TY  - JOUR
AU  - Adams, James David
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/02/27
TI  - The Treatment of the Nervous System with Complementary and Alternative Medicine
JO  - OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine
SP  - 014
VL  - 04
IS  - 01
AB  - The nervous system is everywhere in the body, especially in the skin.  Ancient Chinese acupuncture charts show us that the nerves are all connected and can work together to promote health.  This connection occurs through the brain and brain stem.  It is clear that acupuncture is analgesic by inhibition of transient receptor potential cation channels in the skin [1].  The role of chemokines in pain is becoming understood.  Chemokines promote pain in the skin and activate ascending neural pathways that regulate chemokine production in nerves throughout the body [2].  Chronic pain is a whole body experience.
The use of herbal medicines is supported by thousands of years of experience.  Our ancestors survived in part by using herbal medicines.  In traditional societies, a supportive family and community environment were also crucial to healthcare, including healthcare for mood, anxiety and depression [3].  Religious practices can play an important role in healthcare.  Medical marijuana has come to us due to the use of ganja in religious practices in India.  The careful selection of CNS active strains of Cannabis sativa by ancient religious practitioners in India has led us to the medical marijuana we use today.  For instance, cannabidiol lotion can be rubbed on the cheeks to quickly relieve anxiety [4].
Herbs are complex mixtures of active ingredients that work together to promote health.  Human bodies have evolved over the last 200,000 years to use these complex mixtures as medicines.  Some active ingredients may improve the bioavailability of other ingredients.  Some chemicals may potentiate or synergize the actions of active chemicals.  The hunt for single active ingredients in herbal medicines has produced many drugs that are used today.  However, the use of complex herbal drugs may be important for conditions that modern medicine and single active ingredients cannot adequately treat, such as chronic pain.
The most powerful medicine we have is the human body.  Drugs only help the body heal itself.  This is why seemingly miraculous cures have been documented, since the body heals itself.  We must relearn the traditional concept of living in balance [5].  When the body is in balance, the body heals itself.  Balance involves keeping the body thin and strong.  Daily exercise is critical.  The most important muscle is the heart.  The heart requires gentle endurance exercise.  Myokines released by exercising muscles help maintain health.  
We are currently in a period where standard healthcare has not progressed as quickly as in the past.  In fact, the quality of health for most people has decreased significantly due to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other lifestyle diseases [6].  Healthcare providers have started to supply excuses for the lifestyle diseases of their patients.  We must learn from Traditional Healers that a healthy lifestyle is essential to good health.
SN  - 2573-4393
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.1901014
DO  - 10.21926/obm.icm.1901014
ID  - Adams2019
ER  -