2.  COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE OVERVIEW
 Complementary and alternative medicine
(CAM) is defined by the National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine as
"a group of diverse medical and healthcare
systems, practices, and products that are not
presently considered to be part of conventional
medicine

3.  What is complementary medicine?
 Complementary medicine is a treatment,
practice, or product that is used alongside
conventional medical treatment. It is not meant
to replace conventional r treatment but is
available to alleviate side effects or improve a
patient's sense of well- being.

4.  Alternative medicine or alternative therapy is
the stream of medicine that exists
independently, beyond the domain of
conventional medicine. These therapies are
called alternative because they may not always
be effective or not proved 100% successful.
Many of the alternative therapy practices are
based on historical or cultural traditions.

7.  Vitamins are essential nutrients that contribute
to a healthy life
 There are 13 vitamins that the body absolutely
needs: vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B
vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin,
pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin
B-12 and foliate).

8.  The minerals in our diet are essential for a variety
of bodily functions. They are important for
building strong bones and teeth, blood, skin, hair,
nerve function, muscle and for metabolic processes
such as those that turn the food we eat into energy.
This means that minerals are needed for the body
to work properly, for growth and development,
and overall, for maintaining normal health.
 Sodium | Chloride | Potassium | Calcium |
Phosphorus | Iron | Magnesium | Sulphur |
Zinc | Chromium | Cobalt | Copper | Fluoride |
Iodine | Manganese | Molybdenum | Selenium

9.  An herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent,
flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbal medicines are
one type of dietary Supplement. They are sold as
tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or
dried plants. People use herbal medicines to try to
maintain or improve their health
 A botanical is a plant or plant part valued for its
medicinal or therapeutic properties, flavor, and/or
scent. Herbs are a subset of botanicals. Products made
from botanicals that are used to maintain or improve
health may be called herbal products, botanical
products, or phytomedicines.

10.  Turmeric: Ease arthritis
 Cinnamon: Lower blood sugar
 Rosemary: Avoid carcinogens
 Ginger: Avert nausea
 Holy Basil: Combat stress
 St. John's Wort: Soothe your
worries
 Garlic: Lower cancer risk
 Green tea: aid in weight loss
 Echinacea: strengthen immune
system
 Ginseng: elevating energy
levels

11.  Massage therapy
 Meditation
 Acupuncture
 Spirituality
 Visual or guided imagery
 breathing exercises
 Hypnotherapy
 Tai chi

12. Massage Therapy
People use massage for a variety of
health-related purposes, including
to relieve pain, rehabilitate sports
injuries, reduce stress, increase
relaxation, address anxiety and
depression, and aid general
wellness.

13. Meditation
meditation is a state of deep peace
that occurs when the mind is calm
and silent.
Meditation for 15 minutes 2 times
per day have shown to have
beneficial results

14. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique in
which practitioners stimulate
specific points on the body—most
often by inserting thin needles
through the skin
You may try acupuncture for
symptomatic relief of a variety of
diseases and conditions, including:
Chemotherapy-induced nausea and
vomiting
Fibromyalgia
Headaches
Labor pain
Low back pain
Menstrual cramps
Migraines
Osteoarthritis
Dental pain
Tennis elbow

15. Spirituality
Researchers found that spirituality,
when combined with conventional
medicine, was an important
component in the healing process
and was of benefit not only to the
patient but also to caregivers and
healthcare professionals

16.  Visual or guided imagery is a technique that
encourages the patient to relax by focusing on
calming thoughts or experiences.
 Guided imagery has many uses. You can use it to
promote relaxation, which can lower blood
pressure and reduce other problems related to
stress. You can also use it to help reach goals (such
as losing weight or quitting smoking), manage
pain, and promote healing. Using guided imagery
can even help you to prepare for an athletic event
or for public speaking.

17.  Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower
stress in the body. This is because when you
breathe deeply it sends a message to your brain
to calm down and relax. The brain then sends
this message to your body. Those things that
happen when you are stressed, such as
increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high
blood pressure, all decrease as you breathe
deeply to relax

18. hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy — Hypnosis is a
state of altered consciousness that
allows you to focus away from
your pain, anxiety, or nausea. You
are not sleeping while hypnotized
but are actually in a state of
heightened imagination, similar to
daydreaming. An expert can
hypnotize an individual, or you can
learn self-hypnosis techniques.
Hypnosis is safe and has few side
effects

19. Tai Chi
Tai chi is an ancient Chinese
tradition of self-defense that is
practiced as a form of exercise. Tai
chi includes a series of movements
that are executed in a slow, focused
method along with deep breathing.
There are specific styles of Tai chi
that focus in on health maintenance

20.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla
yer_detailpage&v=MXbwIfqSq_Q

22.  Key Points
 Find out and consider what scientific studies have been done on the safety and
effectiveness of the complementary product or practice that interests you. Discuss the
information with your doctor before making a decision.
 If you are considering a therapy provided by a complementary medicine practitioner,
 such as acupuncture. choose the practitioner as carefully as you would choose a
conventional health care provider.
 If you are considering a dietary supplement A product that contains vitamins,
minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients
intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special
labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs. ,
such as an herbal product, find out about any potential side effects or interactions
with medications you may be taking.
 Complementary products or practices that have not been proven safe and effective
should never be used as a replacement for conventional medical treatment or as a
reason to postpone seeing a health care provider about any health problem.
 Tell all your health care providers about any complementary approaches you use.

23.  Think twice about chasing the latest headline. Sound health advice is
generally based on research over time, not a single study touted by
the media. Be wary of results claiming a "quick fix" that departs from
scientific research and established dietary guidance.
 More may not be better. Some products can be harmful when
consumed in high amounts, for a long time, or in combination with
certain other substances.
 Learn to spot false claims. If something sounds too good to be true, it
probably is. Examples of false claims on product labels include:
 Quick and effective "cure-all"
 Can treat or cure disease
 "Totally safe," "all natural," and has "definitely no side effects"
 Other red flags include claims about limited availability, offers of "no-
risk, money-back guarantees," and requirements for advance
payment.

24.  The manufacturer of a dietary supplement or
dietary ingredient is responsible for ensuring
that the product is safe before it is marketed.
 FDA is responsible for taking action against
any unsafe dietary supplement product after it
reaches the market.

27.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine. Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov

 Mayo Clinic Staff. (2013). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com

 Ernst, MD, PhD, E. (2013). Uptodate. Retrieved from http://www.uptodate.com

 WebMD. (2013). WebMD. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com

 National Institue of Health. (2013). Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov

 Kalish, N. (2013). Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.prevention.com

 The Johns Hopkins University. (2013). Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). U.S Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved
from http://www.fda.gov


