Health science

"Biomedical science" redirects here. For other uses, see Branches of medicine.

Health science or biomedical science is the applied science dealing with health.

There are two approaches to health science: the study and research of the food that we eat; and the study and research of health-related issues to understand how humans and other animals function, and the application of that knowledge to improve health and to prevent and curediseases.

Health research builds upon the natural sciences of biology, chemistry, and physics as well as a variety of multidisciplinary fields. Some of the other primarily research-oriented fields that make contributions to health science are biochemistry, epidemiology, genetics, and pharmacology(for a more comprehensive list, see List of health science disciplines).

A myriad of applied health specializations and professions also endeavor to better understand health, but in addition they try to directly improve the health of individuals and of people in general, as well as of other animals (see veterinary medicine). Some of these are: alternative medicine,biomedical engineering, biotechnology, clinical laboratory science, medicine, nursing, nutrition, pharmacy, public health, psychology, andphysical therapy. The provision of services to improve people's health is referred to as health care.

The health sciences industry, a multi-billion dollar business sector, is a cross-section of the life sciences and the health care and medical diagnostics industries.

Naturopathy

Naturopathy (also known as naturopathic medicine or natural medicine) is an eclectic alternative medical system that focuses on natural remedies and the body's vital ability to heal and maintain itself. Naturopathic philosophy favors a holistic approach and minimal use of surgery and drugs. Naturopathy comprises many different treatment modalities of varying degrees of acceptance by the medical community; diet and lifestyle advice may be substantially similar to that offered by non-naturopaths, and acupuncture may help reduce pain in some cases, while homeopathy is often characterized as pseudoscience or quackery.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been advocated as an appropriate methodology for determining the scientific basis of naturopathy.^[6] Naturopaths have opposed vaccination based in part in the early philosophies which shaped the profession.^[7]

Naturopathy has its origins in the Nature Cure movement of Europe.^[8][9] The term was coined in 1895 by John Scheel and popularized by Benedict Lust,^[10] the "father of U.S. naturopathy".^[11] Beginning in the 1970s, there was a revival of interest in the United States and Canada in conjunction with the holistic health movement.^[1][11]

Naturopathy is practiced in many countries, especially the United States and Canada, and is subject to different standards of regulation and levels of acceptance. Naturopathic medicine is a recent manifestation of the field of naturopathy, a 19th-century health movement espousing "the healing power of nature." Naturopathic physicians now claim to be primary care physicians proficient in the practice of both conventional and natural medicine. Their training, however, amounts to a small fraction of that of medical doctors who practice primary care.^[12] In the United States and Canada, the designation of Naturopathic Doctor (ND) may be awarded after completion of a four year program of study at an accredited Naturopathic medical school that includes the study of basic medical sciences as well as natural remedies and medical care.^{[13][14][neutrality is disputed]} The scope of practice varies widely between jurisdictions, and naturopaths in unregulated jurisdictions may use the Naturopathic Doctor designation or other titles regardless of level of education.^[15]

Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a health care discipline and profession that emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine, under the hypothesis that these disorders affect general health via the nervous system.^[1] It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM),^[2] a characterization that many chiropractors reject.^[3] The main chiropractic treatment technique involves manual therapy, including manipulation of the spine, other joints, and soft tissues; treatment also includes exercises and health and lifestyle counseling.^[4] Traditional chiropractic assumes that avertebral subluxation or spinal joint dysfunction interferes with the body's function and its innate intelligence,^[5] a vitalistic notion that brings ridicule from mainstream science and medicine.^[6]

D.D. Palmer founded chiropractic in the 1890s and his son B.J. Palmer helped to expand it in the early 20th century.^[7] It has two main groups: "straights", now the minority, emphasize vitalism, Innate Intelligence and spinal adjustments, and consider subluxations to be the leading cause of all disease; "mixers" are more open to mainstream and alternative medical techniques such as exercise, massage,nutritional supplements, and acupuncture.^[8] Chiropractic is well established in the U.S., Canada and Australia.^[9]

Throughout its history it has been controversial.^[10][11] For most of its existence, chiropractic has battled with mainstream medicine, sustained by ideas such as subluxation^[12] that are not based on solid science.^[13] Vaccination remains controversial among chiropractors.^[14] The American Medical Association called chiropractic an "unscientific cult"^[15] and boycotted it until losing a 1987 antitrustcase.^[16] Chiropractic has had a strong political base and sustained demand for services; in recent decades, it has gained more legitimacy and greater acceptance among medical physicians and health plans in the U.S.,^[16] and evidence-based medicine has been used to review research studies and generate practice guidelines.^[17] Many studies of treatments used by chiropractors have been conducted, with conflicting results. Collectively, systematic reviews of this research have not demonstrated that spinal manipulation is effective, with the possible exception of treatment of back pain.^[13] The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of maintenance chiropractic care are unknown.^[18]Although spinal manipulation can have serious complications in rare cases,^[19][20] chiropractic care is generally safe when employed skillfully and appropriately.^[21]

Health And Beauty: Bread, cereals and other starchy foods

Your weight

Expert advice to help you maintain a healthy weight

Dissatisfied with your weight?

We're bombarded with scare stories about weight, from size zero to the obesity 'epidemic'. But a healthy weight is determined by different factors for each of us. Our expert advice is designed to help you achieve and maintain a healthy, life-enhancing weight.

Overweight or underweight?

Being the right weight has a positive effect on wellbeing but also on our health, as being the wrong weight can cause a range of medical problems.

This food group is your body's main source of energy and contains bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, noodles, chapatti, cereals and other starchy carbohydrates.

Refined and unrefined grains

The foods listed above (apart from potatoes) are all produced from grains, such as wheat, corn or rice. They should be a part of all meals, filling about a third of your plate. They can come in two forms – refined or unrefined (often known as whole grains).

Refined grains have been stripped of their outer bran coating and inner germ during the milling process, leaving only the endosperm. They include white rice, white bread and white pasta.

In a whole grain the bran, germ and endosperm are all still present. The bran is an excellent source of fibre; the germ is a source of protein, vitamins and minerals; and the endosperm supplies most of the carbohydrates, mainly in the form of starch. Unrefined or whole grain forms provide far more nutrients than their unrefined counterparts.

Whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

Most people get their whole grain from wholemeal bread or whole grain breakfast cereals such as porridge, muesli or whole wheat cereals. Choose a whole grain variety over processed or refined grains, and look out for added sugar or salt.