Alternative Medicine & Herbal
Therapy.
Types of Alternative Medicine and Alternative Therapies
Alternative medicine is becoming more widely used
in our western culture, even by traditional physicians. Here is
a list of the types of alternatives you may be interested in...
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Editor:
Miss Fitness |
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Acupuncture
A method of healing developed in China at least 2,000 years ago.
Today, acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation
of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American
practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China,
Japan, Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that
has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin
with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands
or by electrical stimulation.
Aromatherapy
The Use of essential oils (extracts or essences) from flowers, herbs,
and trees to promote health and well-being.
Ayurveda
Practiced primarily in the Indian subcontinent for 5,000 years,
Ayurveda includes diet and herbal remedies and emphasizes the use
of body, mind, and spirit in disease prevention and treatment.
Chiropractic
Relationship between bodily structure (primarily that of the spine)
and function, and how that relationship affects the preservation
and restoration of health. Chiropractors use manipulative therapy
as an integral treatment tool.
Dietary supplements
A dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) taken by
mouth that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to
supplement the diet. Dietary ingredients may include vitamins, minerals,
herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes,
organ tissues, and metabolites. Dietary supplements come in many
forms, including extracts, concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel
caps, liquids, and powders. They have special requirements for labeling.
Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are considered foods, not drugs.
Electromagnetic fields
EMFs, (also called electric and magnetic fields) are invisible lines
of force that surround all electrical devices. The Earth also produces
EMFs; electric fields are produced when there is thunderstorm activity,
and magnetic fields are believed to be produced by electric currents
flowing at the Earth's core.
Homeopathic
The belief is that "like cures like," meaning that small,
highly diluted quantities of medicinal substances are given to cure
symptoms, when the same substances given at higher or more concentrated
doses would actually cause those symptoms.
Massage
Massage therapists manipulate muscle and connective tissue to enhance
function of those tissues and promote relaxation and well-being.
Naturopathy
Naturopathic medicine, or naturopathy belives that there is a natural
healing power in the body that establishes, maintains, and restores
health. Practitioners work with the patient with a goal of supporting
this power, through treatments such as nutrition and lifestyle counseling,
dietary supplements, medicinal plants, exercise, homeopathy, and
treatments from traditional Chinese medicine.
Osteopathic Medicine
Emphasizes diseases arising in the musculoskeletal system. There
is an underlying belief that all of the body's systems work together,
and disturbances in one system may affect function elsewhere in
the body. Some osteopathic physicians practice osteopathic manipulation,
a full-body system of hands-on techniques to alleviate pain, restore
function, and promote health and well-being.
Qi gong
A component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement,
meditation, and regulation of breathing to enhance the flow of qi
(an ancient term given to what is believed to be vital energy) in
the body, improve blood circulation, and enhance immune function.
Reiki
A Japanese word representing Universal Life Energy. Reiki is based
on the belief that when spiritual energy is channeled through a
Reiki practitioner, the patient's spirit is healed, which in turn
heals the physical body.
Therapeutic Touch
Derived from an ancient technique called laying-on of hands. It
is based on the premise that it is the healing force of the therapist
that affects the patient's recovery; healing is promoted when the
body's energies are in balance; and, by passing their hands over
the patient, healers can identify energy imbalances.
Traditional Chinese medicine
TCM is based on a concept of balanced qi (pronounced "chee"),
or vital energy, that is believed to flow throughout the body. Qi
is proposed to regulate a person's spiritual, emotional, mental,
and physical balance and to be influenced by the opposing forces
of yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Disease is
proposed to result from the flow of qi being disrupted and yin and
yang becoming imbalanced. Among the components of TCM are herbal
and nutritional therapy, restorative physical exercises, meditation,
acupuncture, and remedial massage. |
