| Glossary |
| The following is a list of alternative and complementary therapies. Dr. Williams feels strongly about the benefit of all of these modalities, yet may not perform all of these services. She has an excellent referral network and would be happy to direct your care to the appropriate practitioner if she is not able to help you personally. Please call to inquire about your area of interest. |
| Acupuncture |
| Acupuncture is a component of Traditional Chinese medicine
that is recognized all over the world for its effectiveness
in treating a wide variety of ailments. Acupuncture is
a non-invasive, natural and holistic approach for treating
many disorders and illnesses. It works to stimulate the
body's natural healing processes. Traditional Chinese
medicine practitioners believe that acupuncture stimulates
the flow of energy (chi) that nourishes tissue stimulates
blood flow and enhances the body's functioning. |
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| Biofeedback Training |
| Biofeedback training teaches a person how to change
and control his or her body's vital functions through
the use of a biofeedback machine. Practitioners teach
patients how to control and change such autonomic body
functions as blood pressure, heart rate, circulations,
digestion and perspiration. Users learn to monitor "feedback"
using auditory or visual cues. |
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| Bodywork |
| The term bodywork refers to a family of therapies including
massage, deep tissue manipulation and movement awareness
which are employed to improve the structure and functioning
of the body. Bodywork in all its forms helps to reduce
pain, sooth injured muscles, stimulate blood and lymphatic
circulation, increase flexibility and promote deep relaxation. |
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| Chelation Therapy |
| First developed as a treatment for lead poisoning, chelation
therapy removes toxins and heavy metal from the bloodstream.
Chelating agents administered intravenously have been
proven to increase blood flow and remove arterial plaque.
Chelation therapy can help reverse atherosclerosis, can
prevent heart attacks and strokes, and it used as an alternative
to bypass surgery and angioplasty. |
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| Chiropractic |
| Through adjustments of the spine and joints, chiropractors
can influence the body's nervous system and natural defense
mechanisms in order to alleviate pain and improve general
health. Re-establishing correct spinal alignment has been
shown to be effective in the treatment of back problems,
headaches, and other injuries and traumas. |
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| Colon Hydrotherapy |
| Colon hydrotherapy cleanses the colon through gentle
water infusions. A healthy colon is essential for the
absorption of vital nutrients and the natural elimination
of bodily waste and toxins. Colon therapy promotes normal
colon function by restoring and maintaining the health
of the colon. |
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| Craniosacral Therapy |
| Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle, hands-on method of
evaluating and enhancing the function of cerebrospinal
fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.
The bones of the skull are manipulated to treat a range
of conditions, from headache and ear infection to stroke,
spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy. For decades various
forms of cranial manipulation have been used to improve
overall body functioning, and today craniosacral therapy
is gaining acceptance by health professionals worldwide
as a successful treatment modality. |
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| Detoxification Therapy |
| Detoxification, which is the attempt to cleanse the
body's internal systems and organs by natural means, is
one of the oldest known medical treatments. Historically,
it was achieved simply by fasting, or deliberately abstaining
from taking in food for a certain period of time. In modern
times however, with the growing concern over environmental
contaminants of all types, detoxification is advocated
by some as a necessary means of staying healthy. Naturopaths
who hold that illness can be healed by the natural processes
of the body are the most vigorous supporters of detoxification,
since they believe that one primary cause of disease is
the accumulation of uneliminated wastes. |
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| Environmental Medicine |
| Environmental medicine explores the role of dietary
and environmental allergens in health and illness. Factors
such as dust, molds, chemicals, and pollution may cause
allergic reactions that can dramatically influence diseases
ranging from asthma and hay fever to headaches and depression.
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| Enzyme Therapy |
| Enzyme therapy can be an important first step in restoring
health and well-being by helping to remedy digestive problems.
Plant enzymes and pancreatic enzymes are used in complementary
ways to improve digestion and absorption of essential
nutrients. Enzymes are particularly important for those
with sluggish or absent gallbladders. |
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| Flower Remedies |
| The emotions play a crucial role in the health of the
physical body. Flower remedies directly address a person's
emotional state in order to help facilitate both psychological
and physiological well-being. Flower remedies can effectively
remove the emotional barriers to health and recovery in
a safe, effective and gentle way. |
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| Guided Imagery |
| Using the power of the mind to evoke a positive physical
response, guided imagery can reduce stress and slow heart
rate, stimulate the immune system, and reduce pain. As
part of the rapidly emerging field of mind/body medicine,
guided imagery is being used in various medical settings
and can be very helpful in alleviating anxiety. |
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| Herbal medicine |
| The use of plants to treat disease can be found in every
known human culture and period of history. Extensive scientific
documentation now exists concerning their use for countless
health conditions. From St. John's Wort to treat depression
to new scientific research from Germany on silymarin's
effect on the liver, Western herbalism is entering a new
period of intensive activity, interest and growth. |
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| Homeopathy |
| Homeopathy is a low-cost, nontoxic system of medicine
used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. It is
particularly effective in treating chronic illnesses that
fail to respond to conventional treatment, and is also
a superb method of self-care for minor conditions such
as the common cold and flu. |
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| Hydrotherapy |
| Hydrotherapy is the use of water, ice, steam, and hot
and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health.
Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas,
sitz baths, colonic irrigation, and the application of
hot, and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective
for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily
be used in the home as part of a self-care program. |
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| Hypnotherapy |
| Hypnotherapy is used to manage numerous medical and
psychological problems. Hypnotic techniques can help a
person stop smoking, overcome alcohol and substance abuse,
and reduce overeating. Hypnotherapy is also effective
in treating stress, sleep disorders, and mental health
problems such as anxiety, fear, phobias, and depressions.
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| Meditation |
| Meditation is a see and simple way to balance a person's
physical, emotional, and mental states. It is easily learned
and has been used as an aid in treating stress and pain
management. It has also been employed as part of an overall
treatment for other conditions, including hypertension
and heart disease. |
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| Mind/Body medicine |
| Mind/body medicine may soon revolutionize modern health
care. Recognizing the profound interconnection of mind
and body, the body's innate healing capabilities, and
the role of self- responsibility in the healing process,
mind/body medicine utilizes a wide range of modalities,
including biofeedback, imagery, hypnotherapy and meditation.
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| Naturopathic Medicine |
| A system of medicine that blends the latest advancements
in science with principles taught centuries ago, naturopathic
medicine attempts to find the underlying cause of the
patient’s condition rather than focusing solely
on symptomatic treatment. Naturopathic Physicians cooperate
with all other branches of medical science referring patients
to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when
appropriate. Licensed Naturopathic Physicians complete
4 years of post-graduate training and complete 2 years
of supervised clinical training. |
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| Nutrition |
| Conventional medicine has finally acknowledged the central
role diet plays in a person's health. But achieving a
good diet is not as simple as it sounds. Eating the right
foods no longer insures proper health due to toxins contaminating
the earth's food supply. Therefore, it is important to
pay attention not only to what food to eat, but to where
that food was grown or raised, and to what chemicals it
might have been exposed to before it reaches the table.
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| Nutritional Supplements |
| Recent research has demonstrated that diet alone may
not be sufficient to supply the nutrients necessary for
wellness. While most experts agree that nutritional supplements
are vital for a variety of illness, injuries and age-related
problems, vitamin and mineral supplements can also help
to maintain optimal physical and psychological health,
and promote longevity and chronic disease prevention.
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| Prolotherapy |
| Prolotherapy or Reconstructive Therapy uses injections
of natural substances to stimulate the growth of connective
tissue in order to strengthen weak or damaged tendons
or ligaments. As a simple, cost-effective alternative
to drug and surgical treatments, reconstructive therapy
is an effective treatment for degenerative arthritis,
low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, migraine headaches,
and torn ligaments and cartilage. |
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| Qigong |
| Qigong combines movement, meditation, and breath regulation
to enhance the flow of vital energy in the body, improve
blood circulation, and enhance immune function. Because
qigong can be used by the healthy as well as the severely
ill, it is one of the most broadly applicable systems
of self-care in the world. In China, it is estimated that
200 million people practice qigong everyday. |
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| Traditional Chinese Medicine |
| Traditional Chinese Medicine is an ancient method of
health care that combines the use of medicinal herbs,
acupuncture, food therapy, massage, and therapeutic exercise.
The Chinese view of the body as an interrelated system
of energy and physical matter permeates many different
forms of alternative medicine. |
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| Yoga |
| Yoga is among the oldest known systems of health practiced
in the world today, and research into yoga practices has
had a strong impact on the fields of stress reduction,
mind/body medicine, and energy medicine. The physical
postures, breathing exercises, and meditation practices
of yoga have been proven to reduce stress, lower blood
pressure, regulate heart rate, and even slow the aging
process. |
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