Penguin Dictionary of Alternative Medicine

V Sairam T

Description

The integration of alternative medicine with conventional medicine is revolutionizing healthcare across the world. This single volume dictionary features entries ranging from acupoint therapy and abdominal breathing to Iyengar Yoga.

Sujets

• Alternative medicine

Informations

• Publié par: Penguin Books Ltd
• Date de parution: 16 janvier 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789351181279
• Langue: English

Extrait

T. V. Sairam
The Penguin Dictionary of Alternative Medicine

PENGUIN BOOKS
Contents
About the Author
Dedication
Introduction
Abbreviations
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B
C
D
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F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
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T
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V
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Copyright
PENGUIN BOOKS
THE PENGUIN DICTIONARY OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
T.V. Sairam holds a doctorate in alternative medicine and has published about 400 articles in reputed journals on an assortment of subjects. He is the author of Home Remedies (in four volumes), hand books of herbal cures for common ailments.
For my late wife, Radha
Introduction
Alternative medicine is the core of the health-care system of 80 per cent of the world s population and is one of the fastest growing sectors of healthcare. Herbs and supplements are not largely regulated by consumer-protection agencies, but studies show there is a huge surge in the demand for these alternative remedies. Between 1991 and 1997, the use of herbal medicines in the US grew by 380 per cent and, according to a 2001 study, nearly 70 per cent Americans have used as least one form of alternative treatment in their lifetime.
While conventional medicine is preferred in the treatment of trauma and emergencies (although homoeopathy can provide very effective first-aid), alternative medicine is most subscribed to in the treatment of chronic diseases. It lends gentle long-term support to release the body s own innate powers of healing with dietary modifications, herbal medicines, homoeopathy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage and lifestyle counselling. Alternative medicine systems believe that the body is suffused by a network of channels that carry a subtle form of life energy and generally prefers that the patient take an active part in both prevention and treatment. Conventional medicine, on the other hand, sees the body as a mechanical system and believes most disorders can be traced to chemical imbalances best treated with powerful drugs.
Alternative medicine encompasses an array of different systems and therapies and places equal emphasis on the mind, body and spirit, with a personalized approach to bring an individual to a state of health where he or she is in harmony with their environment. It encompasses alternative medical systems including Traditional Chinese Medicine (which focusses on the balance of qi, or vital energy and incorporates the use of acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, and qigong) and ayurveda (India s traditional healthcare system which places equal emphasis on body, mind, and spirit and strives to restore the inner harmony of the individual through diet, exercise, meditation, herbs, massage, exposure to sunlight and controlled breathing). It also includes homoeopathic medicine (based on the principle like cures like i.e., the same substance that in large doses produces the symptom of an illness, in very minuscule doses may cure it) and naturopathic medicine (which emphasises health restoration rather than the treatment of disease and incorporates diet, clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, hydrotherapy, spinal and soft-tissue manipulation electric current, ultrasound and light therapies), biological medicine (which uses herbs, food and vitamins found in nature), energy medicine (which involves the use of energy fields, including qigong, reiki and systems which involve the use of electromagnetic fields such as electroacupuncture, manual medicine which is based on manipulation and/or movement of parts of the body, including osteopathy, massage, chiropractic, Feldenkrais and reflexology), and mind-body medicine (which uses techniques to help enhance the mind s ability to influence body functions and includes biofeedback, guided imagery, hypnotherapy, meditation, prayer, tai chi, qigong and yoga). Traditional medical systems are also practised by Native American, Aboriginal Australian, African, Middle-Eastern, Tibetan and Central and South American cultures.
To physicians trained in allopathic medicine, alternative medicine is just not taught in medical schools and one they know little about. But nearly half the doctors who responded to an American survey subscribed to alternative therapies themselves. The practice of conventional medicine is also intimately linked in the medico-pharmaceutical-industrial complex whose first priority is to make profit, but more and more insurance plans covering treatments such as acupuncture and chiropractic.
Ayurvedic medicine is as applicable today as it was 5000 years ago; the powder made from the beans of Mucuna pruriens , commonly called velvet beans or cowitch (from the Hindi kiwatch) was used to treat Parkinson s disease for centuries in India (the disease was called kampavata in India, before it acquired its present name from James Parkinson who described it in 1817 AD ), is now receiving attention in conventional medicine for the high amount of 1-dopa, a precursor to dopamine, a neurotransmitter required by the central nervous system and lacking in patients of Parkinson s.
Similarly, gingko biloba, made from an extract of the leaf of the gingko tree, is now the most prescribed drug in Germany and found effective in preventing and treating Alzheimer s disease. Also in Germany, the herb saw palmetto is now prescribed in 90 per cent of all cases of enlarged prostate.
St. John s wort ( Hypericum perforatum ) has a history of medicinal use going back to ancient Greece where it was thought to treat several illnesses, including nervous conditions. It is now one of the most commonly purchased herbal products in the US where it is researched to treat alcoholism, bacterial infections, ear infections, AIDS , premenstrual syndrome, Seasonal Affective Disorder, wounds, minor burns and haemorrhoids.
Valerian, native to the Americas, Asia and Europe has been used to ease insomnia, stress-related anxiety and nervous restlessness for thousands of years and modern-day research has now confirmed the scientific validity of its historical uses. It may additionally ease menstrual and stomach cramps, Irritable Bowel syndrome, migraine symptoms and some of the restlessness that accompanies ADHD . Its most well-researched use, however, is to help people sleep.
Traditional Chinese Medicine, practised for over 3000 years in China, has one or more of its therapies used by over a quarter of the world s population. TCM , which combines the use of medicinal herbs, acupuncture and therapeutic exercises such as qigong, proved in efficacy in many chronic diseases including cancer, allergies, heart disease and AIDS. Like Ayurveda, TCM also focusses on the individual and looks for and corrects underlying causes of imbalance and patterns of disharmony.
The dictionary is a compilation of terms, ideas and concepts commonly used across the world in alternative systems healing so as to make them available in one book. A list of abbreviations used to indicate medicinal systems to which an entry belongs (in brackets against the entry) has been included at the beginning of the book. Cross references to entries are indicated through words in small capitals. There are also illustrations for the reader to refer to, although this is not specifically an illustrated dictionary. Several sources have referred to including various materia medicas, pharmacopoeias, encyclopaedias, books on various systems of medicines and websites.
Alternative medicine is a large canvass, including several techniques and healing traditions, and while every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and authenticity, there may be errors and omissions. I take complete responsibility for the material in this book, and would welcome suggestions for improvement in future editions.
T.V. Sairam
Abbreviations
Abbreviations, representing medicinal systems, used in this book are: Afr. African folk practices/traditions Am. Ind. American Indian folk practices/traditions Arab. Arabic/Islamic folk practices/traditions Aus. Australian folk practices/traditions Cos. Cosmetic and beauty care practices/traditions Chi. Chinese folk practices/traditions Egy. Egyptian folk practices/traditions Eur. European folk practices/traditions Flo. Flower remedies and Aromatherapy Gem. Therapeutic gems and crystals traditions Grk Greek folk practices/traditions Haw. Hawaiian folk practices/traditions Heb. Hebrew folk practices/traditions Hom. Homoeopathy Ind. Indian folk practices/traditions (Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani) Jap. Japanese folk practices/traditions Kor. Korean folk practices/traditions Mod. Modern medicine Misc. Miscellaneous Nat. Naturopathy and nature cure practices-traditional and modern Num. Numerology/Astrology New Age New Age concepts and practices Occ. Occult practices-traditional and modern Per. Persian folk practices/traditions Rom. Roman folk practices/traditions Spa Health treatments in Spa Sufi Sufi healing practices/traditions Tib. Ancient Tibetan and Buddhist tradition Turk. Turkish folk practices/traditions Vib. Vibrational/energy medicine Yoga Traditions in Yoga
A
abdominal breathing (Nat.) A technique of BREATHING wherein by contracting and lowering the diaphragm, the abdomen expands, facilitating optimal inhalation of oxygen. Subsequently, the abdomen is contracted by relaxing the diaphragm and letting it rise so that maximum air is expunged. A noteworthy feature of this technique is that it involves no motion of the chest or shoulders. This exercise helps not only in toning up abdominal muscles, but also in expunging the extra fat accumulation in the abdominal region.
abdominal touch diagnosis (Jap.) A traditional Japanese diagnostic method wherein pressure is applied to different areas around the abdomen, each linked to a specific organ of the body. Touch diagnosis is a specialized method in several ancient medical schools around the world, including AYURVEDA and SIDDHA .
abhava yoga (Yoga) The yoga of nonbeing; a higher yogic practice, involving focussing one s AWARENESS on one s CONSCIOUSNESS . T