Acupuncture - Acupuncture alleviates pain and can increase immune response by balancing the flow of vital life energy throughout the body. It originated in China over five thousand years ago and is based on the belief that health is determined by a balanced flow of qi, the vital energy present in all living organisms. According to Acupuncture theory, qi circulates in the body along twelve major pathways. These pathways are called meridians and each is linked to specific internal organs and organ systems. There are over one thousand acupoints within the meridian system that can be stimulated to enhance the flow of qi. When special needles are inserted into the acupoints (just under the skin), they can help correct and rebalance the flow of energy and consequently relieve pain and/or restore health. Acupuncture is used to treat numerous conditions, from the common colds and flus, to addiction and chronic fatigue. It has also been used as an adjunctive treatment for AIDS. www.acupuncture.com
Aromatherapy - Aromatherapy is a unique branch of herbal medicine that utilizes the medicinal properties found in the essential oils of various plants. It is not simply the aroma that works in the healing processes, but the small size of the molecules in the essential oils make is easy for them to penetrate the bodies tissue, creating a therapeutic pharmacological effect. Aromatherapy has been effectively used to treat respiratory infections, Epstein-Barr virus, skin disorders, immune deficiencies and stress. www.naha.org
Ayurvedic Medicine – Ayurvedic has been practiced in India for the past five-thousand years. It is a comprehensive system of medicine that combines the natural therapies with a highly personalized approach to the treatment of disease. Ayurvedic medicine places equal emphasis on body, mind, and spirit, and strives to restore the innate harmony of the individual. Treatment plans are designed to guide the individual back to harmony with his or her environment. These plans may include dietary changes, exercise, yoga, meditation, massage, herbal tonics, herbal sweat baths, medicated enemas, and medicated inhalations. www.niam.com
Biofeedback Training – Biofeedback training teaches a person how to change and control his or her body’s vital functions through the use of simple electronic devices. It is a method of learning how to consciously regulate normally unconscious bodily functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, in order to improve overall health. Biofeedback is particularly useful for learning to reduce stress, eliminate headaches, control asthma, recondition injured muscles, and relieve pain. www.biofeedback.net
Bodywork – The term bodywork refers to therapies such as massage, deep tissue manipulation ( Rolfing and Hellerwork), movement awareness (Feldenkrais Method and the Alexander technique), and energy balancing ( acupressure, polarity therapy and therapeutic touch). These methods are employed to improve the structure and functioning of the body. Bodywork in all its forms helps to reduce pain, soothe injured muscles, stimulate blood flow and lymphatic circulation, and promote deep tissue relaxation.
Chiropractic - Chiropractic champions the idea of a holistic approach to health and illness, recognizing the body’s inherent ability to heal itself during times of physical injury or mental and environmental stress. Through adjustment of the spine and joints, chiropractic can influence the body’s nervous system and natural defense mechanism in order to alleviate pain and improve general health. Because of its effectiveness in treating back problems, headaches, and other injuries and traumas, chiropractic has been the second largest healthcare field in the world. Each year more than 15 million people turn to chiropractic physicians for a natural, drug free approach to pain, backaches, trauma, injuries, and certain internal disorders of the body. www.chiro.org
Enzyme Therapy – Enzyme therapy can be an important first step in restoring health and well-being buy helping to remedy digestive problems. Plant enzymes and pancreatic enzymes are used in complimentary ways to improve digestion and absorption of essential nutrients. As proper digestive functioning is restored, many acute and chronic conditions may also be remedied. Treatment includes enzyme supplements, coupled with a healthy diet that features whole foods.
Herbal Medicine – Herbal medicine is the most ancient form of healthcare known to humankind. Herbs have been used in all cultures throughout history. The scope of herbal medicine ranges from mild-acting plant medicines, such as chamomile and peppermint, to very potent ones, such as foxglove (from which the drug digitalis is derived). Herbal medicine has been proven effective in the treatment of various health conditions including, premenstrual syndrome, indigestion, insomnia, heart disease, cancer, and HIV. www.herbs.org
Homeopathy – Homeopathic remedies are generally dilutions of natural substances from plants, minerals, and animals. Based on the principle of “like cures like”, these remedies specifically match different symptom patterns and “profiles” of illnesses. The objective is to stimulate the bodies own immune and defense system to initiate the healing process. Homeopathic medicine is widely practiced around the world, with thousands of practitioners in the United States. It is particularly effective in treating chronic illnesses that fail to respond to conventional treatment, and is a low-cost self-care method for treating minor conditions such as the common cold or flu. www.homeopathic.com
Hydrotherapy - Hydrotherapy is the use of water, ice, steam, and hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health. The therapeutic use of water, in all of its forms, dates back to the beginning of civilization. Treatments include full body immersion, steam bath, mineral tubs, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation, enemas, douches, and the application of hot and cold compresses. Hydrotherapy can be effective in treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program.
Hypnotherapy – For thousands of years the power of suggestion has played a major role in healing, in cultures as varied as ancient Greece, Persia, and India. Hypnotherapy uses both the power of suggestion and trance-like states to access the deepest levels of the mind, in order to effect positive changes in a person’s behavior. Hypnotherapy can be used to treat a range of health conditions, such as; migraines, ulcers, sleep disorders, anxiety, stress, phobias, headaches, and depression.
Magnetic Field Therapy – Electromagnetic energy and the human body have a valid and significant interrelationship. Magnetic field therapy can be used both for diagnosing and treating physical and emotional disorders. Magnets and electromagnetic therapy devices are now being used to eliminate pain, facilitate the healing of broken bones, and to counter the effects of stress.
Meditation – Meditation has been practiced for several thousand years. It is a safe and simple way to help in balancing a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states. It is easily learned and has been used as an aid in treating stress and pain management. It has also been employed as a part of an overall treatment plan for other conditions, including hypertension and heart disease.
Naturopathic Medicine – Naturopathic medicine treats health conditions by utilizing the body’s inherent ability to heal. Naturopathic medicine is not a single modality of healing, but an array of healing practices including; diet and clinical nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, hydrotherapy, therapeutic exercises, spinal and soft tissue manipulation, light therapy, therapeutic counseling, and pharmacology. www.pandamedicine.com
Osteopathy – Osteopathy is a form of physical medicine that helps restore the structural balance of the musculoskeletal system by treating the patient as a whole rather than narrowly focusing on a specific ailment. Doctors of osteopathy believe that the structure of the body is intimately related to its function and that by combining joint manipulation, physical therapy, and postural reeducation, they will enable the body’s innate self-healing mechanism to operate more efficiently. Osteopathy can be used to treat a wide range of disorders including arthritis, digestive disorders, menstrual problems, and chronic pain. www.rscom.com/osteo/
Oxygen Therapy – Oxygen therapy refers to a wide range of therapies utilizing oxygen in various forms to promote healing and destroy pathogens in the body. Oxygen therapies alter the body’s chemistry to help overcome disease, promote repair, and improve overall function. These therapies have been found to be effective in treating a wide variety of conditions including infections (viral, fungal, parasitic, and bacterial), circulatory problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, allergies, cancer, and multiple sclerosis.
Reiki – Reiki is a popular method of natural healing based on the application of what is called the “Universal Life Force Energy”. It uses the hand of the healer to channel energy to another person through chakras or energy centers. The purpose of Reiki is to restore balance to the body and improve its natural ability to heal itself. Reiki has been practiced for thousands of years and can be beneficial in treating stress, anxiety, and chronic fatigue. www.reiki.org
Traditional Chinese Medicine – Traditional Chinese medicine has been practiced for over three thousand years and, at present, one-quarter of the world’s population makes use of one or more of its therapies. Traditional Chinese Medicine combines the use of medicinal herbs, acupuncture, food therapy, massage, and therapeutic exercise. Traditional Chinese medicine looks for the underlying causes of imbalances and disharmony in the body and views the patient as unique. It has been proven effective for many conditions, allergies, infectious diseases, heart disease, cancer, and AIDS. www.chinesemedicinesampler.com
Yoga - The meaning of the word yoga is “union”: the integration of physical, mental, and spiritual energies that enhance health and well-being. Among one of the oldest known health systems practiced in the world today, the practices of yoga, physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation have been proven to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, regulate heart rate, and even slow the aging process.
Other Alternative Therapy Links
www.alternativemedicine.com
www.naturalhealers.com
www.naturalhealthvillage.com
www.wellweb.com
www.wholeliving.com