Glossary: Integrative Medicine and Nutrition

Caduceus (Staff of Hermes)

A universal image of change and transformation that is the modern symbol of medicine.

Casomorphins

Peptides (protein fragments) released from the digestion of the milk protein casein that have an opiate effect. Casomorphins are sedative and addictive. See also Gliadomorphins.

Cauda Equina

A bundle of spinal roots that lie caudal to the end of the spinal cord.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Clear watery fluid produced in the ventricles of the brain. Fills and flows through the hollow spaces surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The fluid “stuff” of consciousness.

Chakras

Organs of psychophysical perception and action concerned with the transduction of subtle energies to psychophysiological energies.

Chinese Five Element Diet

A diet from Traditional Chinese Medicine based on the five elements of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal, corresponding to the kidneys, liver, heart, stomach, and lungs, and the five tastes: salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and savory or pungent. This is a seasonal diet that focuses on fresh plant-based foods and a minimal intake of animal proteins, emphasizing light cooking techniques like poaching and steaming.

Circadian Rhythm

Self-sustained biological rhythm, which in the organism’s natural environment is normally entrained to a 24-hour period.

Clinicial Endocannabinoid Deficiency Syndrome

 A deficiency of endocannabinoids that may contribute to migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and psychological disorders.

Coffee Enemas

A type of colon cleanse in which a mixture of brewed, caffeinated coffee and water is inserted into the colon through the rectum. Aids in  phase-two detoxification, liver and gall bladder function,  pain and immune function.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies

A broad rubric of methods that emphasize treating the symptom and changing the behavior rather than the person. They include theories ranging from conditioning to cognitive information processing and social learning.

Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD)

A psychological injury occurring with exposure to chronic or repeated trauma.

COMT (catechol-O-methyltransferase)

The COMT gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called catechol-O-methyltransferase. COMT gene variation limits the body's ability to remove dopamine, norepinephrine and can increase cortisol levels and stress reactions. Nutritional interventions can help balance out these effects.

Countertransference

The whole of the therapist’s unconscious and conscious attitudes and behaviors toward the client. This broader definition goes beyond the repetition of the therapist’s own childhood and incorporates the therapist’s specific responses to the client’s personality.

Cranial-Sacral Rhythm

The movement of cerebrospinal fluid from the cranium to the sacrum through the spinal cord.

Cranial-Sacral Therapy

A hands-on bodywork modality that works on the cranial-sacral rhythm to improve central nervous system function.