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Glossary
of Professional Services |
Acupuncture
Thin, solid, sterile stainless-steel
needles are inserted into specific points to stimulate the body's
natural energy (Qi or Chi). In 1997, the National Institutes
of Health officially recognized acupuncture as an effective treatment
for pain and nausea. |
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Ayurvedic Medicine
Ayurvedic medicine is India's traditional, natural system of
medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. This
complete holistic health system for mind, body, and spirit treats
the patient as a whole rather than treating symptoms alone, and
it works as a preventative means of coping with imbalance and
disease. |
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Chelation Therapy
Chelation therapy is the process of
removing from the body undesirable ionic material by the infusion,
or taking orally, of an organic compound, which has suitable
chelating properties. |
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Colon Hydrotherapy
Colon hydrotherapy cleanses the colon
through gentle water infusions. Colonics are recommended for
ailments such as constipation, psoriasis, acne, allergies, headaches,
and are used for general health balance. |
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Detoxification Therapy
Found in almost all alternative medical systems from Ayurveda
to naturopathic, detoxification techniques seek to cleanse the
body of chemicals, pollutants and other toxins to improve overall
health. |
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Environmental Medicine
Environmental medicine is an alternative system of medical practice
that considers the impact of environmental factors on health. |
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Guided Imagery
This technique concentrates on using
images or symbols to train the mind to create a definitive physiological
or psychological effect. Practitioners may teach clients how
to relieve physical problems caused by stress, such as tension
headaches. The technique has also been effectively used in some
cancer treatment programs for pain management. |
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Herbal Therapy
Natural plants or plant-based substances
are used to treat a range of illnesses and to enhance the functioning
of the body's systems. Though herbal therapy is not a licensed
professional modality in the U.S., herbs are prescribed by a
range of practitioners, form holistic M.D.s to acupuncturists
to naturopaths. |
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Homeopathy
Based on the hypothesis of "like
cures like" and a deep emphasis on the principles of holistic
medicine (treat the whole person). Homeopathic remedies work
by stimulating the body's own healing power by introducing tiny
doses of natural substances that should stimulate a person's
immune system and defense system to correct itself naturally. |
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Hypnotherapy
An accepted technique in which hypnosis is used as a tool to
treat a wide variety of psychological, behavioral and medically
related problems. From helping people to overcome a craving for
cigarettes to managing chronic pain from an illness or accident,
trained hypnotherapists work with a wide variety of problems. |
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Kinesiology
The study of the anatomy, physiology,
and mechanics of body movement. Also known as "muscle testing,"
it can be used to determine the root cause of a condition. Practitioners
view the body as an intelligent computer that knows exactly what
is wrong and what is needed to restore balance. Using certain
methods, a practitioner can identify the problem area and treat
it effectively. It is very effective in treating sports injuries,
as they are often the result of an imbalance in the muscle structure.
There are several branches of Kinesiology, including Applied,
Clinical and Educational. |
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Magnetic Field Therapy
Magnetic field therapy diagnoses and
treats both physical and emotional pain; it relieves symptoms
and retards the cycle of new disease. It is a safe, drugless
and painless therapy often used to work on tissue and bone damage
conditions. A low-frequency magnetic field is directed to a particular
area, penetrating every single cell in its range. The magnetic
energy influences the ions within the cell, enhancing ion exchange
and thus improving the cell's use of oxygen. This helps the healing
and regeneration process. |
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Medical-Holistic
Differing from traditional allopathic
(Western) medicine, holistic medicine looks at the whole person,
including analysis of physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional,
social, spiritual and lifestyle values. It encompasses all stated
modalities of diagnosis and treatment including drugs and surgery,
if no safe alternative exists. It also focuses on education and
self-responsibility to achieve balance and well being. |
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Medical-Osteopathic
Osteopathy is an established recognized
system of diagnosis and treatment, which lays its main emphasis
on the structural and functional integrity of the body. It is
distinctive by the fact that it recognizes that much of the pain
and disability that we suffer from stems from abnormalities in
the function of the body structure as well as damage caused to
it by disease. |
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Naturopathic Medicine
Adhering to the principles of holistic
medicine, naturopathic doctors can use various natural methods
to treat patients, including nutritional supplements, herbal
medicine, homeopathy and lifestyle counseling. In many states,
naturopathic doctors (ND) are legally defined as physicians licensed
to diagnose and treat in a general family practice. Some NDs
are also licensed midwives or licensed acupuncturists. Note:
It is recommended that you ask the Practitioner their background
and credentials. |
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Neuro-Linguistic Programming
(NLP)
A technique to determine how a person uses the language of the
mind to consistently achieve a specific and desired outcome.
NLP practitioners look for clues in a person's set speech and
behavior patterns and then provide the mental tools that clients
can use to alter that behavior. NLP has been used in work with
phobias, learning disabilities, addictive behavior, as well as
the development of more desirable, constructive behavioral patterns. |
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Nutritional Therapy
Nutritionists counsel clients on a
wide variety of issues ranging from proper levels of vitamins,
minerals and other nutrients to weight loss, food allergies and
optimal health. Many follow a "whole foods" approach
to proper diet. |
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Organic Natural Foods
"Organically grown" in its
broadest sense, means that food has been grown without synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides. The International Federation of Organic
Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) program goes way beyond organic
growing to include prohibition against genetically engineered
foods. Note: What is organic
in one state may not be in another. |
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