of commercial medications used today for treatment of heart disease, blood pressure regulation, pain remedies, asthma and other health problems. A prime example of herbal medicine is the foxglove plant. Used since 1775, this powdered leaf is known as the cardiac stimulant digitalis which preserves life in millions of heart patients in modern society. From Aloe to St. John's Wort, herbal medicines are mainstream in modern civilization. To learn more about the benefits of herbal medicine, peruse our site for the latest holistic health remedies today.

Herbal Medicine
© All Rights Reserved
by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot in conjunction with Holistic Junction

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Other alternative remedies

Healing teas are strong medicine

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 80% of the world's population satisfy their primary health care needs with traditional herbal medicines. These medicinal plant preparations, passed on and proven through generations of healers, are the oldest known form of health care.

Herbal medicines, although not common for primary health care in North America, are growing in acceptance both as preventative and supplemental alternatives. Often these medicinal plant preparations are most effectively delivered as "medicinal teas". With consistently good results dating back hundreds of years these healing teas are best described as strong medicine.

Several medicinal tea preparations can be found under the BIJA name that can be enjoyed daily as immune boosting preventatives or, if caught with our guard down, effective treatments for cold and flu symptoms.

BIJA's Lemon, Ginger and Echinacea preparation works to strengthen the immune system and helps to fight colds in a number of ways. Echinacea has the ability to increase

white blood cell counts. Ginger moves congestion, brings relief to achy muscles and boosts the effectiveness of the whole preparation. Lemon helps to alkalinize the acidic environment that could encourage germs to multiply. Another BIJA tea is COLD STOP. This combination of eight traditional cold and flu remedies leaves no stone unturned in its approach, with warming and delicious herbs like Licorice, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Yarrow, Thyme, Ginger and Peppermint. Antibiotic in action this combination works to kill invading organisms, while helping the body recover by supporting the active tissue sites. BIJA Echinacea Elderberry with Cranberry and Rooibos is a combo that aims to prevent trouble before it starts. An increase in immune function can ward off invaders before they can take hold, and that makes staying healthy easy to do. Bursting with activity and flavor this tea is perfect for daily use.

For authentic herbal solutions to cold and flu, and to boost immune function, use BIJA tea. Available in natural food outlets or for more information call Flora at 1- 888-436-6697.


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Other alternative remedies

ELECTRO-MOLECULAR MEDICINE: A NEW FRONTIER

Two hundred years after Newton's experience with an apple Sir James Maxwell proposed electromagnetism as a stronger force in the universal scheme, one controlling electron sharing between atoms which Hawkings notes "is the basis of all biology, life itself". A splendid path of discovery and therapy lay before us.

Maxwell's defining electromagnetism was seminal in creating the modern era of physics at the turn of the 20th century. Einstein spent the latter third of his life trying to explain how gravity, electromagnetism and two other fundamental forces controlled all interactions into a single universal theory still pursued today.

Rather than join the scientific world in these revolutionary understandings traditional medicine published the Flexner report in 1910, eradicating electromagnetism from all medical curricula in the United States, and closed 170 institutions in the name of "medical science" that supported such "irregular" teachings. A treatment half of the populace in the United States embraced in the 1850s was no longer available, gone in a political coup that rebuked the best of science. Drugs and surgery became lord and master of all they surveyed, imposters to the throne in a kingdom deserving better.

Commonly employed in Europe, only a few brave men continued to define electromagnetism in America. Robert Royal Rife was defiled and harassed to the point of suicide for his beliefs. Others, like Robert Becker overcame harassment and ignorance in his monumental effort to popularize electro-molecular medicine by publishing "The Body Electric", a treatise exalted by millions. Alas, his genius only cracked the door as electro-molecular medicine was carefully sequestered in orthopedic fracture care instead of redefining the entire human condition as it is inevitably destined to do.

In 1972 American cardiologists traveled to Moscow to witness the restoration of different heart conditions employing electromagnetism and found it "pretty impressive IF they were telling the truth" (first rule: discredit the source). The work of the Myasnikov Institute went unreported, as another opportunity to embrace electro-molecular understanding of our "body electric" was missed. Arthritis, stroke, and spinal cord injury come to mind as similar oversights here that are successfully treated in Europe.

In 2003 Thomas Goodwin and Robert Dennis defined "most bio-effective" pulse characteristics in a watershed understanding of electro-molecular events surrounding gene response to injury. Electromagnetism, a fundamental energy since the planet began, influencing chemical reactions in us as living systems; what could be more natural?


About the Author

Glen Gordon MD gained first US approval to use pulsed electromagnetic technology to treat soft tissue injury in humans (1980), developed the first nanosecond pulse technology in the US, and continues to speak and write on this new paradigm in treating illness and injury. For more information see www.em-probe.com


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Other alternative remedies

diabetes medicine

Salacia oblonga, Indian herb also known as Ponkoranti.
It has been used by Indian natives since ancient times to effectively
manage Diabetes.
This is a effective cure for type 2 diabetes.
Reduction in blood sugar levels can be observed within 5 days of usage.
It is also a strong weight gain inhibitor and effectively controls
weight gain commonly associated with type 2 diabetic patients.

The recommended dosage is 1000 mg twice daily.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS HERB ON
www.nutrasolutions.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/news...

http://www.newstarget.com/005986.html

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=7685


Traditional Indian medicine, herb Salacia oblonga may help treat
diabetes Posted By: News-Medical in Medical Study News Published:
Tuesday, 8-Feb-2005 Printer Friendly Email to a Friend : : : : Herbs
used in traditional Indian medicine to treat diabetes seems to lower
blood sugar and insulin levels in a manner similar to prescription
drugs, a new study reports. Researchers gave extracts of the herb
Salacia oblonga to 39 healthy adults, and the results were promising.
The largest dose of the herb extract - 1,000 milligrams - decreased
insulin and blood glucose levels by 29 and 23 percent, respectively.
: : "These kinds of reductions are similar to what we might see with
prescription oral medications for people with diabetes," said Steve
Hertzler, a study co-author and an assistant professor of nutrition
at Ohio State University. : : Salacia oblonga, which is native to
regions of India and Sri Lanka, binds to intestinal enzymes that
break down carbohydrates in the body. These enzymes, called
alpha-glucosidases, turn carbohydrates into glucose, the sugar that
circulates throughout the body. If the enzyme binds to the herbal
extract rather than to a carbohydrate, then less glucose gets into
the blood stream, resulting in lowered blood glucose and insulin
levels. : : "Lowering blood glucose levels lowers the risk of
disease-related complications in people with diabetes," Hertzler
said. "Also, poor compliance with diabetes medications often hinders
the effectiveness of these drugs. It may be easier to get someone to
take an herb with food or in a beverage, as opposed to a pill." : :
The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of the American
Dietetic Association. : : Thirty-nine healthy adults participated in
four separate meal tolerance tests. These meals, which were given in
beverage form, were spaced three to 14 days apart. Each participant
fasted for at least 10 hours before consuming the test beverage. : :
Participants were asked to drink about two cups' worth of the chilled
beverage, which contained zero, 500, 700 or 1,000 milligrams of
Salacia oblonga extract. Afterward, the researchers used the
finger-prick method to draw blood samples from each person every 15
to 30 minutes for three hours. These blood samples were used to
determine insulin and blood glucose concentrations. The biggest
changes in blood glucose and insulin levels usually happen within the
first two hours after eating. : : The beverage that contained the
highest concentration of the herbal extract - 1,000 milligrams -
provided the most dramatic reduction in insulin and blood glucose
levels. Insulin levels were 29 percent lower, while blood glucose
levels were 23 percent lower as compared to the control drink, which
contained no herbal extract. : : As Salacia oblonga can cause
intestinal gas, the researchers had the study participants collect
breath hydrogen samples hourly for eight hours after drinking the
test beverage. The participants collected their breath in small
plastic tubes. The researchers then analyzed these breath samples for
hydrogen and methane content - the level of either substance in the
breath corresponds to the level contained in the colon. : : The
subjects also rated the frequency and intensity of nausea, abdominal
cramping and distention and gas for two days after consuming each
test meal. : : While the test beverages containing Salacia oblonga
caused an increase in breath hydrogen excretion, reports of
gastrointestinal discomfort were minimal, Hertzler said. : : Right
now he and his colleagues are trying to figure out what dose of the
herb is most effective, and when it should be taken relative to a
meal. : : "We want to know how long it takes for the herb to bind to
the enzymes that break down carbohydrates," Hertzler said. "The
participants in this study took the herb with their meal, but maybe
taking it before eating would be even more effective." : : The
researchers also want to study the effects of Salacia oblonga in
people with diabetes. : : "A lot of studies show that lowering blood
sugar levels reduces the risk for all kinds of diabetes-related
complications, such as kidney disease and nerve and eye damage,"
Hertzler said. "We want to see if this herb has this kind of effect."
: : Salacia oblonga is still relatively difficult to find in the
United States, Hertzler said, although there are manufacturers that
sell the herb through the Internet. : : This study was supported by
the Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories in Columbus. : :
Hertzler is continuing to conduct Salacia oblonga studies with the
Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories. He has no links to the
company beyond this affiliation. : : Hertzler conducted the work with
former Ohio State colleague Patricia Heacock, who is now at Rutgers,
the State University of New Jersey; Jennifer Williams, a clinical
scientist with Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories; and Bryan
Wolf, a former research scientists with Ross Products Division
by: goldie

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Council on Family Health Offers Medicine Use Information

As many people age, they are faced with health problems that may need to be treated with the regular use of medicine. And with the normal body changes caused by aging, the likelihood of potential problems with medicines increases for many seniors. With this in mind, the Council on Family Health (CFH) has updated Medicines and You: A Guide for Older Adults -- its educational guide for seniors about safe and responsible medicine use. The revised guide, which is also available in Spanish, will be distributed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Administration on Aging (AoA).

The new publication will be available for the first time at the 2004 Joint Conference of The National Council on the Aging and the American Society on Aging, April 14-17, in San Francisco, California.

Medicines and You, first published by CFH in 1991, provides practical information for older adults about the use of prescription and nonprescription medicines. The educational guide gives facts about drug interactions, tips for talking to healthcare professionals, and ways seniors can help lower their medicine costs. The 17-page guide also features "My Medicine Record," a chart on which seniors can list the medicines they take and other important health information.

"Medicines and You offers everyday information that can help older adults manage their medicines and their overall health," says CFH President Robert G. Donovan. "It is important for seniors to know as much as possible about their medicines. Knowledge and good communication between older adults and their health professionals can help avoid problems with medicines," he adds.

Donovan urges: "Learn about your medicines. Read medicine labels and package inserts and follow the directions. If you have questions, ask your doctor or other healthcare professionals."

For a free copy of Medicines and You: A Guide for Older Adults (please specify English or Spanish), write to - FDA/MEDYOU, PSC Personal Property Facility, 16071 Industrial Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20877; send an email request to dpapubs@cder.fda.gov; or call AoA's Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. To view the guide online, go to www.cfhinfo.org.

The guide also will be distributed through FDA's and AoA's regional offices nationwide.



The Council on Family Health, a nonprofit organization established in 1966, is dedicated to educating consumers about the proper use of nonprescription and prescription medicines, dietary supplements, home safety, and personal health.


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Contacting a Celebrex Law Firm - The Best Medicine

When the full side effects of Pfizer's anti-inflammatory and pain-killing drug became apparent, the primary concern for many of the people who had been taking the drug to help with the management of their arthritis symptoms was the implications to their health. As it was revealed that the risk of enduring a major cardiovascular episode was two and a half times in former Celebrex patients what it was in the general population, this is enormously understandable. It is also understandable that for many patients, the next step in coping with the unexpected side effects of Pfizer's drug is to contact a Celebrex law firm.

Most of the patients taking Celebrex were those dealing with the often-debilitating pain and compromised movement of arthritis, a diagnosis that can be upsetting to receive. Even in the day of modern medical miracles, there remains no cure for this condition, and the best that can be hoped for is that lifestyle changes and medication will impact enough to minimise the symptoms sufficiently to allow the patient to continue with life as best they can. Thus, it is no surprise that a drug like Celebrex was greeted so optimistically to the market place, and that it is with crushed spirits that many patients are now contacting Celebrex law firms.

It has been said that too often people file for compensation, seeking, it would seem, to place the responsibility for their own life choices upon some faceless corporation. Of course eating too much McDonald's food will make you fat, eating too much of anything will. But the case of Celebrex is not one of insufficient responsibility - it is simply a matter of a trusted pharmaceutical company who gave to long suffering patients a holy grail. Arthritis patients eagerly and trustingly took Celebrex, hoping for an end to their daily difficulties, only to discover that their health had been further compromised. For many, contacting a Celebrex law firm is not a case of simply getting some financial recompense - though many will need this money in order to cope with future medical bills - but simply to stand up and say this: we trusted you, and you let us down. This will be a kind of medicine in itself.
Dave Hoffman is the founder of Celebrex Law Firm a website providing information on Celebrex attorneys.
by: Jeff Lakie
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Complementary Medicine

Complementary Medicine is the use of natural therapy and medicines to restore and maintain health in addition to conventional medicine. Dating back to 420 B.C., around the time of Hippocrates, complementary medicine is also considered a practice beyond the realm of conventional modern medicine - naturopathy, chiropractic, Ayurvedic, homeopathy, acupuncture and so many other complementary medicine treatments are steadily in demand and on the rise.

Because our bodies are composed of chemical and physical reactions, holistic practitioners affirm that illness is not directly caused by pathogens such as viruses or bacterium; instead is the consequence of the body's reaction (in an effort to shield and heal itself) to a pathogen. Naturopathic and holistic doctors assist potential clients through complementary medicine by plainly alleviating symptoms of disease. Complementary medicine can treat most conditions like headaches, sore throats, flu and cold, indigestion, ear infections, dermatitis, urinary tract infections, sprains and strains. Some chronic conditions such as migraines, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer, muscle-skeletal pain, depression, stress, and even pregnancy and childbirth may be treated with complementary medicine as well.

Complementary medicine teaches proper nutrition in conjunction with vitamin and mineral supplements. Plants and herbs are commonly used in alternative medicine to treat illness, as well as remedies produced from animals and minerals. Hydrotherapy and hypnotherapy are also utilized in complmentary medicine for maximum benefits. All in all, complementary medicine improves mental, emotional, and physical health. It encourages psychic and spiritual growth, and an overwhelming sense of wellness.

You can read more about complementary medicine here at Holistic Junction where you will find a broad spectrum of complementary medicine articles, information and complementary medicine directories.

© All Rights Reserved
Complementary Medicine
by C. Bailey-Lloyd / Lady Camelot in conjunction with Holistic Junction
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Cialis - The Latest in ED Medicine

Erectile Dysfunction is defined as the consistent inability to attain and maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. ED affects an estimated 189 million men worldwide. Experts believe that 80 percent to 90 percent of ED cases are related to a physical or medical condition, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and prostate cancer treatment, while 10 percent to 20 percent are due to psychological causes. In many cases, however, both psychological and physical factors contribute to the condition.

Lilly ICOS LLC, a joint venture between ICOS Corporation and Eli Lilly and Company, developed Cialis for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. ICOS Corporation, a biotechnology company headquartered in Bothell, Washington, is dedicated to bringing innovative therapeutics to patients. ICOS is working to develop treatments for serious unmet medical conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, cancer and inflammatory diseases.

When an erection goes limp, you have PDE5 to thank . Specialized penis tissue produces a substance called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in response to sexual stimulation. The more cGMP available, the more durable the erection. Cialis inhibits the PDE5 enzyme, preserving cGMP levels, therefore aiding erection viability and durability. Cialis (tadalafil), an oral treatment for erectile dysfunction, is a selective inhibitor of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5). Tadalafil has the empirical formula C 22 H 19 N 3 O 4 representing a molecular weight of 389.41.

We all know that Cialis isn't the first oral treatment medicine for erectile dysfunction. It came after Viagra and Levitra. However both Viagra and Levitra works for up to 5-6 hours, while Cialis gives you 36 hours to enjoy sex. All three drugs should take about 30-40 minutes to take action. No longer does an erection or sexual activity have to be rushed. If you Expect to go to a Bar and meet a girl, you probably wouldn't want to take Viagra or Levitra and get a really hard erection after 40 minutes, because you don't know how things would go, Instead you can take Cialis before you go out, and you should be on the safe side of the erection, even if you decide to spend the night.

To conclude, Viagra and Levitra would probably be better to one certain sexual encounter with your wife, while Cialis is a better choice for a whole weekend of sex, or for a night at some pick-up bars, seeking random sex partners, without the certainty of Sex. For a comprehensive overview and comparison of all 3 drugs, as well as prices at selected pharmacies, you should visit Compare-Medicine.com
by: John M. Davidson
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Chinese Medicine

Chinese Medicine, over 2000 years old, is an ancient form of medicine. Consisting of acupuncture, moxibustion (moxibustion - using material made up of "moxa-wool," in a form of a cone or stick; moxibustion is used to treat and prevent disease by applying heat to pints or certain locations of the human body), herbal medicine, acupressure, cupping, therapeutic exercise and nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine is notated by its principle of internal balance and harmony, or "chi," (life force) regulation through energy channels.

In essence, Chinese medicine is widely known for its acupunture techniques and herbology. Founded on the Yin and Yang principle, the five elements and Zang Fu, Chinese medicine is an evolutional treatment in modern Western civilization. Chinese medicine also uses Qi Gong and Tai Qi Chuan in its methodology. Incorporating supplemental elements in a nutritious diet such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and other supplements are fundamental treatments in Chinese medicine as well.

Overall, Chinese medicine can be utilized to treat allergies, arthritis pain, weight control, quitting smoking, back injury pain, musculosceletal pain, fatique, stress, TMJ and PMS. Other illnesses and conditions that can be helped with Chinese medicine are digestive problems, menstrual problems, and urinary problems. If you are interested in obtaining more information about Chinese medicine and its benefits, feel free to peruse our business member directory for accredited, Chinese medicine practitioners or schools today!
by: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot
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Canine Arthritis Medicine

Before you decide to give your dog canine arthritis medicine you should understand what arthritis is and why medication will ease your dog's symptoms.

Arthritis in dogs is just like in humans, it is when a joint becomes inflamed. It can be very painful, swell and become hard to move. Dogs can have different types of arthritis also. Before just giving your dog any type of medication you find at the store, you should have your veterinarian check your dog for signs of arthritis.

Canine arthritis medicine will not make the arthritis go away. There are no cures for arthritis. In severe cases, surgery can be an alternative. But, many medications will relive the pain and swelling associated with arthritis. After your veterinarian has diagnosed your dog with canine arthritis it would be best to find out what medicines he thinks would be best for the type of arthritis you dog is suffering with.

There are many different types of pain killers and anti inflammatory medications that are great in helping your dog. With these medicines your dog will be able to play again and even enjoy life more.

The main thing to remember is that you do not want your best friend suffering with pain if he doesn't have to. He will not be happy and can become worse without the medication. The pain from arthritis will have him lying around and then his joints can become stiffer. He needs to exercise and that is very hard to do, if he is in severe pain.

Luckily, its an ailment that can be treated with treatments such as Arthramine which helps repair the damaged tissue.
by: Niall Kennedy
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Other alternative remedies

Can Western Medicine Accept Chinese Medicine?

Q: My doctor is skeptical of Chinese medicine. Is there a way to make it acceptable to the western medicine way of thinking?

A: This is a complicated issue. Ideally, we could use scientific research to make this possible. This has been done to some extent. However, there are still problems with research and its acceptance.

Not Testing Authentic Chinese Medicine

Studies often diverge from authentic Chinese medicine methodology. Investigators rarely make use of pattern discrimination, which is fundamental to Chinese medicine. Also, studies have yet to acknowledge another reality of CM - its plurality. There are many ways to practice it, and many many herb formulas, herb combinations, acupuncture point combinations, and needling techniques.

See What You Want To See

Plus, studies of people reading and using studies have proven that when we disagree with a study's conclusions, we are much more critical of its methodology and validity than when the results agree with our beliefs. That is a breakdown in the scientific method. In the scientific method, we let study outcomes revise our beliefs - not the other way around.

The Good Research That's Out There

If you want to see good acupuncture research, and great commentary by an MD who devotes his medical practice fully to acupuncture, and who studies authentic CM, go to Acubriefs.com.

I did a short review of the best acupuncture studies since the 1997 National Institutes of Health statement.

Effectiveness and Proof are Secondary

An interesting twist: Historian and anthropologist Paul Unschuld's suggests that the acceptance of any medicine has more to do with how it fits or doesn't fit with the social zeitgeist (spirit of the times). People must understand a medicine in a way that fits with their beliefs and values first. Scientific evidence, and personal experience of effectiveness are secondary.

Acceptance by Western Medicine

But as for acceptance by western docs- it depends on the doc. I doubt the AMA is going to be accepting Chinese medicine as a separate and equally valid medical system. But some individual docs might.

Who Speaks For Western Medicine?

According to Modern Healthcare Magazine, "Not counting medical students and residents, who are lured by deep discounts in annual dues, AMA members account for only about 29 per cent of 726,000 practicing doctors in America."

This raises the question- who represents most doctors? How do we know what they think or want?

I did an internet search, both on Google and Yahoo, for other medical organizations... most of them were state, or country-oriented.

I did find a few others, but their membership numbers may overlap:

The Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) - 17,000 members
American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) - 2,000 members
American Holistic Medicine Association (AHMA) - membership not listed

So even though the AMA represents less than one-third of physicians, it doesn't appear that any other organization has nearly as many members. Perhaps no one speaks for Western medicine.

Pattern Discrimination Isn't So Strange

Besides all the distinct ontology (the study of what exists) like meridians and organ-systems, a fundamentally unique feature of CM (used in China to differentiate CM from WM) is pattern discrimination.

Different treatment for different symptom/sign patterns is not really that strange. Western docs don't give all patients the same antihypertensive drugs, for example. It depends on the patient, and there are specific groupings according to symptoms, signs, and other diagnoses. We do the same thing - just different groupings.

Regardless, many Western docs look down their nose at pattern discrimination. Perhaps they don't think it's scientific enough? They don't see the benefit. It's outside their paradigm.

Inequality in Credibility and Authority

Chinese medicine's biggest obstacle to making progress politically and in the media is that MD's are seen as the one true medical authority. They are the experts on everything. Pure scientists don't get as much attention, nor do scholars, or Master's degree people. Politicians and journalists both have this perspective. Because of this, our objections (to the actions of AMA, FDA, and drug companies against Chinese herbal medicine) go unheard. We are not seen as being as competent to assess dangers. Nor do they take Chinese docs very seriously. You have to either be an MD or affiliated with a big institution.

So, to summarize, you can't convince some people no matter what. Others will get behind Chinese medicine regardless. Those in the middle will be swayed by the media and their friends.

It's going to take some time for enough of us to have the degrees, affiliations, and willingness to make statements loud enough to be heard above the din of the prevailing winds.
by: Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc
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Other alternative remedies

Benefits of Alternative Medicine

With the growing number of people being affected by newly
discovered chronic degenerative diseases such as AIDS and
chronic fatigue syndrome, Are you worried or wondering....

Is it possible to maintain good health?

What your body needs to function properly?

Why conventional medicine is becoming more complicated and
costly and in some cases simply ineffective?

A growing number of people are turning to alternative medicine and
natural healing--simple, traditional low-tech methods of preventing
illnesses and solving everyday health problems.

Do you have unanswered questions on....

Why are people flocking to health food stores, with their
lotions and potions, and what keeps them going back for more?

What to do if you or someone in your family falls ill?

Are these therapies really old wives tales or can they really
work?

Even mainstream doctors have begun to recommend natural drugless
therapies' to treat both everyday complaints and serious illnesses.
Dietary modifications, for instance, has become the weapons of
choice against a number of diseases that would have been treated
mainly with prescription drugs a generation ago.

It is now known that many conditions are caused by the wrong
diet and can be reversed by the right diet.

Heart disease, cancer, weight problems, arthritis, diabetes,
high blood pressure--they can all be treated to some degree
with foods.

Natural therapies found in alternative
medicine are actually much older than Western treatments such
as surgeries and antibiotics. Experts estimate that herbal remedies
and Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, has been around
for 5,000 years.

Many alternative medicine remedies began with scientific research
or clinical impressions reported by physicians working with safe,
natural substances.

But we live in a generation now that has been cut off from this
age-old tradition of self-reliance. Healing and health care
have become almost--the exclusive province of duly licensed
physicians. While doctors and other professionals-are indeed
great to have around, what is not so great is when you cannot
do anything without them.

Shouldn't we be able to do something to save our health--maybe
even our lives--without a doctor?

What happens when medical help is not so readily available?

What happens when doctoring simply does not work?

Some of us go to doctor after doctor, and still no help. Is
that the end of the line?

While antibiotics have saved millions of lives, they have not
really solved some resurgence of germs that are turning up in
new forms that do not respond to conventional therapies.

There has been a real shift in the way people think about their
health. Rising health care cost is a factor in the recent surge
of interest in alternative medicine.

Many people are attracted to the alternative physicians emphasis
on treating the whole person--body, mind and spirit. Most
importantly some physicians use intensive counseling to help
patients find out whether aspects of their daily lives, such
as job stress, marital problems diet or sleeping habits might
be behind their symptoms.

In this age of managed care and impersonal group practices patients
find this individualized approach of alternative medicine
particularly appealing.

One of the principal goals of natural healing is to break the
cycle of dependency and allow people to be more in control of
their own lives.
by: Ruby Boyd
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Other alternative remedies

Ayurvedic medicine for diabetes

Traditional Indian medicine, herb Salacia oblonga may help treat diabetes Posted By: News-Medical in Medical Study News Published: Tuesday, 8-Feb-2005 Printer Friendly Email to a Friend : : : : Herbs used in traditional Indian medicine to treat diabetes seems to lower blood sugar and insulin levels in a manner similar to prescription drugs, a new study reports. Researchers gave extracts of the herb Salacia oblonga to 39 healthy adults, and the results were promising. The largest dose of the herb extract - 1,000 milligrams - decreased insulin and blood glucose levels by 29 and 23 percent, respectively. : : "These kinds of reductions are similar to what we might see with prescription oral medications for people with diabetes," said Steve Hertzler, a study co-author and an assistant professor of nutrition at Ohio State University. : : Salacia oblonga, which is native to regions of India and Sri Lanka, binds to intestinal enzymes that break down carbohydrates in the body. These enzymes, called alpha-glucosidases, turn carbohydrates into glucose, the sugar that circulates throughout the body. If the enzyme binds to the herbal extract rather than to a carbohydrate, then less glucose gets into the blood stream, resulting in lowered blood glucose and insulin levels. : : "Lowering blood glucose levels lowers the risk of disease-related complications in people with diabetes," Hertzler said. "Also, poor compliance with diabetes medications often hinders the effectiveness of these drugs. It may be easier to get someone to take an herb with food or in a beverage, as opposed to a pill." : : The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. : : Thirty-nine healthy adults participated in four separate meal tolerance tests. These meals, which were given in beverage form, were spaced three to 14 days apart. Each participant fasted for at least 10 hours before consuming the test beverage. : : Participants were asked to drink about two cups' worth of the chilled beverage, which contained zero, 500, 700 or 1,000 milligrams of Salacia oblonga extract. Afterward, the researchers used the finger-prick method to draw blood samples from each person every 15 to 30 minutes for three hours. These blood samples were used to determine insulin and blood glucose concentrations. The biggest changes in blood glucose and insulin levels usually happen within the first two hours after eating. : : The beverage that contained the highest concentration of the herbal extract - 1,000 milligrams - provided the most dramatic reduction in insulin and blood glucose levels. Insulin levels were 29 percent lower, while blood glucose levels were 23 percent lower as compared to the control drink, which contained no herbal extract. : : As Salacia oblonga can cause intestinal gas, the researchers had the study participants collect breath hydrogen samples hourly for eight hours after drinking the test beverage. The participants collected their breath in small plastic tubes. The researchers then analyzed these breath samples for hydrogen and methane content - the level of either substance in the breath corresponds to the level contained in the colon. : : The subjects also rated the frequency and intensity of nausea, abdominal cramping and distention and gas for two days after consuming each test meal. : : While the test beverages containing Salacia oblonga caused an increase in breath hydrogen excretion, reports of gastrointestinal discomfort were minimal, Hertzler said. : : Right now he and his colleagues are trying to figure out what dose of the herb is most effective, and when it should be taken relative to a meal. : : "We want to know how long it takes for the herb to bind to the enzymes that break down carbohydrates," Hertzler said. "The participants in this study took the herb with their meal, but maybe taking it before eating would be even more effective." : : The researchers also want to study the effects of Salacia oblonga in people with diabetes. : : "A lot of studies show that lowering blood sugar levels reduces the risk for all kinds of diabetes-related complications, such as kidney disease and nerve and eye damage," Hertzler said. "We want to see if this herb has this kind of effect." : : Salacia oblonga is still relatively difficult to find in the United States, Hertzler said, although there are manufacturers that sell the herb through the Internet. : : This study was supported by the Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories in Columbus. : : Hertzler is continuing to conduct Salacia oblonga studies with the Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories. He has no links to the company beyond this affiliation. : : Hertzler conducted the work with former Ohio State colleague Patricia Heacock, who is now at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; Jennifer Williams, a clinical scientist with Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories; and Bryan Wolf, a former research scientists with Ross Products Division


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Ayurvedic Indian Medicine - Triphala

Triphala, the internal cleanser that purifies and strengthens
Are you persistently irregular? Yes, you're uncomfortable, but if you're about to reach for the laxatives, stop!

Indian Ayurvedic medicine's Triphala, in Elite's own unique formula, will do much more for you than any ordinary herbal laxative. Triphala is the most popular herbal formula in India, where it's much revered for its powers, and it's becoming known in the West.

Triphala is exceptional because not only does it function as a laxative, it's also an all-round health booster. Triphala will end constipation and make you regular, and it will also completely tone and regularise your system.

Many minor health conditions, like overweight and chronic tiredness aren't illnesses in themselves. However, they are signs of an imbalance in the body. Triphala regularises all your body's systems.


The two kinds of herbal laxative and why Triphala is different

Today many people live a relatively sedentary lifestyle. They work at an office, where they sit all day. They walk to their car, then spend the evening in front of the TV.

It's no wonder that herbal laxatives are so popular. However, as efficient as your laxative may be, it's not helping you to good health.

Let's look at the two main kinds of herbal laxatives: purgative laxatives, and bulk-creating laxatives.

A purgative natural laxative contains herbs such as senna, rhubarb, buckthorne and cascara. They work by stimulating the peristaltic action in the intestine, and can work very quickly and violently.

The other common kind of herbal laxative is one that creates bulk with herbs like such as psyllium and flax seed. These laxatives work by swelling and absorbing water, so that natural peristalsis of the body occurs.

Of the purgatives and bulk-creating laxatives, only the bulk-creators provide any nutrition - and then only a tiny amount.

Triphala is different. Yes, it's laxative, but it's also much more. It's been called the body's own natural mother, because it cares for the body's internal organs like a mother caring for her child.

Amazing Triphala: your key to good health

Amazing Triphala supports every system of your body, including the nervous system, the excretory system, the digestive system, and the circulatory system.

This wonderful combination of Indian fruits is a tonic for your heart, as well as for your liver. It has also been found to be effective in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and colitis.

Triphala starts its work by cleansing and detoxifying your entire body, giving you a fresh start on your journey to bouncing health and vital energy. It tones the digestive tract, so that you never need to feel bloated again.

Triphala helps your digestion: it makes sure that your body extracts every particle of nourishment from the food you eat. This is especially important as we age, because all our systems slow down - Triphala helps your digestion to work smoothly, relieving symptoms like heartburn and gastric reflux, and improving the assimilation of food.

If you suffer from high blood pressure, Triphala has been found to reduce blood pressure.

Around middle age, gall bladder problems, with associated inflammation in the bowel, is a common problem. Since Triphala is both antiviral and antibacterial, it has an anti-inflammatory effect, which relieves pain.

Once you start on Triphala, you'll find that it regulates both constipation and diarrhoea, so that you're never troubled by these common ailments.

How should you use Triphala?
To maintain health, once started Triphala should be taken every day for life, working up to three tablets per day.

Note
Elite's Triphala is the unique formula which has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic herbalism. It formula contains equal portions of three Indian fruits, amla (Embilica officinalis), behada (Terminalia belerica) and harada (Terminalia chebula). You're assured that you're getting the same formula that you'd get if you attended a practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine.
by: John Dawson
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Alternative medicine in food- Shallots

Shallots belong to the lily family (Liliacae) where onion, garlic and leeks are present. It is classified as Allium cepa var. aggregatum .Shallots are smaller and sweeter than onion and like garlic its bulb divides into multiple sections .It digests better than onion when eaten raw. The bulbs are pulled of the ground and leaves are allowed to dry. The greens above the ground which are known as scallions are used as salads and also for cooking. Shallots are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and folic acid. It also contain calcium, iron and have a high protein quality.

There has been lot of research and studies regarding the use of shallots for health conditions. Different analysis and studies have found that shallots contains two sets of compounds -sulfur compounds, such as allyl propyl disulphide (APDS) and flavonoids, such as quercetin. Flavonoid consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes since they are anti-cancer, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory.

Recent studies have shown the potential health benefits of common onions and established that shallots are particularly effective against liver cancer cells. Shallots have six times the phenolic content than onions. Shallots help the liver eliminate toxins from the body and have saponins to inhibit and kill cancer cells.

Shallots are specifically linked to inhibiting human stomach cancer. Shallots produce an anti-coagulant that thins the blood and exhibit strong anti-platelet activity and are very good for patients who have symptomatic atherosclerotic disease, cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. It aids brain function and thus protects against Alzheimer's disease. Shallots can lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes by preventing the degradation of insulin and increasing metabolism of glucose. Eating shallots daily helps in the growth of bone tissue and reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis by 20%. It contains Prostaglandin A-1, a powerful agent which can lower blood pressure. Sulfur content in shallots makes skin look younger. Daily intake of a little shallot will benefit in the long run. Shallots can be eaten raw or cooked till they are tender.
by: Anita Cherry
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Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

There are over 50 Acupuncture Schools in the United States. Acupuncture laws differ from state to state, therefore, each acupuncture school entails its own philosophy and instruction outline. Acupuncture School education and training is approximately 3,000 credit hours. Because there are varying therories of Acupuncture, some schools teach the 5-Element style of acupuncture as opposed to the more familiar TCM style. While some acupuncture schools have mandatory herbal curriculum, other acupuncture schools list this course-study as an option.

The main purpose of attending an acupuncture school is to be educated and trained to be healers in the art, to learn the science and philosophy of acupuncture, and to be instructed in herbal and Oriental medicine. Attaining a professional license as an acupuncturist is rewarding in many ways. One not only learns to heal others but also learns to heal himself - spiritually, mentally and physically.

Fundamentally, all aspects of traditional Oriental medicine are introduced in the first year of academic instruction. This includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, anatomy, body therapy, biosciences and Tai Chi. This prepares the aspiring acupuncturist for clinical apprenticehsip. During the second year at an acupuncture school, classroom experience teaches in-depth philosophy of acupuncture practice, Oriental medicine and advance needling techniques.

Apprenticeship begins with licensed acupuncturists in a clinical setting. During the third year of acupuncture school training, students begin practicing on their own patients as interns. Acupuncture school classroom instruction is mainly comprised of clinical case discussions; thus, deepening acupuncture therapy understanding. If you'd like to learn more about acupuncture schools, please visit the link below or click on the directory button at the top of the Holistic Junction homepage for more targeted search by category and state.
by: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot
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