PROBIOTICS

substances such as acidophilus and bifidus that restore the beneficial bacteria normally present in the intestines. Stress, poor diet, antibiotics, and oral contraceptives can throw off the normal balance of bacteria and fungi. This imbalance may be manifested as a yeast infection, or in symptoms such as diarrhea or gastrointestinal disturbances.

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Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a therapeutic system based upon the premise that interference with nervous system function predisposes the body to a disease state. The method of work focuses on restoring normal condition by correcting the vertebral segments of the spinal column, which are a primary cause of nerve dysfunction. Central to chiropractic technique is the "adjustment" of the specific spinal vertebra that are out of alignment or subluxated.

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Empowerment: An individual's assertion of personal power, energy, force, and strength in all fields: spiritual, physical, mental and magical. See also Reiki Attunement.

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HYPNOSIS

although the condition resembles normal sleep, scientists have found that the brain wave patterns of hypnotized subjects are much closer to the patterns of deep relaxation.

Hypnosis is now generally viewed as a form of attentive, receptive, highly focused concentration in which external events are omitted or disregarded. Widely used by surgeons, dentists, and psychotherapists to relieve anxiety or as an anesthetic. Used to relax a patient, reduce resistance to therapy, facilitate memory, to address stopping smoking, eating less, or fighting fears.

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Craniosacral Therapy

The craniosacral therapist focuses on releasing restrictions of the Cranial sutures and the underlying membranes through gentle hands-on contact with the bones of the skull. Carniosacral Therapy is gaining acceptance by health professionals worldwide as a successful treatment modality to improve overall body functioning. And treat a range of conditions, from headaches and ear infections, to stroke, Spinal Cord Injury, and Cerebral Palsy. It has been especially successful in treating newborns and infants for common conditions such as earaches, sinus congestion, vomiting, irritability, and hyperactivity.

(See also: Craniosacral Therapy , Alternative Health, Healing, Body Mind and Soul)

Foot Reflexology: A cousin of acupuncture. It involves pressing reflex areas on the feet. These areas correspond to organs and systems of the body. Foot Reflexology cleanses the mind and body and revitalizes energy. A common theory of reflexology holds that massaging certain areas of the feet restores health by breaking up and dispersing "crystals". (Sometimes also called Zone Therapy.)

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Kahuna healing: The medical phase of Huna, which is a religion or esoteric magical tradition native to the Hawaiian Islands. The word huna literally means "secret" or "that which is hidden, or not obvious." Kahuna literally means "keeper of the secret."

Kahunas are Hawaiian witch doctors. Kahuna healing encompasses "colon cleansing," "energy field manipulation," Ho'oponopono (spiritual counseling), lomi-lomi, and the use of amulets. Its theory posits an "etheric body" (aka), a godhead (Kumulipo), and mana. Some proponents use the expressions "kahuna healing," "Huna," and "Hawaiian Huna" interchangeably.

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Pituitary Gland: A small gland located at the base of the brain; consists of an anterior and a posterior lobe and produces numerous hormones. The master gland of the endocrine system: the pituitary release hormones that have specific targets as well as those that stimulate other glands to secret hormones.

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Out-of-Body Experience: Experience which occurs when the astral body or etheric body leaving the physical body while the individual is at rest, asleep, near death, or temporarily dead.

(See also: Out-of-Body Experience (OBE) , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Four Noble Truths: The essential teaching of early Buddhism. According to tradition, after attaining enlightenment, the Buddha proclaimed his liberating insight into the nature of existence in his first sermon through the topic of the Four Noble Truths:

¥ 1. Suffering, declares the nature of all phenomena comprising ordinary unenlightened experience as suffering, impermanent, and lacking in any enduring or substantial self or essence.

¥ 2. The Origin of Suffering, states that suffering has a cause, namely, craving.

¥ 3. The Cessation of Suffering, asserts that despite the fact of universal suffering in a totally conditioned universe proclaimed by the first two truths, there is liberation through the Cessation of Suffering, which is the nirvana, experienced by the Buddha.

¥ 4. The Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering, proclaims that this liberation is accessible to all who follow the way set forth by the Buddha.

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Aromatherapy: Herbal medicine, use of essential oils from plants, flowers, trees and herbs to achieve health, vitality and rejuvenation of the body, mind and spirit.

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Pancreas: Located in the abdominal cavity and secrets digestive enzymes into the small intestine and also secrets the hormones insulin and glucagon into the blood: where they regulate glucose levels. A digestive organ that produces trypsin, chymotrypsin and other enzymes as pancreatic juices, but which also has endocrine functions in the productions of the hormones somatostatin, insulin and glucagon.

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AYURVEDIC MEDICINE

practiced in India for over 5,000 years. Ayurvedic tradition holds that illness is a state of imbalance among the body’s systems and can be detected through such diagnostic procedures as reading the pulse and observing the tongue. Nutritional counseling, massage, natural medications, meditation and other modalities are used to address a spectrum of ailments, from allergies to AIDS.

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Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a medical system that uses minute doses of natural substances-called remedies-to stimulate a person's immune and defense system. A remedy is individually chosen for a sick patient based on its capacity to cause, if given in overdose, physical and psychological symptoms similar to those the patient is experiencing. Common conditions homeopathy addresses are infections, fatigue, allergies, and chronic illnesses, such as arthritis.

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Iridology (eye analysis, iridiagnosis, irido-diagnosis, iris diagnosis): Diagnostic system that states that every bodily organ corresponds to a location on the iris (the colored portion of the eye surrounding the pupil). According to iridology theory, the iris serves as a map of the body and gives warning signs of physical, mental, and spiritual problems.

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Bardo: A human soul between the stages of after-death and rebirth.

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Absent healing (distant healing, remote healing): A form of healing that involves the projection of healing energy over a distance.

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Centering: Grounding your energy through meditation or other means often before rituals or healing treatments to help harness and direct the balanced energy.

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Islam: A world religion based on the teachings and life of Mohammed (570-632 AD) in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia (then Persia). Islam is the second largest world religion, and has recently become the third largest religious body in America.

Islam is composed of two major divisions - the mainstream Sunni (the largest) and the more radical Shi'ites. The mystical tradition of sufism includes many Sunnis and some Shi'ites.

The Arabic word Islam means "submission to the will of God" and a person who submits is called a Muslim. The Quran (or, Koran), the Torah, the Psalms of the Old Testament, and the Gospel of the New Testament are regarded as holy books. However, only the Quran is considered uncorrupted.

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Intestine: Also called bowels, the portion of the digestive tract between the stomach and anus.

In humans the intestine is divided into two major sections: the small intestine, which is about 6 m long, where the most extensive part of digestion occurs and where most food products are absorbed; and the large intestine, which has a larger diameter and is about 1.5 m long, where water is absorbed and from which solid waste material is excreted.

Food and waste material are moved along the length of the intestine by rhythmic contractions of intestinal muscles; these contractions are called peristaltic movements.

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Kundalini: Kundalini is a concept often spoken of in relation to the charkas. Mythologically, Kundalini is a serpent Goddess who lies asleep at the base of the spine, coiled three and one half times around the first chakra, awaiting unfoldment. When she is awakened through any of a number of techniques, she unfolds and rises through the center of the body, piercing and wakening each chakra as she goes. When she has risen to the top or crown chakra, then all of the chakras have been opened, and a person is said to experience enlightenment.

(See also: Kundalini , Magic, Shamanism, Paganism, Wicca)

Aurasomatherapy : A variation of color therapy and a form of aura balancing and chakra healing.

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