Depression and Cancer
How does depression affect cancer patients? For cancer patients, depression means much more than just a dark mood. The illness, which strikes about up to
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Meditation and Health
What is meditation? Do you ever feel like your brain is too stuffed with thoughts? Between the errands that you need to do tomorrow, the
Fish Oil and Depression
Can omega-3 fatty acids stabilize mood and combat depression? We all have fat on the brain. Amazingly enough, more than half of the brain’s dry
Investigating Herbs and Supplements
What’s the difference between herbs and supplements and the drugs that you buy over the counter? Shopping for dietary supplements can be like stepping into
Depression Recovery: Keeping a Mood Journal
For many of us, learning how to understand and handle our feelings is a lifelong task. For depressed people, however, recognizing and experiencing emotions is
Back Pain and Massage
Marina Alyea, a certified massage therapist in San Francisco, is familiar with the ravages of back pain. She has worked on people’s backs, she said,
Alternative Remedies for Arthritis
Alternative remedies for arthritis are nothing new. Folklore is full of potions and poultices that supposedly relieve joint pain, and the advent of modern medicine
Glucosamine
For many years, veterinarians routinely gave glucosamine to racehorses to help preserve their joints over years of pounding the track. Now scientists are studying whether
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, also called ubiquinone) is a vitamin-like substance that’s present in foods and is also produced by your cells to help convert food
Flaxseed
You may think of flax as a source of fine linens, but the plant’s greatest value may well lie in its small, dark seeds. As
Garlic
Garlic (Allium sativum ) reigns as a powerful — and pungent — leader among herbal remedies. A close cousin of onions, leeks, and shallots, garlic
Natural Alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy
What natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy are there? Women who decide not to supplement their declining levels of estrogen with prescription hormones may want
Pain Control at the End of Life
A better understanding of pain — and how to treat it — means a gentler death for many patients with terminal illnesses. People who are
Ginkgo: Safety and Uses
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba ) is the only remaining member of a family of trees that flourished centuries ago in ancient China. Dubbed a living fossil,
Acupuncture
What is acupuncture? Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy that uses hair-like needles to stimulate specific points on the body. Practically unknown in this country
Cranial Therapy
What is cranial therapy? Cranial therapy (also called cranial osteopathy and craniosacral therapy) is based on the theory, developed by a 1930s osteopathic physician, that
Quiz: Do You Know How to Tame the Yeast Beast?
Usually yeast is our friend, living in harmony with us, helping us make fluffy bread and hearty beer, even inhabiting our digestive system. But one
Positive Psychology: A new approach to mental health
Mental health professionals make a living dealing with psychological ills that can cripple: Depression and delusions, phobias and obsessions. In the past, they paid little
Biofeedback
What is biofeedback? Biofeedback is a tool that helps people gain more control over their bodies. It works by translating subtle physical changes into easy-to-read
Feldenkrais
What is the Feldenkrais Method? It’s a therapy to reeducate the body so that you move with less discomfort and greater ease. If you’re recovering