According to A. Venket Rao of the University of Toronto, a recent study conducted on the impact of probiotics has opened the door to a whole new field of study between the relationship of gut micro flora and many disorders, including mental disorders. This is great news for people who would rather not take medicines that can create unwanted side effects and instead be able to manage symptoms with easy and safe probiotics. Commercially available probiotics include RGarden’s L. Salivarius and Inner Garden Flora.
Artificial Sweeteners for Diabetics
The food industry has come up with a solution for people on diets or with diabetes that have a sweet tooth. They are known as artificial sweeteners and they are used in everything from chewing gum, coffee sweeteners, and even baking. There is some controversy over the use of them as some of them are totally synthetic and others are derived from the actual sugar plant. But to a diabetic who doesn’t want to give up on their favorite pop or chewing gum they can be a life-saver.
Naturopathy – Principles of Naturopathy and How to Integrate With Modern Medicine
Naturopathy was developed by Benjamin Lust about one hundred years ago in the United States. Although the formal practice has only been around for the past one hundred years, the principles that it was developed from has been tracked back to ancient times (Morton, 1997). Naturopathic Medicine uses methods from a variety of other alternative medicine models.
Naturopathy is made up of 5 basic principles. First, it is believed that everyone has a natural healing power within themselves. This model believes that one can tap into these healing powers by living by the laws of nature. Healthy eating habits, exercise, positive lifestyle choices, spiritual awareness, and positive thoughts are all a part of its philosophy. Secondly, treatments and preventative medicine should not cause harm to oneself or others. Thirdly, it focuses on finding the cause of the illness or disease and then helps the patient resolve it by using what ever alternative therapy that is appropriate for the condition as well as what is best for the particular patient. The fourth principle is treating the whole person, and not just the illness or disease. The mind, spirit, and body are all treated as it is believed that they all are equally important in treating and preventing illness and disease. The mind, body and spirit all must be in balance. The fifth principle is the belief that all illnesses and diseases can be prevented. The naturopathic doctor is responsible for the education of their patients in preventative practices. Teaching patients about healthy lifestyle choices and helping them achieve their goals in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a very important step in healing and preventing illness and disease (Naturopathic Medicine Network, 2007).
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