A Brief History of Acupuncture

There are not many of forms of ancient medicine as detailed and complex as traditional Chinese medicine. It includes many different treatment methods ranging from herbal remedies to the use of obscure animal parts. While often overshadowed by the medical advances of today, some traditional Chinese medicine practices can still be found in use now, in modern times. One such type of treatment is acupuncture. While widely contested, the practice of acupuncture is still very prevalent in the world and has a long and rich history.

Acupuncture is the process of piercing the skin with a needle at certain key points of the body to receive a desired effect. Existing in history thousands of years back (just how many thousands is a point of contention), traditional acupuncture predates medicine as we now know it. As such, it is based around the idea of two opposing energies that flow throughout the body and it is designed to help keep these energies in harmonious balance. These energies, or Qi, were thought to travel very distinct paths through the human body, which in traditional Chinese medicine are called meridians. Through the calculated pinpointing (quite literally) of these meridians, acupuncture aims to alleviate a variety of symptoms.

Though its practice rose and fell several times throughout Chinese history, the knowledge of acupuncture was retained and has, in relatively recent times, spread from China to many different parts of the world. Now, acupuncture has effectively permeated many cultures and is regularly used in conjunction with other medical practices. It can be found in many clinics working in tandem with more modern techniques. These days, acupuncture is often practiced by licensed professionals and is taught in several locations. It is a well-known form of alternative medicine, and one that people seek out for a wide variety of ailments all over the world.

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Herbal Remedies for Depression

Herbal remedies have been known to treat depression in patients for many years.  Many people rely on these natural methods of assistance rather than medication and doctors visits. Although supervision should occur when using herbal treatments, most people feel that their bodies react more positively to the natural chemicals in these plants.

St. John’s Wort, studied since 1996, shows the most effectiveness in treating depression.  It is a mild MAO inhibitor and chemically assists in balancing hormone levels in the brain and body.  Many people that have taken St. John’s Wort experienced the same effects as they would if they took traditional anti-depressants.  There are certain risks and side effects associated with this chemical, however.  Upset stomach, fatigue, dizziness, and rashes are the most common and are usually mild.  More dangerous side effects can occur if patients are taking additional depression medications along with St. John’s Wort, or if they are taking medications with hypericum extracts.

SAMe is another herbal treatment used for depression.  It is already a natural chemical in the body, and by using it as a medication, one can boost his/her mood naturally.  Generally, SAMe works very quickly and has less side effects than St. John’s Wort.  It increases the body’s ability to make neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine.  Unlike many anti-depressants, this one has been found safe for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

A simple herb, ginkgo, improves the flow of blood in the brain.  It has been known to help patients become more alert.  In addition to this, moods are generally more positive. Side effects include nervousness and eventually, ineffectiveness of the herb itself.  Similar to caffeine, it can improve mood for a while, but should be used only on a short-term basis.

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Physical Rehabilitation

Physiotherapie

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Rehabilitation of any part of the body can be one of the most challenging experiences in a patient’s lifetime.  Accidents, illnesses, and other problems may cause people to need physical therapy and other rehab techniques for many months.  In extreme cases, years of exercise and hard work are required by the patient in order to have working limbs and other bodily functions.

Physical rehabilitation comes in a variety of forms.  Physical therapy coaches can be extremely helpful in answering questions and supervising exercises.  They are also able to advise the patient on exercises and other activities that they can do on a daily basis to ensure a speedy recovery.  Tips from coaches may include how to lift objects, walk or run smoothly, or perform specific tasks with ease.

In addition to rehabilitation in a doctor’s office several times per week, patients may also need braces and other supportive devices for the impaired body part.  Because the muscles around the bone are weak, braces can help ensure that the person does not break a bone or reinjure the same part.  Firm braces can be custom-fitted and are typically semi-permanent throughout the duration of therapy.  Flexible braces can allow the patient to move more freely, but they should only be worn when the person is strong enough.

In the end, the goal is to achieve full function of the injured body part.  Although this is not always possible, physical rehabilitation helps patients regain at least partial control of their muscles.  Patients’ families can sometimes attend these sessions in order to help the person perform the tasks at home as well.  Of course, they may need supervision at first.  Eventually, this results in greater quality of life for the person on a daily basis.

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Exercises For the Office

Simple forms of exercise, when done properly on a daily basis, can increase the quality of life greatly.  There are even exercises that people can do amidst their work days.  No matter the body type, personality, or health problems of the individual, one can incorporate several of these exercises into his/her daily regime:

Chair leg extensions are simple, strengthening exercises that require no added weight.  They can be done easily in the comfort of any home or office.  To do a set of these, sit in a chair and press the back firmly against the rear of the chair.  Grasp the armrests or place arms firmly at the sides, and slowly lift the legs, one at a time, until they are level and the knee is locked.  Return the leg to a resting position and repeat ten times.

Isometric hand presses work many of the back and arm muscles, and also require no added weight.  Because this exercise does not actually move the muscles, it is easy to do in the smallest of spaces.  Simply press the hands together in front of the chest and press them together.  Afterward, release this tension and repeat ten times.

Wall pushes are easy to perform because they can be done virtually anywhere.  Essentially, this is a vertical push-up exercise.  One should stand three feet away from a wall, and place his/her hands on the wall.  Keeping the feet still, slowly lower the body toward the wall, and gently push away.  For one set, repeat this ten times as well.  This exercise is excellent for increasing arm and back strength.

Side bends can be done sitting down or standing.  They increase flexibility in the back, arms, and if standing, the legs as well.  To do one set, fold the hands and flip them inside out over the head.  Straighten the arms and bend slowly to the left and then right.  The side abdominal muscles will stretch more effectively if these exercises are held for several seconds in the extended position.

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Five More Healthy Foods

People all over the world are concerned with their health.  Because of the rise of disease and other detrimental environment factors, people are choosing foods that are rich in vitamins and have illness-combating qualities.  Here are five more of the healthiest foods:

• Walnuts:  out of all the nuts, this one contains the largest amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, which helps reduce bad cholesterol.  These helpful acids have been known to bring feelings of well-being as well as fight depression.  They also may help protect the skin from harmful sun rays, and by regularly consuming these tasty morsels, one will sleep better due to their melatonin content.
• Avocados:  although rich in fat, these are extremely healthy.  They can reduce cholesterol significantly (up to 22%) and just one of them has about 44% of the folate a person needs in a day.  Folates reduce the risk of heart disease.  Avocados increase the absorption of beta carotene, so by adding one to a salad, consumers can receive more vitamins and nutrients from the food they eat.  Avocados are known as a “superfood” because of all their positive qualities.
• Garlic:  well-known for its health benefits, this assists in preventing harmful bacteria from multiplying in the digestive system.  E.Coli and other diseases are reduced by simply adding garlic to pastas, sandwiches, dips, and bread.  Garlic contains allicin, which lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.  Allicin is also an anti-inflammatory that is most potent in fresh garlic.  Be sure not to overcook garlic though; more than ten minutes on heat reduces its health benefits greatly.
• Spinach:  everyone knows this is a healthy food.  The key to making spinach tasty to eat is the cooking method as well as added ingredients.  Garlic and other healthy foods can increase the attractiveness of this vegetable, especially for children.  Spinach possesses lutein and zeaxanthin, which are helpful for eye health and cancer fighting.
• Beans:  including legumes and lentils, this category is prominent in reducing breast cancer and heart disease.  Overall, the darker the bean, the more antioxidants it possesses.  Black beans and kidney beans are popular ingredients in soups, salsas, and salads, and they can be largely effective when cooked properly.

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Five Healthy Foods

Some of the healthiest foods are not the first ones people think of on a daily basis.  By adding some of these foods to their diets, people of all ages can reap huge health benefits:

• Lemons:  rich in vitamin C, these little fruits are handy to add to drinks and sautéed vegetables.  They naturally boost energy and contain powerful nutrients to help the body absorb antioxidants and other disease-fighting elements.  Putting a fresh slice of lemon in a glass of tea increases the body’s ability to absorb antioxidants in the tea by about 80%.
• Broccoli:  because it is stocked full of vitamin K, this healthy vegetable is one of the most effective foods for building strong bones.  More than 200% of a person’s daily recommended dose of vitamin C can also be found in broccoli.  It is best to eat this vegetable fresh, because if it is overcooked it can lose some of these benefits.  Broccoli is also known to fight cancer-causing free radicals in the body.
• Dark Chocolate:  believe it or not, this tasty treat reduces blood pressure for otherwise healthy individuals.  Cocoa powder contains antioxidants that reduce bad cholesterol.  Do not mistake this for milk chocolate though; that kind only contains a fraction of the health benefits of its darker counterpart.
• Red/Sweet Potatoes:  containing effective bone-building nutrients, red potatoes contain about the same amount of folates as spinach or broccoli.  Sweet potatoes are known for their vitamin A content, which helps fight cancer.  Adding a small amount of butter, sour cream, or salsa can bump up the flavor and add nutrients as well.
• Salmon:  Omega-3 fatty acids are prominent in this flavorful fish.  These are helpful in reducing depression, cancer cells, and forms of heart disease.  Also, salmon is rich in niacin, which has been known to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss.  Choosing wild salmon over farm-raised can increase the food’s nutritional value as well.

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Acupuncture

Acupuncture is gaining popularity in many alternative medicine practices today.  Through use of thin needles rooted in an ancient Chinese tradition, acupuncture has the ability to heal many types of ailments with little to no pain for the patient.  Pressure points in the body are easily accessed and relieved by the tiny needles when they are shallowly inserted into the skin.

Acupuncture is similar to massage as far as relieving pain.  Both techniques use the manipulation of pressure points to relieve pain.  Typically, professionals who practice acupuncture will diagnose patients through several methods.  Palpitation, or “thumping” of parts of the body to determine their sensitivity and density, is widely used to locate points that need relief.  Doctors may also inspect the tongue’s color, texture, and markings to assist in acupuncture, because the tongue can reveal areas of stress within the body.  Dehydration, malnutrition, sleep habits, and stress can all be displayed via the tongue.  Finally, professionals may use auscultation, or smelling, to help diagnose a patient.  Body odor and other factors show areas of pain as well.

After diagnosis, acupuncturists correlate the patient’s pain with a pressure point in the patient’s body.  There are hundreds of these points in the body and each one, through massage or needle pressure, can relieve pain by becoming relaxed.  Mindful acupuncture and massage are the keys to this because the patient must be in a relaxed state for the procedure to be successful.

In most cases, the needles that are used are discarded afterwards, and in other practiced, needles are sterilized and reused.  This procedure, though effective for some, is not without risk.  Since it is considered a slightly invasive procedure because the skin is penetrated, infection and side effects may result.  Some patients experience lightheadedness or nausea following the procedure, but in most cases, no side effects are present.

Acupuncture has been used to treat pain from pregnancy, injury, as well as everyday ailments such as headaches and nausea.  Research on acupuncture’s effectiveness continues and many patients agree that the positive effects of this procedure are numerous.

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Alternative Medicine

Homeopathic remedies are used throughout the world by many patients and doctors.  These ways of curing patients’ symptoms involve holistic treatments, natural ingredients, and diluted substances that have a healing effect on the body.  Patients may choose this alternative medicine rather than typical drugs and treatments found in hospitals and physicians’ offices.  Overall, these treatments cost less, and in many patients’ minds, cure their symptoms and ailments just as well as other interventions.

Typically, alternative medicine is more of a procedure to cure the patient than an actual medication itself.  It may involve an exercise regime, detoxifying diet, as well as other unusual interventions to increase patient well-being.  By enhancing the person’s health, symptoms and pain usually fade and become less noticeable over time.

For people looking for health benefits outside of the normal realm of medicine, homeopathic remedies maybe the answer.  Most of the time, alternative medicine and homeopathic remedies have not been investigated thoroughly enough to ensure consistent results, but many patients believe that the benefits are numerous.  Alternative medicine concentrates on both healing as well as prevention.

A combination of folk knowledge, spiritual beliefs, and brand new healing techniques is used in alternative medicine practices.  Many patients are able to self-medicate simply by practicing holistic techniques that incorporate both the mind and body in the healing process.  Some cancer patients believe that traditional chemotherapy combined with alternative medicine contributed to their successful healing.  Although alternative medicine is not as widely practiced and as its traditional counterpart, many doctors incorporate some form of it with their patients.

Through mindful massage, exercise with concentration on balance and overall body control, and holistic healing approaches, doctors have found ways to treat everyday illnesses and terminal problems without the use of traditional antibiotics.  Invasive procedures that would be difficult to recover from may be avoided through the use of alternative medicine.  Patients find a healthy and invigorating option that they can use in their future to ensure better health overall.

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Common Chinese Medicine Treatments for Asthma

Chinese medicine is an alternative medicine that uses many natural herbs to treat common health conditions. One of the most common conditions that is treated by Chinese medicine is that of asthma. Asthma is known as xiao chuan in Chinese. Over 22 million people suffer from asthma. The most common treatment of asthma is through steroid inhalers. Many people are opposed to the use of steroid inhalers because they are viewed as harmful to the body, which is why many people turn to Chinese medicine to relieve the symptoms of asthma. Here is a look at a common Chinese herbal treatment for asthma.

Throat Spray. This is a developed throat spray for sudden symptoms of asthma. It is believed that the herbs that are used in this spray will calm and sooth the inflamed airways that are causing the asthma attack. The throat spray uses the herb known as gingko biliba. It is first boiled, then strained and made into a water spray. The spray is applied to the back of the throat where it calms the airways and bronchial tubes.

Asthma Tea. Under Chinese medicine it is believed that you can prevent asthma symptoms from appearing altogether through the daily intake of an asthma tea. This tea is brewed using dried gingko biloba leaves as well as dried magnolia flowers and rehmannia root and don quai root. The dried leaves are seeped into a tea. The tea is supposed to be taken daily to prevent asthma from appearing.

Asthma tea and throat spray are common Chinese medicine treatments for asthma, however there are also dozens of other alternative treatments for asthma. If you are considering using alternative medicine to treat a condition like asthma it is advised to seek the advice of a trained alternative medicine professional. They will be able to direct you to the best course of treatment for you and your symptoms.

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Alternative Medicine–Naturopathy vs. Homeopathy

I’m sure you have heard the terms “naturopathy” and “homeopathy” but do you know what they are and what the differences are between them? Both naturopathy and homeopathy are the practice of medicine using natural methods rather than “traditional” medicine for healing. Both focus on treating the whole body rather than just the symptoms.

Naturopathy, which is also known as naturopathic medicine or natural medicine, is the therapeutic approach to medicine developed in the early 20th century. It initially combined natural therapeutic approaches with doctors who were practicing natural medicine at the time. Naturopathic medicine is an alternative medicine system that combines natural remedies with the body’s ability to heal itself along with heat, massage, acupuncture, and electric treatments to treat illnesses. Nowadays naturopathic physicians attend a four-year, full-time college to study naturopathic medicine, which incorporates studies similar to a medical physician with the focus on natural healing and treatment.

Homeopathy is a system of medicine developed in the 18th century. Samuel Hahnemann first developed the homeopathic system when he discovered that a substance that would normally cause symptoms in a healthy person could cure the same symptoms in a sick person when given in minute amounts. The aim of homeopathy is to stimulate the body’s immune system and healing process by administering microdoses of diluted natural substances derived from plant extracts, minerals, chemicals, or disease-producing germs. Homeopathy employs the idea of “like cures like…”

Although both naturopathy and homeopathy are alternative forms of medicine, they are quite different in their use and practices. Homeopathy is the use of a specific system to administer diluted minute amounts of natural substances to promote the healing process in a person’s body. On the other hand, naturopathy is a form of medical practice utilizing alternative medicine to treat an individual’s body through several alternative medicine modalities including homeopathy, nutrition, massage, and herbal medicines.

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