Sleep disorders encompass a range of conditions that can significantly impact overall health, safety, and quality of life. Symptoms of sleep disorders include excessive daytime sleepiness, irregular breathing or movements during sleep, disrupted sleep, and difficulty falling asleep. If these conditions are not promptly and effectively treated, patients often experience various physical and mental complications, such as psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, leading to a decreased overall quality of life. Complementary and alternative therapy (CAT) presents a potential approach for the prevention and treatment of sleep disorders. It encompasses a range of management practices, including cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, mindfulness, meditation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, yoga, herbal medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, Gua Sha, moxibustion, Qigong, Tai Chi, acupoint catgut embedding, acupotomy, nutritional supplements, and vitamin supplements. However, the adoption of CAT for sleep disorders in clinical practice faces numerous challenges due to a limited understanding of their mechanisms and clinical effects.

Written by over seventy scientists and clinicians worldwide from China, USA, Germany, Canada, Japan and other countries, this monograph, with nearly 450 figures and tables, covers a wide range of advanced progress in acupuncture research, from experimental research to clinical applications. In addition to exploring the histopathological basis for acupuncture and mathematical simulation of acupoint response to stimulation, initiation and transduction of acupuncture signals and cellular mechanisms during acupuncture effects as well as chemical and physical characteristics of moxibustion on acupoints are broadly discussed. The topics also include novel data on acupuncture effect with advanced imaging techniques, a unique understanding of meridian-viscera correlation, specific interactions between meridians and neurosensory organs within the system of homeostatic regulation and the acupuncture-induced influences on autonomic function. Several chapters introduce specific approaches with dry needling, silver needling and stainless needling for certain diseases, such as myofascitis, supportive care for breast cancer and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy as well as perioperative care of surgical patients. Moreover, this book discusses recent research on acupuncture therapy and potential mechanisms for a number of severe and refractory neurological disorders, including hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, orofacial pain, chronic pain, itch, multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, depressive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and ischemic brain injury. The vast amount of information offered in this book provides a comprehensive perspective on advanced acupuncture research to not only acupuncturists, but also to neuroscientists, neurologists, and other clinicians. For medical students and graduate and undergraduate students majoring in biology, physiology and neuroscience, this book offers an advanced course in learning about the mechanism-driven advances in alternative and complementary medicine.

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, are a growing problem across the world’s aging population. Oxidative stress in the brain plays a central role in a common pathophysiology of these diseases. This book presents scientific research on the potential of antioxidant therapy in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. This book outlines the roles of oxidative stress and diabetes mellitus in neurodegeneration, describes the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders including the roles of environmental pollutants and inflammatory responses, and explores mitochondrial dysfunction. It then describes the protective abilities of antioxidants – including vitamin D, tocotrienol and coenzyme Q10 – against neurodegeneration. The book demonstrates the therapeutic potential of ketogenic diets, and highlights the roles of medicinal plants, phytopharmaceuticals, traditional medicines and food nutrients in neuroprotection. Key Features: Explains damage caused by numerous neurodegenerative disorders and the possible protection offered by antioxidants and functional foods. Describes molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration by oxidative stress, advancing age, diabetes and mitochondrial dysfunctions. Demonstrates protection offered by nutraceuticals, antioxidants, botanical extracts and functional foods. The book contains twenty-three chapters divided into six sections written by leading researchers. This book is essential reading for health professionals, dietitians, food and nutrition scientists and anyone wanting to improve their knowledge of etiology of neurodegenerative diseases.

Integrative Therapies in Lung Health and Sleep provides an overview of integrative therapies to assist clinicians caring for patients with acute or chronic lung diseases and sleep disorders--emphasizing the scientific bases for these therapies; and their implementation into clinical practice. This volume focuses on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments, modalities, and practices that are integrated with conventional medical treatment and for which there is some evidence of safety and efficacy. Whole Medical Systems, with a specific focus on Traditional Chinese Medicine , are also addressed. Individual chapters are devoted to specific health conditions or illnesses, addressing the current state of the science in the four organizing CAM domains, including available information regarding benefits, risks, or safety considerations. Unique aspects of this volume are the chapters related to evaluation of the evidence base for integrative therapies; new animal model research with herbal preparations focused on the serious problem of sepsis in the ICU; guidance for counseling patients with chronic lung illnesses who may be desperate for a cure; and palliative and end-of-life care for patients with chronic lung conditions. Clinicians in various health care settings will find Integrative Therapies in Lung Health and Sleep beneficial in their practice, particularly as the use of integrative therapies becomes more widespread.

This is the third edition of a classic resource of medical psychiatry. It is intended to be read as well as referred to. Its scope is broad, including such topics as herbal and nutritional treatments, management of conflicting second opinions, and adapting the physical examination to the medical psychiatric context.

Clinical Naturopathic Medicine is a foundation clinical text integrating the holistic traditional principles of naturopathic philosophy with the scientific rigour of evidence-based medicine (EBM) to support contemporary practices and principles. The text addresses all systems of the body and their related common conditions, with clear, accessible directions outlining how a practitioner can understand health from a naturopathic perspective and apply naturopathic medicines to treat patients individually. These treatments include herbal medicine, nutritional medicine and lifestyle recommendations. All chapters are structured by system and then by condition, so readers are easily able to navigate the content by chapter and heading structure. The content is designed for naturopathic practitioners and students (both undergraduate and postgraduate levels) and for medical and allied health professionals with an interest in integrative naturopathic medicine. detailed coverage of naturopathic treatments provides readers with a solid understanding of the major therapeutic modalities used within naturopathic medicine each system is reviewed from both naturopathic and mainstream medical perspectives to correlate the variations and synergies of treatment only clinically efficacious and evidence-based treatments have been included information is rigorously researched (over 7500 references) from both traditional texts and recent research papers the content skilfully bridges traditional practice and EBM to support confident practitioners within the current health care system