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Alternative medicine is often described as any form of treatment that differs from conventional medicine. As a method of treating a variety of ailments, alternative medicine is becoming increasingly popular with members of the public. As more people choose to use alternative treatments, the effectiveness and efficiency of the methods are being evermore tested and proved. This article attempts to highlight some of the most popular forms of alternative medicine treatments but is in no way a comprehensive list.


The first of these treatments is homeopathy; this form of alternative medicine has been in existence since the time of the Ancient Greeks. The word in fact means ‘similar disease or suffering’. While some see homeopathy as purely a means of treating conditions diagnosed in contemporary medicine, it is in fact a science that uses its of diagnosis’ to classify a variety of medical problems.


This form of alternative medicine has the ultimate objective of using the body’s own defence mechanisms to cure the patient. Subsequently, the remedies given in homeopathy rely upon small doses to stimulate the natural defences of the body. A homeopathy practitioner works closely with the patient to develop a treatment plan that will achieve the best possible result. The approach is all encompassing, taking into account the whole body rather than purely the affected area.


Naturopathy is another form of alternative medicine that comes from the Indian medical heritage. Once again it relies upon the body’s ability to heal itself. As a result a naturopathic practitioner avoids using artificial medicines and surgery and instead attempts to heal their patients with the use of herbalism, acupuncture and aromatherapy combined. The differing forms of regulation for this medical profession mean that some are wary of its benefits, but they are definitely there. A well trained naturopath will be able to utilise blood tests and images to clearly diagnose what is wrong with a patient, by doing this they are able to devise a course of treatment that will heal the certain area.


Alternative medicine also broaches the physical ailments in terms of muscular problems, this area is named chiropractics. A chiropractor attempts to diagnose muscular problems and attempts to explain the relationship with the nervous system. Treatment is fundamentally physical, using manipulation of the body to heal affected areas. This form of alternative medicine is strongly advisable for complaints such as back pain.


Also, this form of treatment is well regulated as training is needed to perform on patients, in some cases, even a degree is necessary. The treatment is not purely about manipulating the body however, a practitioner will attempt to give the patient advice on lifestyle and exercise as a full solution to muscular problems. Like other forms of alternative medicine it relies on the body’s ability to heal itself for successful treatment.


One of the disciplines of alternative medicine does not rely on the body’s healing ability is herbal medicine. Instead of using synthetic drugs, herbal medicines are formulated from plant extracts; subsequently chemical additives are removed form the treatment equation. With prolonged use, some consider this a way of boosting the immune system and warding off disease in the long term. There can be side affects with herbal treatments however, and the usual advice is that a course should only be used after consultation with your physician.


These four forms of alternative medicine only scratch the surface of the wide array available to patients today. Picking the right ones can be difficult but with good advice it should be possible to find a treatment that will lead to good health and happiness.

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Lung cancer staging refers to a system of classifying where the cancer is in its growth. This allows physicians a guide to help determine what treatments would be most effective and how aggressively those treatments should be administered. It is also a way of determining the potential outcome of a particular case of lung cancer. The lower the stage, the better the odds of a full recovery.


The process of deciding what stage a lung cancer has reached is called “staging the lung cancer.” This is accomplished through a series of tests, such as x-rays, blood tests, bone scans, etc. The goal is to determine the size of the tumor or tumors and if the cancer has spread to other tissues (metastasized). X-rays, MRIs and CAT scans help to determine the size and location of the tumors. Bone scans and blood work can help to determine whether the cancer has spread to other organs or to the bones. PET scans can indicate whether or not a tumor is actively growing.


Lung cancer staging is also dependent on the type of cancer. For instance, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), there are four stages, while in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) there are two … limited stage and extended stage. Here’s a quick overview to give you an idea of the differences between the various stages:


Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage I: The cancer is confined to the lungs. This stage obviously offers the best prognosis. Lung cancer caught in this stage has better than a 49% five year survival rate.


Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage II: The cancer is confined to lung tissue and the lymph nodes within the lungs, the recovery rate is 40-50%


Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage II: The tumors have spread from the lungs, but are confined to the chest area. Larger, more invasive tumors are generally diagnosed as belonging to this stage.


Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage IV: The cancer has spread away from the chest and invaded other parts of the body such as the liver, adrenal glands, bone, brain, and/or other sites.


Small Cell Lung Cancer Limited Stage: The cancer is confined to the chest area, and has not spread outside the point of origin.


Small Cell Lung Cancer Extended Stage: The cancer has spread beyond the chest to other parts of the body.


The treatment recommended by your doctor will take into account the stage of the lung cancer, as well as the size and location of the tumors and your general overall health. Of course, you’ll have input into how aggressively the cancer should be pursued and all that entails. More and more oncologists are coming to accept that the prognosis of a patient with lung cancer — as it is with any cancer patient — is profoundly affected by the patient’s attitude and decision making.

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During the start of every New Year, people from all walks of life make resolutions about losing weight, getting fit and getting healthier. They purchase gym memberships, but can’t get motivated to go. They start the latest fad diet and can’t force themselves to stick with it long enough to get any results.

This behavior isn’t just limited to the beginning of the year either. People make failed attempts to get themselves into a better state of health with little success all year long. There is always a good reason to start your new diet or exercise plan; you want to squeeze into a size six for your cousin’s wedding or you want to feel confident in your swim suit when beach season hits. Maybe your cholesterol is high or your stamina is low.

A large part of the failure of all of these endeavors to get healthier stems from the fact that we aren’t giving ourselves a good and definitive reason to get up, go out and get moving. In the back of our minds, there is always the thought that tomorrow is another day.

Bad days at work, trouble sleeping or your favorite show coming on aren’t good excuses to skip your workout, but they are excuses that people use everyday. What we need to guarantee is our success in getting healthier is a reason to get moving that we can’t ignore.

Man’s (or woman’s) Best Friend

If you can’t seem to stick to a regular workout routine and you are in desperate need of dropping some pounds, whether it’s by doctor’s orders or just to be able to look at yourself in the mirror again, then getting a dog may be the perfect path to your success.

There are no two ways about it, dogs need to get outside. They need to go to the bathroom and they need regular activity to be healthy and happy.

An average dog needs about one twenty to thirty minute walk a day. In addition to the quick trips out to relieve themselves, they need to get enough exercise to remain in good health. Twenty to thirty minutes is, coincidently, a perfect amount of time for an adult to get out and perform some type of physical activity in order to stay in good health.

No Excuses

Your dog won’t want to hear that you’re tired. Your dog won’t care that the new episode of some prime time drama is coming on and your dog certainly won’t care that your boss was giving you a hard time all day.

Your dog will need to go outside, period. That is exactly the type of motivation many people need these days in order to get the amount of physical activity they need to get themselves into a healthier state.

A Faithful Training Partner

As you begin to work out the kinks created by year after year of doing nothing more than sitting in front of the TV, you’ll begin to feel better. Those excess pounds that you’ve been building up will start to melt away.

There may be a lot of skeptics about this “workout plan.” People will wonder how it’s possible to lose weight simply by taking a dog out for a stroll, but you can rest assured that this is an excellent way to get yourself on the road to better health.

A recent study conducted by the University of Missouri at Columbia, showed a reasonable pattern of weight loss for subjects who walked a dog for twenty minutes a day, five days a week over the course of one year.

The average participant in the study lost nearly fifteen pounds over the course of the year. Though the information from the study can not guarantee the same results for anyone who begins walking a dog, one thing to consider is that the study only included five days of the week. You, as a dog owner, would be getting that activity seven days a week.

The subjects were using twenty minutes as their goal per day. You would be unlimited as to the amount of time and type of activity you chose on each walk.

Fifteen pounds in one year is not an extraordinary amount of weight to lose, but for someone who’s had little success with any endeavor they’ve attempted in the past, fifteen pounds could be a huge accomplishment. Seeing that weight come off can be a great motivator to do more. Having that unavoidable excuse for activity can allow you to get to that next level and continue to take the weight off.

If subjects in the study lost fifteen pounds in twenty minutes over five days a week, and you’ll be walking thirty minutes a day for seven days a week, your weight loss could be markedly higher. The change in your health over the first year could be dramatic.

As you begin, you may only be able to walk for fifteen, or so minutes a day. After a month, you may be walking for over thirty minutes. The healthier you and your dog get together, the more activity you’ll be capable of on a given day. By the six month mark, you may be going for long runs with your new best friend.

Make no mistake about it, if you want to take a forty-five minute walk around a park on a beautiful spring day, your dog will be right by your side the entire time with zero complaints. If you get to a level of fitness that has you wanting to take your dog for two thirty minute walks a day, it’s a safe assumption that your four legged friend certainly won’t have a problem with that either.

The more time you spend with your dog in these bonding experiences, the closer the two of you will get. Your dog can and will be the best friend and training partner that you’ve ever had. For anyone who needs some kind of unavoidable excuse to get up and get moving, getting a dog can be the best solution.

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Most dog owners do not really think of the possibility that their dog will acquire diabetes. Thus, they do not take any preventive measures, only to realize too late that their dog already has one. The number of dogs diagnosed with such disease is increasing and this should already be a wakeup call for dog owners to make sure they do something before it happens to their dogs.

Canine diabetes not only causes insulin deficiency, it will also bring about many complications such as cataracts (which will eventually result to blindness), infections, ketoacidosis, and pancreatitis.

So, who are at risk? Below are some factors that will help to determine if your dog is at risk or not.

Obesity

This is the biggest factor to consider. If your dog overeats and becomes overweight, this will eventually lead to diabetes. This also holds true for dogs that are often given plenty of treats. You may be rewarding and keeping your dog happy for the time being but after a period of time, this will lead to serious problems on his health.

If you truly care for your dog, feed him nutritious foods such as those rich in carbohydrates and fiber.

Old Age and Gender

Studies show that female dogs are three times more prone to become diabetic than their male counterparts. Estrogen can affect the production of insulin and this could be the cause. Moreover, older dogs have higher likelihood of diabetes.

Drug Intake

There are certain types of drugs that can trigger the occurrence of canine diabetes. Among these would be glucocortisones, which increase estrogen-production. As mentioned earlier, this particular hormone affects the production of insulin.

Breed

Some breeds are more likely to become diabetic than others. Among these breeds are: Golden Retrievers, Schnauzers, Poodles, Miniature Pinchers, Beagles, and German Shepherds.

Now that you know who are high-risk, you probably want to find out if this condition can be cured. Well, there is no cure for canine diabetes at the moment, BUT it can be managed. There are natural remedies such as diet and exercise which you can provide for your dog. You can also make use of herbal remedies and insulin injectibles to make sure that insulin production remains normal, or at least close to normal range.

But of course, the best thing to do is to prevent your dog from becoming diabetic. As a dog owner, the welfare of your pet is your responsibility. So, while you still can, make sure you keep your dog healthy and well through exercise, diet, and good grooming.

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