A nurse is caring for a client who uses herbal products to treat his arthritis. The nurse should recognize that herbal products are classified as which type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)?

Choice A reason: Improving physical fitness, flexibility, strength, and balance. Yoga involves physical poses that stretch the muscles, increase the range of motion, and build strength and endurance. Yoga also challenges the body to maintain stability and coordination, which improves balance and prevents falls.

Choice B reason: Enhancing the body's natural healing abilities and immune system function. Yoga may modulate the immune system by affecting cytokine production, oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular aging. Yoga may also enhance the body's natural healing abilities by improving blood circulation, oxygen delivery, wound healing, and tissue repair.

Choice C reason: Reducing stress and promoting relaxation and coping skills. Yoga combines breathing exercises, meditation, and relaxation techniques that can lower the levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which induces a state of calmness and relaxation. Yoga can also improve mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative emotions, and increasing self-esteem, self-awareness, and coping skills.

Choice D reason: All of the above. Yoga may have all of these effects on the client's health and well-being, as supported by the current web page context and various sources. Therefore, this is the correct answer.

The correct answer is

A. Guided imagery will help me relax my muscles and reduce tension.

Choice A: Guided imagery is a mind-body technique that uses the power of the mind to alter the physical condition of the body. It involves creating and focusing on positive images in the mind, using all the senses to make the image feel as real as possible. It is often performed along with an instructor or a recording that guides the visualization. Guided imagery can help people relax their muscles and reduce tension by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers the heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones.

Choice B: Guided imagery may have some effects on the immune system, but this is not its primary purpose or benefit. Some studies have suggested that guided imagery can enhance immune function by increasing natural killer cells, lymphocytes, and immunoglobulins⁴⁵. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to understand the mechanisms behind them.

Choice C: Guided imagery may have some effects on blood flow and blood pressure, but this is not its primary purpose or benefit. Some studies have suggested that guided imagery can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure by reducing vascular resistance, improving endothelial function, and decreasing sympathetic activity. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to understand the mechanisms behind them.

Choice D: Guided imagery is not the same as energy therapies, which are CAM practices that involve the use of energy fields. Energy therapies include biofield therapies, such as Reiki, therapeutic touch, and qi gong, and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating current or direct current fields. Guided imagery does not involve manipulating or balancing energy fields, but rather using mental images to affect physical functioning and health.