History has it that alternative medicine goes back 5000 years to Chinese traditional medicine, Indian (Ayuryedic medicine) and similar healing traditions in many cultures. The common belief was that the energy of the body had to be in harmony with the mind, body and spirit. A doctor merely facilitated the healing by identifying and taking away obstacles that would inevitably lead to a cure. Therapy included lifestyle changes, self-care and preventative measures.

Today, what we know of as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has roots going back 5,000 years to Chinese (traditional Chinese medicine), Indian (Ayurvedic medicine) and similar healing traditions. For thousands of years, these diverse medical traditions held a belief in the energy of the body and the need for harmony between mind, body and spirit. Doctor’s simply facilitated the healing process by identifying and removing obstacles.

Throughout most of the 19th century, doctors used the same skills as today’s herbalists, osteopaths and dieticians; they were generous with time and empathy, and relied on a good bedside manner. Prayer was important, as was “a change of air,” laxatives, bleeding and leeches. Right up until the early 20th century, sick people relied on much the same kind of therapies as their ancestors.

The decades following the Second World War brought significant changes. As GP and journalist, James Lefanu noted in his book, The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine, written in the 50s, a series of medical breakthroughs proved beyond a doubt that previous attempts at healing were nothing more than mere quackery. New medical breakthroughs included the discovery of penicillin, cortisone (a powerful anti-inflammatory medicine), streptomycin (a powerful antibiotic that is effective in treating tuberculosis), insulin (to treat diabetes) and chlorpromazine (an anti-psychotic that controls schizophrenia). Open-heart surgery, hip replacements, kidney transplants, intensive care and successful vaccination programs saved and improved the quality of countless of millions of lives.

It’s no surprise that so much power to alter human destiny would lead, as Lefanu suggests, “to the resultant abandonment of homely remedies such as massage, manipulation and dietary advice, only for them to be taken up by alternative practitioners.” This is exactly what happened – with a dramatic explosion in the growth of ‘alternative’ therapies throughout the second half of the 20th century. Alongside modern medicine, CAM began to develop as an entirely separate discipline – contemptuous of the achievements of mainstream medicine, while at the same time dismissed by mainstream practitioners as ineffective and fraudulent. For most people, getting the best from mainstream and alternative medicine was a delicate operation. Those who opted for both mainstream and alternative medical care found that the best strategy was to remain quite to avoid criticism. Those who did try to use both services learnt that in order to avoid criticism.

By: Elizabeth Morgan

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If you want to improve your health and fitness it is important to exercise and eat a well balanced diet. You also need to make sure that the diet you select is one that is considered heart-healthy. Today heart disease and high blood pressure problems continue to climb, and a main factor is the poor food choices that are being made. Healthy eating food choices are necessary to lessen the likelihood of developing heart and circulatory problems.

A large percentage of the US population believes that a healthy diet must be boring and bland. This is certainly not the case because healthy eating food choices include a wide variety of delicious options. These ingredients are used in healthy food recipes to create tasty dishes that are every bit as refined, savory and appealing as those richer, less healthy menu offerings served at 5 star restaurants anywhere in the world.

When it comes to healthy eating food decisions the guiding principal is to follow a balanced diet program. In fact the most perfectly balanced diet is one that your heart can appreciate as much as the rest of your body. A healthy eating food diet contains fresh vegetables and fruits; natural whole grains; high-fiber foods; protein rich poultry and other lean meat products; fish and seafood; and dairy products that are either 1% or fat-free.

Sodas, Candy, Potato Chips, these are what Gave You Big Hips

Those addictive sodas and snack foods are some of the unhealthiest dietary choices possible. In addition to the sugars and sodium many of them contain they also provide your body with hundreds of excess calories. For the best results here are 2 tips to make sure that your healthy eating food diet plan stays on track.

* If the label contains sucrose, corn syrup, glucose, maltose, fructose, dextrose, honey or concentrated fruit juice the product contains sugar. If the sugar is one of the first four ingredients listed on the label, the amount of sugar is very significant. These are the ones that you want to avoid.

Understand Fats and Know How to Use Them
Unsaturated fats don’t contribute to your cholesterol level the same way that those saturated and Trans fats do. You should continue to use limited amounts of unsaturated fats as part of your healthy eating food program.

Select Meats Wisely

Learn how to choose the leanest cuts of meat and make certain that you use skinless, trimmed poultry products. A healthy eating food plan requires that preparation of meats should be done without using saturated or trans fats.

- 3 ounces of cooked meat contains approximately 70 mg of cholesterol.
- A maximum of 6 oz of meat, fish, seafood or poultry is recommended by the AHA (American Heart Association).
- Beef graded as “choice” or “select” will be leaner than the ones graded “prime”.
- Sirloins, chucks, rounds and loins are the leanest cuts of beef and should be used in healthy food recipes.
- Always choose the lean or extra lean varieties of ground beef.

- The leanest cuts of pork are the loin chops and tenderloin sections.
- Remove any visible fat from meat and poultry products before cooking.
- If you are using poultry in your diet your healthiest choice is to eat the white meat instead of the dark meat.
- Processed meats have large amounts of chemicals, sodium and saturated fats and should be eliminated from your diet.
- Duck and goose have a much higher fat content than chicken and turkey meat.
- Restrict your meat preparation methods to grilling, baking or broiling.
- Avoid organ meats on your healthy eating food program because of the high cholesterol content.

One if by Land and Two if by Sea

You need to include fish or seafood in your healthy eating food diet at least twice a week.

* Fish is low in saturated fats; even the fatty fish still have low levels of saturated fats.
* Oily fish such as herring, salmon and trout have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 can lower the risk of heart disease and heart attacks.
* Exchange those breaded fried fish recipes for healthy food recipes that include baked, grilled or broiled fish instead.

Now you can get wild seafood delivered right to your door. It is much healthier for you than farm grown seafood.

Dairy Products without the Fat

* Restrict the amount of whole-fat dairy products and 2 percent full-fat dairy products in your diet.
* Make a gradual transition from whole or 2 percent milk to lower fat, or fat free products.
* Use fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese in your healthy eating food selections. You can also use other fat free or low fat cheese products such as ricotta or mozzarellas made from skim milk.

Decreasing your use of Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils Decreases your Trans Fat Consumption

* Liquid vegetable oil should be used instead of shortening when you are designing any healthy eating food program.
* Healthy food recipes should use heart healthy soft margarine substitutes instead of those sticks of butter.
* Restrict cakes, breads cookies, crackers, pies, muffins, and French fries that have partially hydrogenated or saturated fats listed on the package label.

Cut the Cholesterol Counts in your Healthy Eating Food Diet

* Your total daily intake of cholesterol should be no more than 300 mg.
* Free ranch chicken eggs should be chosen instead of other varieties.
* Substitute egg whites for whole eggs when preparing healthy food recipes. There is no cholesterol in egg whites.
* that you most need to avoid.

Lower the Sodium, and Lessen the Risk of Stroke and Heart Problems
Too much salt, or sodium, increases the chance of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

The maximum amount of salt in your healthy eating food diet should not exceed 2300 per day.

* Choose grocery products with the lowest sodium content on the label.
* Look for items marked “reduced-sodium” or “sodium free”.
* Restrict your use of regular soy sauce, steak sauces, pickles and olives which contain high sodium levels..
* Your table salt can be replaced with salt-free seasoning mixes or natural herb seasoning.
* Chili peppers and citrus fruits can add salt free, zesty flavor to foods.
* Rinse and drain feta cheeses, capers or the tuna and salmon you remove from cans. This will help eliminate excess sodium.

Use Fiber and Oat Bran to Chase Away High Cholesterol

Soluble fiber added to the diet can help you lower blood cholesterol levels. It will also help lower the chance that you will develop colon/rectal cancers and diabetes. 25-35 grams of dietary fiber (both soluble and insoluble) each day is recommended. A good rule of thumb is to allow 14 grams of dietary fiber for each 1,000 calories in your daily diet.

* Oatmeal, oat bran, barley, peas, beans, rice bran, citrus fruits, berries and peeled apples all contain high amounts of soluble fiber.
* Insoluble fiber is available from whole-wheat breads, cereals and bran products; cabbage; apple skins; beets; Brussels sprouts; turnips; carrots and cauliflower
* Replace low-fiber foods with those that are rich in fiber. For example you could exchange your usual white bread for a whole-grain variety and replace white rice with brown rice.
* There is more healthy fiber if you eat raw vegetables and fresh fruit instead of cooking them first.

Read Package Labels for a Healthier, Happier Heart

If you practice reading those package and food labels it will soon become a regular habit. Then you will be able to make informed decisions about what you are selecting to include with your healthy food diet. When you choose your foods wisely you will be on your way to a new and healthier lifestyle.

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By: Ken Hansen

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