The Yellow Emperor's Classic Of Ancient Chinese Medicine
Alternative or Complimentary medicine comes from China. This medicine was developed several thousand years ago. Shen Nong, the Fire Emperor, said to have lived from 2698 to 2598 BC is considered the founder of herbal medicine Chinese medicine is based on the text written by Huang Di, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. This book was written before the birth of Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. Ancient Chinese medicine was based on the idea of balance. Life energy means (Chi-Qi_Ki) in Chinese, constantly flows through the body. When a person is healthy, the energy remains balanced; however, if it becomes unbalanced then an illness will occur. The job of ancient Chinese physicians was to keep the body in balance and to restore balance when it was lost. The Chinese believed that health was much more than just absence of disease but
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rather wellness, a feeling of harmony for the body, mind and spirit. It is preventative keeping ones self healthy through diets, exercises, relaxation techniques and more. The professionals of alternative medicine believe they have the power to heal.
Today, alternative medicine is a very broad term used by the medical profession and lay men alike. It engulfs a large range of healing therapies. It is usually defined as a treatment or approach that is not routinely used by those health care proponents who practice standard or mainstream medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine is still widely used in China. There are over 200 hospitals that still practice traditional methods and even in modern hospitals the traditional methods are used side by side by the latest medical technology in China today.
A national survey done by Prevention Magazine in 1997 revealed that 1/3 of all adult Americans or about 60 million people say that they frequently use herbal remedies. Americans spend an average of $4 billion dollars a year on herbs or vitamins and 61.5 % do not disclose the use of these products to their health care provider mainly due to an ignorance of the combination of these herbs with prescription medications. This is a potentially serious problem.
So why are there an increasing number of people who prefer alternative medicine over conventional medicine? Some people believe the answer is simple, it is safer and it works. While you may need a surgeon to take care of you after you are involved in an auto accident and have received traumatic injuries, this type of medicine and treatment does not work as well when it comes down to taking care of prevention of disease chronic illnesses, and addressing the mental, emotional and spiritual needs of the individual. This is the area that people seek cures in and thus the reason that alternative medicine is so popular in the western world. Another thing that should be remembered is that alternative medicine as it is called in the United States is the basis for all health care to over 80% of the worlds population. Alternative medicine encompasses a large array of different systems and therapies: they are usually divided into 4 categories:
The injection, ingestion or inhalation of a substance, this includes traditional Chinese medicine know as TCM, herbs, macrobiotic foods, health foods, and aromatherapy.
Physical therapies applied externally by the practioner, included in this group is acupuncture, massage, chiropractic guasha, hydro therapy, and cupping and reflexology.
Physical, mental or spiritual exercises practiced by the user themselves, such as, yoga or meditation.
The redirection of supernatural powers, such as Fing Shu and Shaujing (a Taiwanese folk ritual to calm a child often a frightening experience).
Yin and Yang is the idea of balance - the basic long established idea behind all Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM. The Chinese believe everything in the world contains the aspects of both Yin and Yang. Wholeness is comprised of the union of opposites. These opposing or competing forces co -exists and counterbalance each other. From the health care perspective, the basis of well-being is the balance of yin and yang as they interact in the body. The Chinese character for Yin is translated as "the dark side of the mountain" and Yang as "the bright side". Man is unable to have one without the other. Yin and Yang are in constant motion and always changing. Traditional Chinese Medicine sees five different changing aspects within the web of Yin and Yang. The 5 elements as they are called are: earth, fire, metal, water and wood. Each element corresponds to things in both the natural world and seasons or colors. There relationship to our body and interaction with each other is a complex mechanism of harmony. Herbal medicine is also sometimes called plant medicine. The use of herbs for medical treatment dates back to the beginning of Chinese medicine. Over 3000 years ago the Chinese were using herbs to treat anything from headaches to problem pregnancies. The first documented use of Chinese medicine and the use of herbs are recorded in Pen Tsoo Chiung (the classic book of herbs). This book listed hundreds of prescriptions for the use of herbs. Today, herbs continue to play a powerful role in modern medicine. About one quarter of all of today's medications come from herbs, trees, or vegetation. Physicians typically dispense 8 to 10 herb based prescriptions to their patients each day. An herb can be a leaf, stem, or any part of the plant. Herbs are natural chemicals and work inside the body just like a chemical compound does. Herbs however, unlike pharmacy products that go directly into the bloodstream and affect the entire body, tend to be more gentle on the body. Herbs work slowly and usually act on a specific body system. Unfortunately, an inaccurate amount of an herb or an impure form can be just as deadly as taking an incorrect amount of a chemical drug whether it is legally prescribed or illegal and manufactured on the street. They can seriously damage a vital organ and can even lead to death. Some examples of herbs and how they affect the body are: Quinine, a treatment for malaria, Digitalis, an important heart medication that comes from the foxglove plant, rosemary, peppermint balm, sweet violet to ward off migraines. Reserpene, the active ingredient in many tranquiller comes from the snake coat plant. However, given in the wrong doses this herb can cause a severe depression, yet in tea is has a sedative affect and has been used without side effects for several thousand years.
Most modern herbalist do not diagnosis patients however, once a diagnosis has been made they believe if a client is treated with herbs they will bring the body back into correct balance. Unfortunately, commercial marketing and advertisement often tends to exaggerate the effective of herbs. The FDA has no control of the approval of herbal dietary supplements. Because there are no FDA regulations, potency can be inaccurate from type to type , depending on growing conditions, preparation or storage time. The product must only state that is it not FDA approved and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Here are examples of popular herb remedies and information on how they are used:
Ginseng: for physical or emotional stress, fatigue, fever or insomnia. Its advocates claim it bolsters the immune system and helps with liver functions. However, people with elevated blood pressures should avoid this herb for a prolonged period, because it has been know to cause strokes.
Ginkgo: the leaves are used to treat circulation problems, brain injuries, and dizziness, asthma, and heart disease as well as eye and ear disorders. It is believed by advocates it prevents Alzheimer's however no scientific evidence has been found.
Echinacea: is a stimulate that affects the immune system and is said to lessen the symptoms of colds and the flu, however it depresses the immune system and can have deadly effects on those with HIV, Lupus or MS.
Garlic: decrease BP and lower cholesterol. It can dramatically lower the BP of young people and should not be used on pre-teens.
St. John's Wart: is a natural remedy for depression it is believed to affect serotonin and with people with mild depression can help without the side affects of drugs however it can have dangerous side effects if taken along with prescription anti depressants. It can weaken birth control pills effectiveness. It also has been shown to interfere with the anti rejection meds given to heart transplant recipients.
Aromatherapy is the use of pleasant smelling essential oils used to treat physical or emotional problems. Essential oils are natural chemicals extracted from plants by distillation. This term is somewhat misleading because the oils are more like a water substance and evaporate very quickly. Aromatherapy works by affecting your sense of smell. The reason you get such a powerful response from this therapy is because the small receptors in your nose appears to be directly connected to the limbic system that controls your emotions. Aromatherapy practitioners believe that the molecules of essential oils are extremely small and can be quickly absorbed into the system through the skin. When these oils are inhaled or applied directly to the skin, the active ingredients enter the bloodstream and stimulate the immune system. It helps to detoxify the body.
Aromatherapy can be helpful in healing or curing a number of different conditions. Stress related problems, insomnia, depression, and anxiety and tension headaches. It can also help heal skin problems, acne or eczema when rubbed directly on the affected area. It also can help with colds and coughs. Today in the United States over 300 essential oils are on the market and commonly used:
Lavender, considered the most useful of all essential oils can be used to treat for stress problems, headaches, burns and insect bites; it has a very calming and sedating affect and is most useful when massaged around the temples for headaches or on the chest to degrease congestion.
Lavender soothing potion (as a natural sleep aid)
2 drops of lavender on your pillow case
Combine 3 drops of chamomile, 4 drops lavender, 3 drops orange and 5 ounces of water.
Using a spray bottle spray linens and room air before sleeping
The research of aromatherapy is in its infancy. Much of the research has been performed only on animals and isolated tissue cultures. Nurses are the driving force behind much of the materials that have been presented in this area. Skeptics feel that there is really no healing power behind aromatherapy and no scientific research is available to clarify its claims. They feel it is really not more than the power of suggestion at work. People associate specific smells with moods or events and the smell of that fragrance affects a person's demeanor.
As with all alternative medicines there are hazards with aromatherapy. If these oils are taken internally they can be toxic and some can produce allergic reactions that can be as simple as skin irritation to a life threatening respiratory event.
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting fine needles into the skin surface at anatomic points called "ashi" where a meridian passes close to the skin surface. Placing the needles at these certain points on the body can alter the flow of the Chi (Chi is the energy of life).
Qi or Chi in traditional Chinese medicine is the invisible but fundamental energy that flows through everything and everyone in the universe. The life force of all living and nonliving things is Qi. In the body these things are called meridians, the invisible channels the Qi or vital energy flows through
. There are 12 basic meridians and 8 extraordinary ones in the human body. Each meridian corresponds to an organ half to Yin the other half to Yang.
The meridians unify the body and carry Qi and blood throughout it. Blockages in the meridians interrupt the smooth flow of Qi and causes illness. The ancient Chinese believed that all the channels are connected and communicate with each other; therefore a particular organ can be helped by treating the right connecting channel. All 12 regular medium can be reached by a needle and correct the problem with the blocked Q1. There are also 8 extraordinary meridians these act as storage areas for the Q1 and blood. They help the 12 meridians to communicate with each other. The history of acupuncture goes back thousands of years. The first book written about acupuncture was written 2500 years ago. This text is the basis for acupuncture treatment today and dates back to the Ming Dynasty. In ancient times the needles were sharpened bamboo or bone. In 1973, the American Medical Association decided acupuncture could be used as an experimental medical procedure. However, treatment was not covered by most insurance. By 1996, acupuncture needles were reclassified as medical devices and regulated by the FDA. The body has more than 2000 points so how does the acupuncturist know which points to use on what part of the body? The technique most acupuncturist use is to press gently on the body part that hurts, these spots are called the aslin points ( in English this means approximately right here). Based on these points and the symptoms it is then decided where to place the needles, which today are made out of stainless surgical steel and sterilized by JCAHO standards. The needles are put in place for 30 minutes with the distal end of the medium included in the site. The acupuncturist then uses a technique of twisting of the needles this produces a mild, painless sensation to the area. Most patients say they feel tingling and it often travels up and down the meridian. Acupuncture is used in current practice for the treatment of nausea from chemotherapy, or morning sickness, on dental pain, back pain, sports injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome. Believers feel it works as well if not better than anti-inflammatory medicines or injection of steroids and is safer to use. There are continued studies to determine if it really helps with quitting smoking or the management of drug and alcohol treatments. As with all the alternative medicines it does have contraindications, it is not indicated for all ailments. It is still not used widely in this country for treatment of cancers or for anesthesia for surgery. Although, it is used in China in for many surgeries. In 1971, one of Richard Nixon's top aides was traveling with him and had an attack of acute appendicitis, he had to have surgery in a Chinese hospital, acupuncture and sedation were the only anesthesia he required, it was said he had not pain during the procedure and made a quicker than standard recovery receiving no or little post operative medications.
Reflexology is the technique of foot massage based on holistic principles and springing from the same principles as acupuncture.
By finding the reflexology points in the foot that relates to different body parts the reflexologist can correct the imbalance of energy which is causing stress or illness. Reflexology opens the energy pathways and energies the physical, emotional and mental state of the patient. The act of applying pressure to the feet creates channels for the healing energy to circulate throughout the body. It helps to return the body to the state of balance. When the reflexes of the feet are stimulated an involuntary response is elicited in the organs and glands connected by the meridians to these specific reflexes. This sets about the chain reaction to cause physiological changes to occur throughout the systems of the body.
One of the best ways to use reflexology is for pain control. It encourages the body to produce endorphins and interrupts the pain cycle through the application of pressure. It terminal illness like cancer the reflexology helps to make the pain more
tolerable.
It is believed that Reflexology originated in China some 5000 years ago. The oldest documentation that has been found is believed to come from Egypt however reflexology and acupuncture have a definitive relationship to each other. Reflexologist work is based on the acupuncture points but only on the feet. The feet are a mini-map of the entire body. All body parts are reflected in the feet in an arrangement similar to their position in the body. Problem areas in the feet have a direct relations ship with problems throughout the rest of the body causing congestion along the meridian. For example ,a bunion may be from an ill fitting shoe or a problem with the pancreas or spleen after several treatments of reflexology the patient may feel bette,r have less heartburn and actually have a problem with the thyroid gland not just the feet. It should be known that the major source of funding for most medical research is by drug companies and it is not surprising to find that they are not the least bit interested in funding any test to see if in fact alternative medicines are the answers to the health problems of the ever growing ageing population. Nevertheless, research is becoming more focused on antioxidants and the use of alternative products to prevent and ameliorating heart attacks, kidney disease and Alzheimer. Although the alternative doctors in the United States are a small number the public is embracing the idea of these treatments and forcing the established physicians to stop dragging their feet and look at alternative medicine as a real option when used properly and with a doctors knowledge.
rather wellness, a feeling of harmony for the body, mind and spirit. It is preventative keeping ones self healthy through diets, exercises, relaxation techniques and more. The professionals of alternative medicine believe they have the power to heal.
Today, alternative medicine is a very broad term used by the medical profession and lay men alike. It engulfs a large range of healing therapies. It is usually defined as a treatment or approach that is not routinely used by those health care proponents who practice standard or mainstream medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine is still widely used in China. There are over 200 hospitals that still practice traditional methods and even in modern hospitals the traditional methods are used side by side by the latest medical technology in China today.
A national survey done by Prevention Magazine in 1997 revealed that 1/3 of all adult Americans or about 60 million people say that they frequently use herbal remedies. Americans spend an average of $4 billion dollars a year on herbs or vitamins and 61.5 % do not disclose the use of these products to their health care provider mainly due to an ignorance of the combination of these herbs with prescription medications. This is a potentially serious problem.
So why are there an increasing number of people who prefer alternative medicine over conventional medicine? Some people believe the answer is simple, it is safer and it works. While you may need a surgeon to take care of you after you are involved in an auto accident and have received traumatic injuries, this type of medicine and treatment does not work as well when it comes down to taking care of prevention of disease chronic illnesses, and addressing the mental, emotional and spiritual needs of the individual. This is the area that people seek cures in and thus the reason that alternative medicine is so popular in the western world. Another thing that should be remembered is that alternative medicine as it is called in the United States is the basis for all health care to over 80% of the worlds population. Alternative medicine encompasses a large array of different systems and therapies: they are usually divided into 4 categories:
The injection, ingestion or inhalation of a substance, this includes traditional Chinese medicine know as TCM, herbs, macrobiotic foods, health foods, and aromatherapy.
Physical therapies applied externally by the practioner, included in this group is acupuncture, massage, chiropractic guasha, hydro therapy, and cupping and reflexology.
Physical, mental or spiritual exercises practiced by the user themselves, such as, yoga or meditation.
The redirection of supernatural powers, such as Fing Shu and Shaujing (a Taiwanese folk ritual to calm a child often a frightening experience).
Yin and Yang is the idea of balance - the basic long established idea behind all Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM. The Chinese believe everything in the world contains the aspects of both Yin and Yang. Wholeness is comprised of the union of opposites. These opposing or competing forces co -exists and counterbalance each other. From the health care perspective, the basis of well-being is the balance of yin and yang as they interact in the body. The Chinese character for Yin is translated as "the dark side of the mountain" and Yang as "the bright side". Man is unable to have one without the other. Yin and Yang are in constant motion and always changing. Traditional Chinese Medicine sees five different changing aspects within the web of Yin and Yang. The 5 elements as they are called are: earth, fire, metal, water and wood. Each element corresponds to things in both the natural world and seasons or colors. There relationship to our body and interaction with each other is a complex mechanism of harmony. Herbal medicine is also sometimes called plant medicine. The use of herbs for medical treatment dates back to the beginning of Chinese medicine. Over 3000 years ago the Chinese were using herbs to treat anything from headaches to problem pregnancies. The first documented use of Chinese medicine and the use of herbs are recorded in Pen Tsoo Chiung (the classic book of herbs). This book listed hundreds of prescriptions for the use of herbs. Today, herbs continue to play a powerful role in modern medicine. About one quarter of all of today's medications come from herbs, trees, or vegetation. Physicians typically dispense 8 to 10 herb based prescriptions to their patients each day. An herb can be a leaf, stem, or any part of the plant. Herbs are natural chemicals and work inside the body just like a chemical compound does. Herbs however, unlike pharmacy products that go directly into the bloodstream and affect the entire body, tend to be more gentle on the body. Herbs work slowly and usually act on a specific body system. Unfortunately, an inaccurate amount of an herb or an impure form can be just as deadly as taking an incorrect amount of a chemical drug whether it is legally prescribed or illegal and manufactured on the street. They can seriously damage a vital organ and can even lead to death. Some examples of herbs and how they affect the body are: Quinine, a treatment for malaria, Digitalis, an important heart medication that comes from the foxglove plant, rosemary, peppermint balm, sweet violet to ward off migraines. Reserpene, the active ingredient in many tranquiller comes from the snake coat plant. However, given in the wrong doses this herb can cause a severe depression, yet in tea is has a sedative affect and has been used without side effects for several thousand years.
Most modern herbalist do not diagnosis patients however, once a diagnosis has been made they believe if a client is treated with herbs they will bring the body back into correct balance. Unfortunately, commercial marketing and advertisement often tends to exaggerate the effective of herbs. The FDA has no control of the approval of herbal dietary supplements. Because there are no FDA regulations, potency can be inaccurate from type to type , depending on growing conditions, preparation or storage time. The product must only state that is it not FDA approved and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Here are examples of popular herb remedies and information on how they are used:
Ginseng: for physical or emotional stress, fatigue, fever or insomnia. Its advocates claim it bolsters the immune system and helps with liver functions. However, people with elevated blood pressures should avoid this herb for a prolonged period, because it has been know to cause strokes.
Ginkgo: the leaves are used to treat circulation problems, brain injuries, and dizziness, asthma, and heart disease as well as eye and ear disorders. It is believed by advocates it prevents Alzheimer's however no scientific evidence has been found.
Echinacea: is a stimulate that affects the immune system and is said to lessen the symptoms of colds and the flu, however it depresses the immune system and can have deadly effects on those with HIV, Lupus or MS.
Garlic: decrease BP and lower cholesterol. It can dramatically lower the BP of young people and should not be used on pre-teens.
St. John's Wart: is a natural remedy for depression it is believed to affect serotonin and with people with mild depression can help without the side affects of drugs however it can have dangerous side effects if taken along with prescription anti depressants. It can weaken birth control pills effectiveness. It also has been shown to interfere with the anti rejection meds given to heart transplant recipients.
Aromatherapy is the use of pleasant smelling essential oils used to treat physical or emotional problems. Essential oils are natural chemicals extracted from plants by distillation. This term is somewhat misleading because the oils are more like a water substance and evaporate very quickly. Aromatherapy works by affecting your sense of smell. The reason you get such a powerful response from this therapy is because the small receptors in your nose appears to be directly connected to the limbic system that controls your emotions. Aromatherapy practitioners believe that the molecules of essential oils are extremely small and can be quickly absorbed into the system through the skin. When these oils are inhaled or applied directly to the skin, the active ingredients enter the bloodstream and stimulate the immune system. It helps to detoxify the body.
Aromatherapy can be helpful in healing or curing a number of different conditions. Stress related problems, insomnia, depression, and anxiety and tension headaches. It can also help heal skin problems, acne or eczema when rubbed directly on the affected area. It also can help with colds and coughs. Today in the United States over 300 essential oils are on the market and commonly used:
Lavender, considered the most useful of all essential oils can be used to treat for stress problems, headaches, burns and insect bites; it has a very calming and sedating affect and is most useful when massaged around the temples for headaches or on the chest to degrease congestion.
Lavender soothing potion (as a natural sleep aid)
2 drops of lavender on your pillow case
Combine 3 drops of chamomile, 4 drops lavender, 3 drops orange and 5 ounces of water.
Using a spray bottle spray linens and room air before sleeping
The research of aromatherapy is in its infancy. Much of the research has been performed only on animals and isolated tissue cultures. Nurses are the driving force behind much of the materials that have been presented in this area. Skeptics feel that there is really no healing power behind aromatherapy and no scientific research is available to clarify its claims. They feel it is really not more than the power of suggestion at work. People associate specific smells with moods or events and the smell of that fragrance affects a person's demeanor.
As with all alternative medicines there are hazards with aromatherapy. If these oils are taken internally they can be toxic and some can produce allergic reactions that can be as simple as skin irritation to a life threatening respiratory event.
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting fine needles into the skin surface at anatomic points called "ashi" where a meridian passes close to the skin surface. Placing the needles at these certain points on the body can alter the flow of the Chi (Chi is the energy of life).
Qi or Chi in traditional Chinese medicine is the invisible but fundamental energy that flows through everything and everyone in the universe. The life force of all living and nonliving things is Qi. In the body these things are called meridians, the invisible channels the Qi or vital energy flows through
. There are 12 basic meridians and 8 extraordinary ones in the human body. Each meridian corresponds to an organ half to Yin the other half to Yang.
The meridians unify the body and carry Qi and blood throughout it. Blockages in the meridians interrupt the smooth flow of Qi and causes illness. The ancient Chinese believed that all the channels are connected and communicate with each other; therefore a particular organ can be helped by treating the right connecting channel. All 12 regular medium can be reached by a needle and correct the problem with the blocked Q1. There are also 8 extraordinary meridians these act as storage areas for the Q1 and blood. They help the 12 meridians to communicate with each other. The history of acupuncture goes back thousands of years. The first book written about acupuncture was written 2500 years ago. This text is the basis for acupuncture treatment today and dates back to the Ming Dynasty. In ancient times the needles were sharpened bamboo or bone. In 1973, the American Medical Association decided acupuncture could be used as an experimental medical procedure. However, treatment was not covered by most insurance. By 1996, acupuncture needles were reclassified as medical devices and regulated by the FDA. The body has more than 2000 points so how does the acupuncturist know which points to use on what part of the body? The technique most acupuncturist use is to press gently on the body part that hurts, these spots are called the aslin points ( in English this means approximately right here). Based on these points and the symptoms it is then decided where to place the needles, which today are made out of stainless surgical steel and sterilized by JCAHO standards. The needles are put in place for 30 minutes with the distal end of the medium included in the site. The acupuncturist then uses a technique of twisting of the needles this produces a mild, painless sensation to the area. Most patients say they feel tingling and it often travels up and down the meridian. Acupuncture is used in current practice for the treatment of nausea from chemotherapy, or morning sickness, on dental pain, back pain, sports injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome. Believers feel it works as well if not better than anti-inflammatory medicines or injection of steroids and is safer to use. There are continued studies to determine if it really helps with quitting smoking or the management of drug and alcohol treatments. As with all the alternative medicines it does have contraindications, it is not indicated for all ailments. It is still not used widely in this country for treatment of cancers or for anesthesia for surgery. Although, it is used in China in for many surgeries. In 1971, one of Richard Nixon's top aides was traveling with him and had an attack of acute appendicitis, he had to have surgery in a Chinese hospital, acupuncture and sedation were the only anesthesia he required, it was said he had not pain during the procedure and made a quicker than standard recovery receiving no or little post operative medications.
Reflexology is the technique of foot massage based on holistic principles and springing from the same principles as acupuncture.
By finding the reflexology points in the foot that relates to different body parts the reflexologist can correct the imbalance of energy which is causing stress or illness. Reflexology opens the energy pathways and energies the physical, emotional and mental state of the patient. The act of applying pressure to the feet creates channels for the healing energy to circulate throughout the body. It helps to return the body to the state of balance. When the reflexes of the feet are stimulated an involuntary response is elicited in the organs and glands connected by the meridians to these specific reflexes. This sets about the chain reaction to cause physiological changes to occur throughout the systems of the body.
One of the best ways to use reflexology is for pain control. It encourages the body to produce endorphins and interrupts the pain cycle through the application of pressure. It terminal illness like cancer the reflexology helps to make the pain more
tolerable.
It is believed that Reflexology originated in China some 5000 years ago. The oldest documentation that has been found is believed to come from Egypt however reflexology and acupuncture have a definitive relationship to each other. Reflexologist work is based on the acupuncture points but only on the feet. The feet are a mini-map of the entire body. All body parts are reflected in the feet in an arrangement similar to their position in the body. Problem areas in the feet have a direct relations ship with problems throughout the rest of the body causing congestion along the meridian. For example ,a bunion may be from an ill fitting shoe or a problem with the pancreas or spleen after several treatments of reflexology the patient may feel bette,r have less heartburn and actually have a problem with the thyroid gland not just the feet. It should be known that the major source of funding for most medical research is by drug companies and it is not surprising to find that they are not the least bit interested in funding any test to see if in fact alternative medicines are the answers to the health problems of the ever growing ageing population. Nevertheless, research is becoming more focused on antioxidants and the use of alternative products to prevent and ameliorating heart attacks, kidney disease and Alzheimer. Although the alternative doctors in the United States are a small number the public is embracing the idea of these treatments and forcing the established physicians to stop dragging their feet and look at alternative medicine as a real option when used properly and with a doctors knowledge.