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I. Mind-Body Medicine
Encompasses behavioral,
psychological, social, and spiritual approaches to health and has four
sub-categories:
Mind-Body Systems:
Involves the whole systems of mind-body practice and are rarely
delivered alone. Generally they are used in conjunction with other
lifestyle interventions or as part of a traditional medical system.
Mind-Body Methods: Perhaps
the most conventional of all of the categories, these modalities are
used individually and are often considered to be CAM when applied to
medical conditions for which they are not generally used. CAM examples
are Yoga and Tai Chi; Behavioral Medicine examples are Psychotherapy,
Meditation, Biofeedback, Support Groups, Art/Music/Dance Therapy, and
Journaling.
Religion &
Spirituality: Involves
non-behavioral aspects of spirituality and religion that examine their
relationship to biological function or clinical conditions: Confession,
Non-temporality, and Spiritual Healing.
Social & Contextual
Areas: The
social, cultural, symbolic, and contextual interventions that are not
classified in other categories: Holistic Nursing, Intuitive Diagnosis,
Placebo, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Native American "Sweat"
Rituals.
II. Alternative Medical
Systems
Encompasses systems of
theory and practice that have been developed outside of Western
biomedical approach and has four sub-categories:
Acupuncture &
Oriental Medicine: Acupuncture,
Herbal Formulas, Tai Chi;
Other Traditional
Indigenous Systems: Native
American Medicine, Kampo Medicine, Traditional Aboriginal Medicine;
Unconventional Western
Systems:
Homeopathy, Environmental Medicine, Functional Medicine;
Naturopathy:
An eclectic collection of natural systems and therapies.
III. Lifestyle &
Disease Prevention
Covers theories and
practices that are designed to prevent the development of illness,
identify and treat risk factors, or support the healing and recovery
process. It represents the integration of prevention with the management
of chronic disease in general and has three sub-categories:
Clinical Preventative
Practices:
Represents unconventional approaches to screen or prevent health related
imbalances, dysfunction, and disease.
Life Style Therapies:
Comprised of complete systems of lifestyle management and include
behavioral changes, dietary changes, exercise, stress management, and
addiction control. Only considered CAM if it represents a non-orthodox
system of medicine or is applied in an unconventional way.
Health Promotion:
Involves laboratory and epidemiological research on healing, the healing
process, health promoting factors, and auto-regulatory mechanisms.
IV. Biologically-Based
Therapies
Covers natural and
biologically-based practices, interventions, and products. Many overlap
with conventional medicine’s use of dietary supplements. There are
four sub-categories:
Phytotherapy or Herbalism:
Plant-derived preparations of single or combination substances that are
used for therapeutic and preventive purposes such as Ginkgo Biloba,
Garlic, Aloe Vera, Green Tea, and Echinacea.
Special Diet
Therapies:
Dietary approaches that are applied as alternative therapies for
risk factors or chronic disease. Some examples of special diet therapies
are the Pritikin, Ornish, Atkins, Vegetarian, and High Fiber diets.
Orthomolecular Medicine:
Nutritional or food supplement products used for preventive or
therapeutic purposes. Often, products are used in combination or in high
doses for prevention or reduction of a specific disease or condition.
Some examples of single nutrients are Glucosamine and Chondroitin
Sulfate for Osteoarthritis and Melatonin to prevent breast cancer. Other
recognized supplements are Iodine, Vitamins A, K, D, and Folic Acid.
Pharmacological,
Biological, & Instrumental Interventions: Products
and procedures applied in an unconventional manner and not included in
other categories. Some examples are Enzyme Therapies, Bee Pollen,
Cartilage, Neural Therapy, Electro- diagnostics, and MORA Device.
V. Manipulative &
Body-Based Systems
Refers to practices that
are based on manipulation and/or movement of the body and has been
divided into three subcategories:
Chiropractic Medicine;
Massage & Body Work:
Osteopathic
Manipulative Therapies, Swedish Massage, Reflexology, Pilates Method,
Acupressure, and Alexander Technique;
Unconventional Physical
Therapies: Hydrotherapy,
Light/Color Therapies, and Heat & Electrotherapy.
VI. Biofield
Involves systems that use
subtle energy fields in and around the body for medical purposes. Some
examples are: Therapeutic/Healing Touch, Natural Healing, Reiki, and
External Qi Gong.
VII. Bioelectromagnetics
Refers to the
unconventional use of electromagnetic fields for medical purposes.
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