ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an increasingly common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD have trouble paying attention, focusing,… Read more »
Alzheimer’s Disease: Mysteries and Possibilities
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a condition in which the concept of loss is central – the loss of one’s memories, independence, the ability to recognize loved ones, and the loss of dignity. Often referred to as “the long goodbye,” AD is the most common t… Read more »
Ayurvedic Medicine: Ancient Foundations of Health Care
Ayurvedic medicine is a highly sophisticated religion, philosophy, and system of medicine that has been practiced in India for over 2,500 years. As with other forms of complementary and alternative medicine, it focuses on the whole individual and one… Read more »
Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents: An Integrative Approach
It is sometimes difficult to determine if a child or adolescent is going through a “phase” or showing signs of a more serious psychiatric challenge such as bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder causes unusual shifts in moods and energy. These shifts are… Read more »
Botanicals, Herbs, and Herbalism
While modern medicine has produced many scientific advances, one of the most important “advances” in health and medicine has been the recognition of the value of herbs and herbalism. After all, nature and plants have been an essential part of everyda… Read more »
Centenarians: Keys to Longevity
Living to be 100 years old was once considered a rare occurrence, but with advancements in medicine and lifestyle changes, living to be 100 is not so improbable today. As a group, there are more centenarians worldwide than ever before, with the large… Read more »
Characteristics of Spirituality
While theorists and researchers have yet to agree on a single, universally accepted theory or definition of spirituality, few would deny its existence or impact on health and healing. Spirituality has a profound impact on health and it is important f… Read more »
Childbirth And Culture – Practices, Beliefs, And Traditions
An intimate and complex experience, childbirth reflects a woman’s biology as well as the social context in which delivery takes place. The experience of every woman is unique to her and deeply personal because of the culture in which she gives birth… Read more »
Chronic Pain: An Integrative Approach to Effective Pain Management
Pain interferes with the enjoyment of life. It makes it difficult to work, socialize with friends and family, sleep, and accomplish activities of daily living. It may reduce productivity and create financial hardships in terms of lost work and high m… Read more »
Color and Health–Exploring the Connection
The use of color in healing has a long history. A fundamental aspect of environmental design, color has also been linked to physical, psychological, and social reactions in all of its uses. Color’s characteristics can influence how it is used and wha… Read more »
Creating Healing Relationships
A healing relationship involves two major elements: a relationship with the self (intrapersonal relationship) and relationships with others (interpersonal relationships). Each is critical to creating a healing environment for an organization’s staff… Read more »
Cultural Competence in Health Care
The culturally diverse health care populations in the United States provide health care professionals with tremendous opportunities to bridge cultural gaps, incorporate new treatments and disease prevention strategies into their practices, and learn… Read more »
Curanderismo and Central and South American Healing Practices
With a long and complex history, curanderismo, or indigenous medicine, is the broad healing tradition found in Mexico and Mexican American communities throughout the United States. For many Hispanics, conventional medicine has not been effective or w… Read more »
Current Issues in Nutrition
Our diet has a profound impact on our health and well-being as well as the health of the environment, yet many of us are not aware of where our food originated or how it was produced. We eat toxic, irradiated, or genetically altered foods, and we eat… Read more »
Death and Dying
What is grief? What are normal grief responses? What is involved in the final life transition—death? These are some of the questions that will be discussed in this course. The role of culture, palliative and hospice care, advance directives, and the… Read more »
Depression: An Integrative Approach
Depression is one of the most serious and costly health care problems facing the United States today. It is one of the most common types of mental disorders. Depression interferes with an individual’s daily life, normal functioning, and may cause emo… Read more »
Diabetes in Pregnancy
Diabetes during pregnancy can provide a special challenge to the patient and her health care providers. The effects of poorly controlled blood glucose levels can result in life-threatening effects for both the mother and the fetus. This course provid… Read more »
Food and Mood: What’s the Connection?
“You are what you eat!” How often have most of us heard this phrase? While it may be a common saying, it remains a very true one for many good reasons. Food has the ability to affect our bodies and minds in profound ways. It can influence how we feel… Read more »
Food Labels – Deciphering The Mysteries
An important element of health is the ability to understand what is in the food we eat. Knowing how to read and understand food labels can help individuals make healthier food choices. Many consumers do not fully understand what the labels on their f… Read more »
Foodborne Diseases
Foodborne diseases affect 10% of the world’s population every year, equivalent to millions of individuals across the globe. These diseases can cause extremely uncomfortable short-term health problems and very serious long-term health consequences, in… Read more »
Genetically Engineered (Modified) Foods – Safe Or Sinister?
Genetically engineered (“GE”) or genetically modified (“GM”) foods are foods with foreign genes (genes from other plants, animals, or substances) inserted into their genetic codes. While the debate continues, most experts agree there is no consensus… Read more »
How Safe Is Your Water?
According to the World Health Organization (2008), access to safe water is essential to health and a basic human right. Yet globally, unsafe water causes millions of deaths from diarrhea, malaria, malnutrition, and drowning. The United States has one… Read more »
Hunger and Malnutrition
Almost 800 million people in the world are suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Most of these individuals live in developing countries. However, there are millions more in developed countries who go to bed each night hungry. Children are the most… Read more »
Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is eating with intention and attention. It is much more than simply eating slowly, without distraction. Mindful eating encompasses the entire process of eating and is a healthy and pleasurable activity for satisfying hunger. When we ea… Read more »
Mindful Movement: Walking, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong
Mindful movement, such as walking, yoga, tai chi, and qigong can be accomplished almost anywhere, nearly everyone can do it, and minimal equipment is needed to participate. Mindful movement is an effective way to reduce stress but there are many othe… Read more »
Mindful Relationships
Mindful relationships involve being present and paying attention to our relationships with ourselves and within ourselves. Mindfulness, a growing and expanding field, is the ability to focus without judgment and the ability to be present in the momen… Read more »
Mindfulness and Happiness
New research is demonstrating that mindfulness might be the key to happiness and health. Everyone wants to be happy and healthy. Mindful happiness is not found in external things but within ourselves. By focusing on becoming happier, we will not only… Read more »
Mindfulness Meditation
Widely accepted, used, and studied within mainstream medicine, mindfulness meditation involves paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgment. The health benefits of mindfulness meditation include improvements in dealing wit… Read more »
Natural Products: Nutraceuticals, Probiotics, Herbs, and Botanicals
Our diet has a profound impact our health and well-being, yet many of us are not aware of where our food originates from and even less of us are aware of exactly what is in these foods. Many individuals eat foods sprayed by numerous pesticides, grown… Read more »
Natural Sweeteners: Healthy Options for Your Sweet Tooth
Most Americans consume far more sugar than they require, and this contributes to obesity as well as many types of diseases. The role of sugar in the American diet is an important one, and understanding its effect on the body and its role in inflammat… Read more »
Nutrition and Health – What’s the Connection?
What we eat profoundly affects our health and well-being: Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States. Many of us eat more than we require; we eat when we are rushed; we don’t understand how various food elements interact; and we are not… Read more »
Nutrition and Healthy Aging
Increasing scientific, clinical, and social interest helps us understand the relationship between nutrition and aging. Eating well is essential in all stages of life but is especially important for maintaining good health and slowing the aging proces… Read more »
Nutrition, Stress, and Immune Function
Most individuals enjoy sitting down and eating a delicious meal. Food provides an opportunity to socialize and, if the food is nutritious, it also supports a healthy body and mind. However, if individuals are stressed before, during, or after a meal,… Read more »
Nutrition, Toxins, and Chronic Disease
Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems both in the United States and worldwide. Globally, hundreds of millions of people are… Read more »
Nutrition: An Integrative Approach
What we eat profoundly impacts our health and well-being, yet many of us eat when we are rushed; we don’t know where our food originated; we eat toxic, irradiated, or genetically altered foods; and we eat more than we need. How can we revise our eati… Read more »
Obesity In America – A Public Health Epidemic
Two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the United States are overweight or obese. Left unchecked, the effects of this crisis on the nation’s health, health care costs, and productivity could be catastrophic. As a nation, we’re getting more… Read more »
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
When individuals experience a traumatic, terrifying, life-changing event or series of events, with a real or threatened risk of death, they may experience a variety of symptoms known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although this condition h… Read more »
Probiotics: Silent Partners in Health
Probiotics are live microbes believed to be beneficial for the host organism. They are used globally to improve the health and well-being of animals and humans. Sales of probiotic supplements have soared in recent years on the basis of intriguing res… Read more »
Spiritual Nutrition – The Global Consequences of Food Choices
Food is a dynamic force that interacts with our bodies on multiple levels: the physical level, the mental-emotional level, and the energetic or spiritual level. Conscious eating involves an awareness of the eating process from beginning to end, and i… Read more »
Stress and Nutrition
Most individuals enjoy sitting down and eating a delicious meal. Food provides an opportunity to socialize and, if the food is nutritious, it also supports a healthy body and mind. However, when individuals are stressed, they are not able to utilize… Read more »
The Biofield (Human Energy Field): Foundation for Energy Medicine
There is increasing scientific evidence that human beings are comprised of an energetic system that is highly integrated with the physical body, emotions, and the spiritual aspect of individuals. Because of this evidence, the health care community is… Read more »
The Politics of Food
Food production and politics are intimately connected. Decisions about what foods are produced, how they are produced, how food and animals are treated, as well as the personal connections related to food are complex and challenging. Food subsidies,… Read more »
Traditional Chinese Medicine: An Ancient Approach to Healing
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the oldest professional continuously practiced medicine in the world, with origins dating back more than 2,500 years. TCM emphasizes the holistic view of the human being and encompasses many different treatment m… Read more »