
Toxins, skin disorders, depression, anxiety, and muscle aches are only a few of the many things that can take a toll on your body. Natural therapies will help you feel younger, help alleviate stress, boost immunity, and increase energy levels.
Many of these natural therapies have been used for thousands of years and have been proven to deal with health on all levels.
Just find the one, or few, that work best for you.
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional form of Chinese medicine that has been practiced in Eastern countries for 2,500 years. It’s based on the understanding that our body’s motivating energy force (or qi, pronounced ‘chi’) moves through a network of channels, or meridians, that run beneath the skin. Fine, sterile needles are inserted at various points on the meridians to rebalance the body’s energy. Acupuncture can help with arthritis, circulatory problems, infertility, menstrual problems, migraines, and skin disorders.
2. Aromatherapy
The aromatic oils in flowers, leaves, and trees contain the essence of the plant. Aromatherapy harnesses the inherent healing properties in these oils and uses them to bring relief to physical and emotional ailments. It can alleviate stress, release tension and eliminate toxins in the body. It induces a state of deep relaxation, increased well-being, and renewed energy. Specific essential oils can help with muscle aches, skin problems, indigestion, asthma, insomnia, anxiety and depression.
3. Chiropractic
Chiropractic is based on the belief that ill health arises from misalignments in the spine and their disruption to surrounding nerves. These misalignments can be caused by accidents, injuries, poor posture, stress and over-exhaustion. Chiropractors use their hands to mobilize and gently adjust the joints and muscles of your whole body to restore normal alignment and function. Chiropractic care can help back and neck pain, sciatica, scoliosis, disc herniation, carpal tunnel, hip problems, migraine, headaches, and pain management.
4. Massage
Deep tissue massage, specifically, aims to release the chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted areas, either following or going across the fibers of the muscles, tendons, and fascia. A deep tissue massage will also help loosen muscle tissues, release toxins from muscles and get blood and oxygen circulating properly.
5. Homeopathy
The word homeopathy comes from the Greek word meaning ‘similar suffering’. It stimulates the body’s natural ability to heal itself by using specially prepared ‘potenized’ medicines made from minute amounts of substances that cause similar symptoms in healthy people. Homeopathy is suitable for all ages and all conditions. It is beneficial for skin conditions, reproductive, digestive, and respiratory system disorders, stress-related disorders and for maintaining day-to-day health.
6. Herbalism
Herbalism is the practice of using the therapeutic properties of plants to aid our body’s natural healing processes. Herbal medicine can treat a wide range of conditions. Conditions like hormonal and skin problems, respiratory disorders, heart and circulatory problems, acute and chronic infections as well as stress disorders.
7. Naturopathy
This complete health system involves healing the whole person. Treatments may involve a combination of herbal medicines, flower remedies and diet and lifestyle changes. A naturopath can educate you about why disease can occur and how to maintain improved health after treatment. Conditions regarding hormones, fertility, digestion, skin, circulation, immunity and energy levels can all respond well to naturopathy.
8. Nutrition
Good nutrition is vital to a healthy functioning body. Clinical nutrition aims to identify and treat nutritional deficiencies, improve food assimilation, eliminate allergens and detoxify the body. Through a special diet and herbal, vitamin and mineral supplements, you can improve your body’s health and functioning. Everyone can benefit from good nutrition, but specifically people that suffer from migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating and indigestion, sinusitis, chronic fatigue, skin disorders and hormonal problems.
9. Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment that corrects imbalances in the structure of our bodies. Osteopaths are trained to ‘feel’ disruptions in your muscles, bones, ligaments and organs. They then use a variety of techniques, including manipulation, massage and stretching, to restore harmony to the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Osteopathy can be used as a treatment for back pain, sciatica, repetitive strain injuries and pregnancy-related musculoskeletal problems. It can also help with conditions such as asthma, allergies and digestive disorders.
10. Reflexology
Reflexology is an ancient Eastern healing tradition based on the principle that all parts of the body are connected by energy pathways, which end in the hands, feet, and head. A reflexology treatment uses pressure massage on specific areas of the feet to stimulate healing in the corresponding organs, glands and structures. This releases areas of tension and helps energy to flow more freely throughout your body. Reflexology is very relaxing and is useful for arthritis, migraine, insomnia, PMS, and digestive and respiratory problems.
11. Shiatsu
Shiatsu is an ancient Japanese therapy that means ‘finger pressure’. Like acupuncture, shiatsu works on pressure points and meridians, or energy pathways. However, instead of needles, fingers, thumbs, and sometimes elbows, knees, hands and feet are used to massage pressure points and meridians, restoring balance to the flow of vital energy, or qi, in the body. Shiatsu can be effective for joint pain and reduced mobility, musculoskeletal and back pain, headaches and migraines, digestive disorders, anxiety, depression and grief.
12. Flower Essences
Also known as Bach Flower Remedies, the first collection of flower remedies was developed in England by the homeopath Dr. Edward Bach. Flower essences are a healing system that treats physical and other symptoms via underlying emotional symptoms. The remedies are made from the flowers of wild plants and trees and work to restore balance, a positive outlook and good health.
13. Yoga
Yoga focuses on harmony between mind and body and derives its philosophy from Indian metaphysical beliefs. The word yoga comes from Sanskrit language and means ‘union’ or ‘merger’. Yoga uses movement, breath, posture, relaxation and meditation in order to establish a healthy, lively and balanced approach to life. It can improve flexibility, increase circulation, relieve stress and encourage peace. It can also help normalize hormonal function, relieve digestive disorders and improve posture, strength, endurance, energy, immunity, sleep and breathing, as well as your heart.
Excerpted from the Looking Good, Looking Younger NYR Organic Book
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