A Holistic Approach to Mental and Physical Well-Being

A major goal of mankind since ages has been to seek liberation from suffering, both physical and mental. Ancient Indian physician and scholar Charaka emphasized positive mental health when he articulated that the task of medicine is not simply to strive for absence of disease but to enable an individual to learn about and lead ideal life. Recent trends in the field of psychology have major developments in the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The methods used to heal patients both physically and psychologically are increasingly holistic in their approaches. Research suggests that holistic techniques used to reduce stress, anxiety and depression are being utilized by patients and clients more and more and subsequently replacing what used to be the authority of pharmaceutical remedies. According to a study done by the Samueli Institute in Alexandria, Virginia, the United States has shown a marked increase in the use of methods such as hypnosis, yoga, relaxation exercise, acupressure, affirmations, reiki, meditation, spiritual healing and energy healing. Taking a holistic approach to healing means consider all realms of existence, not just the physical body. The objective of present article is to create an awareness of the benefits of holistic approach and achieving dramatic changes in physical, emotional and behavioural health.

Racism revisited with a new approach

Racism is a scourge which has plagued societies for centuries. Its root cause can be found in the fear of others. Some authors have considered it as a mental disorder in its more severe forms. We approach it from a novel and highly actionable angle by comparing it to a transmissible disease, candidiasis, with which racism holds many essential similarities that we outline in details. We also suggest various ways to eradicate and mitigate racism through practical action plans.

Understanding Schizophrenia: Genetic Causes and Treatment

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disease. The word schizophrenia literally means split mind. There are three major categories of symptoms which include positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. The disease is characterized by symptoms of hallucination, delusions, disorganized thinking and speech. Schizophrenia is related to many other mental and psychological problems like suicide, depression, hallucinations. Including these, it is also a problem for the patient’s family and the caregiver. There is no clear reason for the disease, but with the advances in molecular genetics; certain epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the pathophysiology of the disease. Epigenetic mechanisms that are mainly involved are the DNA methylation, copy number variants. With the advent of GWAS, a wide range of SNPs is found linked with the etiology of schizophrenia. These SNPs serve as ‘hubs’; because these all are integrating with each other in causing of schizophrenia risk. Until recently, there is no treatment available to cure the disease; but anti-psychotics can reduce the disease risk by minimizing its symptoms. Dopamine, serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid, are the neurotransmitters which serve as drug targets in the treatment of schizophrenia. Due to the involvement of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, drugs available are already targeting certain genes involved in the etiology of the disease.

Spinal Cord Injuries the Facts of Neuropathology: Opportunities and Limitations

It is essential for research projects which are undertaken to find a “cure” for human spinal cord injury (SCI) to be consistent with the neuropathological facts of the disorder. In this respect there are three main points to be taken into account. Firstly, the researcher should be aware that simple transection of the spinal cord is not a feature of human SCI. The usual lesion is one of compression and disruption with haemorrhage. The second and most important aspect of human SCI is to understand that Wallerian degeneration inevitably ensues following disruption of the axon. Wallerian degeneration is progressive and inexorable and unlike the peripheral nervous system CNS axons do not regenerate. The third and more helpful fact is that in the majority (71%) of SCI autopsies a small amount of white matter, myelin and axons, was found to be preserved at the level of injury. Re-activation of these dormant, axons offers the opportunity for improvement of the SCI patient’s neurological status by means of restorative neurology (RN).