Certain alternative or complementary therapies are gaining credence among doctors as well as patients. But how much do you know about acupuncture and aromatherapy…etc
Acupuncture And Other Techniques
Practitioners believe a type of body energy flows along channels called meridians. Therapists therefore work on certain points of the body to increase,release or calm the flow. They use needles (acupuncture); fingers (acupressure); electric current (electro-acupuncture); a laser beam or magnet; colored light (color acupuncture) or a burning herb (moxibustion). Auriculo-therapy means that only the ear is worked on. Acu technique may help conditions such as back pain, nausea, fibromyalgia and migraine.
Alexander Technique
This uses various exercises, manoeuvrings and practical tips to re-educate movement and posture. The aim is to avoid unnecessary muscle tension, which saps energy and encourages illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, headaches, backache, indigestion and high blood pressure.
Aromatherapy
This uses aromatic plant oils, such as lavender, ylang-ylang, geranium, neroli and rose. It can lift spirits, encourage relaxation, boost energy and head illness. Apply essential oil (diluted if necessary) to the skin, add it to bath water or inhale its vapor. Particularly good for stress.
Art Therapy
Using shapes, colors, lightness, and darkness when creating pictures or sculptures, for example, can symbolize the way you are feeling, and release emotions in a non damaging way. Helps heal depression, stress and addictive behaviors, such as eating disorders, drinking too much or being a workaholic.
Anger Management And Assertion Training
Special group workshops or one to one therapy training can help people understand their anger and use it positively, in ways that don’t damage themselves or others. People can learn skills to help them be assertive rather than passive and/or aggressive. Boosts well being by relieving mental strain.
Bates Method
Involves exercises and advice to relieve eye strain and improve sight. Exercises used in this program include frequently looking up from close work to focus on something far away; screwing up your eyes or blinking; covering the eyes with the palms of the hands and splashing the eyes with warm and cold water.
Biofeedback Training
Electrical devices that register muscle tension, sweating or brainwaves help you recognize signs or stress. You can then focus on using relaxation exercise whenever necessary. With practice, this counteracts stress related illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure and migraine.
Biorhythms
These are rhythmical variations in the body’s energy, appetite, sexuality and fertility, mainly due to regular exposure to light and darkness, which influences the production of hormones and neurotransmitters (nerve message carries). Going out in bright daylight for at least half an hour each day and getting enough sleep in a darkened room at night can normalize biorhythms. This helps combat winter fatigue and depression, sleep and fertility problems, shift work disruption, jet lag and Alzheimer’s disease.