It wasn’t too long ago that doctors who used alternative medicine methods of healing patients were labeled quacks. In addition, years ago, people who turned to vitamin and mineral supplements as prevention against illness were labeled ‘health nuts’. Today, however, these same people are said to practice proactive wellness as nutritional healing ideas have become widespread.
If you’re a newcomer to alternative medicine, I’d like to share with you a little about some successful alternative healing remedies.
Herbal – made from natural, plant-based substances. These products have been used safely for centuries by the Chinese, Indians, and Native Americans. They’ve been a boon to women in safe hormone replacement therapy and men’s prostate health with saw palmetto and lycopene. However, do consult a naturopathic or integrative medicine doctor before trying to treat an illness with herbal preparations.
•Homeopathic – based on the “law of similars”, a minute quantity of medicine is diluted many times and used, much like a vaccine, to create a reaction that stimulates the body to heal itself. Success with allergies, pain, mineral imbalance-based illnesses, and more, has been achieved with homeopathy. Consult a homeopathic for proper use.
•Chiropractic – based on the principle of proper alignment of the skeletal structure so that nerves coming off the spinal cord are not pinched. These nerves are then able to properly feed, or enervate, different parts of the body to prevent and correct disease states. Back and neck pain as well as nerve compression issues have had success with chiropractic.
•Acupuncture, acupressure, and reflexology – based on the concept of qi energy and the belief that illness occurs when this energy does not flow correctly. Certain meridians on the body are manipulated by inserting hair-thin needles into the skin, or using fingertips to press on these areas. Addiction (smoking, drugs, alcohol, weight), chronic pain, nervous tics, have all been treated successfully. Reiki is another similar practice that involves manipulating the electrical field that surrounds humans with a practitioner’s hands.
•Energy Medicine – Mechanical energy, sound, heat, electricity, magnetism, light (ultraviolet, infrared, laser), plasma (color) therapies modalities have been used for the past 100 years as a “fringe” treatment. Today, mainstream medicine uses ultraviolet light for skin problems; lasers in surgery; infrared (and Far InfraRed) light to reduce inflammation and pain; sound is also used to break up kidney stones. The future of energy healing is wide open and mind-boggling.
•Anti-Aging Medicine –based on the principle of replacing nutrients that deplete with age which start the deterioration we call aging. Focuses on supplementation with anti-oxidants, etc, to keep cells regenerating at their youthful levels. New paths involve the study of telomere lengthening. Telomeres are human DNA structures that shorten each time a cell replicates until they die. Supplementing with the building blocks of telomeres, can keep their youthful length and you healthy, much longer.
•Mind/Body Healing – based on the principle that the mind can influence
healing in the body through specific, directed thoughts; it is what biofeedback is based on. It has been very successful with controlling pain and certain psychological disorders.
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