Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healing. Originating in China thousands of years ago, acupuncture is currently considered a part of the overall practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The practice of acupuncture involves inserting thin, tiny needles into several points in the body. The needles are massaged or tapped into the body a certain way to change the life energy of the body. In the United States, acupuncture is used as part of complementary medicine and alternative medicine, also known as naturopathic medicine. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, an estimated 3.1 million US adults and 150,000 children had used acupuncture in the previous year. When seeking a form of naturopathic medicine or alternative medicine treatment, it is important to check a practitioner’s credentials to ensure he or she is licensed to practice acupuncture. Currently, most states require a license, although requirements can vary depending on the state. Those who are interested in learning more about the art and practice of acupuncture should study at an alternative medicine school or college of natural health that offers degree programs in this specific field of study.

There are several conditions treated with acupuncture. According to www.healthnews.com, the following conditions are the top twelve medical issues that are treated by acupuncture:

1. Bone pain / muscle pain / joint pain
2. Cardiovascular issues
3. Childhood illnesses
4. Head and sensory disorders
5. Endocrine ailments
6. Gastrointestinal and urinary problems
7. Obstetrics and Gynecology issues
8. Infectious diseases
9. Liver and gall bladder issues
10. Mental disorders, emotional disorders, and sexual disorders
11. Respiratory problems
12. Skin problems

Potential students who are interested in learning about the practice of acupuncture can attend a college of natural health or alternative medicine school in order to learn about the healing ways of acupuncture and become licensed to practice this form of healing. The Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM), a leading naturopathic college located in Tempe, AZ, offers a dual degree program with the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture (PIHMA). Students enrolled in both schools have the chance to earn their Naturopathic Medicine degree at a college of natural health while obtaining a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture or Oriental Medicine. According to the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, about 10 percent of the students enrolled at this naturopathic college also enroll in the Pima Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture in order to obtain two degrees. Having a dual degree from SCNM, a college of natural health, and the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture will allow a graduate to practice acupuncture under his or her Naturopathic Doctor license in Arizona, Maine, Vermont, Kansas, New Hampshire, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. Completing the Master’s program in acupuncture at the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Science also allows students to sit for the National Certification Exam (NCCAOM) for acupuncture.

According to the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, this naturopathic college has a Department of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine focusing its curriculum on a program that will “…train students to practice safely and competently while providing basic competency in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for diagnosis and treatment of common disorders using acupuncture.”

In a word, yes. Let’s examine the evidence from research at a major universities, and studies published in distinguished medical journals.

What the doctors found.

• Effective skin bleaching creams work by impacting the pigment melanin.
• The doctors pointed out kojic acid works to inhibit new melanin in skin cells.
• They point out that for years the Japanese diet has included kojic acid for general health benefits.
• The doctors consider Arbuton an alternative medicine that inhibits melanin activity.
• Vitamins C and B3 can be effective.

Excessive melanin, drawn to the skin surface, explains everything from age spots and freckles to birth marks and irregular dark patches called hyperpigmentation. The doctors took a look at what they called “depigmenting agents”. These substances encourage melanin to disintegrate, and inhibit new formation. Researchers examined over-the-counter skin bleaching creams, which act as depigmenting agents, as well as prescription-strength skin bleaching products.

Chemical skin bleaching products were the first generation, and the doctors note ingredients have been found to cause problems.

• Mercury worked, but health risks of repeated exposure to mercury came to light.
• Products containing steroids fell from favor.
• One common ingredient, hydroquinone caused a raft of serious side affects. It was then linked to cancer. You will still find hydroquinone in some skin bleaching products, including prescription-strength skin bleaching creams.

Non-chemical skin bleaching creams came along, utilizing natural ingredients.
•Natural acid shakes up the pigmented cells that darken skin. Skin lightens over time.
•As was cited previously, scientists find kojic acid is a trustworthy skin lightener.
•One home remedy used citric acid from lemons.
•Similarly, ascorbic acid, a form of vitamin C, exhibits a skin lightening capacity. Ascorbic acid noticeably lightened age spots and skin discolorations on the skin of patients with medium to dark skin tones after three months of treatment, according to a study reported in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science.

Comparing Medical Procedures with Skin Bleaching Creams is a Toss Up.

Canadian researchers reviewed the common techniques for skin bleaching. This included not only skin bleaching products, but also lasers, and skin peels. They concluded there is currently no evidence medical techniques are superior to topical skin lightening.

A Note About Glutathione.

An antioxidant, glutathione, has surfaced as a skin lightener. A report in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science noted the effectiveness of glutathione, but cautioned the amount of glutathione needed in topical products is not yet standardized. Translation: they don’t know how much is too much.

What kind of skin problems respond to skin bleaching creams?

1. Age and liver spots
2. Freckles
3. Underarm skin
4. Private parts colorations
5. Birth marks
6. Moles
7. Sunspots
8. Melasma-patches of irregular over-pigmented skin

You don’t have to have a skin problem to use a skin bleaching cream. Someone may decide to use a skin bleaching product for overall cosmetic effect. Lighter, smoother skin is considered by many cultures to be the beauty ideal. Movie stars who use skin lighteners inspire their fans to try skin lightening creams. Skin lightening products, used over time, can really work.

Medical Myth #1: “There is nothing wrong with modern medicine”

Summary: You believe there is little room for improvement in modern medicine and that conventional healthcare is at the best it can be. You feel that if there were other possibilities or solutions your doctor would know

Let’s face it, the real reason you’re reading this article is because you want to know how you can get results, either for your own personal problem or for your family, friends or patients. For every illness you want a cure and you want it now. You want to be strong, agile and full of energy because it’s your birthright.

The fact that you’re here tells me you’re probably dissatisfied with what conventional medicine, and maybe even complementary and alternative medicine, has to offer us. It is critical to note that there are obviously many situations in which the medical profession save lives. This is undeniable. If I were to break my leg or start to feel unwell I would be one of the first to get straight down to A&E or consult with my GP.

However, this doesn’t mean that we can’t examine our outlook on disease and question what goes on within the medical community, especially when it concerns what for many people is the most important thing in life; our health and the health of our loved ones.

But how many of us actually do? Seeing as you have taken the time to read this I believe you may be one of the few.

Time and time again I come across people who are sick and tired of the expensive chemical pill-popping culture which for the most part, merely masks the symptoms we experience and ends up creating more (and often worse) problems down the road.

Then there are the side effects. When side effects are so common that people expect them you cannot help but wonder: “Are these side effects or are they actually some of the main effects, if not the main effects?” In many cases the term ’side effects’ really means “the price you have to pay to get rid of your original symptoms”

‘Magic pills’ do not exist and yet it seems that this is what many of us believe. We live in hope that the media will one day announce that the miracle cures we’ve all been waiting for have finally been discovered! Then all we have to do is swallow a pill or get an injection and we can be done with these dreadful diseases once and for all!

We optimistically hope for this to happen because we learn to believe that the drugs we already do have ‘cure’ our diseases. But is this the case or not? Lets quickly look a couple of examples…

Belief: “Pain killers and paracetamols cure your pain and headaches”

Reality: They disable and shut down parts of your central nervous system (’CNS’) so you can no longer sense or feel the pain. Whilst this can be handy in some situations, ignoring something that your body is trying to bring to your attention does not happen without consequences. It’s like getting a computer virus and disconnecting the monitor… you can’t see it anymore but it’s still there.

Belief: “Prescribed medication for acute diarrhoea cures your diarrhea”

Reality: In a nutshell, this treatment works merely by blocking up your digestive system

Instances such as these commonplace. Do surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy ‘cure’ cancer? No, the cancer is cut out and removed through invasive surgery or targeted with deadly radiation and chemicals which affects the growing cells of your entire body (the origin of chemotherapy, by the way, was on the battlefield of World War I and went under the name of mustard gas!)

What am I getting at here? The purpose of this article is to help you move from a negative view of disease to a positive one so I won’t linger on this topic, nonetheless it’s plain to see that our health is suffering and modern medicine is struggling to provide us with long term answers that don’t do us any harm in the process.

And if you disagree or are skeptical of this medical myth allow me a final question before we move on…

Do you know what the number one cause of death is today?

If you answered cancer or heart disease you’d be close. Cancer affects 6-7 Million people worldwide and is on the increase according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Heart disease is on the rise too and is the second most prevalent illness after the number one biggest killer which is:…

– Medical intervention –

And yes you did read that correctly, medical intervention (comprising of: adverse reactions, unnecessary treatment, incorrectly prescribed medication and correctly prescribed medication) is, and has been for several years now, the number one cause of death in developed countries. Specific figures are rarely mentioned but if one digs deep enough they can be found

“Do what you’ve always done and you get what you’ve always got”

Clearly, something isn’t right. With the old adage above in mind and as a result of the growing rate at which information is being created and transmitted; more and more of us are now looking for something else, a different explanation about disease and what we can do about it.

“When the number one killer in a society is the healthcare system, then, that system has no excuse except to address its own urgent shortcomings. It’s a failed system in need of immediate attention - beginning at its very foundations”

- Martin Feldman MD et al

There are all different uses for colloidal silver. Want to know what they are? In this article, we will look at colloidal silver, and discover the many different uses. Discover more about silver colloids here!

Before looking at the various possible uses for silver water, we need to know what it does. Here we will look at the important aspect, because we want to know the full application of silver water.

Silver by itself has an amazing property. The silver has antibacterial qualities. So some way we need a piece of silver to be more applicable.

This can be achieved with a few methods. By far the best however, is to get the silver into a solution. Now we have silver colloids, and it is the best way to make use of silver and its properties.

The first step to realize has been achieved. Now it is time to know some ways where it can benefit you.

Any kind of viruses, pathogens, etc, can all be a task for silver water. The cold, a flu, these are all applications where a spoon or two, as per the instructions of the particular silver water that you buy says that you should, you can find benefit with.

Cuts, etc, are all important places where this amazing alternative medicine has uses for. Another application is with cleaning things.

Instead of wiping a surface with water, try wiping with silver water. The result is that you have a natural and totally safe cleaner solution!