Alternative Medicine 1
Alternative Medicine 1
Alternative Medicine 1
Alternative Medicine
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women
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Label Regulations
The FDA regulates dietary supplements as foods
rather than drugs. The laws about putting foods (including supplements) on the market are less strict
than the laws for drugs. For instance, a manufacturer does not have to prove that a supplement is useful for treating any health problem before it is sold.
Some dietary supplements have been shown not to
contain what was listed on the label. In some cases,
pills did not contain as much of the supplement as
the label said they did, or they contained more. In
other cases, supplements were found to be contaminated with toxins, bacteria, or other substances. To address these problems, the FDA
has issued new regulations requiring that:
a dietary supplement contains what its label says it contains and in the dose listed
on the label
supplements are not contaminated
The new regulations took effect in August 2007 and will be phased in over 3 years.
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Cranberry
We normally think of cranberry as a
food. But research suggests that cran
berry can also be used for its health ben
efits. Cranberryin the form of juice or
tabletsmay be able to prevent urinary
tract infections in women. Cranberries
contain a substance that prevents bac
teria from sticking to cell walls in the
urinary tract.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Echinacea
Echinacea (EK-ih-NAY-shuh) is com
monly used to prevent or treat colds, flu,
and other infections that affect breathing.
Research suggests that echinacea is not
effective in preventing or treating colds
in adults. One research study showed
that echinacea was not effective in treat
ing colds and similar infections in chil
dren but reduced the chances that the
children would develop them again later.
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Magnetic therapy
Magnets have been used at least since
the time of the ancient Egyptians to
treat medical problems. The magnets
that we are most familiar with are static
magnets. These are usually made of iron
or steel, and their magnetic fields are
static, meaning that they do not change.
Refrigerator magnets are a type of weak
static magnet.
FrESh gIngEr
Ginger
Research suggests that ginger can relieve
the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.
Researchers studied pregnant women
who were given about 1 gram of ginger
per day, which is about the amount com
monly used in cooking. They took the
ginger for up to 3 weeks. No serious side
effects occurred using ginger in these
amounts and for this length of time. But
some herbal medicine textbooks caution
against using larger amounts of ginger. If
you are pregnant and considering using
ginger, discuss it with your doctor.
Energy medicine
Some CAM therapies involve using dif
ferent types of energy to treat illness.
Some of these therapies use energies that
everyone agrees exist, such as the energy
field surrounding magnets. Other thera
pies claim to use a life energy, which
may or may not exist.
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chiropractic
osteopathy (OSS-tee-OP-uh-thee)
massage
Chiropractic
Chiropractors believe that the body has a
natural healing ability that is controlled
by the nervous system. They also believe
that if the bones in the spine are not sit
ting on top of each other correctly, they
put pressure on nerves along the spine.
This can disrupt the flow of nerve signals
to parts of the body. If a body part does
not receive its normal supply of nerve
signals, it becomes diseased, according to
this theory.
To make the spinal bones line up
straight, chiropractors make one or more
adjustments. A chiropractic adjustment
involves applying a sudden controlled
force to a joint.
Research suggests that chiropractic ad
justments may offer short-term relief for
low back pain. However, most cases of
short-term low back pain get better in
several weeks no matter what treatment
is used.
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Massage
Massage therapists press, rub, or move
muscles and other soft tissues of the
body. Most people use massage to reduce
muscle soreness and tension and relieve
stress and anxiety.
Osteopathy
Osteopaths believe that the bones and
muscles of the body need to be posi
tioned properly so that blood and other
body fluids flow as they should. This is
thought to help ensure health. An os
teopath will first feel the patients body
to find tense muscles and joints that do
not move well. They then manipulate or
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fibromyalgia (feye-broh-meye-AL
jee-uh)
osteoarthritis (OSS-tee-oh-arTHREYE-tuhss) of the knee
anxiety
irregular heartbeats
Hypnosis
Hypnotists try to produce a mental state
in which you are more open to sugges
tions. To hypnotize someone, a therapist
will first get them to relax and concen
trate on an object. Then the therapist will
tell them something such as, You will
not feel pain when you give birth.
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moxibustion (MOKS-ee-BUHSS
chuhn), the burning of the herb moxa
(MOKS-uh) (also known as mugwort)
at an acupuncture point to stimulate
the point with heat
Chinese herbal medicines
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Ayurveda
Ayurveda (AH-yur-VAY-duh) is one of
the worlds oldest systems of medicine.
It started in India more than 5000 years
ago. Ayurveda involves many different
treatments, including:
l
herbal medicines
Warning
Some Chinese and Ayurvedic herbal
medicines have been found to contain toxic metals and other harmful
substances. Some Chinese herbal
medicines have also been found to
contain prescription drugs that were
not listed on the label. before taking
any Chinese or Ayurvedic herbal medicines, you should talk to your doctor.
For information about new FDA regulations to address problems with dietary
supplements, which includes these
medicines, see page 370.
meditation
Homeopathy
Homeopathy (HOH-mee-OP-uh-thee)
is a medical system developed in Germa
ny in the early 1800s. It is based on the
idea that drugs that produce symptoms
similar to those of a disease can help
cure that disease. Homeopathic products
contain these drugs in very small doses
dissolved in water or alcohol.
Homeopathic products have been tried
for many health issues, including meno
pausal hot flashes and premenstrual
syndrome. A few research studies have
shown homeopathic products to work
for some conditions. But many experts
question these results because homeo-
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A final word
Be sure to mention any CAM therapies
that you are considering trying with
your primary care doctor. Your doctor
will be able to tell you about the possible
benefits and risks of the treatment. Also,
when it comes to CAM therapies, it is
probably best to steer a middle course.
Keep an open mind but, at the same
time, be skeptical. n
Massage therapy
has been a safe
and effective
complementary
therapy for me.
Sarah
Olney, Maryland
379
gaithersburg, MD 20898
MSC 8339
bethesda, MD 20892
MSC 7517
bethesda, MD 20892-7517
broadview, oh 44147
Evanston, Il 60201-4695
Chicago, Il 60611
bloomingdale, Il 60108
Arlington, VA 22209
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