Research
A1 Qualitative research methods in complementary and integrative medicine
Bettina Berger (bettina.berger@uni-wh.de)
Department of Health, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten/Herdecke, Germany
This workshop will give an insight in qualitative research methods for complementary and integrative medicine, teach how to reflect quality criteria of qualitative research methodology and try different ways to interpret data to know more about the diversity of qualitative methodologies.
A2 Getting your work published – tips from editors
Kathi Kemper (kathi.kemper.md@gmail.com)
OSU, Blacklick, OH, United States
This will be an interactive session led by three editors from prominent CAM journals – BMC CAM, Complementary Therapies in Medicine, and Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. The pros and cons of submitting to different journals, the availability and recommended use of writing guidelines from the EQUATOR network will be reviewed and the participants will be offered a simple, hands on approach to writing a journal article without getting bogged down in writer’s block.
A3 Horizon 2020 – networking and creating working groups
Beate Stock-Schröer1, Hedda Sützl-Klein2
1Carstens-Foundation and FORUM, D-45276 Essen, Germany; 2ESIHR (European Society for Integrative Health Care), A-1070 Vienna, Austria
Correspondence: Hedda Sützl-Klein (hedda.suetzl-klein@aon.at)
During the preconference of 12th WCIMH (World Congress Integrative Medicine & Health 2017)/10th ECIM (European Congress of Integrative Medicine) a Horizon 2020-Networking Workshop will offer researchers and potential participants of Horizon 2020-projects the opportunity to network, share information and create working groups for research proposals involving integrative medicine and multimodal approaches. The workshop was initiated by DDr. Hedda Suetzl-Klein and Dr. Beate Stock-Schröer with support from researchers of the FORUM research network (Forum universitärer Arbeitsgruppen für Naturheilverfahren und Komplementärmedizin: http://www.uniforum-naturheilkunde.de).
Background and goals
Complementary and integrative medicine is supposed to provide opportunities for highly personalised medicine and other challenges of the specific programme „Health,
Demographic Change and Well-being” of Horizon 2020, the “EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation” from 2014 – 2020. The goals of this pre-conference workshop are to analyse the current (and upcoming) work programme, to discuss potential topics of research and to build working groups for Horizon 2020 proposals. As well as defining topics, networking is a major aim, in order to form appropriate teams to formulate research proposals and increase the number of promising EU-projects (Horizon 2020-research projects) involving integrative medicine issues and multimodal approaches.
Speakers and working group leaders
Dr. Wolfgang Weidenhammer (KOKONAT-TU Munich, CAMbrella project coordinator) will analyse work programmes and current developments, Dr. Pierre Madl (University of Salzburg, participant in 3 FP7 research projects: CATO, Bridge, NanoValid) will share experience and lessons learned from former applications and successful EU-research projects.
To build working groups for Horizon 2020 applications, the researchers are supported by Prof. Dr. Jost Langhorst (University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Kliniken Essen-Mitte), Dr. Wolfgang Weidenhammer (KOKONAT-TU Munich), Prof. Dr. Roman Huber (University of Freiburg, Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and Hospital Infection Control, focussing on: prevention and treatment of chronic diseases), PD Dr. Kristjan Plaetzer (University of Salzburg: AMR and antimicrobial strategies based on natural resources), Doz. Dr. Alexander Haslberger (University of Vienna: Epigenetically active nutrition in integrative medicine therapies and prevention) and Dr. Pierre Madl (University of Salzburg: Integrative medicine, health & biophysics).
Clinical care
A4 Integrated Cchronic Care Model and diabetes: the project as implemented within the Center of Integrated Medicine of the Hospital of Pitigliano
Rosaria Ferreri (tyvvf@tin.it)
Hospital Centre of Integrated Medicine, Hospital of Pitiglian,o ASL SudEst Toscana, Grosseto, Italy
The care of people with diabetes is, all over the developed world, and now, even in countries in the developing world, one of the main problems of organization of systems of health protection. This goes far beyond the meaning of the care of a single disease, but rather is almost a paradigm of the Chronic Care Model, which, in most companies in the world, it is epidemiologically prevalent today. The challenge of this project is to develop an integrated protocol including Homeopathy and Phytotherapy to evaluate how, where and when it is possible to introduce the integrated protocol in the course of the CCM Diabetes. Proposals has been accepted by the chief of Medicine Department of the Hospital of Pitigliano. We are going to study different categories of diabetic patients included in the project:
-
1)
Patients that have high value of emoglobina glicata, despite their anti diabetic oral therapy;
-
2)
Patients that suffer from comorbidities (that could have influenced their metabolic status and the course of their diabetes)
We have approached the patients, collecting their informed consent, and establishing the integrated protocol to be adopted in each of the two categories. The protocols include:
A group of 20 diabetic patients have been enrolled, ten of them were affected by diabetes and other ten have comorbidities; for each of them, we have collected data related to: blood sugar level, glycated haemoglobin, renal and hepatic function, blood pressure, (other parameters that will be included in a second phase of the project). To each of them we have given: a Questionnary (as SF12) for the quality of life and ADL skills for daily ability; we have also used EDMONTON scales for the assessment of symptoms and a CARD for the consumption of conventional drugs, to monitoring the use of antidiabetic drugs.
Results and discussion
We describe:
-
A new organisational model, which includes new roles and new functions.
-
A new common pathway.
-
How to identify proactive patient using risk stratification tools.
-
How we have improved hospital infrastructure, which supports sharing information and patient monitoring.
A common set of shared objectives and indicators linked to health outcomes and process improvement have been adepte and we"ll show the results in terms of:
-
Ameliorating QoL: from 68 to 85% of them declare improvements in the general health feelings
-
Improving HB glycate value : in 12 weeks have been improved about - 10%-
-
Reducing use of conventional drugs: preliminary data will be shown
A5 Phyto-nutrition and diabetes
Rosaria Ferreri (tyvvf@tin.it)
Hospital Centre of Integrated Medicine, Hospital of Pitigliano, ASL SudEst Toscana, Grosseto, Italy
Introduction
Managing blood glucose and preventing complications in diabetes care are important goals for anyone with this chronic disease. Nutrients present in various foods play an important role in maintaining the normal functions of the human body and some phytonutrients help to lower blood glucose. Others protect insulin-producing cells in the pancreas from oxidative damage. But where can we get these nutrients? The best challenge is to have them through a studied diet, not only based upon calories and nutrients, but also taking in account the so called phyto-nutrients. That also why, recently, vegeterian regimen has been proposed to be the best to cope with diabetes.
Materials and methods
Phytonutrients are the plant nutrients with specific biological activities that support human health. Due to the fact that some of these nutrients have a great and recognized role in the help of chronic conditions, as diabetes is, we have tried to include them in the composition of an ideal diet, not based upon the energetic values but on phytonutrients and their ORAC value.
Discussion
Well show the composition of an ideal diet for patients with diabetes, that could be more helpful in the control of hyper insulinism and also in the control of oxidation process. We propose our rationale for the choice of foods and their distribution during the day, based upon the best research in the field of plant-derived preparations, such as pomegranate seed oil[1], grape skin extract [2], blood orange extract [3] barley b-glucan [4], anthocyanins from cherries [5], and green tea (2)-epigallocatechin-3 [6]. We also show that this strategy is also comparatively cheap, easy to be used by aged people and could significantly reduce health care costs.
Bibliography
1. Vroegrijk, I.O et al. -2011- Pomegranate seed oil, a rich source of punicic acid, prevents dietinduced obesity and insulin resistance in mice. Food Chem. Toxicol. 49: 1426–1430
2. Hogan, S. et al - 2011-. Dietary supplementation of grape skin extract improves glycemia and inflammation in diet-induced obese mice fed a Western high fat diet. J. Agric. Food Chem. 59: 3035–3041
3. Titta, L., et al. -2010-. Blood orange juice inhibits fat accumulation in mice. Int. J. Obes. (Lond.) 34: 578–588
4. Choi, J.S et al – 2010- Consumption of barley beta-glucan ameliorates fatty liver and insulin resistance in mice fed a high-fat diet. Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 54: 1004–1013
5. Jayaprakasam, B. et al - 2006- Amelioration of obesity and glucose intolerance in highfat-fed C57BL/6 mice by anthocyanins and ursolic acid in Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). J. Agric. Food Chem. 54: 243–248
6. Lee, M.S et al – 2009 - Green tea (-)-epigallocatechin- 3-gallate reduces body weight with regulation of multiple genes expression in adipose tissue of diet-induced obese mice. Ann. Nutr. Metab. 54: 151–157
A6 A comprehensive integrative approach to the management of chronic pain
Gary Kaplan
The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine, Georgetown University, McLean, VA, United States
“Chronic pain” and “depression” are not actionable diagnoses; they are, instead, symptoms of a neuroinflammatory disease of multiple and compounding aetiologies. Exploring the proposal that accepted medical practices often fail to help chronic pain sufferers because they have been based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the illness itself, the goal of this workshop is to understand the pathophysiology of chronic pain and depression according to a neuroinflammatory model as well as the multiple aetiologies of neuroinflammation.
The participants will learn how to take a comprehensive, chronic-pain history according to the neuroinflammatory model of chronic pain and, based on that, create an integrative treatment.
A7 Visit of Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhoehe: Anthroposophic medicine in workaday life for patient centred care in a capital town (8.30-12.00 a.m, half day)
Harald Matthes
Hospital Havelhöhe, Berlin, Germany
On this excursion the participants will experience the concept of the Anthroposophic Clinic “Havelhoehe” and get to know practical integrative concepts. The program includes a guided Visit in different (optional) fields: a) From the intracardiac catheter to the Heart school (life style modification) b) Integrative Oncology in a certified oncology centre (OnkoZert) c) Integrative Pain Unit d) Integrative Psychosomatic Medicine e) Integrative Concepts of functional diseases (IBS) f) The Self-Governing Concept of the Clinic.
Time: 8.30 am - 12.15 pm (including bus transfer)
A8 Introduction to osteopathic medicine – a hands-on workshop
Gabriele Rotter (gabriele.rotter@charite.de)
Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Hospital, Berlin, Germany
This workshop offers an introduction to osteopathic medicine and is intended for medical students and medical doctors with few or no knowledge in osteopathic medicine. The participants should learn basic osteopathic principles, their indication and contraindication as well as the integration of osteopathy into the overall treatment strategy of a patient. During the hands-on part of the workshop participants are given a practical demonstration of basic examination procedure with special emphasis on palpation, as well as selected treatment techniques.
Education
A9 Implementing skills from hypnosis and touch therapies to improve doctor-patient communication
Elad Schiff1, Zahi Arnon2,3
1Internal medicine and Complementary medicine service, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel; 2Complementary-Integrative Surgery Service, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel; 3The Emek Yezreel Academic College, Yezreel Valley, Israel
Correspondence: Elad Schiff
Currently, education toward optimal physician-patient communication does not take into account the impact of positive and negative suggestions on health and disease. Moreover, there is vast evidence in the medical literature that such suggestions can trigger placebo, or nocebo effects respectively. As an example, saying to a patient "here are your pain pills" implies that the patient owns the pain (nocebo), whereas "here are medications that will help you reduce pain, and increase your comfort" activate patient empowerment and control over pain (placebo). Implementing fundamentals of hypnosis to suggestions embedded in communication with patients can tremendously improve the outcomes of such encounters.
Hypnosis is a mind-body technique aimed to activate innate healing forces by using words with positive suggestions as well as non-verbal communication such as touch. The effect of hypnosis is thought to occur best in a "trance state" where the sub-conscious mind is more receptive to suggestions, which are conveyed to the nervous & immune systems. In contrast to the common belief that hypnosis requires patients to be calm and relaxed, hypnotic trance due to stressful health conditions is very common. Actually, patients are in spontaneous trance state during most encounters with physicians. Hypnotic trance places patients in a state-of-mind where they are highly influenced by suggestions- for the good (placebo), and for the bad (nocebo). Consequently, physicians could learn how to activate patient's healing forces by using the correct suggestions in verbal and non-verbal communication (i.e. touch and body gestures), based on fundamentals of hypnosis. The workshop will introduce health-providers and medical students to hypnotic based communication that potentiates the healing capacity of patients. Videos of real patient-physician encounters as well and vivid demonstrations, and hands on techniques to improve physical exam skills, are built in the workshop.
A10 Developing pre-residency core entrustable professional activities in integrative medicine: a skills-based workshop for medical educators and students
Eckhard Hahn (eckhart.hahn@uk-erlangen.de)
Medicine I, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, 90154, Germany
The goal of this workshop is to provide the participants with a hands-on opportunity to create core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in integrative medicine for trainees entering residency and post-graduate training. EPAs are becoming an important part of outcomes based education and are increasingly looked at being essential in preparing students for graduate medical training. This workshop will build on precourse assignments, start with an interactive summary of this knowledge and will then shift to experiential as we create the opportunity for participants to work in groups and develop team-based core EPAs in integrative medicine that include interprofessional practice.
Outline of Workshop
-
1.
Participants introduce themselves 5 min.
-
2.
Workshop Activity: 20 min. Q&A 5 min
How to develop a team-based EPA – interactive summary of precourse assigment.
-
3.
Work in small groups with facilitator: Creating a blueprint for team-based EPAs in Integrative Medicine. 30 min.
-
4.
First patient encounter
-
5.
Self-care
-
6.
Treatment plan (a patient with breast cancer)
Coffee break 15 min.
-
4.
Experiential learning of IM-EPAs: team-based practice. 30 min.
-
5.
A simulated IM patient encounter
-
6.
A simulated self-care session (patient with breast cancer)
-
7.
A simulated assessment session of IM-EPA (treatment plan for patient with breast cancer).
-
8.
Debriefing – later letters. 15 min
Total time 120 minutes
Precourse assignment:
-
1.
Integrative Medicine in the Continuum of Medical Education;
-
2.
Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) - especially core EPAs for entering residency;
-
3.
Interprofessional aspects of Integrative Medicine (the team-based approach).
A11 Differentiating the psychological and physiological mechanisms of relaxation versus mindfulness: an experiential workshop and clinical implications
Christina M. Luberto (cluberto@mgh.harvard.edu)
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
Mind-body therapies, used to treat a variety of stress and pain-related conditions, often include the use of both relaxation techniques and mindfulness exercises. Relaxation techniques are interventions such as progressive muscle relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing that are intended to alter physiological and emotional states by eliciting the relaxation response. Mindfulness techniques, which can be taught using stand-alone exercises (e.g., mindful breathing, mindful sitting) or formal mindfulness-based interventions (e.g., Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), are intended to promote present moment awareness and acceptance as a way of enhancing self-regulation. Thus, there is a distinct difference in both the intention and, ultimately, the psychological and physiological mechanisms associated with these two approaches - which have important implications for informing clinical practice. Unfortunately, over time, the term “mind-body therapies” has become synonymous with both the use of relaxation therapies and mindfulness techniques, thereby obscuring these critical differences.
Therefore, the primary purpose of this workshop is to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the differences in the psychological and physiological mechanisms associated with relaxation versus mindfulness techniques, using a combination of experiential exercises and brief didactics. Four relaxation and mindfulness exercises (20-30 minutes each) will be used throughout the workshop to allow participants to experientially learn the difference between these two approaches. Each exercise will be followed by paired and/or group discussions to provide opportunities for processing and reflection. Three didactics will be interspersed throughout the workshop in order to supplement the experiential exercises: (1) theoretical/conceptual similarities and differences between relaxation and mindfulness approaches; (2) extant research documenting differences in psychological and physiological mechanisms and outcomes between these approaches; and (3) implications for clinical practice and research settings. Case examples will be used to exemplify when relaxation versus mindfulness training would be most clinically indicated based on evidence-based recommendations. This session deserves to be included in the program because it provides a depth of theoretical and practical knowledge that can help clinicians and researchers alike more accurately differentiate between types of mind-body practices to select interventions best suited to their clients’ needs. This level of nuance, comparing and contrasting specific mind-body approaches, is also an important next step for moving the field of mind-body medicine forward.
A13 Meditation and medicine – investigating the underlying laws and forces
David Martin, Silke Schwarz
Children’s Hospital, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
Correspondence: David Martin (david.martin@med.uni-tuebingen.de)
Meditation is increasingly becoming a relevant health factor: What do students and physicians need to know? What are the underlying factors and „natural laws“? What actually happens during meditation? This experiential workshop focuses on the different types of meditation and what they can do for students, physicians, medical personnel and patients.
A14 Developing clinical clerkships in Integrative medicine
Diethard Tauschel
Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Witten/Herdecke, Herdecke, Germany
In this workshop the participants will discover possibilities and problems in establishing, conducting and sustainably developing clinical clerkships in Integrative Medicine (IM). This will include aspects of curriculum development like needs assessment, finding and setting adequate goals, learning objectives and the use of feedback and evaluation.
Participants will be given an overview about the opportunities and challenges of IM clerkships, examples from 12 years of experiences of establishing and conducting IM Clerkships within the Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Medicine.
Traditional healing systems
A15 Herbal medicine research: from margins to mainstream
Andrew Flower
University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 5ST, United Kingdom
This pre-congress-workshop allows the participant to explore different research methods used to investigate herbal medicines as done at the University of Southampton.
The key domains of herbal medicine research such as quality control, batch consistency, the importance of stabilising levels of known active compounds, interactions with pharmaceuticals, model validity, and herbal pharmacokinetics will be considered.
Besides, the idea is to develop a model for future research into herbal medicines that can incorporate a properly phased, iterative programme of research that will optimise both pragmatic rigour and the clinical relevance of these investigations.
A16 Cost and health benefits from integrating new age Ayurveda into European health systems
Harsha Gramminger1,2
1Euroved GmbH, Bell, Germany; 2European Ayurveda Association, Bell, Germany
General Health Costs are spiraling in all developed and developing nations of the world. In 2013, Germany spent almost € 315 billion on health. This was an increase of about € 12,1 billion compared to 2012 : 3910,00 € in 2013 vs. 3770,00 € in 2012 per inhabitant.
Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity, Hyperlipidemia, Hypertension & Other “civilization” diseases are the main factors for these costs. With over 8 million sufferers (in 2009 and growing), Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most widespread diseases in Germany. Serious “secondary complications” and “associated diseases”/co-morbidities include heart attack, stroke, athlete’s foot etc. Total costs € 3.817.00 includes three components: Direct - disease (), Indirect () & associated complication () Obesity is another new global epidemic and set to become the “number one health problem globally” by the year 2025. In 2013 52% of all Germans were overweight, which is about 42.02 Million people! The associated conditions include: Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, Vascular diseases, Stroke, Coronary heart disease, Gall stones, Cancer, Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Diseases of the joints and of the skin and more. Clinical and practical experience is proven, that Ayurveda is able to improve the condition of both Type 2 diabetes and Obesity. Furthermore it is able by its lifestyle guidance and preventive holistic approach, to reduce and avoid follow – up diseases and costs. The presentation will show with facts and figures how the wisdom of Ayurveda can be followed for the New Age to prevent, manage and cure such diseases. Figures for savings to the European Health care costs will be presented and discussed. The presentation will show with facts and figures how the wisdom of Ayurveda can be followed for the New Age to prevent, manage and cure such diseases. Figures for savings to the European Health care costs will be presented and discussed.
A17 Ayurvedic herbs in modern times
Hedwig H Gupta (info@dr-gupta.de)
Private Medical Practice, Ludwigsburg, 71638, Germany
Ayurveda is an Asian Medical System with a history of more than three thousand years.
Through the centuries, as documented by ayurvedic texts, the materia medica kept changing slightly as new plants were described and added. But all in all the system stayed stable as the population using ayurvedic herbs grew only slowly and the usage of ayurvedic plants was confined mainly to southern Asia.
With the globalization of medical systems and the development of modern life Ayurveda faces tremendous changes which give rise to many questions that will be discussed in this presentation as: How can Ayurveda be practiced if more and more people use its herbs? Many classically described herbs are grown in the Himalayans or other areas of a very specific climate. Is it feasable and sensible for the whole world to use these plants? What effects do environmental changes, industrial agriculture of herbs and pollution have on the quality of herbs? How can locally grown plants be understood and integrated in a modern and ecologically correct ayurvedic therapy?
A18 West meets east - differences in general attitudes between European and Indian Ayurveda-patients
SN Gupta1,2 (guptayurveda@yahoo.com)
1Kayacikitsa (PG) Department, J. S. Ayurveda college & P.D. Patel Ayurveda Hospital, Nadiad (Gujarat), India; 2Academic advisory board, European Academy of Ayurveda, Birstein, Germany
Human behavior is always influenced by sociocultural environments. This is applicable also for patients, particularly regarding their attitude towards their disease, its treatment, their health service providers and co-patients. With a growing popularity of Ayurveda, contacts of European patients with Ayurvedic doctors are also growing. Socio-cultural differences may cause bilateral difficulties, often in the form of a cultural shock. To develop a physician-patient rapport, it is essential for the physician to understand these aspects, in which European patients differ from their Indian counterparts.
The article is not based on a scientific research, but on a 20 years’ observation in treating a great number of European patients in India and in Germany.
Faith and evidence
For Indians faith in the system is prime. For them the tradition of thousands of years is not challengeable. While in the West, an evidence based rational approach is the dominant factor. Decisions and actions are less emotionally driven as in Indians. Religious and spiritual beliefs play important roles in the context of healing for Indian patients, while Europeans expect scientifically evaluated therapies.
Individuality and relationship
Familial and social bonds in India are very strong therefore family members or close friends of a patient take care of the basic needs even a decision about treatment. While In the West, since the individuality is dominating, usually patient has to look after himself together with a decision about the treatment.
Disclosing ability
Western patients are very good in disclosing and explaining their problems, which is helpful for the physician. While in India, certain aspects of life, though very important e.g. sex, are still taboos.
Privacy
If European patients tend to respect other patients’ privacy and not embarras them by intervening while Indians, when upset, generally value people showing concern.
Accuracy
Europeans expect accuracy in everything. These features are seldom seen in Indian patients.
The mentioned differences still can be observed in most parts of India. But a few westernized islands already exist in India, too, mainly in urban Indian centers, where the differences are not as obvious.
A19 Home remedies from all over the world – evaluation and education
Annette Kerckhoff
Naturopathy, Charité University Hospital, Berlin, Germany
This workshop focuses on the evaluation of traditional folk remedies from all over the world. The top ten ingredients for home remedies will be examined closer; relevant data from food pharmacology and clinical trials will be presented to understand the active principle. Reliable and safe simple interventions are presented and advice for education is given.
These evaluated interventions using easy-to-get, worldwide spread and cheap ingredients can support health and self-efficacy.
A20 Ayurveda in Europe– what’s needed when healing tradition travels abroad?
Christian S Kessler1,2, Andreas Michalsen1,2
1Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University, Berlin, Germany; 2Department for Complementary Medicine, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Correspondence: Christian S Kessler (c.kessler@immanuel.de)
Ayurveda is one of the oldest codified traditional systems of medicine worldwide. During the last decades an increasing usage and acceptance of Ayurveda in countries outside of its original context, particularly in European countries and North America, has been observed. Notably, Ayurveda has developed quite heterogeneously during this journey by interacting with other concepts of healing and philosophy. Depending on where and by whom it is being practiced and called upon, it has taken different shapes to different degrees depending on a significant number of cultural, political, economic, geographical and other factors. Due to this complexity, interdisciplinary Ayurveda research and networking is required in all related fields, e.g. medicine, anthropology, philosophy, Indology, religious sciences and health economics, in order to further clarify Ayurveda’s current statuses in Western countries and its health care potentials in countries outside of South Asia. This pre-conference workshop invites (1) leading scientists in the field to present their research work related to Ayurveda as practiced outside of South Asia, (2) senior clinicians with long standing expertise in treating patients with Ayurvedic medicine in Western contexts to share their experience, and (3) board members of the leading Western therapists’ associations for Ayurveda (DÄGAM,VEAT, AFGIM, EUAA, EURAMA, DGA and others) to highlight crucial aspects related to national/supranational health care economics and policy making. This session deserves to be included in the program because Ayurveda is one of the fastest growing traditional systems of medicine in Western countries, however, it is still lacking acceptance as a whole system of medicine in conventional mainstream medicine. This session aims to develop strategies for a long-term inclusion of evidence-based Ayurvedic therapies into reimbursable Western health care delivery and health education in countries outside of South Asia. 6 interconnected short presentations (10 + 3 min.) will be followed by a 40 min. round table discussion to conclude the 120 min. session.
A21 Clinical trials on Ayurveda in western countries: implications for future projects
Christian S Kessler1,2 (c.kessler@immanuel.de)
1Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University, Berlin, Germany; 2Immanuel Hospital Berlin, Department for Complementary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
Clinical research on traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda should not just be doing research on unconventional therapies by using conventional methodology. Several issues have to be taken into account in order to facilitate a successful implementation of clinical trials that should simultaneously fulfill quality criteria of modern research methodology and internal criteria of complex whole systems approaches like Ayurveda. Moreover, within international collaboration projects cultural-, context- and setting-aspects as well as clear research communication between partners have to be taken into account in order to guarantee fruitful research cooperation. Experiences from clinical trials on Ayurveda in Germany will be presented, outlining chances, challenges, obstacles and pitfalls.
A22 Integrative Korean medicine treatment for the management of pregnant women’s health: Korean medicine approach
Eun S. Kim1, Eun H. Jang2, Rana Kim3, Sae B. Jan1
1Gynecology in Korean Medicine, You and Green Korean Medical Clinic, Daejeon, 35262, South Korea; 2Acupuncture, You and Green Korean Medical Clinic, Daejeon, 35262, South Korea; 3Obstetrics and Gynecology, You and Green Korean Medical Clinic, Daejeon, 35262, South Korea
Correspondence: Eun S. Kim (greenmiz@naver.com)
During the process of treating diseases and enhancing the health of pregnant women, Korean Medical Treatment increases rate of success of other medical treatments, at the same time as reducing any complications to help maintain pregnancy and induce term delivery. Under the binary medical system, separated as western and Korean Medicine Systems, there are various treatment modules for the improvement of pregnant women and the management of diseases during pregnancy.
In this respect, we suggest Korean Medical Treatment including acupuncture, moxibustion, hip steam bath, and traditional medicine as an effective adjuvant tool, could help reduce any complication caused by other medical treatments and even help improve health of patients overall. As the title of this year’s conference means, for the comprehensive patient care, introduction of integrative Korean Medicine Treatment would give a safe and effective way to reduce complications and, later improve overall health of patients psychologically and physically.
On the whole, Korean gynecology, based on the theory of traditional Korean Medicine, encompasses the disciplines of physiology and pathology of pregnant women from conception till delivery. Emesis gravidarum or cold is a common complication that occurs during early pregnancy period. It is possible to treat common cold with proper management of symptom such as prevention of pathogenic factors. Abortions such as threatened abortion can be prevented with inducing hemostasis and speeding up the absorption of hematoma.
There might be preterm labor associated with development of the fetus during the mid-pregnancy because of plummeting bearing capacity of uterine lining. This can be improved by increasing blood flow to uttering lining. Even in case of placenta previa, increasing blood flow to placenta would prevent abruption of placenta and slow down placenta previa. Amniotic fluid is interrelated with nutrition supply to fetus, so oligohydramnios can be partially improved just by increasing blood flow to the fetus. Growth of the fetus gives strain on your waist and causes musculoskeletal pain. Once the blood flow to the fetus naturally increases, muscles and ligaments supporting musculoskeletal system weaken. Consequently, musculoskeletal pain occurs in spite of little movement. This can be improved by applying acupuncture, moxibustion, Korean physical therapy. Delivery can be completed by the contraction of uterus. In Korean medicine, natural delivery does not mean reducing the pain, but shortening the pain interval. Thus, maximizing blood flow to uterine lining would shorten pain interval to achieve natural delivery.
A23 Ayurveda and salutogenesis
Martin Mittwede (martin.mittwede@ayurveda-akademie.org)
Director, Faculty of Ayurvedic Medicine, European Academy of Ayurveda, Birstein, Germany
Since more than 2500 years Ayurveda is based on concepts that were developed from a combination of philosophy and clinical practice. From a modern perspective we have to ask whether Ayurveda is more than a philosophy of life or a knowledge system. Traditional systems of medicine have a strong focus on health, wellbeing and prevention.
Ayurveda does not only include medicine and therapy, but is also a teaching of balanced life. On the basis of knowing oneself and knowing what is really strengthening or weakening in life, right decisions can be made which are the basis of action in everyday life and lead to good habits.
In this sense, knowledge of life also includes profound self-knowledge and healthoriented action. Inner and outer reality are connected to one another and give an integrated feeling of life (sense of coherence in the sense of salutogenesis)
Through scientific research, not only the successes of Ayurvedic therapies can be examined, but also the beneficial effects of a balanced life. It is important that the research approaches reflect the complex nature of the ayurvedic system and the multifactorial genesis of health as well.
By comparing Ayurveda with concepts of Salutogenesis deeper insights in traditional medical systems can be reached; and these can inspire new lines of empirical research.
A24 Introducing Ayurveda in a GP practice
Wiebke Mohme (mohme@gmx.net)
Ayurveda and naturopathy, General Practice, Hamburg Eimsbüttel, Germany
A large percentage of patients asking for Ayurveda in my GP practice suffer from stress-related and psychosomatic diseases. Ayurvedic concepts of lifestyle changes, diet, physical therapies and phytotherapy tailored to the individual state and constitution offer a perspective towards healing. Due to limited resources in terms of time, finances and availability of remedies and therapies practical approaches have to be chosen to translate these concepts into practical steps that fit into patients’ everyday life. To talk with the patients and explaining everything in a way they can relate to becomes crucible. The inclusion of yoga practice, breathing techniques, relaxation and meditation have proven useful and effective. The focus is on supporting the patient's motivation to change their condition, and exploring the patient's resources, skills and potential. If a condition cannot be changed it is important to foster acceptance of what is. Since most of the success of a treatment depends on the patient's cooperation and homework, anything that is offered has to add a sense of joy and satisfaction to their life.
Various topics
A25 Refugees with chronic diseases between the Middle-East and Europe: the role of traditional and integrative medicine in bridging gaps
Eran Ben-Arye1,2, Massimo Bonucci3, Bashar Saad4, Thomas Breitkreuz5,6, Elio Rossi7,8, Rejin Kebudi9, Michel Daher10, Samaher Razaq11, Nahla Gafer12, Omar Nimri13, Mohamed Hablas14, Gunver Sophia Kienle15, Noah Samuels16, Michael Silbermann17
1Integrative Oncology Program, Lin Medical center, Clalit Health Services, Haifa, Israel; 2Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; 3The Association for Integrative Oncologic Therapies Research (A.R.T.O.I.), Rome, Italy; 4Al-Qasemi Academy, Baqa El-Gharbia, Israel; 5Die Filderklinik, Stuttgart, Germany; 6Paracelsus-Krankenhaus Unterlengenhardt, Bad Liebenzell, Germany; 7ASL Tuscany North West, Lucca, Italy; 8Tuscan Network for Integrative Oncology, Florence, Italy; 9Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey; 10St. George Hospital, Balamand University, Beirut, Lebanon; 11Children’s Welfare Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq; 12Radiation & Isotope Centre, Khartoum, Sudan; 13Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan; 14Palliative Care Services, Gharbiya Cancer Society, Al Gharbiya, Egypt; 15University of Witten/Herdecke, Freiburg, Germany; 16Tal Center for Integrative Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel; 17Middle East Cancer Consortium, Haifa, Israel
Correspondence: Eran Ben-Arye (eranben@netvision.net.il)
The recent wave of immigration from the Middle-East to Europe has intensified the need to find a model for supportive care which is tailored to the dominant paradigm of health belief among refugees, with its high affinity for complementary and traditional (CTM) medicine. The Middle-Eastern context of health care contrasts significantly from that of integrative medicine research and clinical practice which is prevalent in Europe and other developed nations, where complementary medicine is typically used by patients from the upper socio-economic and educational level of society. The goal of the workshop will be to address the cross-cultural health conflicts experienced by refugees from the Middle East who have fled to Europe. The workshop will be comprised of integrative physicians from Middle Eastern countries invited by the Middle-East Cancer Consortium, as well as leading European figures from the field of integrative medicine. This workshop reflects the commitment of clinicians and researchers from Europe and the Middle East to bridge cross-cultural gaps experienced by refugees and health care providers by the use of an integrative bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach.