Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Rationalep.4
Summary...p.5
Conclusion...p.17
Appendix......p.18
Bibliography....p.20
Rationale
Health is one of the most important aspects of a mans life and it is only natural that one would do everything in its power to keep it. Medicine has its roots in the primitive times, but the most flourishing period of its development was during the Egyptian and Greek empires. These peoples have set the ground stone of modern medicine. Even nowadays, with all the technology medicine has at its disposal, certain ancient methods are still used. However, conventional medicine has taken a path that sometimes proves more harmful than helpful to the patient. This is caused by the fact that many treatments are synthetically obtained and contain substances that cause severe side effects to the users. Traditional medicine has come to treat symptoms instead of diseases. In other words, they adopted the motto: a pill for every ill. As a result of this, the pharmaceutical sector has become an industry in its full rights, gaining enormous profits yearly. Given this fact, I chose to draw the attention to a less known division of the medical world the naturist and non-invasive treatments. These and other therapies of their kind have, not seldom, succeeded where conventional medicine has failed. However, these facts are not as widespread as one would hope, and people are, unfortunately, unaware of them. I myself was in the dark until relatively recently, when I discovered on my own skin how efficient some of these treatments really are. Along with the flu and aches that these methods have helped me recover from much faster than conventional medicine, I felt a clear improvement of the functioning of my body as a whole. My immune system boosted and all the processes of my organism have become balanced. This is why I will try to present in this paper some of the best known alternative therapies and, hopefully, attract a few curious minds towards this almost forgotten art.
Mankind has survived all catastrophes. It will also survive modern medicine. (Gerhard Kocher)
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Summary
Given the fact that in the last years alternative medicine has made important steps in its development, people have started to trust such non-invasive treatments and use them on different occasions. Be it for treating a simple rash, a mere flu or more serious ailments, natural medicine and other unconventional methods have proven not only effective, but they have also shown less side effects than the traditional, synthetic medicine. In his paper I will introduce a brief description and methodology of a few branches of alternative therapy. To begin with, there will be a description of the way homeopathy works and some of the effects that this art and science has over the organism. Shortly, homeopathy means giving the ill body a cure that would produce the symptoms of disease in a healthy person. In other words, it means giving our white cells the chance to fight off a virus and become stronger. Further, I will put forward a few facts about the Placebo effect and the therapies that involve this method. As you will find out from the following pages, this is a successful way of training the bodys own healing capacity without the use of substances that would fulfill this role for the organism. In the third part, we will take a look into Mother Natures gift bag and uncover some of the most effective herbal cures for certain diseases. Although we are surrounded by all sorts of plants every day, some of us forget that nature once held our ancestors alive and healthy. If they could do it, why cant we? Along with herbalism, our daily help in maintaining our organism healthy and preserve our energy can become more than just food supplement. Every disease has a cause, and many of these arise because of the lack of vitamins in our bodies. This means that instead of treating the symptoms, as conventional medicine does, we could treat the disease as a whole just by taking vitamins. Last, but not least, it will be the turn of acupuncture to uncover its secrets. This ancient Chinese art has lost its practitioners and its clients. Most of the decrease in acupunctures popularity was due to the development of modern pharmacy and other techniques that make it look obsolete. However, people are starting once again to put their hopes into this method, mostly when it comes to curing muscle and articular pain.
All in all, just like every new revolutionary idea, there are those who uphold it and those who are against it. All that remains is that we seek to fulfill our own interests and keep our health by all means.
one of the strongest painkiller in the medical arsenal, as morphine is described. He repeated this action several times and saw that it functioned on every trial. When he returned to America, he gathered a team of scientists at Harvard University and began to study the phenomenon. In order to cast a bit of light upon this subject I will continue by asking a simple question: What is, in fact, the Placebo effect? - Wiki says: A placebo is a substance or procedure that is objectively without specific activity for the condition being treated. Sometimes patients given a placebo treatment will have a perceived or actual improvement in a medical condition. In other words, the Placebo effect, or, as Dylan Evans names it in the book with the same title the belief effect, appears when sick people are given certain substances with no actual medical action ( such as sugar pills, or vitamin C .), but which stimulate the minds and bodys own healing capacities. This means that, technically, our organism will heal itself only by power of suggestion. This points out the importance of perception and the brains role in physical health. However, this technique has also caused certain controversies regarding medical ethics, mostly the way this method affects the doctor-patient relationship. In order to ensure the success of a Placebo treatment, the patient must be kept in the dark as to what the real nature of the medicine he is taking is. This means, that he will be violated the right to be fully informed about the type of treatment he is receiving. However, many people disagree with this view. If the patient knew that he is given an inert substance, the chances for this method to work would be seriously diminished, thus, leading to the doctor being forced to make use of pharmaceutical medicine in order to heal the patients disorder. 7
On the other hand, a physician could obtain a Placebo effect by not being dishonest to his patient. An example of such a method was reported when a 45-years-old man, suffering from diabetes and hypertension, underwent the amputation of a second leg. The pain he had after the operation was so intense that he demanded to be increased the quantity of analgesics he was given. The nurses decided then to add a saline solution along with the painkillers, explaining to the man that this substance was also an effective analgesic. They shortly found out that the pain the man was feeling started to decrease. As we can see from this case, although the saline substance had no real effect on the patients organism, by power of suggestion, the man reported less intense soreness. What is more, this result was obtained without having to hide from the patient the true nature of the treatment he was administered One of the main advantages that the Placebo method has is the reduced number of side effects it may bring about. Because of the inert nature of the substances that are being used, the body will suffer no harm and the patient will not have to deal with dizziness, loss of taste or smell, or any other secondary effects conventional medicine has upon the organism. Another definite plus is the fact that people would not be forced to make use of conventional medicine, which might cure a part of the body while affecting another. Pharmaceutical products are usually made out of synthetic substances. These might bring more harm to the organism and cause other diseases to appear. Not to mention the allergic reactions some patients might have from this artificial medicine. The financial issue also represents a reason for which people are encouraged to go for the placebo method. Antibiotics and other conventional treatments for certain diseases are extremely expensive, causing an increase in the search of cheaper alternatives. Of course, the consult of a Placebo doctor might not be in handy for everyone, but there are always general practitioners who have undergone certain training and are able to use this method without restrain. On the other hand, there are also a number of disadvantages that are to be taken in consideration. One of these is known as the nocebo effect. This reaction refers to an unpleasant or undesirable effect that the placebo has on the patient. However, this effect usually appears not because of the placebo that is given to people, but because of their personal feelings of uncertainty or pessimistic beliefs. In other words, the reaction is not physiological, but rather mental, behavioral. Having mentioned the nocebo effect, the other disadvantage is minor, but should be considered. This is ineffectiveness. People tend to lose their faith in a certain procedure if it proves to be less efficient than promised. The placebo might not function immediately, causing a decrease in the patients trust and leading to a smaller chance of the success of the treatment. In the end, although the Placebo effect has not been studied as widely as other branches of alternative medicine and despite the fact that its effectiveness has not been 100% proved, it still remains one of the safest methods to treat disease. In order to explain the slow development of this study, I must say that each and every person on this world is different. This means that there will not be two placebo effects that are identical. A medic cannot be sure that the procedure he used with a patient will be certain to work for all of them. This is what makes the Placebo so difficult to study, but so efficient in practice.
Of course, as any other branch of alternative medicine, naturist medicine has its own methods of treating the different ailments of the daily life. The most important of these therapies are: aromatherapy, phytotherapy and nutrition.
Branches
Aromatherapy
Every plant contains essential oils in its roots, stem, leaves, seeds and flowers. These oils have a great role in maintaining the balance and harmony of the human body, mind and soul. The effect these oils have on our organism comes probably from the influence they have on the hormones and other chemical substances that are responsible for transmitting information. 9
This way of using the essential substances of the plants dates back at about 4500 BC, when the Egyptians first created perfumes and cures out of them. They attributed a fragrance to each of their gods and used them in the process of embalming the dead. All the knowledge of this science has been kept by Roman, Greek and Arabian doctors and was widely used. However, in the XIX century, along with the production of cheaper, synthetic essences, came a decline in the use of natural cures. Before commencing any aromatherapeutic treatment, you have to make sure that the other therapies you are using are not affected by the strong smell of the essential oil. Once this is done, the doctor will prescribe the aromas that suit your ailment and the session can begin. At home, you can practice aromatherapy either by inhalation (it is the fastest way of getting the essential oil into the blood course) or by bathing (the easiest way of absorbing the oils and a more pleasant one; it is a very effective way of relieving stress) Some of the mostly used essences in aromatherapy are: OIL MENTAL EFFECTS Tea tree (Melaleuca Over one hundred utilizations alternifolia) PHYSICAL EFFECTS Antiseptic against bacterial infections; used for cleaning cuts and other superficial wounds.
and Used against colds, dry cough, skin infections, muscular pain and inflammations.
Lavender (Lavandula It combats anxiety, stress and Helps regenerate skin cells, officinalis) depression reduces skin inflammation, decreases bad breath and nausea. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Stimulates memory Calms indigestion, helps blood circulation; calms muscle pain, stimulates skin cells regeneration and combats infections. Helps calm cough and throat infections, intestinal cramps; it stimulates the liver and it cleans the digestive system; combats liquid retention in the organism.
Mint ( piperita)
Phytotherapy
Using plant remedies to combat or treat disease is probably the oldest form of medicine. Specialists say that the natural balance of active principles present in plants is more effective and less harmful than the synthetic medicine used in modern conventional pharmacy. It is not known when people realized the therapeutic effects of plants, but it is believed that they first used them in their daily diet and 10
was then developed as a primitive form of medicine by those living close to nature. It later spread by word of mouth from generation to generation. Scientific progress has made it possible to isolate the active chemical substances in herbs and to produce them synthetically. The result of this process is mostly used in what we call classic medicine. However, plant specialists have always believed that, in order to maximize the effect the plant has upon your body, it is necessary to use the whole plant, not just the active part. This is recommended because the other elements in the herb help regulate the effects of the plant, or prevent side effects. These other parts can also play an important role in ones diet. Natural remedies can be used in treating a large variety of affections, from regular ailments to raising immunity and energy. There are specially trained phytotherapists that can prescribe the right treatment. In order to ensure the highest results from a treatment, the naturopath must know the way the patients organism function and to determine the underlying cause of the disease. Along with specialized help, one can also practise self-medication. The herbs used at home can be cultivated in the garden or jardinires and can be used whenever needed. However, one must not forget that these are medicine and can be harmful if used in a wrong way or in high quantities. Also, one must be sure of the type of the plant is used - if one is not sure of this, the plant should not be taken.
Interesting fact In the old times, many hospitals that were administered by
religious orders or monasteries had their own garden in which they cultivated the treatment plants they needed. Precautions - Plant remedies contain active parts that can be harmful if ingested in excess, so one must respect the recommended doses and concentrations; - The natural remedies should not be combined with conventional medicine without the doctors approval; - In case of pregnancy or over 70-years of age, one should address the doctor before commencing a natural treatment; - Children under 16 should not be given natural remedies without a doctor established dose.
studies. In fact, there are medical practitioners that prefer to undermine the effect of a diverse diet and of vitamins in the process of healing. Instead, they prescribe different kinds of conventional, synthetic medicine, which only treats the symptoms of an ailment, without identifying the underlying cause of it. These treatments sometimes have unwanted effects upon the healthy parts of our organism, weakening it slowly but steadily. The real healing process must begin with a rich in vitamins and proteins diet. However, the foods we are provided with in supermarkets, stores or in the markets are already lacking their full nutritional value as they reach our hands. This is because they have traveled between 10003000 miles before being brought to the selling venue. By this time, 30% of their nutrients are destroyed because of the heat and unsuitable storage conditions. To this, we must add the pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers that are used in order to maximize production and embellish the aspect of the product. What is more, people usually cook the vegetables before consuming them. This way, almost 95% of their enzymes and useful components disappear and so, they fail to give us the necessary energy for a full day of work and agitation. Paul Kutschof published in a paper in 1930 an idea which stated that if 51% of the food one consumes is cooked, the body reacts to it as if it were a toxin, therefore failing to extract all the necessary substances for the normal processes. In other words, deficient food makes deficient people. This leads us to the conclusion that 51% of our daily intake of aliments should be raw. This need of highly nutritive vegetables and other types of food has lead to the discovery of the so-called superfoods (raw honey, spirulina, Echinacea, goji, wheat grass, ginger etc.). These are superior sources of anti-oxidants and essential nutrients that we need, but are not produced by our organism. As a definite plus it is worth mentioning that they are easily decomposed and absorbed by our body. For example, spirulina can be dissolved in water, drunk, and the active substance in it will take effect almost immediately. This is not true for a steak. A huge amount of energy is needed in order to liquefy such a food and to make it absorbable.
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The effects of these superfoods are as varied and numerous as our body needs. Studies have shown that spirulina has the highest level of protein in the world. As proof, this algae has been consumed in Mexico as a primary source of protein for 500 years. Along with this, spirulina is also believed to have antiviral and anticancer properties, it helps boost the immune system and protect against allergic reactions. Another example of highly effective superfood is the cocoa bean. This has the highest content of minerals and is the primary source of magnesium, chromium, iron, copper, zinc and mangan in the world. However, chocolate has a more reduced percentage of all these substances, because they are destroyed by heat in the production process.
contains between 25 and 35 % protein, including 18 amino acids, a variety of water-soluble vitamins and minerals, and essential fatty acids, including omega-3
In what vitamins are concerned, there are the skeptics that say that a multivitamin a day is harmful or that vitamin C is a cause of kidney stone. They are fortunately proved wrong by those who have proved that high doses of vitamins can cure certain diseases. Such and example is Linus Parling, winner of two Nobel prizes (out of which one was for Chemistry), who first suggested that vitamin C is useful in the treatment of common colds. Also, there is medical researcher, Fred R Klenner, who used to treat viral illnesses using high doses of vitamin C, back in the 1940s. The cardiovascular diseases are those of civilization. Conventional doctors say it is irreversible, but there are scientists that have proved the contrary. Not only is it reversible, but this can also be done without the use of drugs, but by having a balanced diet, rich in vitamins and stress reduction therapies. How does this work? For example, a stressful lifestyle leads to a high consumption of vitamin C by the body. This is caused by a huge level of adrenalin produced by the organism. Adrenalin causes the heart to beat faster and in the end, exhausted by unnecessary efforts, it fails. This can be prevented by giving the body the missing or the over-consumed substance, in this case - vitamin C. This is the best proof that sustains the fact that vitamins and nutrition are the safest and most effective way of curing ailments.
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The utility of vitamins is diverse: VITAMIN EFFECTS Synthesizes collagen, carnitine and neurotransmitters. It acts as an electron donor for eight different enzymes. It is a powerful antioxidant, pro-oxidant, it boosts the immune system, and it is antihistamic. Those who have a high level of ascorbic acid have a significantly reduced chance to suffer a heart attack. It is necessary in treating and preventing scurvy. Plays a key role in the correct functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is used to treat B12 deficiency, cyanide poisoning, hereditary deficiency of
transcobalamin II. It is used to help detect pernicious anemia. For elderly people it helps prevent brain atrophy or shrinkage (related to Alzheimer disease).
Plays an important role in our vision, gene transcription, immune function, embryonic development and reproduction, bone metabolism, skin and cellular health, antioxidant activity.
In the end, we cannot live forever, but we can live a healthy life in a healthy way. Why not use what Mother Nature has given us instead of filling our bodies with synthetic substances that could prove more harmful than beneficial?
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There are some procedures that differ from the classic needle stimulation: 1. Electro-Acupuncture (using small electric charges through the acupuncture needles) How it works? The needles are inserted in the specific points around the body. The next step is to connect the pins to an electric generator which will help adjust the strength and frequency of the impulses. The amount of power used is small, of only a few micro amperes. The frequency, however, can vary between 5-2000 HZ. The high frequencies are only used only in surgery, while the lower ones are effective in soreness relief. EA is mostly used in pain-relief treatments and the prevention on pain. It has also proved effective in combination with nausea and vomiting drugs that are needed by chemotherapy patients. 2. Ear-Acupuncture (Auriculotherapy) This method builds around the fact that the ear has a great number of blood vessels and nerve terminations, thus, it is probable to have connections all over the body. (Ax, Figure 2) It is mostly used in painrelief therapies and chronically stiff joints. This method might even be more effective than body acupuncture, for some of the patients. Ear acupuncture has also proved useful in treating obesity, alcoholism or drug addiction. The main disadvantage is that the most painful spots in the ear must be stimulated in order to have full results. This is not good news for those who are sensitive to pain. 3. Moxibustion Moxibustion involves applying heat on acupuncture spots. The two practices are complementary and are sometimes used together. This method is used in the treatment for bronchial asthma, bronchitis, certain types of paralysis, and arthritic disorders. As in other healing techniques, the patient must change his lifestyle if he wishes to keep the balance obtained by acupuncture. Stress relief, diet, sports, meditation, all these are points to reconsider in modifying our way of life if acupuncture is to be effective. Dr. Peck also says that where harmony exists, the energy can flow freely. When one is quiet and relaxed, the body is strong, the organs and all the energy will be powerful and one will have both physical and emotional health.
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Conclusion
Mother Nature has kept us in her arms from the beginnings of time. As a result, it is enough to take a look around us and see that all we need for our bodies and minds to be healthy and to function correctly is in front of us. It does not matter what disorder one suffers from, the treatment for it can easily be found and tried without fear of side effects or inefficiency. Lots of people have nowadays come back to alternative therapies, in order to achieve this complete healing of mind, body and spirit. Many of these methods come from the oldest of times, and manage to apply ancient techniques in a modern context. These alternative techniques try to stimulate the natural healing capacity of our organism. They try to decipher the way our body works and get to the underlying cause of a certain disorder, treating not just symptoms, but the disease as a whole. The Placebo Effect is the one that stands behind many of these alternative practices. By hiding from the patient the true nature of the treatment he is taking, doctors can train his immune system and the organisms own healing ability. One can take it as a private coaching session of our inner defensive functions. Homeopathy works in a similar way as the Placebo Effect. As the law of similars says, a substance that causes the symptoms of a certain disease to a healthy person can cure that disorder in an ill patient. Despite the fact that there have been certain controversies concerning the nature of the treatment in this method, there have been shown great results. Coming as a legacy from the ancient Chinese people, acupuncture has proved efficient from its beginnings to the modern times. It is the most convincing proof that state-of-the-art medicine can be outrun by an ancestral practice. Despite the pain one must bear during acupuncture sessions, the effects are proved to be immediate and durable. However, in order to keep the balance obtained by this method, one must keep a close look on the lifestyle one is leading. Conventional medicine has become an industry that, besides helping people fight disease, sometimes takes advantage of this constant need in order to make profit. Behind the whole medical system lies a group of powerful corporations that take advantage of peoples disease and gather fortunes. The scientists working here synthesize substances that, instead of dealing with the disease as a whole, target its symptoms. Healing is not something that just happens to people. It is something that occurs inside of each and every one of us. The process starts once we understand the impact our emotional and spiritual health has upon physical vitality, and the other way around. In the end, why not turn our faces towards the more non-invasive methods of treatment and, if not fully abort conventional medicine, at least combine it with a natural treatment or an acupuncture session?
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Appendix (Ax)
Figure 1 Figure 2
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Bibliography/Webliography
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1. Evans, D., (2003), The Belief Effect, Oxford University Press, London 2. Lichtenberg P., (2004), The ethics of the placebo in clinical practice, in J. Med Ethics 3. Meeus, Cathy , (2004),Sanatate cu tratamente naturiste, Readers Digest, Bucharest 4. Prophet, Elizabeth Clare, (2008), Cei sapte centri energetici: O abordare holistica a vitalitatii fizice, emotionale si spirituale, Meteor Press, Bucharest 5. www.rainmakerteam.co/video/Foodmatters_ro/foodmatters_ro.html 6. www.wikipedia.org 7. www.google.ro
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