Since this website is dedicated to alternative medicine and alternative health remedies I thought it would be a good idea to answer the question:

What is Alternative Medicine?

The term “alternative” medicine is a far-reaching one that describes a number of health and healing methods. Generally, when using “alternative” you are talking about medicinal and general health practices, products, etc. that are not a part of society’s conventional medical systems. Sometimes referred to as “complementary” medicine when used in addition to, as opposed to instead of, conventional systems, the term can cover everything from folk medicine to faith healing to therapeutic massage. In other words, if you can’t learn it in medical schools or get it in conventional hospitals, it’s considered “alternative.”

Because so many different approaches to health and wellness are lumped under the alternative heading, it can be difficult to decide whether or not to take any of them seriously. Fad diets, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbology, yoga, probiotics and new age healing are just a few of the choices that fall under alternative medicine. But how are you supposed to know what is real from what is quackery?

There are many sources that attempt to back alternative medicine practices with scientific study. A quick search through the library or Internet will result in lots of studies and first-hand experiences that prove or disprove the worth of just about any alternative method you can name. Ask friends and family if they have tried a particular treatment or practice, you’ll be surprised how many people go outside of conventional medicine for alternate therapies. Many of us already use alternative medicine without even realizing it. Remember when grandma insisted on her special chicken soup when you were sick, or a friend recommended an egg yolk mask for acne just because that’s what her mom did? Those are great examples of alternative medicine, and there’s plenty of research out there that shows them to have real world value. Chicken soup is easy to eat when you’re sick and provides necessary hydration, vitamins, minerals, and protein to help you recover. The high protein in egg yolks soothes and enriches the skin, as it dries it pulls out impurities, and all without adding oils or over drying. Just because a medical doctor didn’t proscribe them doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t work.

Some alternative medicines have become more accepted by the conventional medical community. Acupuncture, part of traditional Chinese medicine, has been practiced for thousands of years and is considered conventional in many Asian countries. However, acupuncture is accepted only for pain management in the US. Acupuncturists claim it can help everything from weight loss to infertility, but this has not been definitively proven in scientific study. Practitioners in the US are highly trained and must get a license before treating patients. Licenses aren’t infallible, but it does lend extra assurance that a professional with high standards is treating you. Further proof of acceptance is that many insurance companies will cover treatment by a licensed acupuncturist.

It is still important to take care when choosing to use alternative medicine. Be sure and do your homework. While it may not hurt to put egg on your face, taking herbs without knowing how they may interact with other medicines or knowing proper dosages can cause serious problems. Going to an unlicensed practitioner for something like acupuncture can result in serious injury. You should consult with your present health practitioner to discuss the alternative medicines you are considering. Be sure to weigh the risks and benefits carefully before trying anything new. Always let each health professional know all of your medical history and present practices.

Many people find great results from alternative and complementary medicine. When you explore these “new” options, you may find that there are centuries old ways to take care of your body and mind that have been overlooked by today’s western medicine. Careful research and a mindful approach can help you achieve a better lifestyle and enjoy good health.

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So, you’ve been wanting to lose a few pounds, but you’re not quite sure that you want to go on a full-fledged diet. There are a number of do it yourself natural weight loss habits that you can add to your daily routine that will help you to start seeing results sooner than you may think. Here are some simple ways to get started.

The key to do it yourself natural weight loss is to eat as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible each day. This gives you a healthy amount of ‘good’ fiber, which will move the toxins and additional food out of your system. The best way to find good produce is to go to the farmer’s market if you can. There are a number of veggies and fruits that you can purchase at the local market or grocery store that are extremely affordable as well. For instance, cucumbers are always in season, and can range from 10 to 75 cents in size. Cabbage is also another affordable vegetable to purchase, since you will usually not pay more than 60 cents per head. Watermelon and strawberries are some fruits that are especially affordable, and are best in the spring and summer months.

Cutting out processed foods is another important part of do it yourself natural weight loss. Keep in mind that if you can’t grow a food, it’s probably not a good idea to eat it if you’re trying to lose weight. White bread, cold cuts, and processed pasta are a huge part of most people’s diets, but these foods will not help you to shed pounds. Instead, try whole grains like oatmeal and quinoa. This will add to your fiber content, which will flatten your stomach in just a few weeks. Eliminating processed foods will also will also help to improve your complexion, and will increase the number of vitamins and minerals that your body will absorb each time you eat. If you decide that you want to sweet treat, you should also buy sugary fruits instead of cookies and ice cream. Bananas, peaches, and berries will help you to curb your cravings, and you can even make a smoothie for breakfast that will help you to get all your fruit servings in for the day.

Do it yourself natural weight loss also means that you’ll need to set up a budget for yourself each week, since you may have to purchase some additional fiber supplements and natural weight loss herbs to help you along. You can pick up items like green tea from your local grocery store, and herbal supplements like hoodia can usually be purchased at the health food store in your area. Make sure that you only take these supplements as instructed, and talk to your doctor if you’re already on medication.

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If you’re trying to manage your heartburn, you may not want to continue taking traditional medications in order to get relief. Many of these prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines have side effects that could worsen your condition or cause other health problems. Here are some natural remedies for acid reflux that you may want to try.

Before you take any of these supplements, be sure to read the directions carefully, and to follow the dosages completely. You should also talk to your doctor if you’re considering taking herbal remedies for acid reflux, so that you can find out how much of the supplement you should take each day.

One of the nutritional supplements you’ll want to take it burdock. This herb is very healing to the body, and helps to clean out the liver and kidneys during the digestion process. Burdock can help to clear up your reflux symptoms if you take it once or twice a day with a meal. You may also want to try celery seed; this supplement is great for helping to clean out the intestines, which means your body will be able to rid itself of toxins much quicker. Eating ray celery as a snack will also aid in this process.

Cooking with saffron could help to relieve the discomfort associated with acid reflux as well. For acid reflux, a healthy, balanced diet, as well as supplements, is recommended, so you can take saffron in the capsule form, or you can use it as a seasoning for rice, meat, or vegetables. Eating saffron rich with your favorite fish is a great way to get both the herbal remedy for acid reflux, and the omega-3 fatty acids that your body needs in order to digest food properly.

In addition to these things, taking a capsule of devil’s claw with meals will also help you to feel better after eating, and will help you to resist the urge to lie down right after a meal. Devil’s claw helps to ease the lining of the esophagus as well, and helps the food to settle in your stomach, so that it doesn’t resurface in the esophagus after you have eaten.

You can take other supplements to aid in the digestion process for acid reflux as well, such as flax seed oil, borage oil, or cascara, since these herbs and oils are great for cleaning impurities from the bloodstream, and can give you more energy after eating. Of course, you’ll still need to stay away from heavy foods, such as Italian dishes, and spicy foods, but these natural remedies will definitely help you to regain your health, and to get the relief for acid reflux disease that you need.

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Aromatherapy is the art and science of employing the volatile oil of plants in an effort to achieve physical, psychological and spiritual well-being. These plant extracts are called essential oils, and their powerful properties have been exploited for thousands of years. Essential oils are natural plant extracts that are totally distinct from those generally labeled as ‘fragrance oils’, sometimes also referred to as ‘perfume oils’ which contain synthetic chemicals. These de-natured oils are devoid of the therapeutic benefits of essential oils, and they are not considered viable substances in the field of Holistic Aromatherapy.

This is important to note because Holistic Aromatherapy is a fairly new ‘modern’ field of study and it is seldom found under any government regulation at all. The United States for instance does not regulate the use of the word ‘aromatherapy’. Nevertheless, the term itself is widely used in product labeling. One must keep in mind that this does not in itself denote the use of pure unadulterated essential oils, nor does it indicate whether or not the claims made by any one particular product are indeed aroma-therapeutic.

The ancients made no distinction of the art and science of aromatherapy in their use of essential oils in medical treatments, psychiatry, or when used for spiritual guidance and well being. However, it is a field that has been somewhat re-discovered in the western world. The ancient Egyptians were known to have distilled Cedarwood oil, along with employing a variety of spices and essential oils including nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and myrrh for the science of embalming and in the rites associated with their rather elaborate industry and practice of mortuary arts. The Egyptian cultivation and use of an enormous variety of spices and herbs whether it was for the embalming of the dead, in the huge cosmetic industry, or for the extraction of essential oils, ultimately lead to the world-wide spice trade. This quest to extract and to exploit the natural essences contained in the plant-life of the Earth has played an essential role in the growth, development, and indeed in the fall of civilizations from antiquity until today.

Essential oils are extracted from a variety of different sections of growing plants for use in aromatherapy, including the seeds, flowers, leaves bark, berries, resin, wood, peels, rhizome, root, and resins. They are generally extracted through the process of distillation. However, they may also be also be extracted with the use of a press of some sort, called expression, or through chemical extraction with the use of solvents such as hexane. Chemical extraction produces essences called ‘concetes’.

There are several methods of gaining the beneficial properties of essential oils in aromatherapy. The two most direct ways is through physically inhaling them, or through direct application to the skin. Essential oils are for the most part power extracts and they must be used with the utmost care. They should never be directly applied to the skin or directly inhaled without proper knowledge and supervision. Oils may also be added to soaps and cosmetics. They are used in the production of incense and candles; one example of which is the use of citronella candles made from the oil of cymbopogon often burnt outdoors in order to ward off the pesky intrusion of mosquitoes.

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Who doesn’t like a nice massage every now and then (I sure do)?

Whether you decide to attend a massage therapy session as a way to help you relieve stress from a tense situation on the home front – think Christmas or Thanksgiving holidays when it is your turn to do the hosting – or are just winding down from a jam packed work week that involved a ton of work, a trip to a massage therapist is a really nice treat.

Massage therapy takes a multitude of forms, making it an excellent form of physical therapy for almost every type of body. Massages are great for so many things, from carving out a needed moment of relaxation to alleviating acute muscle pressure or the diffused discomfort of chronic pain.

Massaging involves applying pressure that is both structured and unstructured to the muscles within the body. These movements may be stationary and concentrate on a particular part of the body or they may entail movement that focuses on a generalized group of muscles.

While massage therapy can focus on any part of the body, there are some areas that are more commonly massaged because they are more likely to provoke discomfort for one reason or another. For example, massage therapists dedicate a fair chunk of time to treating our backs even when they are performing what is known as full-body massages. The reason is that we tend to overwork our back muscles or use them incorrectly when lifting heavy objects or sleeping in awkward positions. As a result, muscle strain or discomfort frequently manifests itself either in the upper or lower part of our backs.

Another reason is that our backs get massaged so frequently is because of their complexity. There are hundreds of muscles – both big and small – that are located in a person’s back, and each one of these muscles connects with ligaments and tendons that hold it in place. This means that there is a lot of room for mishaps to occur because just as it is with complex machines that are full of parts, pieces, knobs and attachments, our backs are highly susceptible to failure due to the sheer complexity of the interactions between all of its parts.

Aside from our backs, our: necks, upper chests, arms, hands, legs, and feet are body parts that commonly in need of a professional massage for one reason or another. The professionals who provide us with delightful massages through the practice of massage therapy hold the occupational title of either a masseuse or a massage therapist. These professionals may be registered or unregistered. A registered masseuse, or massage therapist, refers to the fact that a governing institution has recognized and approved a person’s educational background.

Within the larger field of massage therapy, there are quite a few areas of specialization. As an example, reflexologists are professionals that focus on massaging feet and sometimes hands and ears because they are trained to apply pressure on these areas as a way to improve a person’s overall health. Reflexology is just one type of specialization within the field of massage therapy, which is an age-old practice of manipulating the muscles within our bodies.

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Isopathy is a derivative of homeopathy that was invented by Johann Lux in the 1830s. Lux was in a sense both a disciple and a colleague of Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of modern homeopathy.

Like Hahnemann, he was a member of the Economic Society of Leipzig. Lux originally became interested in homeopathy as a method for treating animals (he was primarily a veterinarian at the time though he had a background in numerous other sciences) after hearing a lecture that Hahnemann gave at the Society on that very topic. After years of experimentation he had developed his own form of healing: Isopathy – Aequalia aequalibus. Isopathy differs from homeopathy in that isopathic remedies are made up from things that cause the disease in question, or from products of that disease. Many so-called homeopathic vaccines are in fact a form of isopathy.

Holistic Isopathy is a further derivative from Isopathy that is based on the theories of Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957), an Austrian physician & psychoanalyst who originally studied under Freud. In Reich’s search for the driving force of life (what Freud termed the Libido) he felt that he had discovered that such energy indeed existed and dubbed it “Oregone Energy”. Reich then developed a device for drawing on and intensifying this energy. Called the Oregone

Energy Accumulator, Reich experimented with this device on cancer patients by having them sit at the center of it for various periods of time during which they were exposed to the oregone energy that had been built up inside the Accumulator. According to Reich, subsequent blood tests on these patients showed significant improvements in their overall condition.

Holistic Isopathy is based on Reich’s assertion that such energy does exist and can be drawn on and used using the instrument he developed for that purpose. Its other 2 key principals are that the source of a patient’s symptoms may be found in the patient’s own energy field (or “Aura”) and that a sample of this energy field will contain a sample of an energy field that is hostile to life. This so-called “hostile” sample is the sample that should be used to prepare the isopathic remedy. The sample is shaken and diluted just as is the case with Homeopathy until a suitable potency is obtained, resulting in a remedy containing an energetic field identical to the patient’s energetic field.

The 4 main characteristics of the holistic ispothatic remedy are as follows:

It comes directly from the patient’s energy field (”Aura”). It may be suited to every patient. This is regardless of whether the remedy is known in the Materia Medica ( a Latin medical term for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing). It is matched to the patient in a completely “objective” way. The homeopath’s judgement or bias is not supposed to enter into it. The remedy can be obtained irrespective of the patient’s degree of cooperation.

Holistic Isopathy differs from Homeopathy in that the remedy for what ails the patient is not a substance found in nature, but rather in the patient’s own energy field. In theory, this difference makes it possible to achieve a higher degree of agreement between the remedy and the patient, resulting in a more satisfactory therapeutic outcome.

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Do you have a cold that you can’t seem to get rid of? Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you want to know how to reduce the stress you’re feeling? If you’ve tried conventional medicines with no luck, then a good alternative medicine to look at is Chinese herbal remedies.

For colds and flu, echinacea is a Chinese herb you won’t want to run out of. We almost always have tons of it on hand. The roots of the flower can be made into a tea, which helps to relieve muscle pains associated with colds, and can clear up a runny nose and clogged head within hours. You can even buy cough drops with the herb in them, for a quick fix that will help you to ward off the sniffles.

Kava Kava, which is in the pepper family, is used in many countries to prepare nutritious drinks. The plant can help to boost your immune system, and the juice from the plant has been known to have tranquilizing properties, so you may want to have a cup before going to be if you’ve been having trouble sleeping. It is also believed that you can use Kava Kava for the treatment of urinary tract infections or bronchial congestion.

To help treat burns, clear up skin irritation, or to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun, you may want to try the Chinese herbal solution of aloe vera. The leaf is part of the lily family, and has been helping people to maintain healthy skin for years. Aloe vera also helps with digestive problems and athlete’s foot, and it is gentle enough to use on your baby for treating diaper rash.

If you’re looking for something natural to soothe your little one’s cough, you may want to try the Goji berry, another Chinese herbal solution. This berry is high in antioxidant and healing powers,and can relieve cough and congestion. Adults can use the juice from the berry as well to lower blood pressure and fever.

If you want to clear your skin and maintain your bright and glowing complexion, you’ll definitely want to take a few capsules of milk thistle each day to help clear your liver and kidneys and rid the body of toxins. While Chinese herbalists do use this herb, it is also very popular in Europe. Milk thistle works very well with Burdock root and dandelion as a natural acne medication that will start to work in days.

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If you’ve been using Chinese herbs for a while, and have been getting acupuncture and massages in order to relieve pain and pressure in the body, you may want to go a step further and learn about magnetic therapy. Advocates of magnetic therapy claim that it will draw out impurities in your body that you may not even know you had, and will help your organs to function better.

As with all alternative health practices, there has been some skepticism concerning the effectiveness of magnetic therapy. Some people that this method is not essentially effective and may be harmful. If you have questions about the therapy, you should discuss them in detail with your doctor first.

Magnetic therapy uses magnets in different parts of the body to ‘draw out’ impurities or toxins from the body, due to the static field that the magnet creates around the body. Some alternative medicine enthusiasts even believe that magnetic therapy can help to heal broken bones, and can be beneficial to those with arthritis.

You can go to a massage center to have the magnetic therapy done, and while you’re there,you will most likely be able to take advantage of some aromatherapy benefits as well. Certain oils, such as lavender or bergamot, have the ability to improve the mood and increase circulation, and if you are having the therapy done on your hands or feet, you may use some of these oils to heighten the effect.

After you leave the massage center, there are a number of magnetic therapy products you can use to participate in the healing process whenever you need to. For instance, there are magnetic therapy bracelets you can purchase that are said to heal the discomfort in the wrist that can be caused from arthritis or fibromyalgia. You can also purchase magnetic foot insoles for your shoes that will draw toxins out from all over the body. Magnetic Necklaces can be worn for neck and shoulder relief, and there are also magnetic therapy products you can purchase to help relieve insomnia.

You can carry the magnets around with you wherever you go, which makes the therapy convenient; this will be even more of a benefit when you start to see improvements.

If you think this alternative health therapy may be for you, you can purchase the items that you need on the web.

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The term homeopathy is derived from the Greek words “homoios” (”like”) and “pathos” (”suffering”). It is an alternative form of medicine that involves the use of heavily diluted preparations made from substances that would ordinarily cause effects that were similar to the symptoms of the actual disease. This is known as the principal “Similia Similibus Curentur”, or “Like Cures Like”.

Though homeopathic treatments in medicine go back to at least the early 16th century in western medicine (and probably even earlier than that in some Asian societies), it was Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries who first gave it a name and a set of governing principles.

While translating A Treatise on the Materia Medica by William Cullen, a Scottish doctor and chemist, Hahnemann became intrigued by Cullen’s theories on the use of Cinchona bark to treat malaria. He began experimenting with cinchona on himself, and found that it caused malarial-like symptoms and concluded from this that it would have the same effect in any otherwise healthy individual. The end result of this an other similar experiments conducted by Hahnemann was his famous healing principle, “…that which can produce a set of symptoms in a healthy individual can treat a sick individual who is manifesting a similar set of symptoms” .

Hahnemann published his first article on homeopathy in a German medical journal in 1796, though the actual word “homeopathy” did not actually appear in print until 1807. As a result of his research and writings, as well as news of the success of his treatments, other physicians began to study his techniques and methods.

At the time, mainstream medicine still advocated the use of such treatments as “bleeding”, “purging” as well as laxatives and enemas for a variety of medical conditions despite their being no scientific basis for their effectiveness, which usually ended up being negligible at best, and extremely harmful and even fatal at worst. Hahnemann favored the use of single drugs at lower doses, and only after first experimenting with them on healthy patients. He was also unique for the time in his advocacy improved diet, exercise, and hygiene as a means of both curing and preventing certain kinds of disease.

The first school for teaching homeopathy opened in 1830, and by 1900 there were 22 homeopathic colleges and 15,000 homeopathic practitioners in the US alone. Due to the aforementioned primitive medical practices still in use at the time, homeopathy became very popular, due to it’s relative success, (and at worse, relative harmlessness) compared to such standard medical practices. Homeopathy also tended to be very effective in the treatment of typhus and cholera, which were both very common (and deadly) at that time due to poor sanitary conditions.

Homeopathy began to fall out of favor in the late 19th century, mainly due to improvements in mainstream medical treatments resulting from enhanced research (ironically in some instances using research techniques and principles pioneered by homeopaths) some of which also ended up ultimately discrediting some of homeopathy’s basic principles. However, in the last 30 years it has staged something of a comeback in popularity.

The Greek homeopath George Vithoulkas was responsible for a great deal of research involving the updating and refinement of traditional homeopathic theories and practices. Eventually, the medical profession began to more widely integrate homeopathic ideas into its practices, and mainstream pharmaceutical companies began developing their own homeopathic drugs. Today, it has become a huge growing business.

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Welcome to our new blog! We will be posting articles and information about alternative health on this site for your enjoyment.

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