Introduction to Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine is simply any practice aimed at healing the body (or mind) that is outside the realm of scientifically accepted medical practices. For many centuries many of the practices now considered alternative were just considered medicine. Alternative natural medicine is far more than just traditional or ancient medical practices, there are a whole host of modern alternative medicines and technique available. Despite not being accepted by the modern medical establishment, many alternative medical techniques are as effective, if not more effective, than their mainstream equivalents.
Mind Body Medicine
Whether you call it Mind Body Medicine, Holistic Healing, or Holistic Medicine the underlying concept remains the same—using the interactions among the mind, the body and the spirit to aid in your healing. Mind Body Medicine takes an holistic approach to health with the understanding that the state of the mind and spirit are crucial elements in the success or failure of the physical healing elements.
Herbal Remedies
Herbal medicine is the original form of medicine developed and used by humans for millennia, and even though it had fallen out of use in the West for the better part of the twentieth century it remained a prominent and important form of healing in the East. Herbal medicines are natural remedies derived from various root, leaves, berries, barks, and other plant material. The resurgence of herbal medicine and remedies in the West points to both their effectiveness and their safety. Since they are derived from natural, and many cases organic, sources herbal remedies are generally safer than the lab produced medicines that saturate the Western medical markets.
Reiki
Stress is an unavoidable part of modern life. Stress also has negative effects on both the health and wellbeing of modern people. Reiki is a technique that helps reduce stress and, in turn, helps aid in both healing and maintaining good health. Rei means “God’s Wisdom” and Ki is the life force energy (qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine), so Reiki can be translated to “spiritually guided life force energy healing.” The technique of Reiki involves the laying on of hands to help realign and free up the flow of the life force energy (Ki). Reiki is based on a similar understanding of the function of this life force energy as acupuncture and acupressure.
Acupuncture
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the blockage of qi is considered one of the primary causes of illness and other ailments. Acupuncture is one of the primary methods TCM uses to unblock the qi and allow for free and unobstructed flow. Acupuncture relies on inserting needles into very specific points on the body called pressure points. When the flow of qi is blocked at a particular pressure point the result is illness or other medical condition and the only way to really cure the ailment is to release the qi so it can flow freely once again.
Chinese Medicine
Chinese Medicine covers such a wide range of practices that serve both to cure and prevent disease and other ailments. For over 2,000 years practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been using a combination of exercise, diet and nutrition, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and massage to treat and prevent nearly any ailment. Two fundamental difference between TCM and modern Western medicine is the holistic approach to health and the treatment of the root cause, as opposed to the symptoms, of an ailment.
Energy Medicine
Energy medicine goes by several different names—Energy Medicine, Energy Therapy, Energy Healing, and Spiritual Healing—no matter what you call it the basic idea is the same. The Energy Medicine practitioner can transfer (or channel) positive energy into the body of the patient who is suffering due to either a lack of positive energy or an overabundance of negative energy. Both the Japanese practice of Reiki and the Chinese practice of Qigong are examples of energy medicine.
Essential Oils
The use of essential oils in alternative natural medicine is properly called Aromatherapy. While it’s true that aromatherapy uses more than just essential oils, they are the primary focus. This is because essential oils are the highly concentrated volatile aroma compounds from various plants. Their highly concentrated nature makes essential oils particularly effective in aroma therapy. Essential oils can be administered in a variety of ways including water immersion, massage, topical application, or inhalation. Using essential oils via a diffuser is a popular way to use them as a home remedy.
