Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Cam) Essay Example for Free

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Cam) Essay Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes a variety of interventions—from exercise and dietary supplements to stress management strategies, biofeedback, and acupuncture. These therapies—which come from many different disciplines and traditions—are generally considered to be outside the realm of conventional medicine. When used in combination with conventional medicine, they are referred to as â€Å"complementary;† when used instead of conventional medicine, they are referred to as â€Å"alternative.† In the United States today, approximately 75% of people with MS use one form or another of CAM, generally in combination with their prescribed MS treatments. Are CAM Therapies Safe to Use? Many people use CAM because they believe that anything sold over-the-counter at a pharmacy or health food store is healthy and harmless. However, unlike conventional medical treatments—which are thoroughly tested and carefully regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—most CAM therapies have undergone very little, if any, scientific study. So some may be completely safe while others may actually pose significant risks—for example, by producing serious side effects or interacting negatively with other medications a person is taking. Fortunately, a greater effort is now being made to find ways to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of various types of CAM. Why is Controlled Clinical Studies So Important? Carefully-designed clinical trials are the best way to determine whether a treatment is safe and effective. Here are the reasons why: * Because the course of MS is variable, and each person’s symptoms tend to come and go in an unpredictable way, the only way to determine the effectiveness of a treatment is to test it on a large number of people. * Because most people—regardless of the disease they have—will have a positive response to any new treatment they receive (even if it’s an inactive substance or placebo), the effectiveness of a new treatment can only be proven by comparing it to a placebo or to another treatment that has already been shown to be effective. * Because every treatment carries with it the risk of anticipated and unanticipated side effects, the only way to evaluate a treatment’s safety is to evaluate it in a large number of people over a sufficient period of time. Recommended Guidelines to Follow People who are considering using a CAM therapy should ask the following questions: * What does the treatment involve? * How and why is it supposed to work? * How effective is it? * What are the risks? * How much does it cost? The answers to these questions can help a person considering a CAM therapy to weigh the benefits against the risks. For those who decide to go ahead with the CAM therapy, here are some good, common sense recommendations: Keep your physician informed about everything you are taking. Not sharing this important information is like asking your physician to treat you blindfolded—and knowing everything you are taking will allow your doctor to alert you to possible side effects or drug interactions. Dont abandon conventional therapy. The treatments your physician prescribes for you are the ones that have been evaluated in controlled clinical trials or accepted by the MS medical community as safe and effective therapies. So stay with your prescribed treatments even if you decide to add CAM to your treatment plan. Document the experience. Keep a detailed log of what you take or what is done and any changes you experience. Check out These Complementary Approaches to Physical Health and Emotional Well-Being * Food and Diet—Although various diets have been promoted to cure or control MS, no diet has been proven to modify the course of MS. MS specialists recommend that people follow the same high fiber, low fat diet that is recommended for all adults. * Exercise— Exercise offers many benefits for people with MS. In addition to improving your overall health, aerobic exercise reduces fatigue and improves bladder and bowel function, strength, and mood. Stretching exercises reduce stiffness and increase mobility. The physicial therapist can recommend an exercise plan to fit your abilities and limitations. * Stress management—The relationship between stress and the onset or worsening of MS is far from clear—and different types of stress appear to affect different people in different ways. But none of us feel our best when we’re stressed, so it’s important to find the stress management strategies that work best for you. * Acupuncture—Acupuncture is finding its way into Western medicine, with studies suggesting possible benefits for a wide range of problems. Definition of terms: 1. Alternative medicines is any practice that is put forward as having the healing effects of medicine, but is not based on evidence gathered with the scientific method. Typically not part of conventional treatment, alternative medicine is usually based on tradition, belief in supernatural energies, pseudoscience, errors in reasoning, propaganda, or fraud. Alternative therapies lack scientific validation, and their effectiveness is either unproved or disproved. The treatments are those that are not part of the conventional, science-based healthcare system. 2. Complementary medicines is treatment and medicine that you use in addition to your doctors standard care. 3. Dietary Supplements dietary supplements are substances you eat or drink. They can be vitamins, minerals, herbs or other plants, amino acids (the individual building blocks of protein), or parts of these substances. They can be in pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid form. They supplement (add to) the diet and should not be considered a substitute for food. Importance of CAM in Clinical Pharmacy Studying CAM is important in clinical pharmacy since it is concerned with drugs. If you have a patient who does CAM system, then you can be aware of do’s and don’ts so you can perform a better patient counseling. Since CAM is not suggested, but at least you know it, then you can support your patients regarding that. Situational Analysis Talk to your doctor about risks and benefits of complementary and alternative medicine Work with your conventional medical doctor to help you make informed decisions regarding complementary and alternative treatments. Even if your doctor cant recommend a specific practitioner, he or she can help you understand possible risks and benefits before you try a treatment. Its especially important to involve your doctor if youre pregnant, have medical problems or take prescription medicine. And dont stop or change your conventional treatment — such as the dose of your prescription medications — without talking to your doctor first. Finally, be sure to keep your doctor updated on any complementary and alternative therapies youre using, including herbal and dietary supplements.

Use of Nature in Chopins Awakening and Langston Hughes Poems :: comparison compare contrast essays

     Ã‚  Ã‚   Langston Hughes and Kate Chopin use nature in several dimensions to demonstrate the powerful struggles and burdens of human life. Throughout Kate Chopin's The Awakening and several of Langston Hughes' poems, the sweeping imagery of the beauty and power of nature demonstrates the struggles the characters confront, and their eventual freedom from those struggles. Nature and freedom coexist, and the characters eventually learn to find freedom from the confines of society, oneself, and finally freedom within one's soul. The use of nature for this purpose brings the characters and speakers in Chopin's and Hughes' works to life, and the reader feels the life and freedom of those characters.    Nature, in the works of Chopin and Hughes serves as a powerful symbol that represents the struggle of the human soul towards freedom, the anguish of that struggle, and the joy when that freedom is finally reached. In The Awakening, the protagonist Edna Pontellier undergoes a metamorphosis. She lives in Creole society, a society that restricts sexuality, especially for women of the time. Edna is bound by the confines of a loveless marriage, unfulfilled, unhappy, and closed in like a caged bird. During her summer at Grand Isle she is confronted with herself in her truest nature, and finds herself swept away by passion and love for someone she cannot have, Robert Lebrun.      The imagery of the ocean at Grand Isle and its attributes symbolize a force calling her to confront her internal struggles, and find freedom. Chopin uses the imagery of the ocean to represent the innate force within her soul that is calling to her. "The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in a maze of inward contemplation." (p.14) Through nature and its power, Edna, begins to find freedom in her soul and then returns to a life in the city where reside the conflicts that surround her. Edna grew up on a Mississippi plantation, where life was simple, happy, and peaceful. The images of nature, which serve as a symbol for freedom of the soul, appear when she speaks of this existence. In the novel, she remembers a simpler life when she was a child, engulfed in nature and free: "The hot wind beating in my face made me think - without any connection that I can trace - of a summer day in Kentucky, of a meadow that seemed as big as the ocean to the very little girl walking through the grass, which was higher than her waist.

The Benefit of Pilates

The Benefits of Pilates A refreshing mind-body workout Pilates gets your mind in tune with your body. By emphasizing proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement, you become acutely aware of how your body feels, where it is in space, and how to control its movement. The quality of movement is valued over quantity of repetitions. Proper breathing is essential, and helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency. Last but not least, learning to breathe properly can reduce stress. Build strength without â€Å"bulking up† – gain long, lean muscles and flexibility Conventional workouts tend to build short, bulky muscles – the type most prone to injury. Pilates elongates and strengthens, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body with balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured. Develop a strong core – flat abdominals and a strong back Building on the principles of Joseph Pilates, Pilates exercises develop a strong â€Å"core,† or center of the body. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle. Create an evenly conditioned body and prevent sports injuries In conventional workouts, weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong muscles tend to get stronger. The result is muscular imbalance – a primary cause of injury and chronic back pain. Pilates conditions the whole body, even the ankles and feet. No muscle group is over trained or under trained. Your entire musculature is evenly balanced and conditioned, helping you enjoy daily activities and sports with greater ease and less chance of injury. Be confident and safe No other exercise system is so gentle to your body while giving it a challenging workout. Many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and partially weight bearing. Pilates is so safe, it is used in physical therapy facilities to rehabilitate injuries. And be challenged Pilates is also an extremely flexible exercise system. Modifications to the exercises allow for a range of difficulty ranging from beginning to advance. Get the workout that best suits you now, and increase the intensity as your body conditioning improves. Learn efficient patterns of motion Pilates exercises train several muscle groups at once in smooth, continuous movements. By developing proper technique, you can actually re-train your body to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion – invaluable for injury recovery, sports performance, good posture and optimal health

Efp1 Task 2 - 3347 Words

Improving Communication and Diversity at Huzzah Valley Kaitlynne Forbes Western Governors University A. Introduction/Abstract Due to our ever changing culture and diversity, the United States has become commonly referred to as the â€Å"melting pot.† Every day this country is becoming more and more diverse and acceptant of other cultures. This is becoming more and more prominent in the workforce as well. Not only are people from all around the globe able find work in the United States, but women are also becoming more dominant in the workforce. Although there is still a lot of speculation as to whether or not women and men are getting equal treatment and pay, many women today are finding themselves suffering from little to no†¦show more content†¦As the time goes by, the workforce is becoming more and more diverse. This trend also reflects our company because we have developed a very strong background of Caucasian, African American, and Latino employees. As the years have progressed, we have become stronger as a company because of the cultural diversity of our staff. Another demographic change we are seeing in the labor force today are changes in the men to women ratio. According to the United States Department of Labor, in 1970 women only made around 37% of the working population, leaving men to make up the additional 63% (Women in the Labor Force, 2012). By 2012, women accounted for 47% of the total working population. Although this may not seem like a large increase from 1970, women did account for more than half of all laborers within several of the industry sectors including; financial activities (53%), education and health services (75%), leisure and hospitality (51%), and other services (52%). However, when looking at jobs in the agricultural, construction, mining, manufacturing, and transportation and utilities fields, women are still significantly underrepresented. Over the years we have seen not only the percentage of women in the labor force grow, but the large pay gap between men and women has slowly began to close. As of 2012, women with full time jobsShow MoreRelatedImproving Communication And Diversity At Bellevue Elementary1064 Words   |  5 Pages Efp1 Task 2 Improving Communication and Diversity at Bellevue Elementary Lyndi Ramos Western Governors University A. Introduction/Abstract Today when you look at our country you think of it a somewhat of a melting pot or a mixed and diverse population. When you look at the populations, even in small towns you see multiple different races and cultures. This then leads to our workforce where you see that same type of diverse culture entering the workforce in the communities they live in andRead MoreTask 2 Template of Cultural Diversity Essay2086 Words   |  9 PagesSample Report for EFP1 Task 2. This report is intentionally incomplete. It should be used as a model for organization and development. Please read the marginal comments for important tips. Do NOT copy these paragraphs into your own work. Diversity: Challenges and Opportunities at Kennedy International School Suzy Student Western Governors University A. Introduction Kennedy International School is a unique middle school, located in suburban Commented [CT1]: An introduction is not