Homework

For this assignment we were told to incorporate images from different pictures, scaling down items and changing the colors of images all in line with our research topic. I chose to first start with an image of a tree with an empty bench found here, then I superimposed a picture of an ancient medicine man (image may be found here) with two modern conventional surgeons gazing at him from behind (images found here and here). Lastly, I also took a butterfly from another image found here and changed the size and orientation to give the effect of it flying into the distance, also representing an ancient way of practicing healing that is long gone.

Reflexology

I found an amazing site that explains exactly how reflexology works, what pressure points correspond to particular body parts/organs and gives detailed interactive charts as well as instructions on technique.

Background

The second part of our assignment was to take an image and give it a different background again, keeping in theme with our research topic. I chose to incorporate a woman meditating and place her in a background that is hectic, filled with traffic, noise and an overall sense of unease. This picture reflects how in real life you sometimes have to tune out outside influences and factors and find an inner calm.
The picture of the woman may be found here while the background picture may be found here.

Perspective

In this assignment we had to change the perspective of a particular image by altering it in photoshop while coninuing to keep it relavant to our research topic. I chose to use a mortar and pestol and I super-imposed botanicals coming out of it to represent the merging between conventional medicine and integrative/alternative remedies. This mortar and pestol image can be found here and the second image can be found at this site.

National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine

If you are like me and are interested in Alternative Medicine but also curious to see what areas of these therapies are actually tested and regulated for safety, visit http://nccam.nih.gov. This is the website for the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine. For skeptics or people who are uncertain of using Complimentary and Alternative therapies (practices that are not utilized in conventional medical practices) this site is a good stepping stone because it is the Federal Government's lead agency on conducting scientific research on Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and lists clinical trials and research that is conducted in these areas.

WholeHealthMD.com

This site is extremely helpful for those looking to enhance their health through nutrition/healthy eating. It contains vast food remedies for numerous conditions, contains a recipe database, as well as a nutrition guide all backed up by MDs who specialize in more complimentary, integrative and alternative therapies.

Triune: Mind Body & Health Center

When I lived in Old City, PA I was fortunate enough to find and utilize an amazing little sanctuary called Triune Chiropractic Counseling and Wellness. At the time, I was having chronic back pain. When I first experienced this pain I went to my family doctor who ran some tests and found some levels in my blood work that were slightly elevated. Being that I was complaining of pain they suggested I get my gallbladder removed. Hesitant of his option I went to a specialist for a second opinion. This lead to a series of some very invasive, ultimately unnecessary and potentially harmful procedures. Again, not satisfied with the direction the specialist was leading me in I got a third opinion from a "Top Doc" at UPenn. After receiving a procedure were they scoped down my throat, into the gallbladder and pancreas he found nothing wrong with either and said that sometimes pain can be stress-induced and that 90% of visits to the doctor are stress-related or illnesses caused by stress. This is when it really clicked that I needed to stay away from all of the anxiety-filled procedures and start finding a more gentle way to heal the body. At Triune they did just that. They offer amazing services ranging from chiropractic, various forms of massage, acupuncture, hydro-therapy, yoga sessions, pilates and have a vast amount of resources and educational materials to expand your knowledge on how to best heal your body.

An All-Inclusive Guide to Holistic, Alternative & Healthy Living Site

When you are first starting to educate yourself on healthy lifestyles, alternative medicine, holistic and integrative medicine the site www.holisticonline.com is a must-visit. It covers (in detail) topics such as Stress Management, Nutrition, Yoga, Meditation, Reiki, Shiatsu, Aromatherapy, Ayurveda and breaks down the difference between ALternative, Complimentary, Holistic and Natural Medicine.

A Good, Credible Alternative Medicine Site

One site that I found extremely helpful in gaining a basic understanding of alternative medicine (and credible) was www.altmedicine.com. This site was voted "Best of Web" by Forbes, Newsweek and "Best of Health and Medicine on the Web" by USA Weekend, NetGuide and Top 5% Lycos