ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE
HEALTH




ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

HERB

HERBARIUM

HERBALISM

HERB GARDEN

PLANT EXTRACT

NOMENCLATURE CODES

BOTANICAL NAMES

APOTHECARY

NCCAM

CHINESE HERBOLOGY

INDIVIDUALISM

ETYMOLOGY

ETHNOMEDICINE

ETHNOBIOLOGY

ETHNOBOTANY

MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

PHARMACOLOGY

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

AYURVEDA

MEDICATIONS

AYURVEDIC MASSAGE

SAFETY CONCERNS

UNANI

HOMEOPATHY

ACUPUNCTURE

ACUPRESSURE

MERIDIANS

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH LINKS



Wikipedia
The Free Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org




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SECTION 1



ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE




Alternative medicine describes
practices used in place of the
conventional medical treatments.




ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE


Alternative medicine includes
practices that incorporate:
spiritual,
metaphysical,
religious underpinnings;
non-European medical traditions,
or newly developed approaches
to healing.




The National Center for Complementary
and the Alternative Medicine defines
complementary and alternative medicine
as "a group of diverse medical and the
health care systems, practices, and
some products that are not presently
considered to be part of conventional
medicine".




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SECTION 2



ALTERNATIVE
DEFINITIONS




"alternative medicine",
"complementary medicine"
"CAM"



ALTERNATIVE
DEFINITIONS


The terms:
"alternative medicine",
"complementary medicine"
and "CAM"


are generally understood in terms
of their relationship to mainstream
medicine.
Other definitions exist that are
based on or include other criteria.




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SECTION 2A



INTEGRATIVE
MEDICINE




INTEGRATIVE
MEDICINE


Integrative medicine as combining
mainstream medical therapies and
CAM therapies for which there is
some high-quality scientific
evidence of safety and even some
effectiveness".

It has a far larger meaning and
mission in that it calls for the
restoration of the focus of
medicine on health and healing
and emphasizes the centrality of
the patient-physician relationship".




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SECTION 2B



COMPLEMENTARY
MEDICINE




COMPLEMENTARY
MEDICINE


Complementary medicine
describes:
alternative medicine
used in conjunction with
conventional medicine.


CAM;
The term complementary
and alternative medicine(CAM)
is an umbrella term for both
branches.




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ALTERNATIVE
DEFINITIONS
LINKS




BioMed Central
http://www.biomedcentral.com/

OPEN MIND JOURNALS
http://www.openmindjournals.com/

Journal of Integrative medicine
http://www.jintmed.com/

The journal of alternative
and complementary medicine

http://www.catchword.com/

Skepdic
http://www.skepdic.com/

QUACK WATCH
http://www.quackwatch.org/



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SECTION 3



HERB




Herbs are plants grown
for any purpose other
than food, wood, beauty.




HERB
Herbs are plants grown
for any purpose other
than food, wood beauty.

Such uses include:
culinary,
medicinal,
or in some
cases even
spiritual usage.


The green, leafy part of the
plant is typically used.
General usage differs between
culinary herbs and medicinal
herbs.


MEDICINAL HERB
A medicinal herb:
may be a shrub or
other woody plant.


CULINARY HERB
A culinary herb:
is a non-woody
plant.


SPICES
Spices are:
the seeds,
berries,
bark,
root,
fruit,
or other parts of
the plant, even
leaves in some
cases;


although any of these, as
well as any edible fruits
or vegetables, may be
considered "herbs" in
medicinal or spiritual use.

Culinary herbs are distinguished
from vegetables in that they are
used in small amounts and provide
flavor (are spices) rather than
substance to food.




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HERB
LINKS




Herb Farm
http://www.herbfarm.com.au/

Herbs Guide
http://www.herbsguide.net/

United Plant Savers
http://www.plantsavers.org/



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SECTION 4



HERBARIUM




In botany,
a herbarium
is a collection
of preserved plant
specimens.




HERBARIUM
These specimens may be whole
plants or plant parts: these
will usually be in a dried
form, mounted on a sheet, but
depending upon the material
may also be kept in alcohol
or other preservative.

The term can also refer to the
building where the specimens
are stored, or the scientific
institute that not only stores
but researches these specimens.

The specimens in a herbarium are
often used as reference material
in describing plant taxa; some
specimens may be types.

Herbaria are essential for the
study of plant taxonomy, the
study of geographic distributions,
and the stabilizing of nomenclature.

Thus it is desirable to include in
a specimen as much of the plant as
possible:

flowers,
stems,
leaves,
seed,
fruit.




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SECTION 5



HERBALISM




HERBALISM

Herbalism,
also known as:

herbal medicine,
herbology, and
phytotherapy,

is a folk and traditional
medicinal practice based
on the use of plants and
plant extracts.


Finding healing properties in
plants is an ancient idea.

People in all continents have
long used hundreds, if not
thousands, of indigenous plants
for treatment of various ailments
dating back to prehistory.

These plants are still widely used
in ethnomedicine around the world.




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HERBALISM
LINKS




Herb Med
http://www.herbmed.org/

Herb Research Foundation
http://www.herbs.org/

National Herbalists
Association of Australia

http://www.nhaa.org.au/

National Institute for
Medical Herbalists

http://www.nimh.org.uk/



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SECTION 6



HERB
GARDEN




A herb garden is a garden
specifically designed and
used for the cultivation
of cooking
and/or
medicinal herbs.




HERB
GARDEN

Herb gardens developed from the
general gardens of the ancient
classical worlds, used for the
growing of:

vegetables,
flowers,
fruits,
medicines.


During the medieval period monks
and nuns acquired specialist
medical knowledge and grew the
necessary herbs in specialist
gardens.


Typical plants were:
rosemary,
parsley,
sage,
marjoram,
thyme,
mint,
rue,
angelica,
bay,
basil.


With the advance of medical and
botanical sciences in Renaissance
Europe, monastic herb gardens
developed into botanical gardens.


GARDEN OF SIMPLES:
The section in which herbs was
grown became known as a Garden
of Simples.




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SECTION 7



PLANT
EXTRACT




PLANT
EXTRACT

Herbs have been used for centuries
in the treatment of many diseases
and it has been demonstrated that
some of them can have an incredible
effect as a herbal treatment for
some illness.

All plants produce chemical compounds
as part of their normal metabolic
activities.


These can be
split into:

primary metabolites,
such as sugars and
fats, found in all
plants,

secondary metabolites
found in a smaller
range of plants,

some only in a
particular genus
or species.


The autologous functions of
secondary metabolites are
varied.
For example, as toxins to deter
predation, or to attract insects
for pollination.
It is these secondary metabolites
which can have therapeutic actions
in humans and which can be refined
to produce drugs.




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SECTION 8



THE
NOMENCLATURE
CODES




The Nomenclature Codes
"the Codes of nomenclature"
the rulebooks that govern
biological nomenclature.




THE
NOMENCLATURE
CODES

After the successful introduction
of two-part names for species by
Linnaeus it became ever more
apparent that a detailed body of
rules was necessary to govern
scientific names.

From the mid-nineteenth century
onwards there were several
initiatives to arrive at this
worldwide-accepted sets of rules.

In the course of time these became
the present Nomenclature Codes
governing the naming of:


animals (ICZN),

plants:
Fungi,
cyanobacteria,

ICBN:
with supplementary
Codes,

bacteria:
(ICNB),

viruses.




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SECTION 9



BOTANICAL
NAME




BOTANICAL
NAME

A botanical name: is a formal
scientific name conforming to
the International Code of
Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN).

The purpose of formal name is
to have a single name that is
accepted and used worldwide
for a particular plant or
plant group.




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SECTION 10



APOTHECARY




Apothecary is the historical
name for medical practitioner
who formulates and dispenses
materia medica to physicians,
surgeons and patients a role
now served by a pharmacist.




APOTHECARY
In addition to pharmacy the
apothecary also offered
general medical advice and
a range of services that
are now performed solely by
other specialist practitioners,
such as surgery and midwifery.

Apothecaries often operated
through a retail shop, which
in addition to ingredients
for medicines, would also sell
tobacco and patent medicines.

In its investigation of herbal
and chemical ingredients, the
work of the apothecary may be
regarded as a precursor of the
modern sciences of chemistry
and pharmacology, prior to the
formulation of the scientific
method.




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SECTION 11



U.S. NATIONAL
CENTER FOR
COMPLEMENTARY
AND
ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE




The National Center
for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine
NCCAM,
is a United States
government agency.




U.S. NATIONAL
CENTER FOR
COMPLEMENTARY
AND
ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE


NCCAM is dedicated to exploring
the complementary and alternative
healing practices in the context of:

rigorous science,
training complementary,
alternative medicine,
(CAM) researchers,
disseminating authoritative
information to the public
and professionals.




NIH
http://www.nih.gov/




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SECTION 12



CHINESE
HERBOLOGY




Herbology: the
Chinese art
of combining
medicinal herbs.




HERBOLOGY
Herbology is traditionally one
of the more important modalities
utilized in traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM).

Each herbal medicine prescription,
a cocktail of many herbs tailored
to the individual patient.

One batch of herbs is typically
decocted twice over the course
of one hour.

The practitioner usually designs
a remedy using one or two main
ingredients that target the illness.

Then the practitioner adds many other
ingredients to adjust the formula to
the patient's yin/yang conditions.

Sometimes, ingredients are needed to
cancel out toxicity or side-effects
of the main ingredients.
Some herbs require the use of other
ingredients as catalyst or else the
brew is ineffective.

The latter steps require experience
and knowledge, and make the difference
between a good Chinese herbal doctor
and an amateur.
Unlike western medications, the balance
and interaction of all the ingredients
are considered more important than the
effect of individual ingredients.

A key to success in TCM is the treatment
of each patient as an individual.
As in Individualism




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SECTION 13



INDIVIDUALISM




Individualists promote the
unrestricted exercise of
individual goals
and desires.




INDIVIDUALISM
Individualism is a term used to
describe a moral, political, or
social outlook that stresses
human independence and the
importance of individual
self-reliance and liberty.

They oppose most external
interference with an
individual's choices whether
by society, the state, or
any other group or institution.

Individualism is therefore
opposed to holism, collectivism,
communalism, and communitarianism
which stress communal, societal or
national goals.

Individualism has a controversial
relationship with egoism
(selfishness).

While some individualists are
egoists, they usually do not
argue that selfishness is
inherently good.

Rather, they argue that the
individuals are not duty-bound
to any socially-imposed morality;
they believe that individuals
should be free to choose to be
selfish (or to choose any other
lifestyle) if they so desire.




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SECTION 14



ETYMOLOGY




The concept,
"individualism"
opposition to
political
liberalism.




ETYMOLOGY
A form of:
"egoism"
"anarchy,"
"ruthless exploitation
of man by man in modern
industry."

The idea was
to bring about
"social harmony."




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ETYMOLOGY
LINKS




Individual-I
http://www.individual-i.com/

Individual Land
http://www.individualland.com/

The Ayn Rand Institute
http://www.aynrand.org/




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SECTION 15



ETHNOMEDICINE




In the scientific arena, ethnomedical
studies are generally characterized by
the strong anthropological approach,
more than just the bio-medical one.




ETHNOMEDICINE
Ethnomedicine is a sub-field of
medical anthropology and deals
with the study of traditional
medicines: not only those that
have relevant written sources,
Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Ayurveda, but especially those,
whose knowledge and practices
have been orally transmitted
over the centuries.

The focus of these studies is
then the perception and context
of use of traditional medicines,
and not their bio-evaluation.

Ethnomedicine has evolved over
the millenia of human existence,
and has even been exhibited by
dogs, cats, and wild animals that
eat specific grasses, roots, and
other plant parts to relieve pain,
supplement diet, and help cure
disease.




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SECTION 16



ETHNOBIOLOGY




The field focuses on the
study of how human societies
relate to the biosphere.




ETHNOBIOLOGY
The principal
disciplines of
enthnobiology include:
ethnobotany,
ethnomycology,
ethnolichenology,
ethnozoology,
ethnoentomology,
ethnoichthyology,
ethnoornithology,
ethnoecology,
paleoethnobotany,
zooarchaeology.


Ethnobiology is the study of the
past and present interrelationships
between human cultures and the plants,
animals, and other organisms in their
environment, including relationships
with ecosystems as a whole.

It is an interdisciplinary subject
which draws on knowledge from many
different fields of knowledge such
as:


linguistics,
anthropology,
biology,
chemistry.


It is therefore conventionally centered
in the use of diverse flora and fauna by
indigenous societies.

Humans relate to plants and
animals both in space and time.

Therefore, this relationship encompasses
human cultures worldwide and it includes
the past and the present human interactions
with the living environment.




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ETHNOBIOLOGY
LINKS




Journal of Ethnobiology
and Ethnomedicine

http://www.ethnobiomed.com/

Introduction to Ethnomedicine
and Ethnobiology

http://www.ethnomedico.com/english/



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SECTION 17



ETHNOBOTANY




Ethnobotany is
considered a branch
of ethnobiology.




ETHNOBOTANY
Ethnobotany is the study
of the relationship between
plants and people:


From"ethno"
study of people,

"botany"
study of plants.


Ethnobotany is considered
a branch of ethnobiology.

Ethnobotany studies the complex
relationships between (uses of)
plants and cultures.


The focus of ethnobotany is on
how plants have been or are used,
managed and perceived in human
societies and includes plants
used for:

food,
medicine,
divination,
cosmetics,
dyeing,
textiles,
for building,
tools,
currency,
clothing,
rituals,
social life,
music.




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ETHNOBOTANY
LINKS




Ethnobotany and Ethnomedicine
http://www.ethnomedico.com/english/

Journal of Ethnobiology
and Ethnomedicine

http://www.ethnobiomed.com/

Journal of Ethnobotany
Research and Applications

http://www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/

Lake Sonoma, California
Ethnobotanical

http://www.sonoma.edu/asc/projects/WarmSprings/index.html/



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SECTION 18



MEDICAL
ANTHROPOLOGY




Medical anthropology
is a sub-branch
of anthropology.




MEDICAL
ANTHROPOLOGY

Medical anthropology is a sub-branch
of anthropology that is concerned with
the application of anthropological and
social science theories and methods to
questions about health, illness and
healing.

Some medical anthropologists are trained
primarily in anthropology as their main
discipline, while others have studied
anthropology after training and working
in health or related professions such as:

medicine,
nursing,
psychology.


Medical anthropologists conduct research in
settings as diverse as rural villages and
urban hospitals and clinics.

They may teach medical anthropology in
university anthropology departments,
medical and nursing schools and in
community-based settings.


Themes and questions
in medical anthropology
include:


Development of systems
of medical knowledge
and health care.

Patient-practitioner
relationships.

Integrating alternative
medical systems in
culturally diverse
environments.

The interactions between
biological, environmental
and social factors
influencing health and
illness at both individual
and community levels.

The impacts of biomedicine
and biomedical technologies
in non-Western settings.




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MEDICAL
ANTHROPOLOGY
LINKS





American Anthropological
Association

http://www.aaanet.org/


Information on Medical
Anthropology in Asia

http://www.ethnomedico.com/english/



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SECTION 19



PHARMACOLOGY




PHARMACOLOGY
Pharmacology has developed from
herbalism and many drugs are still
derived from plants:

atropine,
ephedrine,
warfarin,
aspirin,
digoxin,
vinca alkaloids,
taxol,
hyoscine, etc).


The modern era really began with
Robert Koch's discoveries around
1880 of the transmission of disease
by bacteria, and then the discovery
of antibiotics shortly thereafter
around 1900.

The first major class of antibiotics
was the sulfa drugs, derived originally
from azo dyes.

Throughout the twentieth century, major
advances in the treatment of infectious
diseases were observable in (Western)
societies.

The medical establishment is now developing
drugs that are targeted towards one particular
disease process.


Thus drugs are being
developed to:

minimise the side effects
of prescribed drugs,

to treat cancer,

geriatric problems,

long-term problems
(such as high cholesterol),

chronic diseases,

type 2 diabetes,

lifestyle and
degenerative
diseases such as:
arthritis,
Alzheimer's disease.




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SECTION 20



TRADITIONAL
MEDICINE




Treat,
diagnose,
prevent
illnesses,
maintain
well-being.




TRADITIONAL
MEDICINE

The term describes:
medical knowledge systems,

which developed over centuries
within various societies before
the era of modern medicine.


Traditional medicines
include, medicines
such as:
herbal medicine,
Ayurvedic medicine,
Unani medicine,
acupuncture,

traditional Chinese medicine,
as well as other medical
knowledge and practices all
over the globe.



World Health Organization
WHO defines Traditional Medicine as
"the medicine that refers to health
practices, approaches, knowledge and
beliefs incorporating plant, animal
and mineral based medicines, spiritual
therapies, manual techniques and
exercises, applied singularly or in
combination to treat, diagnose and
prevent illnesses or maintain
well-being".




WHO
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/en




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SECTION 21



AYURVEDA




"Ayurveda"
is a tatpurusha
"life",
"knowledge",
"Science of Life".




AYURVEDA
Ayurvedic medicine is a form of
alternative medicine in use
primarily in the Indian
subcontinent.

The word "Ayurveda" is a tatpurusha
compound of "life" and "knowledge",
and would roughly translate as the
"Science of Life".

Ayurveda is claimed to deal with the
measures of healthy living, along with
therapeutic measures that relate to the
physical, mental, social and spiritual
harmony.
Ayurveda is also one among the few
traditional systems of medicine
involving surgery.




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SECTION 21A



MEDICATIONS




MEDICATIONS
Ayurveda operates on the precept
that various materials of vegetable,
animal, and mineral origin have some
medicinal value.

The medicinal properties of these
materials have been documented by
the practitioners and have been
used for centuries to cure illness
and/or help maintain good health.

Ayurvedic medicaments are made from
herbs or mixtures of herbs, either
alone or in combination with minerals,
metals and other ingredients of animal
origin.

The metals, animals and minerals are
purified by individual processes before
being used for medicinal purposes.




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SECTION 21B



AYURVEDIC
MASSAGE




AYURVEDIC MASSAGE
Ayurvedic massage is a form of
treatment for various age related
and other common disorders.


Some of the advantages
which can be cited are:
pain relief,
improved circulation,
stress relief,
better sleep,
flexibilty,
athletic perfomance
and emotional benefits.

Massage therapy can:
soothe pain,
relax stiff muscles,
and reduce the swelling
that accompanies arthritis.

Advocates claim that,
with ayurvedic massage,
deep-seated toxins in
the joints and tissues
are loosened and released
into the system for
elimination through the
natural toxin-release
processes.




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SECTION 21C



SAFETY
CONCERNS




SAFETY CONCERNS
There is evidence that
using some ayurvedic
medicine, especially
those involving herbs,
metals, minerals, or
other materials involves
potentially serious risks,
including toxicity.




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AYURVEDA
LINKS





The flip side of Ayurveda
http://www.jpgmonline.com/

History of Traditional
Indian Medicine

http://www.mic.ki.se/India.html

Herbal remedies and
Treatments Blog
http://www.ayurvedictalk.com

The Hindu Busines Line
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/

Indian systems of medicine
http://www.indianmedicine.nic.in/

The State of Ayurveda
http://www.butterfliesandwheels.com/

TriGuna
http://www.triguna.com/



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SECTION 22



UNANI




Most medicines and remedies
(often common herbs and foods)
used in Unani are also used in
the teaching of Ayurveda Medicine.




UNANI
It is also used to refer to Graeco-Arabic
or Unani medicine based on the teachings
of Hippocrates, based on the four humours,


Phlegm
(Balgham),

Blood
(Dam),

Yellow bile
(Safra),

Black bile
(Sauda
it seems
to mean hard
substance and
black material).


Unani medicine is very close to Ayurveda.
Both are based on theory of the presence
of the elements,
(in Unani, they are considered to be fire,
water, earth and air) in the human body.

(The elements, attributed to the philosopher
Empedocles, determined the way of thinking
in medieval Europe.) According to followers
of Unani medicine, these elements are present
in different fluids and their balance leads
to health and their imbalance leads to illness.

Most medicines and remedies (often common herbs
and foods) used in Unani are also used in
Ayurveda.

While Unani was influenced by Islam, Ayurveda
is associated with Vedic culture.

The base used in Unani medicine is often honey.
Honey is considered by some to have healing
properties and hence is used in food and
medicines practiced in the Islamic world.

Real pearls and metal are also used in the
making of Unani medicine based on the kind
of ailment it is aimed to heal.




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UNANI
LINKS




Best historical perspective
on Unani

http://www.unani.com/

Unani Curriculum
http://www.ccimindia.org/

Unani doctors
http://www.unanidoctors.com/

Hamdard Al-Majeed College
of Eastern Medicine

http://www.hamdard.edu.pk/em.html/



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SECTION 23



HOMEOPATHY
HOMEOPATHY
HOMOEOPATHY




Homeopathy is an alternative
medicine that attempts to treat

"like with like."




Homeopathy holds the premise of
treating the sick with extremely
diluted agents that, in undiluted
doses, produce similar symptoms
in the healthy.

Its adherents and practitioners
assert that the therapeutic potency
of a remedy can be increased by the
serial dilution of the drug, combined
with succussion, or vigorous shaking.

Not altogether unlike conventional
medicine, homeopathy regards diseases
as morbid derangements of the organism.

However, homeopathy states that instances
of disease in different people differ
fundamentally.

Homeopathy views a sick person as having
a dynamic disturbance in a hypothetical
"vital force", a disturbance which,
homeopaths claim, underlies standard
medical diagnoses of named diseases.


Homeopathic practitioners:
rely on two types of
reference in prescribing:


1. The Homeopathic Materia Medicae:
Comprise alphabetical indexes of Drug
Pictures organized by remedy and the
describe the symptom patterns associated
with individual remedies.


2. The Homeopathic repertory:
Consists of an index of sickness symptoms,
listing all remedies associated with the
specific symptoms.




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HOMEOPATHY
LINKS




ABC Homeopathy
http://www.abchomeopathy.com/

Alliance of Registered Homeopaths - UK
http://www.a-r-h.org/

Homeopathic Educational Services
http://www.homeopathic.com/

Homeopathy Home
http://www.homeopathyhome.com/

homeopathy software
http://www.homeopathy-software.net/

National Center for Homeopathy
http://www.homeopathic.org/

Natural Database.com
http://www.naturaldatabase.com/

North American Society of Homeopaths
http://www.homeopathy.org/

The Society of Homeopaths - UK
http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/



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SECTION 24



ACUPUNCTURE




Philosophy,
Traditions of Tao,
dao, Daoism,
herbs, herbology.




Acupuncture,
"needle",
"prick",
zhen jiu,


is a technique of inserting and
manipulating needles into
"acupuncture points" on the body.

According to acupunctural teachings
this will restore health well-being,
and is particularly good at treating
pain.

The definition and characterization
of these points is standardized by
the World Health Organization.

Acupuncture is thought to have originated
in China and is most commonly associated
with Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).




Acufinder.com
http://www.acufinder.com/

Acupuncture.Com
http://www.acupuncture.com/

Meridian Pathways
http://www.acupuncture.com.au/

The Mechanism of Acupuncture
http://www.acupuncture.com/

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE, Australian
http://www.traditionalmedicine.net.au/

NLM
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/

Acupuncture.com Australian
http://www.acupuncture.com.au/

Acupuncture Today
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/

Yin Yang House
http://www.yinyanghouse.com/

Chinese Medicine Times
http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/



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SECTION 25



ACUPRESSURE




Acupressure,
portmanteau of
"acupuncture" and "pressure"


Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
technique based on the same ideas
as acupuncture.

Acupressure involves placing physical
pressure by hand, elbow, or with the
aid of various devices on different
acupuncture points on the surface of
the body.

Traditional Chinese Medicine does not
usually operate within a scientific
paradigm but some practitioners make
efforts to bring practices into an
evidence-based medicine framework.




Your Acupressure Directory
http://www.acupressures.info/



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SECTION 26



MERIDIANS




The concept of:
meridians
,jing-luo,


arises from the techniques and
doctrines of Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM), including:

acupuncture,
acupressure,
qigong.

According to these practices,
the body's vital energy, "qi",


circulates through the body along
specific interconnected channels
called meridians.

There is no physically verifiable
anatomical or histological basis
for their existence.

Disruptions of the body's energy flow
(such as stagnations, blockages and
redirection) are thought to cause
emotional and physical illness.

To release those disruptions, specific
points on the meridians called acupoints,
or tsubo in the Japanese practice, are
stimulated via needles, pressure or other
means.




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SECTION 27



ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE
LINKS




ABC Homeopathy
http://www.abchomeopathy.com/

Alternative Medicine
http://www.alternativemedicine.com/

Bioelectric Book
http://www.bioelectricbook.com/

The Food and Drug Administration
http://www.fda.gov/

Health World Online
http://www.healthy.net/

International Code of
Zoological Nomenclature

http://www.iczn.org/

International Society for
Horticultural Science

http://www.ishs.org/

Natural Database
http://www.naturaldatabase.com/

Reference.com
http://www.reference.com/

Results Health Supplements
http://www.resultsforhealth.com/

SIR - Simply Results, Inc
http://www.drjsandridge.com/

World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/en/



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