Entire site Library Glossary Interactions Marketplace About Us

Practitioners of naturopathy rely on a variety of tech- niques founded in ancient Indian, Chinese and Greek medicine.  These include relaxation therapy, counsel- ing and psychotherapy, herbal medicine, nutrition counseling, physical therapy and homeopathy, which is discussed below.  While the various components of natur- opathy have been studied for their beneficial effects in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and hypertension, there is little research on naturopathy as a whole in treating these conditions. HOMEOPATHY Can a little do a lot? Homeopathy is relatively new compared to many of the holistic approaches dis- cussed already.  Founded in 1790 by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, homeopathy is founded on the belief that "like cures like." Homeopathic therapies involve administering very dilute solutions of herbal substances felt to stimulate the body's own "vital force." By so doing, a person is believed to be able to heal himself or herself rather than relying on pharmaceutical agents.  To date, there is lit- tle research on homeopathic medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and, specifically, hypertension. Therefore, its use for these conditions remains to be established. AYURVEDA Balancing the forces in and around you. Ayurvedic medicine was founded in ancient India around 3500 B.C.  It is known in Hindu texts as the Vedas, meaning "science of life." In ayurvedic medicine, practitioners prescribe treat- ment and preventative ther- apy consisting of diet, herbal supplements, exer- cise and yoga, as well as other treatments, in order to maintain a person's balance in life.  Little research is available with regard to the healing power of ayurvedic medicine for cardiovascular disease or, specifically, for hypertension.  However, several of its components, such as yoga, have had demonstrated benefits in lowering blood pressure (see above).   REFERENCES 1. Appel LJ, Moore TJ, Obarzanek E, Vollmer WM, et al. A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. New England J Med 1997;336(16):1117-24     2. Margetts BM, et al. Vegetarian diet in mild hypertension: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ 1986;293:1468-1471 3. Cappuccio FP, MacGregor GA. Does potassium supple- mentation lower blood pres- sure: a meta-analysis of pub- lished trials. J Hypertens 1991;9:465-473 4. Rossner S, Andersson I-L, Ryttig K. Effects of a dietary fiber-supplement to a weight reduction programme on blood pressure. Acta Med Scand 1988;223:353-357 5. Sonne-Holm, S, Sorensen TIA, Jensen G, Schnohr P. Independent effects of weight change and attained body weight on prevalence of arterial hypertension in obese and non-obese men. Br Med J 1989;299:767 6. Busch F. "The New Nutrition: From Antioxidants to Zucchini" John Wiley & Sons. New York, NY 2000 7. Kostis JB, Espeland MA, Appel L, et al. Does with- drawal of antihypertensive medication increase the risk of cardiovascular events? Am J Cardiol 1998;82(12):1501-08 8. Yamamota ME, Applegate WB, Klag MJ, et al. Lack of blood pressure effect with calcium and magnesium sup- plementation in adults with high-normal blood pressure: Results from phase I of the trials of hypertension preven- tion (TOHP). Annals of Epidemiology 1995;3(2):96- 107 9. Larson DE. Mayo Clinic

Save this Article in My Holistic Heart Health... Mail to a friend   Related articles Overviews Summaries   Related products       Dash Diet for Hypert...     Essential Guide to H...   Go to page: 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15

© Copyright 2001 Holistic Heart Health, Inc. All rights reserved. THIS SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a health care professional if you have a specific health concern. Please review the Terms and Conditions of Use before using this site.