Naturopathic medicine

Complementary and alternative medicines A group of practices and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine, including alternative medical systems (e.g., homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine), mind-body interventions (e.g., meditation and mental healing), biologically-based therapies (e.g., dietary supplements, vitamins, herbs, and other natural products), manipulative body-based methods (e.g., acupuncture and massage), and energy therapies (e.g., therapeutic touch and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies). 

A native of Portland, Christina is a former world-class athlete and former massage therapist with a B.A. in Russian and Japanese languages, now working toward a doctorate in naturopathic medicine. Hoping to eventually receive grants to pay for her education, she currently pays for classes with a part of her monthly disability income of several hundred dollars. 

A second part consists of two chapters covering other somatic interventions, including complementary, alternative, and naturopathic medicine approaches (such as St. John s wort), as well as more aggressive treatments less commonly used in children and adolescents, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). 

Naturopathic medicine, or naturopathy, proposes that there is a healing power in the body that establishes, maintains, and restores health. Practitioners work with the patient with a goal of supporting this power through treatments such as nutrition and lifestyle... 

Oliver MR, Van Voorhis WC, Boeckh M, Mattson D, Bowden RA. Hepatic mucormycosis in a bone marrow transplant recipient who ingested naturopathic medicine. Clin Infect Dis I996 22(3) 52I-4. 

Stansbury, N.D., is the chair of the Botanical Medicine Department at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. In addition to her busy teaching schedule, she maintains a thriving clinical practice in Battle Ground, Washington. Her written work is frequently found in professional journals, and she is the author of Herbs for Health and Healing. Dr. Stansbury has shared two successful case histories of polycystic ovary disease that included Serenoa as part of the overall treatment protocol. 

Brinker, P. 1991, Inhibition of endocrine function by botanical agents IE, Journal of Naturopathic Medicine 2 18-22. 

Nanba, H. 1993, Antitumor activity of orally administered D-fraction from Maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) . Journal of Naturopathic Medicine 4 10-15. 

Herbology, also known as phytotherapy, is the study of plants and plant extracts for medicinal use. Herbology is an integral part of Chinese traditional medicine, folk medicine, and naturopathic medicine. Herbology is often used by practitioners who also favor alternative medical treatments such as acupuncture. An herbalist is a person who specializes in the use of plants and plant extracts for the prevention and treatment of diseases and conditions. Some herbalists also use naturally occurring nonplant products such as minerals and animal products. 

In this context, judging the qualifications of an alternative medicine practitioner can be difficult— there are no universally accepted guidelines. Some states require licensing of alternative medicine practitioners (e.g., acupuncturists, naturopathic herbalists), and licensure is often used by courts to establish school-specific standards of care. In cases where no licensing exists, courts apply conventional medical or lay standards of care. Eisenberg (1997) has proposed strategies for physicians in guiding patients who seek alternative medical treatment. 

Lahans, T. 2000. Integrated medicine the interface between oriental and conventional medicine. J. Naturopathic Med. 7 28-33. 

Polarity therapy is based on the concept of the energy flow between the five energy centers or chakras in the body. Polarity therapy was developed over the course of 50 years by Randolph Stone (1890-1983), an Austrian-born naturopath, chiropractor, and osteopath, who also took an interest in the theories and practice of Eastern medicine and in spirituality. Polarity therapy is a holistic system of healing, based on Stone s belief that humans are predominantly spiritual beings whose health and happiness depend on the free flow of energy within their bodies (Thomas, 1997 and General References). 

Boon, H. and Smith, M., The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to 50 Most Common Medicinal Herbs, 2nd ed., The Institute of Naturopathic Education and Research, Canada, 2004. 

She has a B.S. in biochemistry and is a naturopathic physician in Torrington, Connecticut, with a busy clinical practice. She uses herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, and physiotherapy. She has used the standardized extract of saw palmetto successfully for the treatment... 

Herbal Ed is the founder of one of the premier herbal manufacturers in the United States, Herb Pharm. Ed is a popular lecturer, has taught extensively at the naturopathic colleges in Washington State and Oregon, and travels throughout the world researching herbal medicine. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that four billion people— 80% of the world population—use herbal medicine for some aspect of primary healthcare. Herbal medicine is a major component in all indigenous peoples traditional medicine and is a common element in Ayurvedic, homeopathic, naturopathic, traditional oriental, and Native American Indian medicine. Opinions about the safety, efficacy, and appropriateness of medicinal herbs vary widely among medical and health professionals in countries where herbal remedies are used. Some countries professionals accept historical, empirical evidence as the only necessary criterion for herbal medicine s efficacy. Others would ban all herbal remedies as dangerous or of questionable value. 

A third approach to medical care that has recently gained significantly in popularity is alternative medicine and the alternative approaches. These are varied but frequently involve such techniques as touch therapy and massage (acupressure), chiropractic, magnets, herbals, and naturopathic remedies. Herbal preparations and spiritual healing are also used that allow for mind and body control. 

A wide variety of medical practitioners uses herbology. In addition to traditional herbalists, medical herbahsts, natural healers, holistic medical doctors, naturopaths, and practitioners of alternative medicine (such as traditional Chinese medicine) use herbs. In a practice called complementary medicine, some conventional doctors and other medical professionals treat patients using herbology and other alternative therapies in addition to conventional Western medicine. According to the National Institutes of Health, in 2007, more than 38 percent of adults in the United States reported using complementary or alternative medicine, including herbs. 

Sohn H-Y, Son KH, Kwon C-S, Kwon G-S, Kang SS (2004) Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of 18 prenylated flavonoids isolated from medicinal plants Moms alba L., Moms mongolica Schneider, Broussnetia papyrifera (L.) Vent, Sophora flavescens Ait and Echinosophora koreensisHakm. Phytomedicine 11 666-672 Stafford HA (1991) Flavonoid evolution tm enzymic approach. Plant Physiol 96 680-685 Stothers L (2002) A randomized tritil to evaluate effectiveness and cost effectiveness of naturopathic cranberry products as prophyltixis against urinary tract infection in women. Can J Urol 9 1558-1562... 

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