Sunday, February 21, 2010
Alternative medicine homeopathy, acupuncture, naturopathy, even mind-body medicine has a role in preventing and treating the flu, practitioners say.
Vaccination is the best defense against flu viruses, whether seasonal or the H1N1 pandemic virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though flu activity has quieted down, viruses are unpredictable and activity can rise and fall throughout the season and it's not over yet.
Four practitioner's alternative and complementary therapies about their approaches to preventing and treating the flu.
Acupuncture
This ancient Chinese therapy uses needles inserted at various locations on the body to relieve pain and restore well-being. And it works on flu symptoms, says a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine.
"Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be helpful to build the immune system and assist the body to get rid of pathogens,"
The location of the acupuncture needles he applies called acupuncture points are customized to "suit each individual's needs,"Using acupuncture and Chinese herbs to strengthen a person's immune system is "very individual and specific,"
Some people have stronger immune systems than others; these people would require less treatment, but "generally, to build one's immune system, a course of four weekly treatments initially, followed by regular 'tune-ups,' could be quite helpful."
Treatment for H1N1, as with other flu's and colds, is highly individualized and would "depend on the symptoms that patient is experiencing at that time, and as the symptoms change, so does the treatment." But once they've tried this treatments, people "do come back" when they're suffering from flu and cold symptoms.
Meditation
Long-term, unrelieved stress can be hazardous to your immune system, says a meditation lecturer and teacher for the Center for Mind Body.
Persistent stress causes high levels of cortisol (often called the stress hormone) to remain in the body instead of returning to normal levels, and that's bad for the immune system. "Our bodies stop producing immune cells and the ones that we already have don't function very well,"
A suppressed immune system can't provide the "functional and plentiful T cells to help us fight off infections like the flu," And while long-term stress might not cause the flu, it makes people a much easier target for the flu "by wiping out our immune systems" and making them "defenseless against infections."
How can we de-stress to protect our immune system? "Meditation allows people to access a place in you which is calm and peaceful."
Studies have shown that 20 minutes (of meditation) two times a day will effectively turn around the effects of stress for 24 hours, people can get a great effect out of a little bit (of meditation) here or there throughout the course of the day."
Naturopathy
Naturopaths receive training in conventional medicine like that of a family doctor. Prescriptions for flu prevention and treatment include common-sense advice like frequent hand washing and proper cough procedures, in addition to eating well (more fresh fruit and veggies, whole grains) and consuming less processed foods (sugar, fast foods, sugary drinks, meat), moderating stress and getting adequate sleep.
As a naturopath, though patients "a variety of natural substances to support one's immune system based on the individual's underlying health challenges. This is the foundation in preventing illness and decreasing the severity and length of the illness, should one contract a cold or flu." "Same approach to health" during the H1N1 outbreak last year.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. It's based on the principle of "like cures like," reports NCCAM: "a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people."
Homeopathic practitioners use natural substances in their treatments.
"Best protection is immune and self support (which) begins with a loving relationship with the children, warm beds and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and good quality protein in the diet and good sleep is very important." Once the basic requirements of self-care are met, there are other options to consider.
Vaccination is the best defense against flu viruses, whether seasonal or the H1N1 pandemic virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though flu activity has quieted down, viruses are unpredictable and activity can rise and fall throughout the season and it's not over yet.
Four practitioner's alternative and complementary therapies about their approaches to preventing and treating the flu.
Acupuncture
This ancient Chinese therapy uses needles inserted at various locations on the body to relieve pain and restore well-being. And it works on flu symptoms, says a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine."Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be helpful to build the immune system and assist the body to get rid of pathogens,"
The location of the acupuncture needles he applies called acupuncture points are customized to "suit each individual's needs,"Using acupuncture and Chinese herbs to strengthen a person's immune system is "very individual and specific,"
Some people have stronger immune systems than others; these people would require less treatment, but "generally, to build one's immune system, a course of four weekly treatments initially, followed by regular 'tune-ups,' could be quite helpful."
Treatment for H1N1, as with other flu's and colds, is highly individualized and would "depend on the symptoms that patient is experiencing at that time, and as the symptoms change, so does the treatment." But once they've tried this treatments, people "do come back" when they're suffering from flu and cold symptoms.
Meditation
Long-term, unrelieved stress can be hazardous to your immune system, says a meditation lecturer and teacher for the Center for Mind Body.Persistent stress causes high levels of cortisol (often called the stress hormone) to remain in the body instead of returning to normal levels, and that's bad for the immune system. "Our bodies stop producing immune cells and the ones that we already have don't function very well,"
A suppressed immune system can't provide the "functional and plentiful T cells to help us fight off infections like the flu," And while long-term stress might not cause the flu, it makes people a much easier target for the flu "by wiping out our immune systems" and making them "defenseless against infections."
How can we de-stress to protect our immune system? "Meditation allows people to access a place in you which is calm and peaceful."
Studies have shown that 20 minutes (of meditation) two times a day will effectively turn around the effects of stress for 24 hours, people can get a great effect out of a little bit (of meditation) here or there throughout the course of the day."
Naturopathy
Naturopaths receive training in conventional medicine like that of a family doctor. Prescriptions for flu prevention and treatment include common-sense advice like frequent hand washing and proper cough procedures, in addition to eating well (more fresh fruit and veggies, whole grains) and consuming less processed foods (sugar, fast foods, sugary drinks, meat), moderating stress and getting adequate sleep.As a naturopath, though patients "a variety of natural substances to support one's immune system based on the individual's underlying health challenges. This is the foundation in preventing illness and decreasing the severity and length of the illness, should one contract a cold or flu." "Same approach to health" during the H1N1 outbreak last year.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. It's based on the principle of "like cures like," reports NCCAM: "a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people."Homeopathic practitioners use natural substances in their treatments.
"Best protection is immune and self support (which) begins with a loving relationship with the children, warm beds and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and good quality protein in the diet and good sleep is very important." Once the basic requirements of self-care are met, there are other options to consider.
posted by emedinfo
@9:28 PM
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