CAM PRACTICES

Week 1
15 June 2015
6-7:30 pm
Mind-Body
Medicine
Week 2
22 June 2015
6-7:30 pm
Manipulative and
Body-based
Practices
Week 3
29 June 2015

COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE

MEDICINE PRACTICES
Many community members have utilized
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
practices for thousands of years in the quest of
health and well-being. They include dietary
supplements and botanicals, traditional,
acupuncture, mind-body medicine, and therapeutic
massage. Come join me for a 3 week FREE course to
learn more about these practices and benefits they
have to your life!

6-7:30 pm
Biologically Based
Practices
Hosted by
Nikki Avery, LMT,
Wellness Coach
Davis Island
Community
Center
CAM Practices June 2015

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Instructor
Necola Avery,
LMT,
Esthetician,
Wellness
Coach

COMPLEMENTARY AND
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Syllabus
Course Overview

Phone
813-5552727

Many community members have utilized complementary and

alternative medicine (CAM) practices for thousands of years in a
quest of health and well-being. CAM therapies and medical
systems are widely used and available in the United States. They

Email
Necola27
@gmail.com

include diverse products and practices such as dietary

supplements and botanicals, traditional Chinese medicine,
acupuncture, mind-body medicine, and therapeutic massage.
Complementary medicine is highly recommended to be used
together with mainstream medical care.

Office
Location

Audience

143 Davis

During these lectured based courses, community members will

Blvd
Tampa, FL

(CAM), thus becoming familiar with understanding CAM, its

33606
Davis Island
Community
Center
Office Hours

explore the field of complementary and alternative medicine

practices, benefits and a video demonstrations. Community
members will have the opportunity to partake in wellness
quizzes and meditation techniques.
Course Materials
Hand-outs will be provided

Course Outcomes
By the end of these lecture sessions, member should be able to:

Thoroughly define complementary and alternative medicine.

Compare the various classifications of CAM practices.
Observe and understand various methods of CAM.
Self-identify personal wellness level and areas of improvement.
Partake in mini-meditation session

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Quizzes

Members are encouraged to participate in course quizzes and live method

practices in order to have a better understanding of CAM practices. If member,
would prefer a one on one session, please inform the instructor. Pen/Pencils
will be provided.

Attendance

Attendance is voluntarily. However, members who participate and attend all

three courses will be awarded a completion certificate upon full attendance of
courses.

Classroom Rules of Conduct

Cell phone use prohibited during courses.

Please no food and drink permitted during class.
Feel free to take notes as needed!
Please be courteous to other participants during lectures.

Participation

Members are highly encouraged to ask questions!

Have fun and enjoy the course.

Emergency Procedures

Evacuation procedures -- see instructions posted in the classroom.

First aid kit -- located in Room 112. All instructors have a key to the room.

Emergency ambulance -- from any instructor's office, phone "9" to get an

outside line, then "911." There are also phones on other floors and at the
bookstore and nurse's office on the ground floor.

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COURSE CALENDAR
Week 1

Intro

Mind-Body

to CAM

Medicine

Define
MindBody
Medicin
e

Techniques

Video
Demonstratio
n

Practice
Discussio
n
Questions

Week 2
Manipulativ
e and Bodybased
Practices

Week 3

What is
Manipulative/Bod
y
Practices

Massage

Bodywork

Video
Demonstratio
n

Discussio

Introduction

Dos
and
Donts

Safety
Tips/Herba
l Remedies

Wellness Quiz

Open
Discussio
n

Biologicall
y Based
Practices

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CAM LECTURE NOTES

WEEK 1
Introduction to Complementary and Alternative Medicine
1. What is it?
2. How does it compare to conventional medicine?
3. How many Americans utilize this option?
4. Examples
Mind-Body Medicine
1. What is it?
2. Benefits
3. Practices
Play video demonstration of meditation
1. Discussion
2. Questions
WEEK 2
What is Manipulative/Body-based practices?
1. Definition
2. Pros and Cons
Massage
1. Benefits
2. Kinds
Bodywork
1. Benefits
Video Presentation of Massage
Discussion
WEEK 3
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 Introduction to Biologically-based practices

1. What is it?
2. Dos and Donts
3. Safety Tips
4. Common Herbal Supplements
5. Wellness Quiz
6. Discussion

HANDOUTS
Preface
As noted by the Medaus Pharmacy (2008), Around the time of the Revolutionary
War (1775-1783), medical doctors were not considered to fulfill major societal roles.
In fact, the practice of medicine was seen as more of a part-time avocation due to
the fact that the majority of citizens labeled as "doctors" also took on full-time
occupations such as judge, magistrate, farmer, or merchant (Medaus Pharmacy,
2008). In turn, this era left little room for private or hospital practice. As a result,
lay practitioners took care of most medical matters including births, injuries, and
illness through the use of herbal medicines and teas, salves, emetics, and purgative
medicines (Medaus Pharmacy, 2008).
Fast forwarding, by the beginning of the 19th century, conventional medicine was
beginning to grow (Medaus Pharmacy, 2008). Despite the growing popularity of the
medical profession, patients often labeled conventional medical practices as
expensive, imprecise, and dangerous (Medaus Pharmacy, 2008). As a result, a
number of citizens formed the Popular Health Movement (PHM) during the 1830s
and 1840s (Medaus Pharmacy, 2008).
As a team, PHM supporters sought to alter conventional medical practices by
incorporating and emphasizing some of the ideas that midwives and lay
practitioners had long used to heal their patients (Medaus Pharmacy, 2008).
Needless to say, these included herbal remedies, proper nutrition, clean water,
exercise, disease prevention, the body's innate ability to heal itself, and health
education (Medaus Pharmacy, 2008).
Due to this, Samuel Thompson and Wooster Beach (herbalists), influenced state
after state to repeal their conventional medical licensing laws and allow for certain
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complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to be part of everyday

health care (Medaus Pharmacy, 2008). In view of that, today 69% of the U.S.
populace reports using at least one form of CAM in any given year (Medaus
Pharmacy, 2008).

WEEK 1
What Encompasses Complementary and Alternative Medicine?

At some point in your health journey in life, you have seen the words
complementary, alternative, and integrative, but what do they
really mean? As defined by the Everyday Health, Complementary and
alternative medicine, or CAM, is a category of medicine that includes a variety

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of treatment approaches that fall outside the realm of conventional medicine

(Calabro, 2015).
So what are the differences between conventional vs complementary?
1. Complementary medicine refers to healing practices and products that
work in conjunction with traditional medicine (Calabro, 2015).
2. Alternative medicine differs in that it is not used as a complement to, but
rather as a substitute for traditional therapy (Calabro, 2015).
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
recently surveyed Americans on their use of complementary and alternative
medicine. The information was collected from more than 20,000 adults and
nearly 10,000 children. The results noted that about 40 percent of adults and
12 percent of children use some form of complementary and alternative
medicine (Calabro, 2015).
Out-of-pocket spending on herbal supplements, chiropractic visits,
meditation, and other forms of complementary and alternative medicines
(CAM) was estimated at $34 billion in a single year (Boyles, 2009).
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
recognizes five main categories of complementary and alternative medicine:

Mind-body medicine
Mind-body medicine includes treatments that focus on how our mental and
emotional status interacts and affects the body's ability to function. These
include meditation and therapies expressed through art and music (Calabro,
2015).
Whole medical systems
Refers to complete systems of medical theory and practice. These include
traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, a therapy that originated in India.
Whole medical systems from the West include homeopathy and naturopathy
(Calabro, 2015).
Manipulative and body-based practices
These require the physical manipulation of the body, this practice is intended
to improve specific symptoms and overall health. These practices include
chiropractic. Massage, yoga and osteopathy (Calabro, 2015).
Energy medicine

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This form of medicine uses energy fields to promote healing. It has been noted
that these Biofield therapies affect energy fields that are said to encircle the
human body. These are conducted in the practices of Reiki and qi gong
(Calabro, 2015).
Biologically based practices
These practices focus on herbs, nutrition, and vitamins, dietary supplements
and herbal medicine. Although these are a growing interest kinds of therapies,
more research is still being conducted and tested (Calabro, 2015).
Mediation
Meditation is a mind and body practice that has a long history of use for
increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance,
coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being. Mind and
body practices focus on the interactions among the brain, mind, body,
and behavior (National Institute of Health, 2014).
Research suggests practicing meditation may reduce blood pressure, irritable
bowel syndrome, anxiety, depression, insomnia (National Institute of Health,
2014).
There are many types of meditation, but most have four elements in common:
1) a quiet location with as few distractions as possible 2) a specific,
comfortable posture 3) a focus of attention (a specially chosen word or set of
words, an object, or the sensations of the breath) and 4) open attitude (letting
distractions come and go naturally without judging them) (National Institute
of Health, 2014).
Lets practice one now! This will be a guided meditation which is a form
of meditation where an individual is verbally guided into a state of
consciousness either by a person's live voice or by a recording of a voice. Its
about 10 minutes long.

http://www.fragrantheart.com/cms/free-audio-meditations/relaxation/bluesky-inner-stillness-and-silence
QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION
WEEK 2
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What is Manipulative/Body-based practices?

Manipulative and body-based practices encompass a system of therapies that use

either manual manipulation or movement of one or more parts of the body to
address structural or systematic imbalances of the bones and joints, the soft
tissues, and the circulatory and lymphatic systems. Practices include Chiropractic
and Osteopathic manipulation, therapeutic massage, and a variety of other
"bodywork" therapies (Raby Institute, 2011).
What Conditions Can Manipulative and Body-Based Therapies Treat?
Accident and sports
Infertility
injury
Low back pain
Anxiety and stress
Migraines
Arthritis / Joint pain
Neck pain/shoulder pain
Asthma
Overuse or misuse of the body
Chronic fatigue
Sinusitis
syndrome
Visual problems
(Raby Institute, 2011)
When Should I Avoid Manipulative and Body-Based Therapies?
When you experience: (Raby Institute, 2011)

Acute raised intracranial pressure

A recent cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
A recent fracture of the skull or pelvis

There are two main therapies involve the movement or realignment of parts of the
body:
Massage Therapy
Bodywork
Massage

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 Massage is the rubbing of soft tissues of the body, such as the muscles.
Massage may be helpful in reducing tension and pain, improving blood flow,
and encouraging relaxation. Massage therapists usually apply pressure with
their hands, but they can also use their forearms, elbows, or feet (WebMD,
2015).
Types
Swedish massage is very gentle and is often used to promote relaxation,
improve blood flow, and relieve muscle tension (WebMD, 2015).
Deep tissue massage is more active and intense. It is used to treat long-lasting
muscle tension. The therapist applies slow strokes (with the fingers, thumbs,
and elbows) using intense pressure to reach deeper layers of the muscles than
those reached with a Swedish massage technique (WebMD, 2015).
Trigger point massage is less gentle and can sometimes be uncomfortable.
The therapist applies firm pressure to knots or tight, tense muscles that have
been overused or injured, continuing until the muscles relax (WebMD, 2015).

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Bodywork
Bodywork and manual therapy are general terms that refer to body
manipulation therapies used for relaxation and pain relief. The aim of
bodywork is to realign and reposition the body to allow natural, graceful
movement. Bodywork, along with identifying possible contributing causes of
unnatural movement and posture, is thought to reduce stress and ease pain
(WebMD, 2015).

The Alexander technique focuses on proper alignment of the head, neck, and
trunk. It emphasizes improving health by increasing awareness of proper
posture (WebMD, 2015).
The Feldenkrais method is a gentle form of bodywork that increases flexibility
and coordination. These exercises increases a person's awareness of body
movement and develop new patterns of movement (WebMD, 2015).
The Trager approach is used to help you relearn natural movements and
exercises so your bodies can function better. Practitioners teach gentle,
rhythmic motions to improve flexibility and promote relaxation and dancelike
exercises to increase awareness of body movement (WebMD, 2015).
Now, lets watch this short video on a massage session:
http://www.psychetruth.net/free_hd_massage_videos/full-body-massage-videofor-back-relaxation/

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QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

WEEK 3
Introduction to Biologically-Based Practices
This practice includes the use of dietary supplements and herbal remedies.
These treatments use ingredients derived from nature. Some of the
ingredients include but not limited to herbs such as ginseng, ginkgo and
echinacea; examples of other dietary supplements include selenium,
glucosamine sulfate and SAMe. In addition, herbs and supplements can be
taken as teas, oils, syrups, powders, tablets or capsules (Mayo Clinic, 2015).
On the flip side, herbal supplements haven't been subjected to the same
scientific scrutiny and aren't as strictly regulated as medications. Therefore, it
is critical to investigate potential benefits and side effects of herbal
supplements before you buy (Mayo Clinic, 2015).
Herbal supplements are regulated by the FDA, but not as drugs or as foods
(Mayo Clinic, 2015). They fall under a category called dietary supplements,
thus Manufacturers don't have to seek FDA approval before putting dietary
supplements on the market (Mayo Clinic, 2015).
Do
Ask your doctor or pharmacist they should be able to point you to the latest
medical guidance about its uses and risks (Mayo Clinic, 2015).
Look for scientific research findings two good sources include the National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the Office of
Dietary Supplements websites (Mayo Clinic, 2015).
Contact the manufacturer. If you have questions about a specific product, ask
to talk with someone who can answer questions (Mayo Clinic, 2015).
Dont
If you're taking prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications some
herbs can cause serious side effects when mixed with prescription and OTC

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drugs, such as aspirin, blood thinners or blood pressure medications (Mayo

Clinic, 2015).
You're pregnant or breast-feeding the medications that may be safe for you
as an adult may be harmful to your fetus or your breast-feeding infant (Mayo
Clinic, 2015).
If you're having surgery some may decrease the effectiveness of anesthetics or
cause dangerous complications, such as bleeding or high blood pressure (Mayo
Clinic, 2015).
If you're younger than 18 or older than 65 few herbal supplements have
been tested on children or have established safe doses for children (Mayo Clinic,
2015).

Safety tips for using herbal supplements

Follow supplement instructions
Keep track of what you take
Be cautious about supplements manufactured outside the United States
Check alerts and advisories from the FDA and NCCAM
(Mayo Clinic, 2015)
Common Herbal Supplements
St. Johns Wort Wild-growing with yellow flowers. Known to treat mild to
moderate depression (Holistic Health Library, 2015).
Saw Palmetto may be helpful in the treatment of an enlarged prostate, a common
condition in men over age 50 (Holistic Health Library, 2015).

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Hawthorn Popularly used for several heart-related conditions and is supportive in

the treatment of angina, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, and high blood
pressure (Holistic Health Library, 2015).
Green tea used to combat fatigue, prevent arteriosclerosis and certain cancers,
lower cholesterol, reduce tooth decay, and aid in weight loss (Holistic Health
Library, 2015).
Ginseng Used as a general tonic to increase overall body tone, ginseng is
considered helpful in elevating energy levels and resistance to stress (Holistic
Health Library, 2015).
Gingko Biloba used for many conditions associated with aging, including poor
circulation and memory loss (Holistic Health Library, 2015).
Echinacea used to strengthen the bodys immune system, echinacea is also
considered prevention against colds and flu (Holistic Health Library, 2015).
QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION
Wellness Quiz

Do you wake up with enthusiasm for the day ahead?

Do you have the high energy you need to do what you want?
Do you laugh easily and often, especially at yourself?
Do you confidently find solutions for the challenges in your life?
Do you feel valued and appreciated?

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Do you appreciate others and let them know it?

Do you have a circle of warm, caring friends?
Do the choices you make every day get you what you want?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, yeah! You have identified areas in
your life that you may want to change.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

Resources
Alternative Health
http://www.everydayhealth.com/alternative-health/the-basics.aspx
Mayo Clinic-Herbal Supplements
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/indepth/herbal-supplements/art-20046714
Medline Plus that can provide trusted information found at:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalternativemedicine.html
NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative medicine) found at:
http://nccam.nih.gov/
The whole-person solution for professional and personal well-being
www.healthy.net

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References
Boyles, S. (2009, Jul 30). Americans spend $34 billion on alternative medicine.
Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20090730/americansspend-34-billion-alternative-medicine
Calabro, S. (2015, June 13). Defining complementary and alternative medicine.
Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/alternative-health/thebasics.aspx
Holistic Health Library. (2015, June 15). Common herbal supplements uses and
tips. Retrieved from http://holistichealthlibrary.com/common-herbalsupplements-uses-and-tips/
Mayo Clinic. (2015, June 13). Complementary and alternative medicine. Retrieved
from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/indepth/alternative-medicine/art-20045267
Mayo Clinic. (2015, June 15). How do you know if herbal supplements' claims are
true?. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutritionand-healthy-eating/in-depth/herbal-supplements/art-20046714?pg=2

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Medaus Pharmacy. (2008). The history of complementary and alternative medicine in

the united states and beyond. Retrieved from
http://www.medaus.com/index25fb.html?id=23:the-history-ofcomplementary-and-alternative-medicine-in-the-united-states-and-beyondNational Institute of Health. (2014, Nov). Meditation: What you need to know.
Retrieved from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm
Raby Institute. (2011). What are manipulative and body-based practices?. Retrieved
from
http://www.rabyintegrativemedicine.com/pages/manipulative_and_body_base
d_practices/43.php
WebMD. (2015, June 14). Bodywork and manual therapy - topic overview. Retrieved
from http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/tc/bodywork-or-manualtherapy-topic-overview

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