Complementary and Alternative Medicine Secrets

Features

* Includes chapters on the various alternative therapies as well as chapters on medical disorders and the CAM treatments for those diseases
Focuses on the evidence for the effectiveness of CAM therapies
Kohatsu one of the leaders in the field (member of first group of fellows of Andrew Weil at University of Arizona Department of Integrative Medicine
Book uses an "integrative" approach---not just CAM therapies, but therapies used in conjunction with total program for treating patient's condition (including standard medical therapies, nutrition, etc).
* Concise answers that include the author's pearls, tips, memory aids, and "secrets".

Contents

SECTION ONE: GENERAL. History of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in the US. Science and Research in CAM. Integrative medicine approach. SECTION TWO: THERAPEUTIC MODALITITES. History/traditions of each modality. How is it used? For what diagnoses has it been proven beneficial? What to look for in a practitioner of this field/ certifications & licensure. For the following modalities: Mind-body-Spirit Interventions. Placebo and belief. Creative arts therapies. Hypnosis and Imagery. Meditation. Relaxation techniques [Breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback]. Spirituality . Yoga. Alternative Systems of Medical Practice. Ayurvedic medicine. Traditional Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture. Homeopathy. SECTION THREE: ALLOPATHIC MEDICINE. Manual healing and physical touch. Osteopathic medicine. Chiropractic. Massage. Botanical medicine. Supplements (vitamins, minerals, bioactive compounds). Nutrition (Role of fats/carbs/protein, the "best" diets, patterns of eating). Exercise, Fitness & Lifestyle. Energy medicine. SECTION FOUR: DIAGNOSES SECTION. Is there a "best" CAM treatment for this diagnosis? Evidence for diagnoses. How does CAM approach compare to allopathic approach? For these diagnoses: Affective disorders. Anxiety. Autoimmune disorders. Fibromyalgia/ chronic fatigue syndrome. Rheumatoid arthritis. Cancer. Cardiovascular. Dermatology. Gastrointestinal. Gender specific care. Infectious Disease. Metabolic/endocrine. Musculoskeletal. Neurology. Pediatrics. Respiratory. Appendices. Searching the literature for CAM topics. The best on the Web. Legal issues and CAM. Drug herb interactions. Insurance coverage for CAM.