Dr. Yogi: Physicians Integrate Yoga Into Medical Practice

A nonprofit is integrating yoga therapy in the mainstream health care system by training medical providers to use yogic breathing and techniques to treat various maladies.

Some groups are making strides at ending child marriage and female genital mutilation, practices that are common and yet dangerous. They're doing so by reaching out to the men in charge.

In Nepal, a nation of farmers, undernutrition leaves children stunted and at lifelong risk. A nationwide survey aims to track this problem and use a comprehensive approach to tackle it.

Latin American women in San Francisco have suffered from post-partum depression, social isolation, and chronic stress at the time of their pregnancies. Run by midwives, the Centering Pregnancy program at the San Francisco General Hospital provides patient-centered care, an environment to speak in Spanish, and a nurturing community for women’s group appointments. The results boast fewer c-sections and pre-term births, and an improvement in emotional support and overall prenatal health.

Post-traumatic stress has dire consequences for U.S. veterans, including an increase in suicide, and not all therapeutic treatments for the disorder have succeeded. To treat and potentially cure the effects of PTSD, the Center for Mind-Body Awareness offers veterans Buddhist-inspired meditation, and mindfulness, as well as skills to develop creative expression.

The vast majority of births in Malawi still happen under the care of traditional birth attendants, who are often unequipped to deal with potentially lethal complications. But new president Joyce Banda is helping Malawi’s women to abandon dangerous childbirth customs by working with the custodians of local practices: village chiefs.

India has an estimated 2.5 million medical “quacks.” Can they be trained to do no harm?

The Affordable Care Act’s provisions to increase health care while decreasing costs have caused physicians some economic uncertainties. Two physicians have transformed their practices into business models that offer more services than what the insurance companies cover. The physicians report that patients spend less money on medication and hospital visits, while providing more holistic care.

In this episode of New Mexico in Focus, we examine the economic impact of medical cannabis in rural communities in our latest report for Small Towns, Big Change. Producer Sarah Gustavus also looks at the potential impact of legalizing recreational marijuana in New Mexico.

Veterans using prescription drugs to treat PTSD are now turning to cannabis as an alternative treatment, as it can often cause fewer side effects. Grow for Vets is an organization that helps veterans obtain marijuana free of charge.