Healthy Living

Alternative wellness covers a variety of treatments and healing options. Included in it are many different approaches to health that can also involve additional nutritional suggestions and emotional diagnosis/support. These therapies can be used against a multitude of health disorders, in almost every sort of condition imaginable. For further information on these topics, please see our books of interest page.

Acupuncture, like other techniques in traditional Chinese medicine, is founded on the principle that internal harmony is essential for good health. Fundamental to this harmony is the concept of chi (sometimes spelled "qi"), a vital energy or life-force that ebbs and flows with changes in a person's mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Applied Kinesiology is a science, which investigates and analyzes human motion. It is a form of biomechanics. This technique uses the body's own biofeedback system via muscle testing to promote health. The aim is to restore balance where there are nutritional deficiencies and to create wellness at a physical, emotional and spiritual level.

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils - concentrated, fragrant extracts of plants - to promote relaxation and help relieve various symptoms.

Flower Remedies also called flower essences, are specially prepared liquid concentrates made by soaking flowers in pure spring water. The concentrates are diluted and sipped to treat various emotional and physical disorders. The fundamental theory behind the flower-essence therapy is that physical ailments and disease, as well as psychological problems, arise from emotional disturbances; diagnosis and treatment thus involve an evaluation of personality, state of mind, and emotional makeup.

Guided Imagery is a technique that uses the mind's ability to imagine sights, sounds, movements, and other sensory experiences as a means to induce specific physical reactions in the body or to encourage changes in a patient's emotional outlook.

Herbology uses herbal medicines prepared from a wide variety of plant materials - frequently the leaves, stems, roots, and bark, but also the flowers, fruits, twigs, seeds, and exudates (material that oozes out, such as sap). They generally contain several biologically active ingredients and are used primarily for treating chronic or mild conditions, though sometimes they are employed as complementary or supportive therapy for acute and severe diseases.

Homeopathy is a method of healing based on the idea that like cures like; that is, that substances causing specific symptoms in a healthy person can cure these symptoms in someone who is sick. Also called the law of similars, this principle gives homeopathy its name: "homeo" for similar, "pathy" for disease. The remedies are prepared from plant, mineral, and animal extracts that are highly diluted in a specific way that makes toxicity impossible and, paradoxically, increases their potential to cure.

Hypnotherapy, which healers have used hypnotism to induce trance states in patients since ancient times. Although the practice has largely fallen out of favor among mainstream physicians, over the last few decades a number of healthcare practitioners in various fields have begun to harness the power of hypnotherapy to treat an array of conditions.

Iridology is the science of studying the effects of electrical impulses on the iris of the eye. The iris is the most highly specialized nerve organ in you whole body, with the most highly developed nerve tissue. All electrical impulses sent forth by all organs and tissues leave their mark on the iris. The iris is to the body what the TV screen is to television broadcasting - a receiver of the signal.

Massage Therapy, defined as the systematic manipulation of the soft tissues, relieves sore muscles and promotes relaxation. It is usually performed with various standard hand strokes, but sometimes pressure is applied with other parts of the body, such as the forearm, elbow, or foot.

Meditation, has been recognized by countries all over the world for its calming, therapeutic effect of quiet contemplation. Most types of meditation practiced today, however, come from ancient Eastern or other religious traditions. Almost all of these methods share a few simple steps: Students are instructed to sit quietly, usually with eyes closed, and focus the mind on a single thought, allowing all other thoughts to float away. Some forms are more active or complex, meant to be performed while walking or chanting, for example.

Naturopathic Medicine aims to provide holistic, or whole-body, healthcare by drawing from numerous traditional healing systems. At its core is the idea of vis medicatrix naturae - the healing power of nature.

Osteopathy is a system of healing and health maintenance that focuses on the musculoskeletal system in order to improve the overall functioning of the body. To restore structural balance and thus help a patient regain health, an osteopathic physician will combine manipulation of the joints and soft tissues with instruction in proper posture, body mechanics, and exercise. Because osteopathic care is holistic, or targeted to the whole person, the doctor also considers psychological factors, lifestyle, and diet in addressing an illness or developing a plan for maintaining health.

Qigong (pronounced "chee-goong") is an ancient Chinese discipline that uses breathing exercises, movement, and meditation to balance and strengthen the body's vital energy (chi or qi). Several of the martial arts, including t'ai chi and kung-fu, are derived from Qigong, but Qigong itself is oriented more toward healing and less toward self defense.

Reflexology is a term that refers to the stimulation of the feet, hands or ears in order to affect other parts of the body via specific points that are called microsystems. The microsystems in one part of the body - for example, on the foot - contain a representation or "map" of the entire body that can be stimulated to enhance the natural healing processes.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan - commonly known as t'ai chi - is an ancient Chinese practice that combines martial arts, exercise, and meditation in one graceful, slow-motion art. Every morning in parks across Asia, and increasingly in America and Europe as well, practitioners of t'ai chi perform what appears to be a trancelike, controlled dance.

Yoga is an ancient philosophy of life developed in India over the course of thousands of years. The word "yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit "yuj," which means union. Practitioners of yoga believe that by following its precepts, which include ethical principles, dietary restrictions, and physical exercise, they can unite - or bring into equilibrium - the mind, the body, and the spirit. According to yoga teaching, physical illness is a sign that these elements are out of balance.