Alternative Healing
Lindsay Boulerice
Background:
A reliance on drugs to cure the bodies’ problems has become the main source of healing. Discoveries of medical advancements through science and pharmaceuticals, although effective, have swayed individuals from taking a preventative approach when understanding how the body works.This method is used when the body and the mind are seen as separate entities. Fixing the issue once it has occurred has become a very easy solution to “healing”. Vaccines and immunizations are used to help prevent viruses from occurring in the body and making the human sick. What people have evolved from is trying to prevent the issues from occurring in the first place. By living a well balanced life the human body will steady itself and reach a point of equilibrium.[1]
Turning Point:
Alternative medicine is often a source of healing that is overlooked. This form of healing does not involve any medication, but the use of a healthy lifestyle and routines to prevent and help rid the body of any diseases. Alternative medicine or “holistic health” understands the human body, mind, and spirit as a whole. Practitioners believe that the body has the ability to heal itself by incorporating different routines into daily exercises. These routines may be as simple as meditating regularly, or doing yoga. A more aggressive approach may include seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis, receiving acupuncture, the use of aromatherapy, and therapeutic touch. Holistic healers will often try to grasp a patients’ life circumstances and emotional states before “diagnosing” any form of treatment. Hippocrates attempted to influence doctors into practicing techniques that would encompass the persons’ stresses and eating habits, allowing the patient to be healed on a level greater than just the physical problem.[2]
With alternative healing there are various different forms that can be practiced that all allow the body to create a sense of stability. There are several different approaches, a common source is manipulative therapies: which involve a hands on approach to releasing stored up tension within the body and toxins that may make a person sick. This segment of holistic health is may involve attending a chiropractor, or a more advanced treatment called craniosacral therapy which involves locating restricted movements within the back of the head that influence the flow of spinal fluids. These fluids when prevented from moving in a rhythmic system can create issues in health. The procedure however is very gentle and does not involve any forms of needles or surgeries, just a light touch on the back of the head to realign the bones. Another approach that is more commonly used is known as energy medicine. This technique includes “polarity therapy” which reestablishes a flow of energy within the body, and even Reiki which involves channeling a higher energy source clearing a persons’ “chakras” which are the energy centers in the body. [3]
While the practices above are primarily focused on preventing the body from failing physically there are techniques in alternative medicine that help heal the mind as well. When a patient has suffered from severe emotional trauma a style of healing called homeopathy can help resolve the internal issues that may be conflicting with the persons’ ability to heal. Homeopathy is an inexpensive method that almost 500 million people in the world have used according to the World Health Organization. It is an approach that is very humane and may even cure anxiety issues, epilepsy, and even diabetes. Homeopathy uses extremely diluted doses of what is believed to be making the patient sick. In this therapy, the mild doses are used as a “vaccine” triggering the bodies natural ability to fight the problem and allowing for the overall issue to be resolved once understanding how to fight the problem.[4]
Botanical healing can be incorporated into an alternative lifestyle. With the use of herbs and teas and parts of flowers and other plants the natural remedies can balance many of the bodies systems. Originally many medicines were created by drying herbs and plants and there is still a large number used today in modern medicine. Ingesting the right substances may decrease the need for other medications that are taken on a daily basis. When using herbal remedies on a the user should be aware of the exact effect they are trying to receive from the extracts. Abuse of some natural substances can still create toxins in the body and although they may heal one problem they may create issues in another area. [5] Many people are very skeptical when using the herbal remedies, however the chemical makeup of the natural substances is very similar to those is used in pharmaceuticals. A lot of the plants used for the remedies create a adaptogenic quality, which releases the right chemicals into the body that influences the mind into thinking it can handle stress and other harmful emotions. Other herbs have effects that reduce swelling, destroy viruses and even resist pathogens.[6]
Effect:
When practiced properly a person can live a healthy balanced life and will not need any form of drugs to help their body heal. By using their mind, body and spirit properly health issues will be resolved. Taking a preventative approach to healing is much more successful rather than trying to focus on the disease that needs to be cured. There are so many approaches to alternative healing that focusing on even a few may increase a patients’ health with a few less pills and medications.
[1]Alternative. 2009.
[2] Gilmour, Lorna. “Alternative Medicine”. 2007.
[3] Handel, Feureman. “Manipulative Therapies, Energy Medicine”. 1997.
[4] Navarra, Tova. “The Encyclopedia of Complementary and Alternative Medicine”. 2004. 56-60.
[5]“Alternative Therapies”. 2004. (CREDO)
[6] Chopra, Deepak. “Herbal Medicine”. 1994.253.
Bibliography
Alternative.Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fables. Chambers Harrp Publishers Lttd. 2009.
“Alternative Therapies”. New Harvard Guide ToWomens Health. President and Fellows of Harvard College. 2004.
Chopra, Deepka. “Herbal Medicine”.The Definitive Guide to Alternative Medicine. Washington. 1994. 253.
Gilmour, Lorna. “Alternative Medicine”.Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained.Chambers Harrp Publishers Ltd. 2007. (CREDO)
Handel, Marsha & Feuerman. “Manipulative Therapies, Energy Practices”. Alternative Medicine Resource Guide.Scarecrow Press Inc. Boston. 1997.
85-94, 133, 137.
Novarra, Tova. “Entries A-Z”.The Encyclopedia of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Facts on File Inc. New York. 2004. 54-60.
Lindsay Boulerice
Background:
A reliance on drugs to cure the bodies’ problems has become the main source of healing. Discoveries of medical advancements through science and pharmaceuticals, although effective, have swayed individuals from taking a preventative approach when understanding how the body works.This method is used when the body and the mind are seen as separate entities. Fixing the issue once it has occurred has become a very easy solution to “healing”. Vaccines and immunizations are used to help prevent viruses from occurring in the body and making the human sick. What people have evolved from is trying to prevent the issues from occurring in the first place. By living a well balanced life the human body will steady itself and reach a point of equilibrium.[1]
Turning Point:
Alternative medicine is often a source of healing that is overlooked. This form of healing does not involve any medication, but the use of a healthy lifestyle and routines to prevent and help rid the body of any diseases. Alternative medicine or “holistic health” understands the human body, mind, and spirit as a whole. Practitioners believe that the body has the ability to heal itself by incorporating different routines into daily exercises. These routines may be as simple as meditating regularly, or doing yoga. A more aggressive approach may include seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis, receiving acupuncture, the use of aromatherapy, and therapeutic touch. Holistic healers will often try to grasp a patients’ life circumstances and emotional states before “diagnosing” any form of treatment. Hippocrates attempted to influence doctors into practicing techniques that would encompass the persons’ stresses and eating habits, allowing the patient to be healed on a level greater than just the physical problem.[2]
With alternative healing there are various different forms that can be practiced that all allow the body to create a sense of stability. There are several different approaches, a common source is manipulative therapies: which involve a hands on approach to releasing stored up tension within the body and toxins that may make a person sick. This segment of holistic health is may involve attending a chiropractor, or a more advanced treatment called craniosacral therapy which involves locating restricted movements within the back of the head that influence the flow of spinal fluids. These fluids when prevented from moving in a rhythmic system can create issues in health. The procedure however is very gentle and does not involve any forms of needles or surgeries, just a light touch on the back of the head to realign the bones. Another approach that is more commonly used is known as energy medicine. This technique includes “polarity therapy” which reestablishes a flow of energy within the body, and even Reiki which involves channeling a higher energy source clearing a persons’ “chakras” which are the energy centers in the body. [3]
While the practices above are primarily focused on preventing the body from failing physically there are techniques in alternative medicine that help heal the mind as well. When a patient has suffered from severe emotional trauma a style of healing called homeopathy can help resolve the internal issues that may be conflicting with the persons’ ability to heal. Homeopathy is an inexpensive method that almost 500 million people in the world have used according to the World Health Organization. It is an approach that is very humane and may even cure anxiety issues, epilepsy, and even diabetes. Homeopathy uses extremely diluted doses of what is believed to be making the patient sick. In this therapy, the mild doses are used as a “vaccine” triggering the bodies natural ability to fight the problem and allowing for the overall issue to be resolved once understanding how to fight the problem.[4]
Botanical healing can be incorporated into an alternative lifestyle. With the use of herbs and teas and parts of flowers and other plants the natural remedies can balance many of the bodies systems. Originally many medicines were created by drying herbs and plants and there is still a large number used today in modern medicine. Ingesting the right substances may decrease the need for other medications that are taken on a daily basis. When using herbal remedies on a the user should be aware of the exact effect they are trying to receive from the extracts. Abuse of some natural substances can still create toxins in the body and although they may heal one problem they may create issues in another area. [5] Many people are very skeptical when using the herbal remedies, however the chemical makeup of the natural substances is very similar to those is used in pharmaceuticals. A lot of the plants used for the remedies create a adaptogenic quality, which releases the right chemicals into the body that influences the mind into thinking it can handle stress and other harmful emotions. Other herbs have effects that reduce swelling, destroy viruses and even resist pathogens.[6]
Effect:
When practiced properly a person can live a healthy balanced life and will not need any form of drugs to help their body heal. By using their mind, body and spirit properly health issues will be resolved. Taking a preventative approach to healing is much more successful rather than trying to focus on the disease that needs to be cured. There are so many approaches to alternative healing that focusing on even a few may increase a patients’ health with a few less pills and medications.
[1]Alternative. 2009.
[2] Gilmour, Lorna. “Alternative Medicine”. 2007.
[3] Handel, Feureman. “Manipulative Therapies, Energy Medicine”. 1997.
[4] Navarra, Tova. “The Encyclopedia of Complementary and Alternative Medicine”. 2004. 56-60.
[5]“Alternative Therapies”. 2004. (CREDO)
[6] Chopra, Deepak. “Herbal Medicine”. 1994.253.
Bibliography
Alternative.Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fables. Chambers Harrp Publishers Lttd. 2009.
“Alternative Therapies”. New Harvard Guide ToWomens Health. President and Fellows of Harvard College. 2004.
Chopra, Deepka. “Herbal Medicine”.The Definitive Guide to Alternative Medicine. Washington. 1994. 253.
Gilmour, Lorna. “Alternative Medicine”.Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained.Chambers Harrp Publishers Ltd. 2007. (CREDO)
Handel, Marsha & Feuerman. “Manipulative Therapies, Energy Practices”. Alternative Medicine Resource Guide.Scarecrow Press Inc. Boston. 1997.
85-94, 133, 137.
Novarra, Tova. “Entries A-Z”.The Encyclopedia of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Facts on File Inc. New York. 2004. 54-60.