IJHC (The International Journal of Healing and Caring) - The Scientific Basis for Holistic Medicine, Annotated Abstracts

The Scientific Basis for Holistic Medicine, Annotated Abstracts

by Anderson, Robert A

6th Edition, East Wenatchee, WA: American Health Press 2004. 639 pp Soft ring binding nhf@msn.com

This is an outstanding compendium of annotated abstracts from an enormous spectrum of holistic studies.

Anderson’s divisions of the articles into categories is as interesting to this reviewer as many of the articles themselves. He cuts the Gordian knot of holistic medicine in ways that differ from the approaches of many other authors, including myself.

Section 1 – Physical
Section 2 – Mental
Section 3 – Spiritual/ Social
Section 4 – Specialized Areas
Section 5 – Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine
Section 6 – Conventional medicine

The comprehensive index cuts through these divisions, allowing the reader to locate items of interest by subjects that may appear in various sections. For instance, in searching for items on healing, in section 3 I found reports on:

Neurology
A woman was in coma with a brain tumor. Her husband still insisted that she have full treatment for her condition, including surgery and chemotherapy. He also spent a lot of time talking to her while she was still in coma, reporting on what he and their children were doing. To everyone’s astonishment, she made a complete recovery.

Oncology
A study of the effects of energy healing on in vitro tumor cell proliferation

Psychiatry
Effects of Therapeutic Touch on biochemical mood indicators in women

Miscellaneous
Detection of extraordinary large bio-magnetic field strength from human hand during external Qi emission

SPIRITUAL MEDICINE

BELIEFS, PLACEBOS
AGING, LONGERVITY, MORTALITY
A dip in deaths before ceremonial occasions

DOLOROLOGY
Beecher’s classic: The Powerful Placebo

SURGERY
A controlled trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee.

One has to admire Anderson’s breadth of vision and dedication in surveying, culling, and succinctly summarizing this enormous spectrum of holistic healing reports.

For any serious student of holistic care, and particularly for researchers, this compendium is highly recommended as an outstanding addition to your library.

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Blessings

Dan