Online Class Quiz 2

Complementary medicine

is treatment with nonmainstream approach used in conjunction with conventional Western medical therapies.

An example of this would be drinking lemon and honey in tea (herbal therapies) while taking antibiotics.

Alternative medicine

 is treatment with a nonmainstream approach used instead of conventional medical therapies

Ayurvedic medicine

• Originally described in the Sanskrit vedas (means science of life) and it was the major health care practice in pre-Raj India. 

• Practitioners seek to balance combinations of the five elements seen as basic by this system (ether, air, fire, water, and earth)

The elements combine to form doshas (in Ayurvedic medicine) and the three doshas are

Vata: composed of air and ether

Pita: Composed of fire and water

Kapha: Composed of water and earth

Traditional Chinese medicine

believes the cause of the disease must be cured, not just the symptoms. It considers a person's body, mind, spirit and emotions as part of one complete whole rather than individual parts that are to be treated separately.

It is based on the interrelated theories of Qi (chee), five elements, yin/yang theory and meridian theory.

Qi

pronounced “chee,” is the vital life force that animates all things. Qi flows through the 12 meridians that run through the body. Physical, emotional, and mental harmony rely on the flow of qi. Qi has two parts, energy or power, and conscious intelligence. Qi also can be described by how it functions.

Qi creates all movement, protects the body, provides for harmonious transformation, such as water being turned into urine, keeps the organs and body parts in proper position, and warms the body.

The five elements

are based on the perception of the relationships between all things. These patterns are grouped and named for the five elements: (a) wood, (b) fire, (c) earth, (d) metal, and (e) water. This theory illustrates the interrelatedness of all things

The yin and yang theory

holds that everything is made up of two polar energies. Neither can exist without the other, and they never separate. It is the principle of interconnect-edness and interdependence.

Yin is female {associated with the moon and night} and yang is male {associated with the sun and daylight}.

Meridian theory is that channels through which ____.

qi, blood, and information flow to all parts of the body and there are 12 meridians in the body; six are yin and six are yang. When qi flows easily, the body is balanced and healthy.

The meridians work to regulate the energy functions of the body and keep it balanced and in harmony

Treatment modalities of traditional chinese medicine include

1. Acupuncture: Stimulates specific points along the meridians to achieve balance; works by bringing qi to the affected part of the body

2. Chinese herbal therapy: Used to bring balance, classified by the five elements and their ying and yang properties

3. Qigong: Translates to “energy work”; involves movement, breathing, and meditation

4. Tai chi: Improves the flow of qi through the body to encourage balance and harmony

Naturopathy or natural medicine

was introduced in the US by German immigrant Benjamin Lust. Natural medicine aims to enable the body’s own healing powers by helping it to restore its homeostasis (equilibrium).

Naturopathic treatment modalities

include herbal remedies and hydrotherapy (uses compresses, wraps, and cold baths). They use a variety of therapies and techniques including nutrition, behavior change, herbal medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture. 

Naturopathic doctors

or naturopathic medical doctors (NMDs) work to identify the cause of disease through an understanding of the body, mind, and spirit of the person.

Health communication

encompasses the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health. It occurs on a one-to-one or one-to-many basis.

Personal health literacy 

is the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.

Organizational health literacy

is the degree to which organizations equitably enable individuals to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health related decisions and actions for themselves and others.