Integrative medicine最新文献

Psychedelic therapy is witnessing a rapid rise in popularity both in clinical research and in the greater culture. Since it involves the use of drugs, psychology, and spirituality, professionals from a variety of backgrounds such as physicians, psychotherapists, chaplains, etc. are increasingly becoming interested or directly involved. In this article, the authors describe why naturopathic doctors, with additional training, are well suited to provide psychedelic therapy. Naturopathy is rooted in the non-materialistic metaphysics of vitalism, which is consistent with the concept of inner healing intelligence, which is widely accepted in the psychedelic therapy community. In addition to the compatible foundational philosophies, naturopaths also possess a wide range of clinical skills including herbalism, pharmacology, and counseling, among others, that can be directly applied to psychedelic therapy and integration.

Chronic low-level exposure to arsenic has a dose-dependent relationship with many chronic diseases. However, the typical arsenic safety standards used by governmental entities and laboratories appear inconsistent with current research. This editorial reviews the research and suggests that the random first-morning-urine total arsenic threshold for increased disease risk should be 5.0 μg/g creatinine or lower.

Introduction: Trauma continues to be noted in studies as a risk factor for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Successful therapeutic interventions that support the reduction of numbing episodes associated with MS may include diet, stress reduction techniques, and biofield therapy.

Case description: This case report highlights the successful reduction of numbing episodes, stress, and fatigue in an individual 38-year-old Caucasian female patient using nutrition and body-mind-spirit practices. This individual continued conventional interventions while starting medical nutrition therapy. Over the course of 120 days, her treatment was augmented with a Paleolithic-style diet, which eliminated dairy and ultra-processed foods. Other dietary recommendations suggested were the increase of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), decrease of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), and increase in protein and CO₂-promoting foods. Integrative recommendations were biofield therapy and for stress reduction were psychotherapy, reduced exercise intensity, lifestyle recovery from trauma, body-mind-spirit practices, and herbal supplementation.

Conclusion: Integrative therapies such as diet, stress reduction techniques, and biofield therapy may be used as therapeutic protocols for trauma-induced MS patients. Population-based clinical studies should be done to understand the role of these therapies in synchronization.

Traditional medicine, exemplified by systems such as Ayurveda, inherently adopts a holistic framework. This framework extends beyond mere consideration of the human body to encompass broader systems of health, integrating elements of nature, particularly plants. Over time, there has been a notable integration between traditional medical philosophies and modern scientific methodologies. This integration is evident in published works that blend these disciplines, resulting in the creation of innovative terminology, such as «Ayurnutrigenomics». Concurrently, the lexicon within medical science has evolved to highlight the connection of body systems, as illustrated by terms like «gut-brain axis», which emphasize the relationship between physiological and psychological factors. This integration of perspectives is further demonstrated by terms such as «psychoneuroendocrine» and «mind-heart-body», reflecting a holistic approach to health. Alongside the emergence of these novel terms, there has been a proliferation of literature exploring the diverse functions of plants, particularly focusing on phytonutrients such as those found in the polyphenol category of compounds. In many ways, these emerging findings suggest a fundamental relationship between humans and plants, aligning with the principles of traditional medicine and indicating a profound connection between the two. Thus, in harmony with the increasing recognition of the interconnectedness between human systems biology, the study of phytochemicals, and the ability of plants to influence neuroendocrine responses, this article proposes a new term: the phytoneuroendocrine system.

The incidence of autoimmunity is growing rapidly worldwide. Many epidemiological studies have found environmental factors, such as toxic chemicals, to be a key factor in this rapid progression. Many mechanisms that can cause immune dysregulation and autoimmune reactivity from toxic chemical exposure to subsets of individuals with genetic susceptibility in immune regulatory genes have been identified. In susceptible genotypes, toxic chemicals can induce epigenetic expressions, bind to immune and endocrine receptors throughout the body and promote immune dysregulation, bind to nucleic acids and promote anti-nuclear autoimmunity, deplete antioxidant reserves, promote immune barrier degradation, induce lymphocyte dysregulation, and alter normal antigen presenting responses. This paper reviews the specific immunological pathways involved with environmental toxins and autoimmunity exposure.

Congenital hypothyroidism (CHT) is a condition that, if left untreated, has severe consequences. In this case we report the resolution of hypothyroidism in a newborn with nutritional and alternative treatments. In evidence-based medicine, clinical expertise, research, and patient preference are an important triad used to make clinical decisions; in this case the patient's parents preferred to begin with nutritional and alternative treatments.

We report on 6 patients in our care who were harboring atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid arteries. This condition poses a risk of acute ischemic stroke and indicates potential atherosclerosis elsewhere in the vascular system. The plaque was revealed by routine ultrasound measurement of carotid intima-medial thickness (CIMT) defined as the distance between the lumen-intima interface and the media-adventitia interface. Recent improvements in image resolution and edge detection algorithms have resulted in improved reliability and clinical usefulness of the technology. The patients were enrolled in a systems-based functional medicine program of cardiology prevention to address root causes. The program provided personalized interventions that included drug therapy, dietary supplements, and lifestyle modification. The 6 patients followed the integrative regimen, which successfully managed existing cardiovascular symptoms and risk factors while keeping various biomarkers under control. However, they continued to exhibit carotid plaque with no improvement. A novel dietary supplement that targets endothelial glycocalyx regeneration was added to the personalized intervention programs. The supplement contains a proprietary extract of rhamnan sulfate from the green seaweed Monostroma nitidum. The 6 participants consumed the supplement daily, and their plaque burden was measured after 6 months using the same CIMT technology. In every case, the total plaque burden was reduced, with an average reduction in the 6 patients of 5.55 mm, which is statistically significant. Significant reductions in maximum carotid plaque thickness were also observed at the end of the 6 months. The study suggests that rhamnan sulfate from Monostroma nitidum may provide a safe and effective intervention for reducing atherosclerotic plaque, and should be evaluated as an adjunct therapy for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.