Alternative Medicine

Lifestyle changes can be as simple as getting more exercise or as complex as completely redesigning the diet. Exercise in moderation is a preventive measure against heart disease, stroke, and other serious conditions. It is only when such exercise programs become excessive or all consuming that they may be harmful. Some people use very high daily doses of vitamins in an attempt to forestall the aging process or to assist the body in ridding itself of cancer or the HIV virus. Megadoses of vitamins have not been proven effective for these purposes. Vitamins play a specific role in the metabolism and excess vitamins simply are stored in the fat or are eliminated from the body through the kidneys.

Changes to achieve a more balanced intake of nutrients or to reduce the amount of fat in the diet are beneficial, but dietary programs that add herbal supplements to the diet may be ineffective or even harmful. Chinese and Far Eastern cultures use herbal therapy to achieve weight loss, delay aging, or increase strength. Dietary supplements of Chinese herbs have become increasingly popular among Westerners, although most Americans do not know specifically what herbs they are consuming. Laboratory tests have raised questions about the effectiveness of many of these herbs; some may have high lead content and therefore are potentially toxic.