The information on this page is provided for educational purposes only. Medical / Psychological advice and services are not being offered. All medical information should be reviewed with a health-care provider. Care has been taken to maintain the accuracy of the information provided on this website; however, Pamela Smale Williams LPC, LMFT cannot be held responsible for errors or any consequences arising from the use of this information.
Acupuncture has been steadily gaining respect from the mainstream medical world. In 1997, the National Institute of Health determined that acupuncture was an acceptable alternative to conventional therapy for a number of conditions, from carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis to lower back pain. Acupuncture can be a positive contributor to almost any treatment plan, and is beneficial for varieties of health issues including mental health, addiction, heart disease, nausea, respiratory problems, and stroke.
Acupressure is also growing rapidly in ways to help all these concerns, with new therapies developing that utilize both cognitive therapy and acupressure combined!
What do Therapy Dogs actually do?
There are many uses for Therapy Dogs; some of these are quantifiable, but most are not.
Note that all the activities above rely on a combination of touching, talking about, etc., in most of which the dog does not have to "do" very much except act friendly and be willing to be handled a lot.
Taking chromium picolinate supplements may reduce the carbohydrate cravings observed among some patients with atypical depression. In a study published in the September 2005 issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, researchers from the Weill Medical College of Cornell University found that some patients treated with chromium supplements for eight weeks had reduced hunger, fewer carbohydrate cravings, were less likely to overeat and also showed improvements in their mood.
The 113 patients who took part in the study were randomly assigned to take chromium picolinate daily or a placebo.
The only improvement in depressive symptoms occurred among patients who reported having "irrepressible cravings" for sweets and starches. More study is needed to confirm these results and to determine whether higher doses of chromium, which is found naturally in meat, whole grains, broccoli, potatoes, and apples, might further reduce overall symptoms of depression among patients who crave carbohydrates.
Source: Medline Plus online, Oct. 2005
If you want the best mood-boosting benefits from your exercise routine, you should aim to burn about 8 calories per pound of body weight per week. Other ways to beat the blues include spending time with supportive people, writing your thoughts in a journal, speaking to a trusted friend or counselor, and exercising regularly. Exercise not only helps boost your mood, but it also strengthens muscles, improves cardiovascular fitness, enhances flexibility, and boosts immune system function.
Exercise treatment for depression: efficacy and dose response
Dunn, A. L., Trivedi, M. H., Kampert, J. B., Clark, C. G., Chambliss, H. O., American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2005 Jan;28(1):1-8
Pranic energy Healing: see http://yourhandscanhealyou.com or http://angeldancer.net