Healing Your Body Naturally: Starting at the Bottom
Posted on November 21, 2009
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For most things in life, be it a work project, a school assignment, or a home repair task, the best thing to do is to start at the top and work your way down. This usually ensures that everything will get done one time and correctly. Unfortunately, this is not that way that body cleansing should work. The best thing to do when you begin detoxifying your body is to start at the bottom.
Cleansing the colon is the beginning of the long process of detoxification. This is because the colon can become built up, or even backed up, with waste. And if no waste is leaving the body, you body is not cleaning itself properly. After you have used a colon cleansing method recommended by a professional natural health practitioner, you can build up your immune system and internal organs with a natural food diet.
Theories on Light Therapy Safety
Posted on November 15, 2009
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Light therapy uses ultraviolet and other types of light to treat a wide range of illnesses and medical and emotional problems. Almost anything from skin problems to emotional distress and depression can be at least helped by light therapy. But as with most medical and alternative therapies, there are some disadvantages to light therapy.
It is widely known and acknowledged by the medical community that ultraviolet light is damaging to the skin. It breaks down vitamins A and C in the skin, and can damage the skin’s collagen. Some genetic damage has also been seen with extended exposure to UV. Blue light is also used in some light therapy; unfortunately, blue light can cause breaks in cellular DNA. While the cells can usually repair themselves, research has shown that cancer can easily develop in damaged cells like those injured by blue light exposure.
How Far are Herbs from Pharmaceuticals?
Posted on November 9, 2009
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The thought of using herbal medicines to treat colds, headaches, and even chronic illnesses can send the average person into a state of shock. The fact is that most people in Western countries think of herbs as the medicines of barbaric medieval surgeons and tribal “witch” doctors. But while this was and is certainly true, most of these people would be shocked to discover that many of the pharmaceuticals commonly used in Western medicine are derived from these same “barbaric” herbs.
Western medicine frequently uses herbs like digitalis and even opium to treat many of the medical complaints and illnesses of the average, modern person. Digitalis is actually a plant from the Scrophulariaceae biological family and is closely related to the common English foxglove plant. Opium is used to create many pain medications commonly prescribed for hospital patients; it is created from seed pods of the opium poppy.
Reiki as a Holistic Treatment
Posted on November 2, 2009
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Reiki is a fairly straightforward concept. Essentially, there is energy that flows in the universe. A person can be trained to harness this energy in a way so that they can treat medical, emotional, or spiritual problems in a patient or in themselves. While reiki cannot completely heal a person with an illness, it can be used to supplement more conventional treatments.
Reiki is done by having the practitioner lay his or her hands on the patient and focus the flow of energy into the affected area. Some reiki practitioners believe that the energy will flow to where it is needed, while other practitioners require that the patient tell them where the treatment should be focused. After extensive training, reiki practitioners can treat themselves, as well as treat another person without actually touching them. Some people confuse reiki with massage therapy, but the two are nothing alike; reiki does not require the manipulation of the body.
An Alternative to Traditional Health Care
Posted on October 27, 2009
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In the last few years, there has been an abundant interest in alternative medical therapies and treatments for all sorts of physical and emotional ailments. The burgeoning interest can probably be attributed to the rising costs of traditional medical care and pharmaceuticals normally used to treat these illnesses.
Many people also have another, related problem: they don’t have health insurance. The lack of health insurance can affect a person’s ability to get proper medical treatment for chronic problems. Using alternative medical treatments can not only be cheaper than traditional treatments, but many people feel that these alternative treatments are just as effective, if not more so. For those who do not have medical insurance, alternative treatments may be the only option they have for symptom relief or for a cure for their problems. Also, since mental health isn’t generally covered by insurance, alternative therapies are sometimes the only viable option.
Aromatherapy: Stinky and Soothing Smells
Posted on October 21, 2009
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A lot of people like to use different smells in their homes to cover unpleasant odors. In fact, there is a whole retail industry based on the public’s desire to eliminate nasty smells from their homes. But plug-in air fresheners, potpourri sprays, and scented candles are not necessarily aromatherapy products. The scents are not meant to sooth; rather they are meant to disguise.
Aromatherapy is actually the practice of using plant oils and extracts to bring about a sense of wellbeing in people. Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with other alternative medicine treatments like massage therapy. There are approximately 90 essential oils commonly used in aromatherapy treatments, and each one has a unique profile and individual purpose. But some essential oils are used together to create an effect that is different than that of the oils when used individually.
Types of Yoga Practice
Posted on October 14, 2009
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While many people think that there is only one type of yoga practice, there are actually quite a few. Some of these include Hatha yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Ashtanga yoga, and Bikram yoga. Each is unique in how they are practiced, though many teachers integrate the techniques of each into classes.
Hatha yoga is the general type of yoga done at a slow pace. If you are a beginner, this is a good place to start. Vinyasa yoga uses poses called sun salutations that are used in conjunction with breathing. Ashtanga yoga is a little more physical in that is uses coordinated patterns of repeating poses that are done in continual movement. Bikram yoga is also called hot yoga because it is performed in a very warm room; this stimulates sweating to cleanse the body and also helps to loosen tense muscles.
Reflexology and Stress Relief
Posted on October 7, 2009
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While it is debatable in the professional medical community whether or not reflexology actually helps to heal the body and to cure or treat diseases, there is one that that is fairly safe to say about the practice: reflexology does provide stress relief. Most of the body’s stress is begun and held in the hands and feet. As a result, tension in these places results in tension in other parts of the body.
Reflexology, like massage therapy, provides stress relief for the patient. This will ultimately improve the patient’s overall wellbeing, if only temporarily. Reflexology as a way to relieve tension and anxiety has begun to come into fashion in hospitals. However, this is not to say that reflexology should replace conventional methods of medical treatment. Rather, reflexology should be used in conjunction with professional medical treatment.
Subjectivity in Homeopathy
Posted on October 1, 2009
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Few people know that the practice of homeopathy is actually very subjective. This means that homeopaths use their own judgment and opinions to choose the correct treatments for a patient. This means that the same patient could get two completely different treatments for the same ailment from two different homeopaths.
So how do two practitioners of the same medical profession come up with completely different treatments? Homeopaths take the entire patient into consideration, from the patient’s physical medical history to the patient’s emotional medical history. Homeopaths use this information in different ways depending on their personal opinions on what is affecting the patient. And since the treatments prescribed are dependant on the symptoms the homeopath focuses on, a patient can get different treatments for the same thing. The homeopath simply decides which symptoms are closest to the patient’s character and uses those to diagnose and treat the illness.
Different Types of Reiki Treatments
Posted on September 24, 2009
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Reiki is a holistic treatment. This means that it can be used to treat ailments in the entire body as well as in the mind and in the spirit. While all of these things are possible with reiki, the most common use of the treatment is as a way of healing the body.
Whole body treatment with reiki basically involves the patient lying down and the practitioner laying his or her hands on or over the patient’s body. Some reiki practitioners can feel where the energy is needed more than others. In localized reiki treatment, one specific part of the body is treated; this is often used on those who have been in accidents or who have one specific complaint. A patient can also receive group treatment, which involves two reiki practitioners performing reiki on one patient. It is thought that this can bring about a better effect.