Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Patients Prefer Integrative Medical Care and Drugs as a Last Resort
Understanding Patient Preference for Integrative Medical Care: Results from Patient Focus Groups
Journal Journal of General Internal Medicine
Publisher Springer New York
ISSN 0884-8734 (Print) 1525-1497 (Online)
Issue Volume 22, Number 11 / November, 2007
Category Original Article
DOI 10.1007/s11606-007-0302-5
Pages 1500-1505
Subject Collection Medicine
SpringerLink Date Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Anne M. McCaffrey1, 2 , Guy F. Pugh1 and Bonnie B. O’Connor2, 3
(1) Marino Center for Progressive Health, 2500 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA
(2) Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School Osher Institute, Boston, MA, USA
(3) Department of Pediatrics, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI, USA
Received: 14 January 2007 Revised: 20 June 2007 Accepted: 3 July 2007 Published online: 11 September 2007
Abstract
Background Integrative medicine (IM), a combination of conventional and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), has become a popular source of medical care, yet little is known about its use.
Objective To identify the motivations of people who choose IM for their primary care needs.
Design Qualitative study from focus group data of regular users of IM.
Participants Six focus groups that include a total of 37 regular users of IM who consented to participate in a study of IM use.
Approach Focus group meetings were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative analysis using grounded theory was used to derive the motivations for use of IM.
Results Participants beliefs include the following: the combination of CAM and conventional medicine is better than either alone; health is a combination of physical, emotional, and spiritual well being; nutrition and lifestyle play a role in wellness; and pharmaceuticals should be avoided except as a last resort. Participants suffer from health problems that are not well treated by conventional medicine. Participants want to discuss CAM with physicians and obtain guidance on its use. Participants want time with their providers, to feel listened to and to have the opportunity for shared decision-making.
Conclusion Much of what patients are seeking in integrative medical care is likely universally shared: a strong therapeutic relationship with providers who listen and provide time and knowledgeable advice. Users believe a combined approach of CAM and conventional medicine is better than either alone and want to be able to discuss CAM use with their providers.
KEY WORDS CAM - integrative medicine - patient satisfaction - therapeutic encounter
________________________________________
Anne M. McCaffrey
Email: amccaffrey@marinocenter.org
Journal Journal of General Internal Medicine
Publisher Springer New York
ISSN 0884-8734 (Print) 1525-1497 (Online)
Issue Volume 22, Number 11 / November, 2007
Category Original Article
DOI 10.1007/s11606-007-0302-5
Pages 1500-1505
Subject Collection Medicine
SpringerLink Date Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Anne M. McCaffrey1, 2 , Guy F. Pugh1 and Bonnie B. O’Connor2, 3
(1) Marino Center for Progressive Health, 2500 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA
(2) Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School Osher Institute, Boston, MA, USA
(3) Department of Pediatrics, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI, USA
Received: 14 January 2007 Revised: 20 June 2007 Accepted: 3 July 2007 Published online: 11 September 2007
Abstract
Background Integrative medicine (IM), a combination of conventional and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), has become a popular source of medical care, yet little is known about its use.
Objective To identify the motivations of people who choose IM for their primary care needs.
Design Qualitative study from focus group data of regular users of IM.
Participants Six focus groups that include a total of 37 regular users of IM who consented to participate in a study of IM use.
Approach Focus group meetings were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative analysis using grounded theory was used to derive the motivations for use of IM.
Results Participants beliefs include the following: the combination of CAM and conventional medicine is better than either alone; health is a combination of physical, emotional, and spiritual well being; nutrition and lifestyle play a role in wellness; and pharmaceuticals should be avoided except as a last resort. Participants suffer from health problems that are not well treated by conventional medicine. Participants want to discuss CAM with physicians and obtain guidance on its use. Participants want time with their providers, to feel listened to and to have the opportunity for shared decision-making.
Conclusion Much of what patients are seeking in integrative medical care is likely universally shared: a strong therapeutic relationship with providers who listen and provide time and knowledgeable advice. Users believe a combined approach of CAM and conventional medicine is better than either alone and want to be able to discuss CAM use with their providers.
KEY WORDS CAM - integrative medicine - patient satisfaction - therapeutic encounter
________________________________________
Anne M. McCaffrey
Email: amccaffrey@marinocenter.org
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Philosophy for Getting on the Path to Natural Fitness for the Long Haul
A healthy mind will lead to a healthy body.
Real and lasting fitness is as much about the state of mind as it is about the state of the body. As a matter of fact, creating a strong and healthy state of mind (includes attitude and emotions), is probably the most important ingredient you will need in the recipe for creating fitness.
Your mind and its emotional states will either encourage or sabotage your efforts. And it is not just a matter of will power. Since will power is a product of the conscious mind it cannot be sustained for long periods of time because of sleep and distractions. Will power by nature is designed to for shorter time frames - to build habits and sound behaviors. Most people who start a new fitness regiment are "pushing the boulder uphill" so to speak if they are relying on will power alone. It is critical to enlist the support of the subconscious mind to achieve long term and completely natural fitness.
What do I mean by natural? Simply this: no diet drugs, no fad diets, no steroids, no gastric by pass surgery. It means finding your true and natural self and achieving the right balance for keeping it that way. It means embracing your particular body type instead of striving to be something that you are not. But while it means accepting yourself - it does not mean that you have to settle for anything. The challenge is to be the best you can be within the scope of what is natural and right for you.
Why is enlisting the subconscious mind so important? Rather - why is enlisting the subconscious mind so CRITICAL - because this is from where ALL the self sabotage originates. If you are struggling and can't figure out why - it is only your conscious mind that does not know why. Your subconscious knows perfectly well.
Tapping into your Subconscious Mind to Diffuse the Source of Sabotage
Hypnosis is the perfect tool for diving in and getting at the root of your struggles. Hypnosis? you are saying - oh yeah right! You are probably thinking of stage antics and "mind control".
Let's clear up misconceptions first.
Hypnosis is a natural state of your everyday mind. You regularly go in and out of it everyday.
No one can actually hypnotize you. You must be willing to let someone help you get into this natural state and help you maintain it. Stage hypnosis always requires willing participants since you can never, ever be made to do something or say something (or divulge something) that is against your will under hypnosis.
You are NOT asleep. Your mind is extremely alert. When you are hypnotized, it is the subconscious mind that dominates rather than the conscious mind (the conscious mind is still there just put off to the side - it is only completely absent when you are actually asleep).
Since hypnosis is completely natural, there are no side effects what so ever. Extremely deep states of hypnosis (called the coma state - not the same in hypnosis as in the medical state), have been known to stimulate and bring healing in the physical body of the person who was in that deep hypnotic state. There is so much that is still being discovered about hypnosis. While all of its uses are not completely know, it is starting to be viewed as a "buried treasure chest" of healing for both the physical and emotional realms.
Now before you go out and make an appointment with your local hypnotist or expect miraculous results from self -hypnosis books and CDs, there is one other point that you must realize.
Most hypnotists practice "direct suggestion". This works for awhile, but eventually wears off. this is why you will hear of people who start smoking again after having stopped for awhile.
The best way to go is to a hypnotherapist who will regress to the emotional cause of the problem.
See my next posts for videos (taken by me) of a hypnotherapist partner and friend of mine who has had tremendous success at ridding people of their fibromyalgia symptoms, phobias, smoking habits, achieving weight loss - all through the power of hypnotic regression (and once these problems are gone, they are gone FOR GOOD!)
Real and lasting fitness is as much about the state of mind as it is about the state of the body. As a matter of fact, creating a strong and healthy state of mind (includes attitude and emotions), is probably the most important ingredient you will need in the recipe for creating fitness.
Your mind and its emotional states will either encourage or sabotage your efforts. And it is not just a matter of will power. Since will power is a product of the conscious mind it cannot be sustained for long periods of time because of sleep and distractions. Will power by nature is designed to for shorter time frames - to build habits and sound behaviors. Most people who start a new fitness regiment are "pushing the boulder uphill" so to speak if they are relying on will power alone. It is critical to enlist the support of the subconscious mind to achieve long term and completely natural fitness.
What do I mean by natural? Simply this: no diet drugs, no fad diets, no steroids, no gastric by pass surgery. It means finding your true and natural self and achieving the right balance for keeping it that way. It means embracing your particular body type instead of striving to be something that you are not. But while it means accepting yourself - it does not mean that you have to settle for anything. The challenge is to be the best you can be within the scope of what is natural and right for you.
Why is enlisting the subconscious mind so important? Rather - why is enlisting the subconscious mind so CRITICAL - because this is from where ALL the self sabotage originates. If you are struggling and can't figure out why - it is only your conscious mind that does not know why. Your subconscious knows perfectly well.
Tapping into your Subconscious Mind to Diffuse the Source of Sabotage
Hypnosis is the perfect tool for diving in and getting at the root of your struggles. Hypnosis? you are saying - oh yeah right! You are probably thinking of stage antics and "mind control".
Let's clear up misconceptions first.
Hypnosis is a natural state of your everyday mind. You regularly go in and out of it everyday.
No one can actually hypnotize you. You must be willing to let someone help you get into this natural state and help you maintain it. Stage hypnosis always requires willing participants since you can never, ever be made to do something or say something (or divulge something) that is against your will under hypnosis.
You are NOT asleep. Your mind is extremely alert. When you are hypnotized, it is the subconscious mind that dominates rather than the conscious mind (the conscious mind is still there just put off to the side - it is only completely absent when you are actually asleep).
Since hypnosis is completely natural, there are no side effects what so ever. Extremely deep states of hypnosis (called the coma state - not the same in hypnosis as in the medical state), have been known to stimulate and bring healing in the physical body of the person who was in that deep hypnotic state. There is so much that is still being discovered about hypnosis. While all of its uses are not completely know, it is starting to be viewed as a "buried treasure chest" of healing for both the physical and emotional realms.
Now before you go out and make an appointment with your local hypnotist or expect miraculous results from self -hypnosis books and CDs, there is one other point that you must realize.
Most hypnotists practice "direct suggestion". This works for awhile, but eventually wears off. this is why you will hear of people who start smoking again after having stopped for awhile.
The best way to go is to a hypnotherapist who will regress to the emotional cause of the problem.
See my next posts for videos (taken by me) of a hypnotherapist partner and friend of mine who has had tremendous success at ridding people of their fibromyalgia symptoms, phobias, smoking habits, achieving weight loss - all through the power of hypnotic regression (and once these problems are gone, they are gone FOR GOOD!)
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