Page 25 - Terminology-Naturopathy

prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease; the science Metabolic therapy: Usually consists of daily doses
and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the of amydalin (laetrile), enzymes, and vitamin-mineral
prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease. 3. A substance supplements. A diet is often recommended to compliment
(as a drug or potion) used to treat something other than this program. The diet centers on avoiding fats, salts, and
disease. 4. An object held in traditional American Indian sugars, and on eating plenty of raw vegetables and fruits.
belief to give control over natural or magical forces; also:
magical power or a magical rite. Metabolism (metabolic): The enzyme-catalyzed
reactions (organic processes) that are necessary for life. It
Meditation: A group of techniques, most of which started is the series of chemical changes which take place in an
in Eastern religious or spiritual traditions. In meditation, organism, by means of which food is manufactured and
individuals learn to focus their attention and suspend the utilized and waste materials are eliminated. These changes
stream of thoughts that normally occupy the mind. This produce energy and basic materials needed for important
practice is believed to result in a state of greater physical life processes.
relaxation, mental calmness, and psychological balance.
Practicing meditation can change how a person relates to Metabolite: 1. Any substance involved in metabolism
the flow of emotions and thoughts in the mind. (either as a product of metabolism or as necessary for
metabolism). 2. Essential to the chemical changes that
Mediterranean diet: A diet of a type traditional in take place in a cell or an organism that produce energy and
Mediterranean countries, characterized especially by a basic materials needed for important life processes, such as
high consumption of vegetables and olive oil and moderate mitosis.
consumption of protein, and thought to confer health
benefits. A meta-analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy Metastasis (metastatic): The organic processes (in a cell
adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet or organism) that are necessary for life; the spreading of a
was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease to another part of the body. The most common use
mortality as well as overall mortality. of the term currently is to describe the spread of cancer
from one part of the body to another, which is not directly
Melodic intonation therapy: A therapeutic process that connected to the first.
uses music to involve the non-dominant hemisphere
in language production. Music therapists and speech Miasma: Infecting substances floating in the air; the
pathologists use this technique to help patients with effluvia or fine particles of any putrefying bodies, rising
communication disorders caused by brain damage. This and floating in the atmosphere, and considered to be
method uses a style of singing called melodic intonation noxious to health. During the 19th century, disease was
to stimulate activity in the right hemisphere of the brain in generally believed to be spread by foul smelling air, or
order to assist in speech production. miasmas. It was in reference to the horrific smells of urban
life which came from horse manure, open sewers, and
Meridian therapy: The belief that there are fundamental uncollected garbage.
substances (Qi, blood, and other body fluids) that form
a large web (containing pathways and trigger/meridian Microgreens: Are a tiny form of young edible greens
points) linking together several areas on our body. produced from various kinds of vegetables, herbs or other
plants. Microgreen or micro green refers to a whole plant
Meridian: A path within the body through which qi flows. harvested at a young seedling stage after a few leaves have
In acupuncture and acupressure, it is along these meridians begun to develop beyond the cotyledons. It is distinguished
that acupoints are found. from sprouts, which are younger and processed in water
in dark conditions: i.e., still germinating where just the
Mesotherapy: From the Greek mesos, “middle”, and cotyledons have opened up, or have not opened with roots
therapy from the Greek therapeia, “to treat medically”) is still attached (like bean sprouts), or sprouted grains, etc.
a non-surgical cosmetic medicine treatment. Mesotherapy
employs multiple injections of pharmaceutical and Mind/body medicine: A variety of techniques designed to
homeopathic medications, plant extracts, vitamins, and enhance the mind’s capacity to affect bodily function and
other ingredients into subcutaneous fat. Mesotherapy symptoms. Some of these are techniques that were once
injections allegedly target adipose fat cells, apparently considered to be complementary or alternative medicine
by inducing lipolysis, rupture and cell death among but have now become mainstream (for example, patient
adipocytes. support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy). Other
mind-body techniques are still considered complementary

TERMINOLOGY NATUROPATHY 25