Coronary heart diseases (CHD) represent a major health burden. The number of patients with CHD is increasing and psychosocial factors are now recognised as playing a significant and independent role in the development of CHD and its complications. This indicates a need for implication of non-pharmacological intervention in the management of CHD patients, which is overlooked in Indian settings. Aims: The present study aimed at examining the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programme in reducing the perceived stress and health complaints (somatic complaints and cognitive complaints) in CHD patients. Methodology: The sample consisted of 50 participants with the diagnosis of CHD; age ranged from 25 to 55 years. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups – treatment-as-usual (TAU) group (N=25) and MBSR group (N=25) – after completing the measures. The tools used, before and after intervention, included Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Health Complaints Scale (HCS). Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Product and Service Solutions version 16.0 (SPSS-16.0). Results: The results revealed a significant decrease in perceived stress and health complaints scores in the MBSR group at post intervention level. Conclusion: MBSR is highly effective for reducing perceived stress and health complaints in CHD patients. These findings should be considered as a breakthrough and can be taken seriously that MBSR is a credible and potentially effective way of helping people cope with perceived stress and health complaints.
OBJECTIVES: Previously it was shown that a brief yoga-based lifestyle intervention was efficacious in reducing oxidative stress and risk of chronic diseases even in a short duration. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of this intervention in reducing stress and inflammation in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases.
DESIGN: This study reports preliminary results from a nonrandomized prospective ongoing study with pre-post design.
SETTING/LOCATION: The study was conducted at the Integral Health Clinic, an outpatient facility conducting these yoga-based lifestyle intervention programs for prevention and management of chronic diseases.
SUBJECTS: Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases and overweight/obese subjects were included while physically challenged, and those on other interventions were excluded from the study.
INTERVENTION: A pretested intervention program included asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), stress management, group discussions, lectures, and individualized advice.
OUTCOME MEASURES: There was a reduction in stress (plasma cortisol and β-endorphin) and inflammation (interleukin [IL]-6 and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) at day 0 versus day 10.
RESULTS: Eighty-six (86) patients (44 female, 42 male, 40.07 ± 13.91 years) attended this program. Overall, the mean level of cortisol decreased from baseline to day 10 (149.95 ± 46.07, 129.07 ± 33.30 ng/mL; p=0.001) while β-endorphins increased from baseline to day 10 (3.53 ± 0.88, 4.06 ± 0.79 ng/mL; p=0.024). Also, there was reduction from baseline to day 10 in mean levels of IL-6 (2.16 ± 0.42, 1.94 ± 0.10 pg/mL, p=0.036) and TNF-α (2.85 ± 0.59, 1.95 ± 0.32 pg/mL, p=0.002).
CONCLUSIONS: This brief yoga-based lifestyle intervention reduced the markers of stress and inflammation as early as 10 days in patients with chronic diseases; however, complete results of this study will confirm whether this program has utility as complementary and alternative therapy.
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Recent changes in policies allowing practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) to integrate into the mainstream of healthcare and also allowing practitioners of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy to perform medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) under the proposed amendment to the MTP bill have brought crosssystem practice into the limelight. We evaluate cross-system practice from its legal and ethical perspectives. Across judgments, the judiciary has held that cross-system practice is a form of medical negligence; however, it is permitted only in those states where the concerned governments have authorized it by a general or special order. Further, though a state government may authorize an alternative medicine doctor to prescribe allopathic medicines (or vice versa), it does not condone the prescription of wrong medicines or wrong diagnosis. Courts have also stated that prescribing allopathic medicines and misrepresenting these as traditional medicines is an unfair trade practice and not explaining the side-effects of a prescribed allopathic medicine amounts to medical negligence. Finally, the Supreme Court has cautioned that employing traditional medical practitioners who do not possess the required skill and competence to give allopathic treatment in hospitals and to let an emergency patient be treated by them is gross negligence. In the event of an unwanted outcome, the responsibility is completely on the hospital authorities. Therefore, there is an urgent need to abolish cross-system practice, invest in healthcare, and bring radical changes in health legislations to make right to healthcare a reality.
<p>The article attempts to record the common religious and traditional ceremonies that involve the consumption of particular plant-foods in central Nepal. Plants have always been an inevitable part of the life and culture of the Nepalese people. All aspects of the Nepalese folk-life and beliefs have narratives about plants and their parts. The ceremonial plant-foods of the Nepalese people are an example of their strong commitment to conserve this rich tradition. The article is based on a survey conducted in 15 districts in Nepal. The article includes a list of such plants and tries to trace back exactly why and how the plant-foods became associated with the rites. (Rajeev Ranjan Singh 2007-02-12)</p>
<p>The article is an attempt to document the various plant-food preservation techniques currently practiced in central Nepal. It is an ethnobotanical study of central Nepal. It includes 1 map of Nepal. The article describes the methods of plant-food preservation and plant-parts utilized. (Rajeev Ranjan Singh 2007-02-16)</p>
In recent years, the term integrative medicine has gained acceptance in medical academia. The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine defines this term as "the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals, and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing."1 Integrative oncology has been specifically described as both a science and a philosophy that focuses on the complex health of people with cancer and proposes an array of approaches to accompany the conventional therapies of surgery, chemotherapy, molecular therapeutics, and radiotherapy to facilitate health.2 The SIO and its Medline-indexed journal ( Journal of the Society of Integrative Oncology ), founded by leading oncologists and oncology professionals from major cancer centers and organizations, promote quality research and appropriate application of useful, adjunctive complementary modalities (〈http://www.IntegrativeOnc. org〉). The SIO assembled a panel of experts in oncology and integrative medicine to evaluate the current level of evidence regarding complementary therapies in the care of cancer patients. To help health care professionals make evidence-based treatment decisions in integrative oncology, the panel made specific recommendations based on the strength of the evidence and the risks/ benefits ratio. These practice guidelines, developed by the authors and endorsed by the Executive Committee of the SIO, address principles for clinical encounters, followed by individual classes of treatment modalities. There is an essential difference between "complementary" and " alternative" therapies. "Alternative" therapies are typically promoted as a substitute for mainstream care. By definition, alternative therapies have not been scientifically proven, often have no scientific foundation, and have sometimes even been disproved. However, complementary medicine makes use of unconventional treatment modalities and approaches that are nonsurgical and nonpharmaceutical but that have known efficacy. When combined with mainstream care, these modalities can enhance effectiveness and reduce adverse symptoms. The use of complementary and alternative therapies by cancer patients is common, and given that complementary therapies can be helpful in symptom control, but the substitution of therapies with no evidence of safety and/or efficacy can delay or impede treatment, we strongly recommend that medical professionals routinely inquire as to the use of such therapies during the initial evaluation of cancer patients. The extensive use of complementary and alternative therapies can also challenge and frustrate both health care professionals and patients, leading to a gap in communication that negatively affects the patient-provider relationship. This communication gap may also arise from the patient's perception that health care professionals are indifferent to or object to the use of unconventional therapies, a perception that can lead to a loss of trust within the therapeutic bond. Health care professionals, who remain open to inquiries and aware of subtle, nonverbal messages from patients, can create an environment where patients feel free to openly discuss all choices in their care. Evidence suggests that patients supported in this manner are less likely to pursue potentially dangerous alternative therapies and are more likely to adhere to conventional, evidence-based treatment programs. We strongly recommend that qualified professionals provide guidance in an open, evidence-based, and patient-centric manner with those who use or are interested in pursuing complementary or alternative medicine so that they can approach these therapies appropriately. Patients should be informed of the conventional treatment approach, the nature of specific alternative therapies, the realistic expectations, and the potential risks and benefits. © 2009 BC Decker Inc.
<p>This is a review by Dhruba Kumar of Jagadish C. Pokharel, <em>Environmental Resource Negotiation between Unequal Powers</em>.</p>
Annotation; Target Audience: Trade
The effort to realize and uphold an optimum state of health has always drilled the minds of men and as a result, a number of healing systems have evolved around the world. Communities have devised systems to alleviate the tiresome condition arising out of illnesses using their own technique, which vary from one community to another. Each culture has set outlook regarding the disease causation and these are rooted in their belief systems. There are several theories which not only explain the cause of disease but also community’s health care seeking approach. Archaeological and existing genetic facts state that human population voyaged to the Indian subcontinent and their familiarity with herbs and other naturally accessible material is as old as human civilization.Folk medicine includes healing practices and ideas on health care which are limited to a particular group in a culture, and are generally transmitted orally or word of mouth. In India, folk medicine is highly conditioned by the impact of folk deities and, sometimes it is so deep rooted that medicine and folk deities become an integrated whole. Across the whole Himalayan Region, folk healers have a remarkable knowledge of herbs, accumulated through generations and they have been developing the health care traditions through constant experimentation and years of experience which is rooted in understanding and realistic considerations.
Ancient medical systems are still prevalent in Sikkim, popularly nurtured by Buddhist groups using the traditional Tibetan pharmacopoeia overlapping with Ayurvedic medicine. Traditional medical practices and their associated cultural values are based round Sikkim's three major communities, Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepalis. In this study, a semi-structured questionnaire was prepared for folk healers covering age and sex, educational qualification, source of knowledge, types of practices, experience and generation of practice, and transformation of knowledge. These were administered to forty-eight folk healers identified in different parts of Sikkim.490 medicinal plants find their habitats in Sikkim because of its large variations in altitude and climate. For 31 commonly used by these folk healers, we present botanical name, family, local name, distribution, and parts used, together with their therapeutic uses, mostly Rheumatoid arthritis, Gout, Gonorrhea, Fever, Viral flu, asthma, Cough and Cold, indigestion, Jaundice etc. A case treated by a folk healer is also recounted. This study indicates that, in the studied area, Sikkim's health traditions and folk practices are declining due to shifts in socio-economic patterns, and unwillingness of the younger generation to adopt folk healing as a profession.
Objective: We describe and discuss the various medical, social and financial aspects of setting up, and optimizing, working conditions of a tertiary Nuclear Medicine Department. This department was established in a North Indian state which comprises 93% of hilly area. During the first three years after establishment we have developed infrastructure, cooperation with other departments, improved radiation safety and cost effectiveness of our work and designed future perspectives. The facility was established in a cancer center of a tertiary care hospital where a medical college infrastructure was developed. National guidelines formulated by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) were followed. Our department served a population area of 10.08 million inhabitants. Over the first three years 2,400 patients underwent diagnostic scans and 106 patients underwent low dose radioiodine treatment for thyrotoxicosis. To optimize resources and at the same time, enhance their effectivity, we procured our (99)Mo/ (99m)Tc generator every other week and arranged our daily programme accordingly. Fractionation of cold kits allowed us to perform low cost in-vivo procedures on a daily basis and to save the department's running costs by 30%-50%. We run continuing education nuclear medicine programmes for referring physicians, medical students and paramedical workers which were included in routine practice which led to a consistent growth in patients referral. The need for a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan and high dose treatment department for thyroid cancer was strongly felt.; Conclusion: Our nuclear medicine department in a peripheral region of a developing country applied better logistics by procuring new generator every fortnight, fractionating the cold kits and by organizing complete teaching programmes.;
Pre-teen children face stressors related to their transition from childhood to adolescence, with a simultaneous increase in academic pressure. The present study compared the immediate effects of 18 min of (i) high frequency yoga breathing with (ii) yoga-based breath awareness and (iii) sitting quietly, on (a) attention and (b) anxiety, in 61 pre-teen children (aged between 11 and 12 years; 25 girls). Attention was assessed using a six letter cancellation task and Spielberger’s State Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI-S was used to measure anxiety before and after the three practices, practiced on separate days. Repeated measures ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni adjusted post-hoc analyses showed an increase in total attempts and net scores after high frequency yoga breathing (p < 0.05), while wrong attempts increased after yoga based breath awareness (p < 0.05). Anxiety decreased comparably after all three interventions. The 25 girls in the group had the same trend of results as the whole group with respect to the attention-based cancellation task, while boys showed no, how since change. For both girls and boys, anxiety decreased after all three 18min interventions. The results suggest that high frequency yoga breathing could be a short, useful school based practice to improve attention and reduce anxiety.
Pre-teen children face stressors related to their transition from childhood to adolescence, with a simultaneous increase in academic pressure. The present study compared the immediate effects of 18 min of (i) high frequency yoga breathing with (ii) yoga-based breath awareness and (iii) sitting quietly, on (a) attention and (b) anxiety, in 61 pre-teen children (aged between 11 and 12 years; 25 girls). Attention was assessed using a six letter cancellation task and Spielberger's State Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI-S was used to measure anxiety before and after the three practices, practiced on separate days. Repeated measures ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni adjusted post-hoc analyses showed an increase in total attempts and net scores after high frequency yoga breathing (p < 0.05), while wrong attempts increased after yoga based breath awareness (p < 0.05). Anxiety decreased comparably after all three interventions. The 25 girls in the group had the same trend of results as the whole group with respect to the attention-based cancellation task, while boys showed no, how since change. For both girls and boys, anxiety decreased after all three 18min interventions. The results suggest that high frequency yoga breathing could be a short, useful school based practice to improve attention and reduce anxiety.
Old age is a period when people need physical, emotional, and psychological support. Depression is the most prevalent mental health problem among older adults and it contributes to increase in medical morbidity and mortality, reduces quality of life and elevates health care costs. Therefore early diagnosis and effective management are required to improve the quality of life of older adults suffering from depression. Intervention like Mindfulness based Stress Reduction is a powerful relaxation technique to provide quick way to get rid of depression and negative emotions by increasing mindfulness. The study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of MBSR on depression among elderly residing in residential homes, Bangalore. In this study, quasi experimental pre-test post-test control group research design was used. There were two groups: experimental and control, each group had 30 samples selected from different residential homes by non-probability convenience sampling technique. Pre-test depression and mindfulness was assessed before the first day of intervention. Experimental group participants were provided intervention on MBSR. Assessment of post-test depression and mindfulness was done at the end of the intervention programme for both group participants. The study revealed significant reduction in depression (p < 0.001) and increase in mindfulness (p < 0.001) among elderly in the experimental group who were subjected to MBSR technique.
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