Alternative Medicine for Health and Relaxation
Over these pages we provide some information on the use of various
alternative health methods that have become more popular in recent
years. Many of the methods also originate from the East, and use a
combination physchological, physical and spiritual methods and ideas to
help to relive stress and tension, and to harmonize the body's energy
to improve health and longevity.
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a form of
alternative medicine in use primarily in the Indian subcontinent. The
word "Ayurveda" is a tatpurusha compound of āyus "life" and veda
"knowledge", and would roughly translate as the "Science of Life".
Aromatherapy,
commonly associated
with complementary
and alternative medicine (CAM), is the use of volatile liquid
plant materials, known as essential oils (EOs), and
other aromatic compounds from plants to affect someone's mood or
health. The word was coined in the 1920s
by French chemist René Maurice Gattefossé, who
devoted his life to
researching the healing properties of essential oils after a lucky
accident in his perfume laboratory. (In the accident, he lit his arm on
fire and thrust it into the nearest cold liquid, which happened to be a
vat of lavender oil. Much to his amazement, the burn quickly healed
without a scar.)
Massage
is the practice of applying structured pressure, tension, motion or
vibration — manually or with mechanical aids — to
the soft tissues of
the body, including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments,
joints
and lymphatic vessels, to achieve a
beneficial response. A form of therapy,
massage can be applied to parts of the body or successively to the
whole body, to heal injury, relieve psychological stress, manage pain,
and improve circulation.
Where massage is used for its physical and psychological benefits, it
may be termed "therapeutic massage therapy" or manipulative therapy.
Crystal
Healing
is a form of alternative medicine that is becoming more popular in
western society. Crystal healers use the energy within
crystals,
to help improve energy flow through the chakras and along the
meridians, usually while in a state of meditation.
Sponsored Resources
