01_026250 ffirs.qxp 6/8/07 6:46 PM Page i Complementary Medicine FOR DUMmIES‰ by Jacqueline Young 01_026250 ffirs.qxp 6/8/07 6:46 PM Page i 01_026250 ffirs.qxp 6/8/07 6:46 PM Page i Complementary Medicine FOR DUMmIES‰ by Jacqueline Young 01_026250 ffirs.qxp 6/8/07 6:46 PM Page ii Complementary Medicine For Dummies® Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd The Atrium Southern Gate Chichester West Sussex PO19 8SQ England E-mail (for orders and customer service enquires): [email protected] Visit our Home Page on www.wileyeurope.com Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex, England. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex. All Rights Reserved. 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ISBN: 978-0-470-02625-0 Printed and bound in Great Britain by Bell and Bain Ltd, Glasgow. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 01_026250 ffirs.qxp 6/8/07 6:46 PM Page iii About the Author Jacqueline Young is uniquely qualified to write this book. She has worked in both the fields of orthodox and complementary medicine internationally for over 20 years, practising, studying, teaching, writing, researching, and serv- ing on committees. Jacqueline is a qualified clinical psychologist, oriental medical practitioner, naturopath, and nutritionist. She is also trained in a whole host of comple- mentary therapies including herbal medicine, homeopathy, flower remedies, Tibetan medicine, Ayurveda, applied kinesiology, massage, shiatsu, iridology, nature cure, sound therapy, and various types of bodywork and healing. In between she qualified as a Sivananda yoga instructor and found time to squeeze in a brown belt in karate! On the academic front Jacqueline holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and has completed postgradu- ate education in nutrition, epidemiology, and clinical education. She’s done her bit serving on professional committees involved in setting national stan- dards for clinical psychology, acupuncture, and nutrition. She’s taught com- plementary medicine to doctors, nurses, postgraduates, the general public, and school children – and anyone else who’s interested. Jacqueline has practised her skills in hospitals, clinics, and health centres in several countries. She is an enthusiastic medical volunteer for Care & Share International with whom she has had the privilege of running complementary medicine clinics in a tent high in the Himalayas and in Bhopal, India. She’s written several books on complementary medicine and often con- tributes to national magazines, newspapers, radio, television, and Web sites including BBC Health. Jacqueline practises in central London, and is the Education Director for the Revital Health Education Centre (www.revital.com). Outside work she is still trying to master the art of growing really tasty vegetables that even her son will eat! She’s exercised her brain, and stretched the patience of friends and family and her publishers, in writing this compendium and hopes you’ll find it handy to have around and a useful guide on your healing path. To contact the author (feedback, comments, and constructive suggestions always welcome) write to: PO Box 2211, Barnet, Herts, EN5 4DZ, United Kingdom, or e-mail [email protected]. 01_026250 ffirs.qxp 6/8/07 6:46 PM Page iv Dedication This book is for all those people who are willing to have an open yet discern- ing mind about complementary medicine. It is also dedicated, with thanks, to all my complementary medicine teachers, patients, students, and colleagues. Yes, we need to explore and research complementary therapies so that we can be confident about their safety and effectiveness. Yet at the same time we should not allow barriers to be erected that may obstruct new learning and deny access to therapies that could provide a powerful healing force in our world. Author’s Acknowledgements I am very grateful to my family and friends who have supported me in the long time it took to write this book. Mum, Don, Mark and Ken, Issy and Jamie, Tanya, Olesya and Tommy, Irina and Alina, Titi, John and Marjie, Fred and Chris, Annie and Jake, Michael and Jasmine, Jarek and Suzie, Selina and Theo, Nic, Kirsten and Emilie, Ikuyo, Connie, Drid and Jane Garton – you’ve all played your part, even when you didn’t know it. My son, Michael, deserves a special mention because he has endlessly had to spare me to the computer, but we’ve had fun making up for it in other ways on other days too! So does Alfonse – because he always makes me laugh! I also acknowledge my precious ‘departed family’ – you live on in my heart and are one of my motivations to work in the field of health and healing: My irreplaceable best friend Mary, my dear friend Maria, and my inspirational friend and godmother to my son, Penny Brohn. All were overcome, but not beaten, by the cruel ravages of cancer, and Penny’s outstanding and pioneer- ing work on the role of complementary medicine in cancer care lives on (www.pennybrohncancercare.org). I also credit my much-loved father, Alan Young, who introduced me to yoga and home grown veg, and my dear grandparents, who loved a good cup of comfrey tea. I’m also grateful to my ‘professional family’ – all the brilliant conventional, unconventional, and/or integrated medical colleagues who have kindly con- tributed to this book: Prof. David Peters, for kindly reviewing the entire text, and the following people for making some time to read through individual chapters, or to talk over points with me: Professor George Lewith MA, DM, FRCP, MRCGP; Dr Julian Kenyon MD, MB, ChB; Dr Neil Slade PhD, LCH, RSHom; Professor Laurie Hartmann PhD, DO; Deirdre Stubbs DO; Ulrik Sandstrøm BSc, DC, ICSSD, FCC; Richard Blackwell BMedSci, LicAc, MSc 01_026250 ffirs.qxp 6/8/07 6:46 PM Page v (Acupuncture); Etsuko Kobira MIFA; and Anne McIntyre FNIMH. Also Dr Jovan Djurovic DO for his chiropractic exercise, Mike Burrows for his eloquent quote in the dedication, and Dr Rory Hafford MSc, PhD, Dip. Psych. for his willingness to contribute. I was always pleasantly surprised when chapters came back with virtually no red ink but take full responsibility that any remaining errors or omissions are my own. I owe a great debt to my ‘publishing family’ too: Alison Yates, Commissioning Editor; Rachael Chilvers, Project Editor; and Mike Kelly, Developer at Wiley have been patient and helpful throughout and contributed a great deal. Thanks to Julia Lampam and Jamie McOuat (Publicity and Rights) for work- ing their magic too.