Getting less than forty winks has a profound effect on metabolic processes that determine not only how we seek out and utilize food, but also how adept our bodies are at burning or storing calories.
Two new studies of an innovative yoga program specifically designed for cancer survivors add to existing data showing that yoga can improve sleep, reduce “chemo-fog” and ameliorate a variety of chronic problems that often follow conventional cancer care.
it is no big secret that many health care professionals put their own health far down on their priority list. The culture of medicine puts enormous pressures on practitioners, and in many ways, fosters unhealthy imbalances. Ayurvedic medicine is an excellent place to look for wisdom on rediscovering balance in a fast-paced medical life.
Saffron aromatherapy can produce measurable and potentially meaningful changes in young womens’ hormonal chemistry, suggesting the possibility that it might be a useful remedy for PMS and dysmenorrhea.
Zinc deficiency is a surprisingly common but often overlooked factor contributing to depression. When corrected through supplementation, it can have profound positive effects. In some cases, zinc repletion may obviate the need for drug therapy. Ciel Patenaude finds out how zinc influences mood and behavior from integrative psychiatrist James Greenblatt, MD.
Many people are seeking the health benefits can come from regular yoga practice. Yet the sheer variety of yoga styles—traditional and modern–now available can be bewildering for patients and clinicians alike. Amber Vitse, a veteran yoga/Ayurveda practitioner, outlines key distinctions between popular styles & shares insight on how to match the right style to each person’s needs and conditions.
Lavender, an herb beloved for it’s pleasing fragrance, is also proving to be an effective remedy for both anxiety and depression. Taken orally, it can be as effective as low-dose benzodiazepines for attenuating anxiety.
With the recent shortages of drugs to treat ADHD, and changes in insurance coverage of these treatments, many families of children with this complex condition are searching for non-pharmaceutical alternatives. Homeopathy may not be top-of-mind for most primary care doctors, but it is worth considering.
Several publications in the last few years have supported a relatively new view that a compromised gastrointestinal mucosa plays a major role in CFS. Restoring GI health by eliminating trigger foods, probiotic therapy, stress reduction, and supportive nutrients like L-glutamine, zinc, and digestive enzymes can bring about marked improvements in CFS symptoms.
Diet and nutritional status affect sleep health in many ways, and a host of nutraceutical and botanical supplements can be helpful alternatives to pharmaceutical sleep aids. In this excerpt from his Nutritional Medicine textook, Dr. Alan Gaby looks at a range of options including B vitamins, L-tryptophan, magnesium and others.
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